|
|
Thanks to you, Zoe and I are sleeping better as we continue the work to strengthen the American Dream
|
|
I also write this afternoon to explain why I am voting for Elizabeth Warren: I believe she is the best candidate on the biggest issues we face as a nation and she is the best candidate to beat Donald Trump.
Analysis of her campaign and candidacy, compared with other candidates, leads me to Senator Warren. I acknowledge that she is not perfect--no candidate is--but I ask you to consider my reasoning below:
|
|
|
|
With Senator Warren at her rally at Wakefield High School here in Arlington on February 13th.
|
|
The two biggest issues we face as a nation are (1) building an economy that works for the middle class and those struggling to get into the middle class and (2) climate change. On both issues, Senator Warren has the right ideas. On our economy, we must ask those with the most to contribute more to help with the cost of child care, college, and health care.
On climate change, we will not see action over the next decade without reducing the filibuster from 60 votes in the Senate to 50. No other candidate is explicitly and consistently identifying the filibuster as needing to change.
(We also will not get common sense gun safety or progress on many, many other issues without doing away with the filibuster. The filibuster was reduced from 67 to 60 in the 1960's to pass civil rights legislation and the time we are in now makes an additional reduction to 50 necessary for the challenges we face.)
But what about electability? I truly believe Senator Warren is the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump. She both activates and excites Democratic base voters to turn out those who will vote Democratic if they vote and will ultimately appeal most to the limited number of true swing voters, who I believe will be disproportionately women, in the key states we must win.
|
|
|
With respect to activating and inspiring Democratic base voters, most would concede based on her crowds, number of volunteers, and ideas that she inspires. The moderate but solid Democrats who prefer a less progressive economic approach, in my view, will stay with us in this election. She also has sound ideas that appeal to Black, Latino, and Asian voters and has inspired crowds across the country, including here in Arlington.
|
|
With respect to swing voters--independents and disaffected Republicans--Senator Warren's ideas appeal to working class voters in the Midwest and suburban women in Pennsylvania. She also will appeal to voters of color, some of whom Democrats struggled turn to out in 2016, who I believe will be critical in North Carolina, Florida, Arizona, and Georgia.
Senator Warren's proposal to ask for 2 cents from fortunes above $50 million does well with Republicans and has populist appeal. On that issue and others, voters respect someone who they know believes in their ideals, even if they don't agree with every one of them. This trait has played out in campaigns in the past and applies in this election.
|
|
I will vote and work for whoever is the Democratic nominee, no matter what. The other candidates are all good people and I genuinely like and can and do find good in each of them.
Mike Bloomberg has done good work on climate and gun safety. I choose Warren over Bloomberg based in part on the 2 debates and because I frankly think we need a candidate who has more appeal to working Americans.
Joe Biden is a great man. I choose Warren over Biden because I believe Warren would be a measurably stronger debater against Trump and, respectfully, I don't think we should choose a candidate as heavily because of what he or she has done or because of our image of a candidate's centrist appeal. Actual appeal is different than our image of appeal, as I see it.
Amy Klobuchar is a great Senator. I have met her and think she has significant appeal. I choose Warren because I believe we will need more in our candidate to excite and inspire voters of color and volunteers. I also think that Klobuchar's incrementalist strengths in the Senate do not match the moment: we must make this campaign one that appeals broadly and aims to end the filibuster to pass the big changes we need on climate and more inclusive economic growth.
Mayor Pete is wicked smart and has run an excellent campaign. I choose Warren because she has better experience at the national level and because I believe she will both more inspiring and better prepared to serve voters of color, which I see as a critical starting part of a margin of victory that we must work to win in this election.
Bernie Sanders shares many of my ideals. I choose Warren because she has a better chance of beating Trump. Ultimately, I believe Democratic Socialism is unlikely to be a label from which we can recover and are most likely to win the Presidency. I respect those who disagree. I would submit, however, that we really, really we must win, since doing so matters very, very much for so many issues we care about.
|
|
|
Elizabeth Warren is not perfect: I agree that her position and tone on Medicare for all has not been good. However, I would respectfully ask you to consider that she has moderated her tone on this issue and acknowledges that she will need to compromise on it. Ultimately, I don't see this position as sufficiently problematic to overcome what I see as her strengths when weighed against the other candidates.
|
|
Based on the above analysis and what is at stake in this primary in Virginia, I ask you to join me in voting for Elizabeth Warren next Tuesday or before if you qualify. I believe she is right on the biggest issues of our time and that she has the intellect, heart, and judgment we need. I also truly believe she is our best nominee to beat Donald Trump and that she will be a great President. And I believe we should choose Tuesday based on our own sense of who is best on the issues and best to beat Trump, at this moment. (There is, in my view, time to come together after Tuesday.)
All of that said, I respect your views, will absolutely work my heart out for whoever the Democratic nominee is, and am forever grateful for your support.
Sincerely,
Matt
|
|
|
|
