by Vickie Atkinson, Chapel Hill

I am enthusiastically voting for Joe Biden. Joe Biden has the temperament, experience and steadiness that I want in a leader. His empathy, knowledge of how government works, and willingness to listen to experts and scientists is reassuring in a time of great anxiety.

Our nation is facing multiple, simultaneous crises: a pandemic, a major economic challenge, a racial reckoning, and looming over everything, a climate crisis. We have seen wildfires, hurricanes, floods, droughts, and ever increasing temperatures year after year. We MUST begin to address the climate crisis before we reach tipping points that are irreversible. 

As is well known by now, Blacks, Hispanics and poor people have been hit hardest by the pandemic and the economic disaster. What is less well known is that these are the people who are, and will be, most affected by the climate crisis as well. 

The fastest growing jobs are in renewable energy and green infrastructure. There are huge opportunities for good paying jobs, cutting edge research and expanding the economy without leaving anyone behind. Reentering the Paris Climate Accord, which Biden has pledged to do on day one, will reassert this country’s leadership in solving the world’s most pressing problem. It will also begin to restore our country’s reputation in the world, a reputation that has been badly damaged over the past four years. 

I encourage everyone to go to joebiden.com to review The Biden Plan To Build A Modern, Sustainable Infrastructure And An Equitable Clean Energy Future as part of Biden’s plan to Build Back Better.

There are scores of other reasons why I am voting for Biden: expanding Obamacare, raising the minimum wage to a liveable wage, racial justice, restoring the voting rights act and so many more. But perhaps the most important is that I know that Joe Biden is the person who will work to unify the country, solve our most pressing problems and give us the best shot at rebuilding our democracy.