Dear Editor,

The best way to overcome “The Big Lie” is with a bigger truth! For this reason supporters of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz should set a stretch goal of securing 100 million votes on November 5, 2024.

This is 19 million more votes than Joe Biden received in 2020. Only 66 per cent of eligible voters turned out for that contested election. Even with overwhelming evidence that no fraud took place in the tabulation of the votes and after over 60 court challenges former US President Donald Trump stubbornly held on to the lie that the election was stolen from him. And while it is clear that he knew he lost, the closeness of the count in a number of battleground states allowed him to convince his followers that he had, in fact, won the election.

Therefore, this time around, Trump should be defeated by such an overwhelming number of votes cast that there will be little room for any plausible dispute about who won the election. Governing with a divided and suspicious electorate undermines the legitimate authority of candidates who won in a free and fair election. So what are the persuasive arguments in favour of a Harris/Walz candidacy?

Well, to begin, let’s start with the economic plan being advanced by Harris. Even the business community is lining up behind her plans to strengthen the US economy. In a recent Wall Street Journal poll (conducted October 4-8), 68 per cent of respondents said they thought inflation would rise under a second Trump term compared to a Harris plan.

In the same Wall Street Journal article, 65 per cent of economists said they saw Trump’s policies adding more to the nation’s deficits compared to Harris’s policy agenda. Also, 45 per cent to 37 per cent of economists expect economic output to expand faster under Harris.

Harris is also considering tax breaks for large companies that share profits with their workers. She wants to jump-start her economic opportunity for America’s proposal with the following:

*US$25,000 for downpayment assistance for first time home purchases

*US$50,000 for small businesses

*US$6,000 child tax credit

Building on the work of the Biden-Harris Administration, she intends to continue growing the number of infrastructure jobs and employment opportunities in the green economy. Job training is also a critical component of her plans to reach out to those left behind during the ongoing tech revolution.

There is a string of powerful reasons that Harris-Walz must aim for 100 million votes to win:

*Harris wants a Justice Department that is used to protect all Americans and not for retribution or revenge against the her adversaries.

*Harris wants women to control their own bodies and not have governmental invasion of the womb. One of America’s most cherished ideals is freedom, which is also one of the most galvanising themes of her candidacy.

*Harris wants an immigration policy that defines the best in the American tradition — policies that secure the border in an orderly and systematic fashion but are also humane and respect the dignity of all human beings.

*Harris wants to bring Americans together. She has reached out to Republicans and Independents in an effort to unify a very polarised country. She knows that the wisdom in sacred scripture is instructive: A house divided against itself cannot stand.

Her aspirations are quintessentially American. Her policy pronouncements are inclusive. She is ready to be president for all Americans. For these and other reasons, setting a goal for 100 million votes just makes good sense!

Michael A Grant

USA