Election Day: Final thoughts from Tufts Democrats

After a long, difficult campaign season, this election is nearly over. All that is left is the final decision. You know the stakes.

This election has been covered continuously by the media; every comment of every candidate has been endlessly scrutinized, analyzed and dissected from all angles. You know that one candidate has 30 years of experience in public service. You know that one candidate has built his fortune on bankruptcies and shady business dealings. You know that one candidate has fought for children and families her whole life. You know that one candidate has been openly racist, misogynistic and homophobic. You know that one candidate has detailed policy positions on everything from immigration to healthcare to tax reform. You know that one candidate wants to build a wall. You know that one candidate sent emails the wrong way. You know that one candidate bragged about assaulting women and called into question the very integrity of our electoral system.

This election has often been reduced to a choice between two comparable candidates. Simply put, there is no comparison. In previous elections, Democrats and Republicans have vehemently disagreed over policy, but the candidates in both major parties have always had the best interests of the United States in mind. This is no such election. We are faced with a Republican candidate who has attacked the very bedrock of our democracy — who threatens to tear down the norms that  prevent our nation from descending into tyranny.

Conversely, we have been afforded a Democratic candidate who cares deeply about the United States. She is the most qualified person ever to run for president. She has fought for children, for families, for the middle class and for those who do not have a voice. When she could have taken a well-paying job after graduating from Yale Law School, she instead chose to work for the Children’s Defense Fund, fighting discrimination in schools. She has served as a senator and as Secretary of State at critical moments of national importance. She has fought for affordable healthcare, education reform and issues that often go unnoticed. Her rhetoric has uplifted this election just as his has torn it down. Whether because of her husband, her ambition or the fact that she is a woman, she has never gotten fair treatment in the media. Her character and trustworthiness are routinely questioned by reporters more interested in the latest overblown scandal than her detailed understanding of policy. Despite all of this, she has remained hopeful, optimistic and strong in the face of extreme adversity.

There is only one candidate in this race deserving of your vote. When you go to the polls, we ask that you cast your ballot for her.