The Importance of Voting in the 2022 Elections
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Zac Nguyen is a sophomore studying public policy at Stanford University. He hopes to get more involved in politics through PIVOT to fight for his community and advocate for the Vietnamese American community.
Most Vietnamese Americans are here in the U.S. because they and their families value freedom and democracy. This is why PIVOT believes that the 2022 election is the most important election ever for Vietnamese Americans. Our freedom and democracy are at stake.
Voter turnout tends to dip during midterm elections, so there is a good chance that the results will be determined by an extreme minority. In 2022, Republicans have turned out at twice the number of Democrats in some state races. The consequences of sitting out have never been so dire. For instance, some states are voting for a Secretary of State in November. These are important positions because they are charged with ensuring the proper administration of elections and certifying election results. If extreme Republicans hold these positions, they may be able to undermine legitimate election results in the future and restrict access to voting options. In other words, if we do not vote in 2022, our votes may not matter as much in 2024 and later.
Many recently elected Republican candidates have won with a hateful agenda that aims to oppress women, minorities, and other hard-working Americans while purporting to be about “education,” “parental rights,” and “the economy.” They are trying to manipulate people like Vietnamese Americans who care about jobs, family, and education into voting against their own self-interest.
Although there are problems with the economy now, it is important to know that the Democrats and the Biden Administration have been fighting for American families since Day One. A robust COVID plan led to over 200 million vaccinations in under 100 days, enabling us to begin to resume business. The Democrats also passed The American Rescue Plan, which has provided critical support to small businesses that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and extended a lifeline to families struggling to pay the bills. Unemployment has dropped dramatically to its lowest level in decades. Republicans have continued to play politics with our livelihoods by refusing to vote for legislation that would improve our economy and create a resilient America for the future generation.
Instead, the Republicans have focused on the “culture wars” in an effort to maintain the power of white conservative men. Recently, a draft Supreme Court opinion on Roe v. Wade was released, and it threatens to restrict a woman’s access to reproductive healthcare. Some Republicans are proposing to sentence people who receive abortions to death or ban access to contraceptives. They expect rape victims, including young teenage girls, to carry their rapists’ fetuses to birth. The climate for women in some states has become so bad that doctors are afraid to treat routine miscarriages.
Republicans have also latched onto the issue of parental rights and education to create unsafe spaces for racial/ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ students, as seen with the recent passage of the “Don’t Say Gay” Bill. By railing against “critical race theory” or “woke gender ideology”, these elected officials have laid the groundwork for legislating their bigotry under coded language. Do not make the mistake of thinking that Vietnamese or Asian Americans are safe against their attacks. Over 60 Republicans in Congress voted against an anti-Asian hate crimes bill.
Vietnamese Americans who care about their families, freedom, safety, and the right to live a good life as they see fit need to show up to the polls and vote in November. We have come too far to allow a minority to oppress us. Join PIVOT’s efforts in the 2022 election by donating your time and/or money, and most importantly, vote for the candidates who support life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all, not some, Americans.