By Oliver G. Gilbert III
Like Vice President Harris, I came from a middle-class family, worked to put myself through college, went to law school, and served as a prosecutor, before entering elected office. Her story is my story, it is an American story. She is a walking and breathing reminder that the American Dream is accomplishable. You do not have to be born with wealth, your father does not have to leave you hundreds of millions of dollars, you too can do it. That is the picture that I want every American to see, the story I want every child to know.
But it’s not just who she is that moves me, it’s what she wants to do to move America forward that compels my support. Money matters. Harris is proposing a middle-class tax cut as opposed to Trump who, as President, gave the middle class a temporary tax cut and gave corporations a permanent tax cut. Further, Harris is proposing to strengthen labor rights and raise the federal minimum wage, while Trump is largely looking to deregulate and let corporations have their way. Harris believes in rebuilding America’s infrastructure. This includes rapid mass transit, which we all know is critical to our future as a County. Harris is a proponent of small businesses. This is particularly important to Miami-Dade County because our robust economy is built by thousands of small businesses. She wants to give them resources and make it easier for them to do business. But it’s not just the big things, it’s the small, intimate things that affect us and our family members, like her plans to help working parents with the cost of childcare. That matters to families who struggle to make ends meet but also want to be sure that their child has a safe and nurturing environment when they aren’t with them. It’s things like capping the cost of insulin for our seniors, because we know that they should never have to choose their medicine over their food.
Under Donald Trump, the national debt grew $6.7 trillion in just 4 years. His economic policies increased the national debt more than any other president in American history during that time span. Increased national debt directly affects inflation in our economy.
My mom used to say that character matters. Having said that, I will never be OK with how former President Trump talks about women. You shouldn’t be OK with it either. Imagine they spoke that way about your mother, your sister, your wife, or your daughter. You wouldn’t be OK with it. I will never believe that January 6 was a day of love and peace. It was in fact, a disruption to the peaceful transfer of power, which is the hallmark of our representative Republic, our constitutional democracy. I will never be OK with the racial rhetoric that saw a dramatic increase in hate crimes during former President Trump’s presidency. In Miami-Dade County, 53% of our residents were born in a different country. Miami would not be Miami without Cuban, Haitian, Bahamian, Venezuelan, Argentinian, Asian, and Caribbean immigrants, as well as those from countless other countries, Demonizing immigrants is wrong and must stop. The words of the American president matter. They set a tone. If that tone is hateful, it will permeate.
The President of the United States should embody the character and values of the American people. Regardless of background, Americans are hard-working, honest, and advocates for liberty and justice for all.
As Chairman of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, I start our Commission meetings with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance. We pray to God and, with our right hand over our hearts, pledge ourselves to an indivisible country. If we are to be indivisible, we cannot have a president who continuously tries to divide us.
Based on qualifications, character, and country, I am proud to have cast my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Oliver G. Gilbert III is the Chairman of the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners, Miami Gardens native, attorney, and devoted father and husband.
Hy-Lo News encourages community members, thought leaders, social commentators, experts, and really ANYONE to submit commentary that expresses their opinion and shares their point of view. The views they express in their Op-Eds are their own, but we believer in the right to provide people a platform to share them. However, we will never condone or publish hate speech, violence, bullying and anything our editorial team deems problematic.
0 comments on “OP-ED| Chairman Gilbert Makes A Case for Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris”