If you read all of my articles, you know that I am a big fan of women. At 71 years of age, I have been eligible to vote since 1967. The first president I was able to vote for was a choice between Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. I was a senior in high school when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and I had cheered as he defeated Nixon in my first year of high school. Naturally, because of my age, and my past interest in politics, I voted for Humphrey. So much for my first presidential election.

I have watched successes of and failures of 12 presidents; seven Republicans and five Democrats. I remained an Independent until 2000 when I feared the presidency of George W. Bush. Although I voted for Ronald Reagan in 1980, I voted against him in 1984. His economic policies were focused on improving the lives of the wealthiest Americans, and detrimental to the quality of life of the working class. I was right when I doubted his ‘trickle-down economics.’

George H.W. Bush inherited a 10 percent unemployment rate, and a trillion dollar deficit. He was unable to turn our nation’s economy in the right direction, and was defeated in 1992 by Bill Clinton. Clinton left office in 2001. Our nation was in great shape fiscally. Clinton left a surplus for his successor, George W. Bush. We know how that turned out; In 2008 our nation faced the great recession and we were engaged in two unwinnable wars. President Barrack Obama returned respect to our nation and began a long recovery for America’s economy.

Here we are today. The recovery continues under President Obama’s policies, but our nation is changing. Trump has attempted to undo all of the accomplishments of President Obama and harm the working class. His effort to re-introduce trickle-down economics and remove the successes of Mr. Obama, will follow the failures of his three Republican predecessors.

The protests by mostly women on January 21, 2017, were the largest in history. Marches are now planned for January 20 and 21 of this year, and are expected to surpass those numbers.

Here’s the real problem. Presidents come and go and generally have successes and failures over their tenure in the White House. Some were worse than others. Whether or not the majority of the American people fare better or worse under each administration is primarily the result of actions taken by congress. Sadly, for more than 20 years, the old, white men in the Republican Party have engaged in a ‘dick measuring contest.’ they have forgotten that they were elected to represent all Americans and not just the one-percent.

So, here’s my solution. Vote all incumbents over the age of 60 out of office. In their place elect younger women who will represent the working class, women, and minorities. Dump the old white men whose policies have caused more harm than good, and have led us into wars we cannot win.

Our nation elected a woman president in 2016, but the Electoral College gave the presidency to the least qualified, old man in history who lacked any resemblance to what a president must be; a man or woman with a high moral standard, and an intellect far above average.

In 2020 the voting public must elect a woman if our nation is to survive deep into the 21^st century. A new perspective is needed in Washington. It is a crime that an individual such as Orrin Hatch has been in the senate for 40 years. He is out of touch with the American people, whose average age is 37.8 years. Hatch has not served the people of our country for the last 20 years. He has supported special interests including the wealthy, the Christian religious right, and the NRA.

Time for real change; women are our nation’s future. Old, white men are our past.

I have a dream. Before I leave this earth, I would love to witness the election of a 45-year-old woman. She is black, a member of the LGBTQ community, and a Muslim. That’s my America.

Please share the truth; thank you.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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