Mike Pence versus Tim Kaine

By: Mary Kiser

A brief on their pros.

The focus is always on Clinton or Trump. Health scares, winded speeches, and shock create this soap opera of a presidential election. Where are Pence and Kaine in the midst of all this slipshod drama? Both seem to be like placid bats in some soundproof cave off the Coast of Kardashian-kin Island. Some people might not even know who these two men are, and why they are so important. Don’t worry, though. This is the article to read.

Trump chooses Pence to be his vice president if he wins this election, and Clinton chooses Kaine as her vice president if she beats Trump to those 270 votes. Both are white males, but other than race and gender, these two hopefuls have little in common. Kaine is a Virginian Senator who, according to Clinton, has “devoted his life to fighting for others.” What does that mean? It means that Kaine is a man of many titles. He is a missionary, civil rights lawyer, teacher, and elected official. Plus, he is only one of thirty people to serve as Mayor, Governor, and Senator in the United States. His resume seems impressive enough, but what about his policies? Policies are the real skin and bones to his allure. On his website, anyone can read that he helps veterans with employment, wants diplomatic unity with foreign countries, advocates for newbie graduates and their careers, stresses the issue of sexual violence, increases research for children with cancer, and promotes the use of vital overdose medications. These are only a few of his passions on legislative paper, and even though he is not in the media often, that is probably an asset for the Clinton campaign.

Pence is the other vice-president-in-campaigning. Like Trump, he has an affair with the spotlight albeit a very narrow and dimly lit one. He is the star of “The Mike Pence Show,” but the broadcast is now a part of 20^th century history. However, he wins a Congressional seat in the year 2000, and he did display bipartisan views. He opposes Bush’s No Child Left Behind, and he is praised for his unwavering stances. One of his best accomplishments came alive in 2013 with a “$1.1 billion give-back” that proves to be the “largest tax cut in state history.” Even though Pence is very conservative, he does possess some shiny trophies that the Republican Party can polish and shine.

Whether a vote is cast for Trump or Clinton, remember that the vote will also be cast for their respective V.P. picks. If death, disease, or impeachment is to happen to either one, then either Pence or Kaine will assume the Commander-in-Chief position. Know their background, policies, and viewpoints. Think about not what they do for themselves, but what they do for the American people. The president is only as powerful as her running mate.

Sources:

Tim Kaine website: http://www.kaine.senate.gov/about

Hillary Clinton selects Tim Kaine as her running mate: http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/22/politics/hillary-clinton-vp-pick/

Mike Pence website: http://www.biography.com/people/mike-pence-071416