All right, so the election for president isn't for another six months -- but this damn primary has been going for what seems like YEARS.
And even before "all the cool kids" started doing it, I've been backing Barack Obama. Go ahead, check out my blog history. December 12, 2006 -- that was my first ever post about the man who could very well be our next president. See here.
There's been a bit of a tussle over on Athena Bee's about the candidates for president. And it's the same argument I see over and over on other blogs. When someone says they are supporting Barack Obama, all of a sudden everyone starts quizzing us on "why? Why? WHY??????"
Supporting Hillary? "Oh, OK...that's cool." John McCain? "Oh good." Ron Paul supporter? "Hmmm, well, OK." No one ever asks for an explanation from those people.
But once those words "I'm voting for Obama" leave one's fingers and end up as words on the page....oh my freakin' god...it's all over.
Quite frankly, I think that a person's decision to support or not support a candidate is a personal decsion. I shouldn't have to explain my choice to anyone. I'm not saying "YOU MUST VOTE FOR OBAMA." I'm not your keeper. Do what you will. Vote for whomever you want.
However, just for shits and giggles...I will post my personal reasons why I have wanted to vote for Obama since 2006.
1. He is the best candidate.
2. He's not "old school" politics.
3. He's not married to a former president (who, I will add, I did vote for. Twice - but that doesn't mean I want Slick Willy back in the White House. Ever.)
4. He has the best platform out of the 2 Dems - even though Hil's platform is similar.
5. He believes in the same ideals I do: ending the war in Iraq, lowering taxes, helping out middle income families with the cost of daycare and childcare, continuing the fight for equal rights for women (equal pay, fighting sex discrimination), affordable healthcare for everyone.
6. He's not George W. Bush (sorry, I had to do that)
7. He hasn't been brainwashed by D.C.
8. He's damn smart (I bet he can pronounce nuclear the right way!)
9. Read his book - The Audacity of Hope - you will see what is so amazing about him (yes, his book is one reason I think he should be president. It is full of so many wonderful ideals and beliefs...you will understand when you read it)
10. He wants and believes in CHANGE.
Yeah, I said it. I want him to be prez because he believes in CHANGE. That is huge for me. Washington must change the way it does things if we are to grow and prosper as a country. Do you see the price of gas? Groceries? Soon there won't be a middle class anymore. I truly believe that Obama can work for the changes that are NECESSARY to make us the great country that we MUST be in order to survive and prosper.
Go ahead, be cynical and laugh at the whole "change" thing. But any fool can see that the way things are being done right now is NOT working. So yeah, give me change. Give me a candidate who isn't afraid to stir thing up a bit.
Oh, and for all you naysayers who come back with "well, what experience does he have?"....let's consider this issue:
- George W. Bush - gov of texas, dad was prez
- Hillary - senator, husband was prez
- McCain - senator, POW
- JFK - senator (and one of the greatest leaders of all time)
Is Obama perfect? No. But in my mind, he is the best candidate we have. You don't have to agree with me. You don't even have to like me. Quite frankly, I don't care. That's the beauty of this country ... you can vote for whomever you want for whatever reason you want.
Just vote. Don't sit back and bitch and whine about things if you aren't going to get out there and VOTE.
Very nice. AGREE!
ReplyDeleteAll this back and forth with politics just drains the life out of me. I feel so tired after typing furiously, haha!
ReplyDeletePolitics will always be something that people will kill over. That and religion and Bee Gee tickets (don't ask. It was a terrible ordeal). The point is that everyone will think their candidate is the best for the job and you can't prove them otherwise.
That being said, I think Obama is the best candidate to fit my needs and wants. That should be enough.
I agree that your vote is a very personal matter. That’s why we vote in booths or in private. However, I think that when we declare “our” candidate (by way of t-shirt wearing, blogging, conversation, etc.) we are opening ourselves (and our blogs) up for debate. We have to be willing to partake in respectful debate. Politics, much like religion (and parenthood!), are very subjective. If you put an opinion of any kind out there, you have to be ready and willing to “defend” that opinion. And I don’t mean defend against attacks--attacks are unwelcomed, ineffective and unnecessary. I mean defend your beliefs as in be able to proudly and confidently articulate why you feel the way you do.
ReplyDeleteDebate can be healthy and non-aggressive. Honestly, the reasons you list for voting for Barack Obama are exactly the reasons that I might not vote for him. And the reasons that I would list for voting for McCain are most likely the reasons that you would not vote for him. And that has to be okay with each of us. We can respectfully disagree. I have many friends with political beliefs that are different than mine, and I would consider you one of my blogging “friends.”
You’re obviously frustrated with the current president and I know the majority of us are. So I can understand your and everyone else’s desire for change. But can you understand my frustration? I have seen objective groups go into college campuses and poll students on who they are voting for. An overwhelming majority say Obama. And I can totally respect that--until they give those same students a candidate compatibility test, and more than half of their results lined up with Clinton or even McCain. So I do ask those kinds of voters “WHY?” And I think that is your and my responsibility as Americans to do so.
thank you for considering me a blogging friend...I appreciate that!
ReplyDeleteI will defend my beliefs...I do it all the time. Without a problem. I'm vocal that way.
What I won't stand for is what happened on Athena Bee's yesterday when one person in particular was calling some of us stupid and essentially was trying to bait us into a fight.
His was a personal attack and that's just not cool with me.
I'm cool with whomever anyone wants to vote for -- it's our freedom to choose...that's the beauty of this country. :)
And, I'd never pick a fight (intentionally) with a McCain or Clinton supporter.
I think (hope) some of the hostility on the blogs will calm down once a dem candidate is picked.
My oh my and what an ordeal it was.
ReplyDeleteYou are informed and fully believe in what you have to say. For that you have my utmost respect.