The upcoming election has to be one of the most controversial elections in America to date. Many people think it’s choosing the lesser of two evils, and which is the lesser evil depends on who’s talking. In my personal opinion, the lesser evil is Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris. In fact, they actually have some smart and beneficial policies.

One of Biden’s biggest points is his plan for taxes. He supports tax increases on people with higher incomes and on larger companies. The Tax Foundation ran an analysis on his proposed plans, and it helps to clarify some of the more daunting parts. They define a higher income in this context as individuals earning $400,000 or more. For reference, the US Census data estimates the average household income in Illinois at approximately $88,857 as of 2018. Therefore, a majority of Biden’s proposed tax increases won’t affect most citizens in Illinois, and will actually benefit them, as he also proposes many tax credits and exemptions for families with children aged 17 or under, for people buying houses for the first time, for childless workers aged 65 or older, and many more.

One of the biggest issues many people have with Biden is his history with preventing progressive bills that would benefit BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) communities. He was against integration of schools and public places, and he made several racist comments in the media prior to working with former president Barack Obama.

However, he has shown recent commitment to helping BIPOC communities. He has made plans for helping Black and minority communities achieve economic equity, and he plans to decrease employer discrimination in both hiring new employees and in paychecks. On his website, he promises to make a commitment to helping underprivileged communities and minorities at the federal level.

If Biden is elected president, we must make sure that he follows through on his promised policies. People in positions of authority must be held accountable in order to be effective leaders, and Joe Biden has shown that he can take responsibility when he is entrusted with it.