Dear Political Candidate: If you want my vote do these five things.

A reflection for the day after the 2018 mid-term election.

I am a forty-five-year-old college educated rural voter. I am any politician’s (red or blue) demographic goal. My views are representative of many people of my generation, and of my gender. Listen up, politician, if you want my vote do these things:

1. Stand up to Trump. Call him out on his bigotry, racism, misogyny, intolerance and his lies. Demonstrate American values.
2. Legalize marijuana. Nationwide. It is not heroin or cocaine. Legalization would enable people like my aunt, who has MS, to purchase cannabis through her insurance company. Furthermore, make health care a right that is not funded through employment.
3. Protect the Second Amendment and public safety by passing sensible rules for gun ownership in all fifty states. The drinking and voting age is federally mandated. The Second Amendment is a federal right. Gun ownership laws should be standardized in all locations as well.
4. Leave Roe v. Wade back in 1973, and focus on funding American children today. Fund Planned Parenthood. Fund daycare. Fund public schools. Fund mental health programs. Invest in our future.
5. Stop mudslinging and wasting money on negative campaign commercials. They do not work. Instead, hold so many town meetings that you are forced to recognize what your constituents genuinely desire.