Why Do You Vote? Values and Integrity
A friend of mine, a retired attorney, has recently shared with me social media posts written by her friend Karen Ilika. Dr. Ilika has pledged to write a short essay each day for the 100 days before the 2024 election. I like the clarity with which she explains the values underlying her decision-making. I asked for and received permission to share examples of her writing. The balance of this post, other than some of the headings, are from Dr. Ilika.
Carolyn Hayek, Common Sense Reflections Web Host
Support Cancer Research
Day #100
Why I Vote by Dr. Karen Ilika
Retired Ob/Gyn
I vote to support the goal of reducing the Cancer Death Rate and improving the experience of living with/surviving Cancer.
I have multiple myeloma, a treatable but incurable cancer of the plasma cells present in bone marrow. In 2000 the 5 year survival rate for this disease was about 35%, today it is near 60%. My diagnosis was 2 years ago and I have benefited greatly from new types of therapies that have become available in the past decade. I will be on therapy for this cancer for the rest of my life. My survival depends on innovation to develop more effective medications to be used when I relapse.
In 2016 then-VP Biden launched the “Cancer Moonshot” to accelerate the rate of progress against cancer, with a goal to reduce the death rate by 50% in 25 years. The Cancer Moonshot was part (1.8 billion dollars) of the “Cures Act” that was passed with cancer funding available through a special program at the National Institute of Health from 2016 to 2023. It was passed with nearly unanimous bipartisan support. Senator Mitch McConnell called it “the most significant legislation passed by this Congress (2016)”.
When the Cures Act came up for renewal this year the Republicans in Congress cut the Cancer Moonshot budget by $375 million, at least in part to deny President Biden a political “win”. That money would have been used to meet the goals of preventing cancer, diagnosing cancers earlier, developing new treatments through research and collaboration and getting those treatments to the patients who need them.
DJT did conclude a speech at the Convention with "We will unleash the power of American innovation, and as we do, we will soon be on the verge of finding the cures to cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and many other diseases.” But when a successful program was on the table in Congress this year he didn’t encourage his party to support it (see above). And he does not have a plan of his own.
Vote Blue to support the Cures Act in order to reduce the toll that Cancer takes on American families. If you or your family haven’t been touched by Cancer yet, count your blessings!
A short article addressing the moonshot as it impacts another rare cancer: https://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/3-cool-things-about-the-cancer-moonshot/
Support Candidates Who are Respected by Colleagues
Why I Vote - 63 days to the General Election
Dr. Karen Ilika, Retired Ob/Gyn
I vote for candidates who are respected by those who know them best.
When I ran my solo practice ALL of the jobs were my job, including HR. Starting out hiring my staff, or replacing staff over the years as people moved on to other endeavors, requesting and providing references was always fraught. I found over time that I could really get the information I needed with a single question. “Would you hire this person again?”
I can listen to speeches, study party platforms and watch debates to help form an opinion about the candidates I get to choose from. This year it seems particularly easy to bolster those opinions by listening to those who know the candidate best. Other people who have worked with DJT or Kamala Harris have pretty strong opinions.
The Democratic National Convention was a joy to watch. The upbeat feeling and enthusiasm for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz was such a nice change. I loved that Kamala’s niece and nephews spoke to encourage people to vote for her. In contrast DJT’s niece and nephew have written tell-all books to warn people about him.
At the DNC, former Rep Adam Kinzinger (a Republican member of the January 6th committee) declared that DJT “has suffocated the soul of the party”; Stephanie Grisham (former White House press secretary in the Trump administration) resigned following January 6th when she was told not to post a message condemning the violence at the capital and urged people to vote so that DJT is never able to return to the White House; another former Trump official Olivia Troye ( former counterterrorism advisor) recalled that “Being inside Trump’s White House was terrifying”; former Georgia Lt. Gov Geoff Duncan (one of the officials who was approached to overturn the election results) reached out saying “To my fellow Republicans. If you vote for Kamala Harris, you are not a Democrat; you are a patriot.” And finally republican John Giles, the mayor of Mesa AZ, praised the Biden administration and expressed anger at DJT having tanked the bipartisan bill that would have strengthened the southern border in his state.
Kamala Harris enjoys strong support from other Democrats in leadership roles who have worked closely with her in her roles as Senator and VP. Highest on the list of course is the current US President, Joe Biden. She has earned the endorsement of every Democratic governor and over 95% of democrats in Congress along with former presidents Carter, Clinton and Obama. In fact Jimmy Carter has said his goal is to live long enough to see Kamala Harris elected. He will be 100 years old next month.
