America: In 2020, Let’s Elect A Woman President Please!

The new year of 2018 has just gotten underway and already, it’s proven to be a mouth dropping political debacle in American politics.  The release of Journalist Michael Wolff’s Book “Fire and Fury” has taken the country by storm.  It portrays the current president as unfit to serve and in need of a mental health evaluation. The president, himself, has further fueled the controversy by verbally insulting African Nations with racially charged name calling and political disrespect.  He continues to badger the nation’s intelligence agencies who are there to protect us and  his disingenuous “fake news” twitter remarks regarding the free press has threaten our democracy as we know it.   The political scene unfolding on Pennsylvania Avenue is getting scarier by the day.

As I think about all of this, I began entertaining the thought of a woman taking on the office of the presidency.  It’s time for a change.  A very big change. It’s time for a woman’s perspective on our nation’s politics. During the last presidential election,  I voted for Hillary Clinton, a phenomenal woman who has spent her life serving our country to make it better for all of the people.  As first lady, she created and pushed through the healthcare program (CHIP) for disadvantaged, poor children and as US Senator, following the September 11 terrorist attacks, she obtained funding for the recovery efforts in New York City as well as security improvements in her state.  She took a leading role investigating  the health issues faced by 9/11 responders which lead to the USA Patriot Act in October 2001.   Those are some of her accomplishments including a stint as secretary of state and running for president twice.  Her run for president has made the idea of a woman president inevitable. A change that will soon be a reality in the near future.  However, Hillary Clinton isn’t the only woman qualified to be president.  There are several phenomenal women in our mist.  Some you may know and some you may not know. However,  I have a few favorites.  Women I personally admire. I like to start with Oprah Winfrey.

Ever since this lady gave a rousing speech at this year’s Golden Globe Awards,  there have been calls by the media and people around the country for her to run for president in 2020.  Although, she has never held a political office, her influence and philanthropy around the world for over three decades has touch many lives.  People around the world love her.  Her candor, empathy, realness and her ability to touch people’s hearts has endeared her as one of America’s most beloved celebrities.  She is a shroud business woman and everything she touches turns into a money-making machine.  Now if anyone could balance the budget and fix healthcare, I bet Oprah can.  She has stated she does not plan to run, but if she changes her mind and decides to run for president, she probably would win.  My next phenomenal woman is Former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Michelle Obama is an awesome force in her own right.  In addition to be a Harvard Trained Lawyer, wife of the 44th President of the United States and a mother of two beautiful daughters, she became a role model and a fashion trend setter for women everywhere during her tenure as first lady.  She was an advocate for poverty awareness, education and healthy eating.  She gave inspiration to the men and women in our armed forces as well as to their families.  Her speeches touch hearts and her effortless ability to connect to her audience was inspiring.  She had eight years as first lady in the white house and although, she too, has stated, she will not run for president; her stately stature, classy approach to life and unique ability to understand the common challenges facing today’s Americans would make her a great president.  My third choice is Elizabeth Warren.

This lady doesn’t take no stuff.  She tells it like it is, often getting under the current president’s skin.  She is a strong advocate for the middle and lower class.  Always fighting on their behalf.  As US Senator from Massachusetts, she became an active consumer protection advocate whose efforts led to the conception and establishment of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  She has written a number of academic and popular works and is a frequent guest of media interviews regarding the American economy and personal finance.  Under President Barack Obama, she served as a special advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau during the 2008 financial crisis.  She took on the big banks and demanded they demonstrate accountability.  This lady is a financial whiz who could also balance the budget, fix healthcare and put more money in Americans’ pockets.  She would make a fascinating, no-nonsense president.  A force to be reckoned with.  Next is Kamala Harris.

Kamala Harris became a junior senator from the State of California last year.  Prior to her election to the Senate, she served as the District Attorney for the city of San Francisco and later the Attorney General of California.  She is an avid advocate for criminal justice reform and consumer protection in the mortgage industry.  As D.A. she started a program that gave first time drug dealers an opportunity to obtain a high school diploma and then find employment.  Within eight years,  the program produced more than three hundred graduates with a low recidivism rate and she continues to be outspoken on the need for innovation in public safety and reform.  In addition to her work in the criminal justice system, she was an advocate for consumers affected by the subprime mortgage crisis.  She participated in the National Mortgage Settlement proceedings against five major banks: Ally Financial, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citibank, and Chase.  She was able to secured a total of $26 billion dollars of debt relief for the state’s homeowners.   Later she introduced a bill called the California Homeowner’s Bill of Rights in the California State Legislature.  A package deal giving homeowners options to keep their homes.  The bill took effect in 2013 banning the practice of “dual-tracking” (processing a modification and foreclosure at the same time).  For the past year, there’s been talk among Democratic Party circles over Kamala Harris running for president in 2020.  Certainly her unique skills and knowledge can bring needed change to our failing justice system and wrangled mortgage loan industry.   Lack of name recognition will be her hurdle to overcome, but she is qualified and will make a good president.  Last, but not least, Condoleezza Rice.

I chose Condoleezza Rice because she is the only moderate female republican, I have seen in my opinion that has the talent and merits to be president.  She is a political scientist and diplomat and she was the first African-American Female to served as the nation’s secretary of state.  As secretary of state, Rice pioneered the policy of Transformational Diplomacy directed toward expanding the number of responsible democratic governments from around the world including the Middle East.  The policy faced challenges, however. Hamas won a popular majority in Palestinian States and countries such as Saudi  Arabia maintained authoritarian control with US support. She has logged more miles travelling than any other secretary of state in US history.  Currently she is a political science professor at Stanford University.  She is a board member on many committees throughout the country including the College Football Playoff, Postseason Committee.  She too has stated, she would never run, but with her vast experience and keen understanding of American and World politics, she would make a good president.

Well, those are my favorites.  I believe it’s time to change the guard.  The men have ridden this horse for a very long time.  Some were good presidents and some, oh well…… It’s time for a change.  It’s time for a woman to take on the reins.  If a woman throws her hat in and runs for president in 2020 and she has the qualifications to take on the office, then let’s elect her, America! It’s time for a more empathetic, thoughtful but tough and steady approach. A woman president!  It will be a courageous forward thinking change!  It’s time! It’s been time! It’s time to move the country forward!