Tim Kaine, a relatively unknown name to most, is Hillary Clinton's pick for Vice President. For those who don't recognize the name, Mr. Kaine is a senator from Virginia.
A man who is very familiar with the political scene, he served as a senator for Virginia since 2012, and before that, he was Governor and Lieutenant Governor for Virginia as well as Mayor of Richmond, Virginia. He has the experience and knowledge to be a positive addition to Clinton's campaign.
Choosing Senator Kaine could be a very strategic choice for the Clinton campaign. Mr. Kaine is a senator for a major swing-state. In this presidential election, swing-states will be even more crucial than before.
Mr. Kaine has a long and illustrious history that gives insight into the type of politician he is. Mr. Kaine comes from a law background, where he has defended death row inmates and taken Nationwide Insurance to court to fight against "alleged discriminatory practices" and to gain fair housing opportunities for those that weren't as well off as others.
Seeing that social justice is an issue that matters to Mr. Kaine, I can't help but wonder if we would see his response to the current on-goings in our society today. But that's a topic for another day...what we really need to pay attention to is Senator Kaine's stances on key items in the Presidential race.
Immigration — Senator Kaine's view on immigration is very similar to President Obama's beliefs. He supports the idea of the immigration overhaul that Obama believes in, which includes allowing those who are living in the country illegally to become legal citizens as long as they pay taxes and fines.
Women's Rights — Senator Kaine has differing opinions on certain women's rights issues. He personally does not agree with abortion; however, he has supported abortion rights in his state. In the past he has denied attempts to limit access to abortions, although he believes that through a comprehensive education program, he could help reduce the number of women who choose abortion. He is also a strong advocate for keeping Planned Parenthood funded!
Gun Rights — Mr. Kaine believes in the right to bear arms. There is an exception to that belief though, he is a firm believer in reducing gun violence. He believes that there needs to be a more comprehensive background checks and limits on combat-style weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Civil Rights — Senator Kaine supports same-sex marriage. It is on record that he advocated against an amendment in 2006 that would have banned same-sex marriages in Virginia. There are so many other aspects of Civil Rights that could be addressed. Senator Kaine seems to be very interested and concerned about civil rights of many groups. His experience volunteering in Honduras for a period of time seems to have truly influenced the kind of person and politician he is. He shows that he will fight for the "little guy." Truthfully Senator Kaine is almost a breath of fresh air to the Clinton campaign.
Now that you know a little more about Clinton's VP pick, I really urge everyone to vote. In an election like this, every vote matters!
