U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-VT, won Rhode Island’s Democratic Primary with 55 percent of the vote Apr. 26. Hillary Clinton trailed with 43.3 percent. Yet, in July, at the Democratic National Convention, U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin, D-RI, cast his superdelegate vote for Clinton. Effectively, Bernie won 13 delegates and Clinton 20, in a state that resoundingly said, ‘We want Bernie.’ Democracy undermined.
I understand many voters are disenchanted with the presidential election. We have perhaps two of the most unscrupulous candidates running, and yet again we are in a position to choose the lesser of two evils. We might support one candidate or another, or regrettably not vote at all. But remember, when it comes to Nov. 8, there is more on the line than the presidency. America is not a monarchy, and our representative democracy extends to other levels of government.
On that same day, you can elect your local and state governments. Arguably, these levels of government make more of a difference in your daily life than the federal executive branch, despite the emphasis the media places on the latter. In Rhode Island, members of the state senate and house of representatives, town councils and school committees are up for election. These people help determine everything from the quality of our roads to the effectiveness of our schools. Some of them also serve as superdelegates. Yes, those superdelegates. Speaking of that problem, also up for election are candidates for U.S. Congress.
In the second congressional district of Rhode Island, Jeffrey Johnson, an independent, is challenging incumbent Langevin. Johnson’s campaign is being run by many students, some of them from Brown and the University of Rhode Island. Johnson is a biology teacher at South Kingstown High School and a political activist. He was my teacher when I attended South Kingstown High School — one of those rare individuals who only asks that you think critically. He is a hardworking, passionate and regular Rhode Islander.
Johnson has taught his students for 27 years about the threat of climate change and the need to adopt greener practices, an issue that is the centerpiece of his campaign. Like Sanders, he is a rare voice in a sea of noise that urges us to tackle this threat. Banning fracking, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and subsidizing alternative energies are all ways in which he wants to improve our global outlook.
The teacher is also a strong proponent of a Medicare-for-all style healthcare system in the United States, like Sanders. Being a medical student and witnessing firsthand the lack of care and its reverberating effects right here in our beautiful state, I cannot agree more. Many Rhode Islanders live on the precipice, one calamity from losing all that matters. Johnson is also calling for more competitively negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. In light of the recent EpiPen kerfuffle, the need for this change is hard to deny. The American healthcare system needs to work for everyone because without health everything becomes moot.
In 2015, John Brennan, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, said, “We have to recognize that sometimes our engagement and direct involvement will stimulate and spur additional threats to our national security interests.” The less we involve ourselves in places like Iraq and Libya, the less our national security is threatened. Dismantling foreign governments spurs chaos. Langevin voted against ending American military intervention in Libya in 2011. In these matters, Johnson understands that we risk more than we gain and has called for scaling back on foreign intervention and increasing regulation of military drones.
With equal energy, Johnson has also fought for healthy farming practices, criminal justice reform and voting reform. Quite simply, he wants to help all Americans rise. Johnson will bring new ideas, a grassroots perspective and a healthy serving of honesty to Congress.
In July, Langevin voted against Rhode Island. In November, we need to give him a response. If we want to overturn the mechanisms that allow the system to self-perpetuate, superdelegates being just one example, we have to change the people who represent us, starting at the very bottom. Bernie couldn’t be president, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any work that can be done. There is more at stake than the presidency Nov. 8. Vote for your local and state governments. Vote for Jeff Johnson to represent human interests in the U.S. Congress. Vote to ensure a better future for Rhode Island and our country. Get out and vote.
Abdul-Kareem Ahmed MD’17 can be reached at abdul-kareem_ahmed@brown.edu.
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