Policy is more important

DEAR EDITOR:

Last month celebrated the first time that a woman of color was nominated for Vice President of the United States by a major political party. While this milestone is worthy of note, it is vital that we take time to consider the public policy positions that are represented by the Biden-harris ticket. Policy is much more important than the individual people who advance those policies because the impact of policy is so consequential and long-lasting.

Joe Biden is known for his advocacy for the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. Kamala Harris was first elected district attorney by promising to be tougher on crime than her predecessor Terence Hallinan. Both candidates have evolved from these prior positions. It should be recognized, however, that the personal transformation must be matched with action on policy. The damage to lives from these acts decades ago continues today and neither Joe Biden as part of the Obama administration nor Kamala Harris as a senator have done anything to correct errors.

The Trump administration is the first team to pass meaningful criminal justice reform legislation. We have members of our community that still struggle to find jobs and housing because they were subject to zero tolerance policies of the 90s. Without thoughtful continued reform, we turn all sentences into life sentences of limited options to contribute to our community. The Trump administration has earned the opportunity to continue crafting 21st century solutions for 21st century America.

Diane Lewis

Rome