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Before I launch into my logic for my vote to support Kamala Harris, I want to acknowledge a few things. First, you may disagree with me. That is OK. Some of my best friends are Trump voters. It is also important for me to note that our sponsors don’t necessarily share my views, so if my position angers you, please don’t take it out on them!

This election is important. Both Harris and Trump agree that the very foundation of democracy is on the ballot. Whether or not we will have free and fair elections going forward will be influenced—if not outright decided—by this election. I hope you will take the election seriously and studiously.

Countless other issues are at stake with the status of American democracy, but none rise to its level of significance in my mind. Who cares about tax rates on the rich in a world where our votes don’t count, or we don’t even get to vote? In that world, the government can change tax rates without our input.

Given that both Harris and Trump argue that democracy hangs in the balance, let’s consider which one will best defend democracy going forward.

President Trump’s thesis hinges on his claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Following that election, he and his colleagues filed dozens of lawsuits arguing that problems with the election in various battleground states and precincts should be ignored or changed. Some of those lawsuits were presented to Trump-appointed judges. In the end, not one of those claims proved successful. Not a single one.

The Trump team could not prove that election problems—fraud, miscounting or other abuse—had taken place in one single case. Not in a single state. Not in a single precinct.

There have been widespread searches for evidence of individual voter fraud. Examples are rare—often involving people registered as Republicans. In a way, this makes sense. While Democrats tend to defend election integrity, creating a culture of compliance, Mr. Trump has argued that cheating is rampant, leaving some in his community to feel that the only sensible thing is to cheat. I hope that once he leaves the party, that influence will be eliminated. Our elections aren’t perfect, but they are reliable.

As a result of his thesis, Trump and his team work hard to restrict voting. While some of the policies put forward sound reasonable—like getting ID as part of voting—the effect is to screen out people for whom that is difficult. Millions of people in America don’t drive and don’t Travel internationally. Some don’t have government-issued ID. They tend to be lower-income folks.

There remains in our country a persistent correlation between income and race, meaning that the effect of policies such as these disproportionately hurt minority voters. These are throwbacks to poll taxes and literacy tests imposed in the Jim Crow South.

You don’t have to listen to Trump for long to hear his thoughts on immigration. Wait, that’s not quite right. You don’t have to listen long to hear his thoughts about immigrants. Listen, if you must, but his outright racism and xenophobia are readily evident. As you listen, I implore you to ask yourself, as a likely descendent of immigrants—frankly, a likely descendent of immigrants who came to this country without permission, without a visa—do you hate immigrants?

My ancestors began coming to what is now the United States in 1620 on the Mayflower. They were not invited. They were not welcome—despite our Thanksgiving traditions.

While we can almost all agree on the need for borders and border Security, it is absurd to vilify immigrants. The data just doesn’t support it. Immigrants are less likely to commit crime and more likely to start businesses than Americans born here.

On the other hand, Harris and her people are working to build an inclusive country where all adult U.S. citizens can vote. They want it to be easy—even automatic—to receive a ballot by mail to complete patiently and thoughtfully in your home. This gives us the opportunity to consider and research the sometimes obscure races and measures, such as bond initiatives and school boards, that impact our quality of life in our communities but that don’t get a fraction of the attention of national and statewide races.

So, let us consider the arguments.

• On the one hand, Donald Trump argues that he must be put in charge with broad power and authority to act unilaterally to implement racist policies to protect democracy from fictional fraudulent voters.

• On the other hand, we have Kamala Harris working to include every legal voter, to make voting easier, not harder, and to protect your access to a ballot.

Which of those two people is fighting for Democracy? While I want to believe the rhetorical question requires no answer, I will answer to eliminate any hint of doubt in any reader’s mind: Kamala Harris is working to preserve American democracy. Donald Trump is using specious arguments about preserving democracy to become an emperor, ending our democracy.

What on Earth does this have to do with impact Crowdfunding?

Impact crowdfunding, my passion and purpose, is about building the future we want together. For me, there are three primary areas of impact focus:

1. Climate solutions: Climate change is caused by humans and must be addressed to avoid catastrophic outcomes, especially for the most vulnerable people in the world.

2. Public health: Almost every imaginable health problem can be addressed. Many can be cured or prevented entirely. This comes largely from the development of Technology, including drugs and vaccines, as well as medical devices and services for delivering healthcare efficiently and saving lives.

3. Poverty and social justice: A few businesses directly address poverty and social justice, at least tangentially. I invested in a business that sells more authentic stock photos of diverse communities to the big distributors of such content, increasing representation. More importantly, impact crowdfunding gives me an opportunity to back underrepresented founders, making their journeys a tiny bit easier.

With respect to all three, Democrats have proven to be more supportive of these policies and programs than their counterparts across the aisle.

That said, when we’re talking about impact crowdfunding, we’re inherently talking about a market solution to these problems. Even if you are a conservative who opposes government involvement in these issues, you can choose to invest with us to address some or all of these problems. Impact crowdfunding isn’t partisan—it just works.

(I would acknowledge, too, that Republicans in Congress have been the most supportive of regulated investment crowdfunding. While the foundational legislation had bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Obama, my friends in Congress need the liberals among us to advocate for changes that will enhance and expand investment crowdfunding.)

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Upcoming SuperCrowd Event Calendar

If a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.

• SuperCrowd Mastermind Group, twice monthly on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at noon Eastern. This group is for entrepreneurs and small business owners interested in raising Money from the crowd. Attend your first meeting free!

• Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on November 19, 2024, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.

• Superpowers for Good Televised Live Pitch, November 13, 9:00 PM Eastern during primetime. At the event, judges will select their pick, and the audience will select the SuperCrowd Award recipient. Put the date on your calendar to watch it live!

• SuperCrowdHour, November 20, 2024, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, we host a value-laden webinar for aspiring impact investors or social entrepreneurs. At November’s SuperCrowdHour, Devin will explain six common investment types you need to understand before you can invest like a pro. Free to attend.

Community Event Calendar

• Successful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET – Click on Events

• Live Q&A with Karen Rands, Wednesday, October 30 at Noon ET.

• Community Revitalization, Thursdays, 10:00 AM Eastern.

• Main Street Skowhegan and NC3 Entrepreneur Finance Workshop Series, September 17 – November 19, 2023.

• Asheville Neighborhood Economics, date TBD following impact of Helene.

If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 8,000+ members of the SuperCrowd, click here.

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Originally Published on https://www.superpowers4good.com/

Devin Thorpe Champion of Social Good

Devin is the CEO of The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation helping diverse founders and social entrepreneurs raise capital via impact crowdfunding. He is also a bestselling author who calls himself a champion of social good. His most recent book, How to Make Money with Impact Crowdfunding, is an investment guide for everyone. He has produced about 1,500 episodes of his show featuring luminary change agents, including Bill Gates. His books—read over 1 million times—help people do more good. He has helped nonprofits raise millions of dollars via crowdfunding. He draws on his experience as an investment banker, CFO, treasurer and U.S. Senate staffer. He earned an MBA at Cornell. Frequently finding himself on airplanes, Devin is grateful to be middle-seat-sized.