Why would anyone want to be the president of the United States? It’s a question many wonder as they watch politics. In the upcoming 2020 election, the number of candidates makes this question more relevant than ever. There are dozens of candidates, one might muse, but in reality as of July 8, 2019, there are 766 people running for president. My name is Wednesday Green, and I am an Ames resident running for president.
Personally, I have wanted to run for president since eighth grade when I was growing up in Dakota City. I listened to my grandpa, a farmer and a World War II veteran, talk politics since I was a child. Throughout my schooling I participated in debate, always paying attention to global politics and government. No, I am not a lawyer, a career politician, or a millionaire. I am just a regular citizen over the age of 35 with a desire and a dream for a new America. I am a woman who believes in the goodness in people and the beauty of the American Dream. I would like to create a new American culture where we all win, a new America with liberty and justice for all.
The dividing lines in America have become so prominent they are hard for anyone to ignore. The harsh reality of classicism, racism, and sexism are things that must be dealt with internally. The United States needs a strong and fair leader who believes in all good things, who believes in equal rights, and the rule of just laws. Since no one person is able to do the job of president by themselves, I believe that delegating power to the right scholars and the right experts is a must for success.
In order to build a new America, we have to take a long hard honest look at the nation we live in today. We have to be honest about out past and our present, we have to make good on the promise of America. There are several priority issues that face us a nation and a species. My first concern as president would be to work to solve the climate crisis. This is urgent and should be a priority for any candidate. Without healthy water and air, there is no point for any other issues, there is no issue without a habitable planet. I want sustainable policies from the top down for my daughter’s generation and all future generations.
My second issue is to provide universal health care with an emphasis on mental health to all Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control, as of 2018, the suicide rate is at its highest in a half century: from 1999 through 2017 the rate increased 33 percent. We have an emergency on our hands. In addition, 45,000 Americans die without healthcare each year. That is almost the population of Ames. This is unacceptable in a nation of plenty. We need to stop putting money before the health of the people.
The third priority is a war on poverty, homelessness and hunger. According to Forbes, 63 percent of Americans can’t afford a $500 emergency. The minimum wage hasn’t been raised in a decade. Hard work and jobs are no longer the solution to poverty. There are 3 million homeless people in the United States and 37,800 of them are veterans. All of these facts can be changed with compassion, common sense and good Math. I have that compassion, growing up poor and hungry and having been homeless. I have common sense from a fourth generation Iowa farm family. I know enough to find someone who can do the math. (Hey, Andrew Yang!!) I can speak for those aren’t able to speak for themselves.
I would appreciate your support for my Wednesday Green Common Sense Campaign. Read more about it at WednesdayGreen.com.
