Obama For President

I just spent the last three hours watching CNN. They had two back-to-back specials on, the first John McCain Revealed, and the second, Barack Obama Revealed. They were biographical in nature, but tried to present both the good, and not so good of each man.

First let me say, I am a registered Independent. Even though that takes me out of my right to vote in the primary elections, it is important to me because I think it means I will do my best to look at the people and the issues and vote the most appropriate way.

Over the last few days I have had many political debates with many different people. I enjoy hearing peoples point of view and sometimes even learn something from them. The part that worries me the most is the emotion that takes over in these debates and somehow pushes logic aside. I have copied a lot of what I’ve said in the last of these email debates for this blog.

Let me start with McCain. He is truly a great American. He has spent his lifetime serving his country. I cannot fault him for who he is even though there were issues in his background that can be questioned. I refuse to make that judgment.

I do question his choice of VP. I felt this choice was made to get the Hillary vote. I’m sorry but I think women are smarter than that. Palin has little in common with Hillary. My vote is based primarily on the issues and what these two men believe. I am voting for Obama.

On what Obama has done: granted he is the youngest person ever to run for the presidency. There is no way he can have done as much as McCain. But honestly, I feel what he has accomplished in a short time is admirable. You can fault him for choosing to be a community organizer, but I won't. He graduated from Harvard Law School and could have taken a number of high paying law positions. He didn't, he chose to serve the people. Maybe not as high risk as John McCain, but to the people of the South Side of Chicago, just as important. Not only did he help those people, he empowered them to do for themselves. That's what this country needs.

His voting record and the bills he has sponsored or cosponsored are important ones. There are a list on his website, BarackObama.com, as well as the website FactCheck.org. It really only takes an open mind to understand in a few short years he has done a tremendous amount. To begin with in the State Senate he headed an Ethics reform that he again co-sponsored in the US Senate. Clearly Ethics are important to him.

Pro Choice is important to me. McCain and Palin are against it. Palin in 2006, when pushed about her views on abortion was asked what she would think if her own daughter were raped and she said, she would choose life.

My sister’s healthcare is important to me. As a widowed mother of two, she has some of the worst insurance imaginable and she pays a fortune for it. I know our country needs healthcare reform. 47 Million Americans don't have ANY insurance. I like Obamas plan. I realize this will take some pressure on the insurance companies, but so would McCain's and I simply don't think his does enough.

I do not want Creationism taught in my kids schools. Palin said in 2006 she wanted to teach both Evolution and Creationism in schools. When asked if she believed in Evolution she refused to answer the question. I'm sorry but there is a separation of Church and State for a reason.

I believe in Stem Cell Research, McCain and Palin don't.

Education is important to me. The first bill Obama introduced in the Senate was to help make college more affordable by increasing the maximum Pell Grant from $4,050 to $5,100. As president his goal is to eliminate wasteful subsidies to private student lenders, which would save nearly $6 billion dollars per year, and invest the savings in additional student aid. As a person that had to take advantage of the Pell Grant to get my education and as a mother that has two kids to put through college, this issue means something to me.

There are so many more I could go through, but the trouble with debating this with anyone is it’s pretty hard to change anyone’s mind. All I ask is that you really look at the issues at stake, instead of basing your decision on who you might think he is. (for the record he is not a Muslim and never has been one!) I am afraid what many have presented has been more about his acquaintances, and for that matter, doesn't mean a thing to me.

I have met so many people in my life that I am "friendly" with who I don’t really like. I also have actual friends, really good friends, who I don’t agree with on every issue. In fact my best friend is a stanch republican, we believe very differently about many of these issues.

If I ever ran for president, I hope they wouldn't look at my friends or my family to judge who I am as an individual. Just because one person believes something, or does something, does not automatically reflect on those around him. Stop worrying about the people around him, and start worrying about your candidate’s beliefs. There are far too many differences in my view to ever get my vote.