for my conservative friends
I work. I pay child support. I insure my children. After paying my bills, in the circumstances I'm in, I have $400 a month to pay my utilities, buy gas for my car, give to my church, and buy groceries each month. Christmas at my house will be non-existent this year, save for a scaled down dinner that is our holiday tradition. I don't get bailouts. I don't get handouts, and I make too much money to qualify for help, even though I could use a little from time to time.
I voted for Mr. Obama. Given the choice I had, I felt compelled to vote for him and I'd like to share with you why.
For me, it was a personal choice based on the circumstances of my family. I have a son who will have a pre-existing condition for the rest of his life. He was born with a cataract in his left eye and the vision in it never developed. He may have to have one more surgery in his life to replace the lens that was implanted when he was five. It's not a huge deal, but it is a pre-existing condition. There are so many others, close to my family, that have the same. Someone very close to me has a child with Down's Syndrome, a condition that will forever affect her life. Even as an adult, she will probably be on Social Security disability for the rest of her life. She will have medical problems for the rest of her life, and our social safety net exists, in part, to help her.
My oldest son is healthy but has challenges of his own. He's working and going to school but his job is only part-time and doesn't offer insurance. He works for a national retailer. He's 23. He's got health insurance for himself for at least three more years under my insurance plan thanks to the Affordable Care Act.
That was a big part of casting my ballot. I believe strongly that in the richest country in the world, our citizens should have access to insurance. I don't like the Affordable Care Act. I'm much far left than that and hope it's just a stepping stone to eliminating this idiotic system of employer-based insurance and going single payer. I just thought I'd mention that.
Another key factor in my decision came from doing some research on the ideals for the economy that the Republicans were selling. I voted for Ronald Reagan in 1984. It was my first presidential election and I was so proud of casting that vote. I was in the military and thought that Mr. Reagan had some good ideas for the country. I thought trickle down was a good thought and would work. It didn't. It doesn't, and it won't. Especially in a service based economy which is what we have now. For our economy to grow, either we gotta start making stuff again, or we have to grow it from the middle out, so that the guys in the middle hire people to mow their lawns, fix their houses, install new things, buy cars, etc... In a tight economy, do-it-yourself is more than a mantra or a hobby. It's a necessity.
On the economic front, the thing that tipped the scales was a report from the Congressional Research Office that looked at this stuff over a period of 65 years. They're non-partisan and work for Congress. They used facts to explain that tax breaks for the wealthy do not spur economic growth. We tried it and it doesn't work. The report was quashed by Republicans because it was anti-their message.
I voted for Mr. Obama. Given the choice I had, I felt compelled to vote for him and I'd like to share with you why.
For me, it was a personal choice based on the circumstances of my family. I have a son who will have a pre-existing condition for the rest of his life. He was born with a cataract in his left eye and the vision in it never developed. He may have to have one more surgery in his life to replace the lens that was implanted when he was five. It's not a huge deal, but it is a pre-existing condition. There are so many others, close to my family, that have the same. Someone very close to me has a child with Down's Syndrome, a condition that will forever affect her life. Even as an adult, she will probably be on Social Security disability for the rest of her life. She will have medical problems for the rest of her life, and our social safety net exists, in part, to help her.
My oldest son is healthy but has challenges of his own. He's working and going to school but his job is only part-time and doesn't offer insurance. He works for a national retailer. He's 23. He's got health insurance for himself for at least three more years under my insurance plan thanks to the Affordable Care Act.
That was a big part of casting my ballot. I believe strongly that in the richest country in the world, our citizens should have access to insurance. I don't like the Affordable Care Act. I'm much far left than that and hope it's just a stepping stone to eliminating this idiotic system of employer-based insurance and going single payer. I just thought I'd mention that.
Another key factor in my decision came from doing some research on the ideals for the economy that the Republicans were selling. I voted for Ronald Reagan in 1984. It was my first presidential election and I was so proud of casting that vote. I was in the military and thought that Mr. Reagan had some good ideas for the country. I thought trickle down was a good thought and would work. It didn't. It doesn't, and it won't. Especially in a service based economy which is what we have now. For our economy to grow, either we gotta start making stuff again, or we have to grow it from the middle out, so that the guys in the middle hire people to mow their lawns, fix their houses, install new things, buy cars, etc... In a tight economy, do-it-yourself is more than a mantra or a hobby. It's a necessity.
On the economic front, the thing that tipped the scales was a report from the Congressional Research Office that looked at this stuff over a period of 65 years. They're non-partisan and work for Congress. They used facts to explain that tax breaks for the wealthy do not spur economic growth. We tried it and it doesn't work. The report was quashed by Republicans because it was anti-their message.
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