Hakim Green, a rapper who scored a hit record in the 1990s, explains why he is voting for Joe Biden and why you should too.
In my younger adult years, my friends regarded me as the ultimate conspiracy theorist. In the nineties and early 2000s, I completely went down the rabbit hole, which led me to totally disengage from electoral politics. I viewed politics, especially the politics of the Democratic Party, as something for slaves. I had my reasons, mostly having to do with the lack of true investment by our government into the concerns of the African American community. For me, the epitome of this fracture was the 1994 Crime Bill, infamously crafted by then-Senator Joe Biden. Politics, just like history itself, is dictated by time and circumstance and is shaped by relationships and leverage. This is something I learned in my support of the campaign for Newark, NJ, Mayor Ras J. Baraka. Supporting his campaign gave birth to 24HRS Of Peace, an annual peace festival that I’ve had the honor of co-founding, in the heart of the city of Newark, NJ. It is also the perfect example of how local government can be responsible to the community it serves in creative ways. Working with Mayor Baraka’s office, I got to see close-up how political power is created on the local level.
Over time, the Democratic Party has become “the big tent party,” meaning there is more room for varying ideas, different approaches, and a multitude of political alliances coming from local districts. In contrast, the Republican Party, unlike the Democratic Party and America itself, is pretty much monolithic in thought and approach. Something former Republican congressman Kevin McCarthy noted by saying, “The Democratic Party looked like America.” This could surely be the result of America’s first elected Black President, Barack Obama. As we look back on history, we can see the seeds of that victory being planted by the relationship between Dr. Martin Luther King and President Lyndon B. Johnson, the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1964, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968. This history is what made the election of President Obama a possibility, and his choice for VP, Joe Biden, extremely meaningful.
I often say, “Judge people by what they do, not so much by what they say.” Earlier I mentioned the 1994 crime bill, which, given the horrific results of the “crack era,” was an uneven and unjust approach to a problem created by the Republican Reagan and Bush administrations. To hear Joe Biden acknowledge this huge miscarriage of justice and apologize for his part in it is something you never hear from other leaders. Owning your mistakes and seeking to address them with action is a characteristic we should expect from leaders. Let’s start there. Like most, there are several things about Joe Biden that I don’t care for. However, if we are standing on business, here are some facts that matter when considering the alternative.
President Joe Biden has appointed more Federal Judges of color than any other president.
“The pattern is similar when it comes to judges who are racial or ethnic minorities. Nearly two-thirds of the judges Biden had appointed as of Nov. 5 (96 of 145, or just over 66%) are Black, Hispanic, Asian American, or members of another racial or ethnic minority group. That is far more than any other president had appointed at the same point in their tenure. Trump, for instance, had appointed 22 minority judges by the same stage (14% of his total at the time), while Obama had appointed 42 (37% of his total at the time)” – (Pew Research).
This means so much for the accused. To potentially have a judge who can understand the real living conditions of the accused helps to achieve justice. We’ve become so used to calls for punishment that to hear leadership call for rehabilitation is surprisingly different. Joe Biden’s choosing of a Black woman as his Vice President, along with appointing Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black Woman to the Supreme Court, are actions that directly empower Black people by creating points of leverage for that community.
Furthermore, there are several actions taken by President Biden that have benefited my family and I directly. And probably yours too.
As Vice President, he and President Obama gave us The Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, which I credit as the reason I can use my left hand. In 2015, three months after signing up for the ACA, I broke my left wrist and needed reconstructive surgery on my hand and wrist. Without “Obamacare,” I would currently be handicapped. The ACA has helped millions of Americans obtain affordable health insurance. No, it’s not perfect, but it should be looked at as a step in the right direction to ensure healthcare for those who need financial assistance, which is most Americans.
In 2022, my wife was notified her student loan debt had been forgiven through President Biden’s loan forgiveness initiative, which freed up nearly $25k for our family and allowed us to purchase our first home. I remember when the economy crashed in 2008/9 and subsequently Wall Street and big business were bailed out by the Obama/Biden administration. Our question was, “What about the little guy, where’s our bailout?” Student loan forgiveness is one of many ways the Biden administration is looking to bail out the little guy. We do not need to end this initiative but expand it to a total student loan cancellation.
I am pro-cannabis because, as you know, “All We Do Is Spark Mad Izm.” President Biden has already rescheduled marijuana, thereby decriminalizing possession, sale, and distribution, which is huge for the cannabis industry. With this booming new industry, it is comforting to know we can engage in legal legitimate commerce versus criminality and economic empowerment versus incarceration.
Also, there is the passing of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. In a world where petty politics rule the day between Democrats and Republicans, it is a miraculous feat that President Biden was able to get this bill passed through a mostly Republican Congress with bipartisan support. This bill will create jobs, and educational opportunities, and help to bring our nation into the future. The Build Back Better Bill and The Chips Act are actions designed to provide for America’s future by investing in the poor and middle class.
These are some of the reasons I am voting for Joe Biden. Like I said before, actions speak louder than words. He’s been able to accomplish all this while obstructionists and naysayers have committed themselves to his downfall and have openly pledged to be steadfast in that sentiment even if it means the entire nation suffers as a result.
More importantly, I am voting for Joe Biden because it is a vote that counts against Donald Trump, who is a threat to America on so many levels. I am using my vote for Joe Biden to reject the agenda of Project 2025. Failure is not an option! This is why I’m voting for Joe Biden!