A former Democrat spoke at the Republican National Convention in support of DJT. Eric Johnson, the mayor of Dallas, cited a lack of support from Joe Biden. Last week RFKennedy suspended his 3rd party candidacy and endorsed DJT. Notably DJT was also endorsed by former Illinois Democrat Governor Rod Blagojevich who Trump pardoned when he was in federal prison for corruption.
Meanwhile, 40 out of 44 former members of Trumps cabinet including his own VP, Mike Pence, have not endorsed him. The only living Republican former president, George W Bush, has pledged not to comment on other presidents, but 200 former staffers who worked for him, John McCain, and Mitt Romney signed a letter last week asking other Republicans to vote for Kamala Harris, saying another Trump presidency “will hurt real, everyday people and weaken our sacred institutions”.
The evidence is overwhelming that people who have worked closely with DJT and have seen him behind closed doors do not want to see him regain the Presidency. Kamala Harris on the other has garnered endorsements from every leader of her party and many notable Republicans.
I will vote for the candidate who enjoys the support of her close associates.
Support Candidates Who are Positive Role Models, not Bullies
Why I Vote - 64 days to the General Election
I vote to stand up to bullies.
Dr. Karen Ilika, Retired Ob/Gyn
About 2 years ago I experienced an episode of bullying. Maybe my memory is poor, but it is the only one I can recall in my adulthood. (Sexism is another matter). While on a cruise I was spending some time in the solarium waiting for a massage appointment. The room had lounge chairs, fancy cucumber water, soft music and a wall of windows to look out at the sea. It is designed to be a quiet retreat. I was dressed in a robe and relaxing on a lounge chair at the end of the long room. Due to my immune system being compromised from cancer and chemo I was wearing a mask, as I still do.
Two loudmouth men arrived and started having a loud and offensive conversation about politics. I requested they keep their voices down in the quiet room. One of them looked over at me and mocked the mask, saying “Why are you wearing a mask? What are you? Woke?” His words and tone shook me. (And yes, I’ve thought of a terrific comeback since then.)
My grandson has also encountered bullies in his elementary school experiences, a more typical age group I think. Schools have a zero tolerance policy on bullying. Teachers and school administrators have been quick to step in and try to build skill sets in all of the children to identify bullying behavior and how to deal with it. Bullying is not considered acceptable behavior in childhood. There is no reason to accept an adult bully either but DJT seems to have given the green light for anyone to act in that manner without consequences.
DJT has shown disrespect to women, members of the LGBTQ community, people of color and military service members. He has mocked the disabled and belittled law enforcement officers and their family members. He has labeled immigrants as criminals from ‘shithole countries’. He has shown contempt even for the deceased. He calls everyone he doesn’t like by ridiculous nicknames apparently to shame them. He incites others to do violence in his name. Remember January 6th! He has been a terrible example and our children are watching.
I will vote to elect a President with emotional maturity who strives to lift others up, not to put them down. Vote for candidates for every office who will be good examples to our children.
Support Candidates Who Respect the Rule of Law and Behave Honorably
Why I Vote - 61 Days to the Election
I vote for the rule of law
Dr. Karen Ilika, Retired OB/Gyn
Equal protection under the law. Innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law. Phrases that I grew up hearing and took for granted.
The foundational principle of the “rule of law” is at the core of our legal system. Without the rule of law the danger is that people with power could act without regard for consequences.
The President of the United States is responsible for the enforcement of the laws passed by Congress. It is likely that the next POTUS will have an opportunity to appoint a Supreme Court justice. As an Attorney General for the State of California, I feel confident that Kamala Harris believes in the rule of law and has a very good grasp of how to enforce our laws.
DJT is a convicted felon. His expertise falls in the area of finding loopholes to our laws and maneuvering with an army of lawyers to be “above the law” himself and to use the law only to threaten those he disagrees with or political opponents. He had the opportunity to appoint 3 Supreme Court justices during his administration and this Court has upended decades of settled law on abortion, voting rights, climate change, and the constitutional separation of powers.
During his first run for President, DJT made “lock her up” a common phrase in reference to his opponent. He often references how a wide variety of political figures deserve to be in jail. He threatens retribution if elected and promises to pardon those who are loyal to him despite being convicted of crimes in a court of law.
I will vote for a justice system that lives up to the promise of “liberty and justice for all.”
Want to read more? Go to Dr. Ilika’s Facebook page: http://facebook.com/karen.ilika