Three Things That Solidified My Vote

Three things happened this week that further solidified my reasoning for voting for President Obama.

The first was church this weekend when I was shocked that my usually non-partisan Sunday messages were filled with the right-wing lies straight out of their national playbook.  I walked out.  Even my daughters (it was the 5th Sunday, the Sunday when the families are supposed to worship together and not be in their respective grade level, middle school, or high school church).

The second thing was Hurricane Sandy that dumped a deluge of snow (Appalacian mountains) and rain (New York,  New Jersey especially hit hard) on the Eastern Shore.  States including Virginia, Maryland (including the area of DC), West Virginia, Connecticut, Delaware, Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey are in the direct path of what was a horrible storm last night.  The light of day this morning and the streaming videos are showing just how bad the devastation.  The entire part of Manhattan where my family enjoyed our vacation this past June is under water.  The subway is submerged, the side of New Jersey where we took pictures and looked over to New York with the Statute of Liberty in the background, is under water.  It is heartbreaking and devastating.

The third thing, related to the second thing, was how President Obama and Governor Mitt Romney responded.

The President immediately kicked into action, suspended his campaigning, commanded the federal government "no red tape" and to do whatever was necessary "for the duration" to make sure the people are taken care of.  He said the election "will take care of itself next week" and that the focus right now should be on the people.  He said the Mayors and Governors (including those not of his party!) have his direct line in case any federal agency gives them red tape.  He is being compassionate and directive.  He understands the impact this has on the lives of the millions affected there and he is doing what we elected him to do with the collective resources of the federal government.

Mitt Romney, on the other hand, incidentally in Ohio, decided to politicize it and remind the voters in Ohio to vote for him for president.  The very man who said that FEMA should be eliminated and that disaster relief should be under the control of the states or "better yet, the private sector." Spoken just like a greedy billionaire - they are part of the crew that wants to eliminate public schools (his wife) and have privatized prisons (Mississippi is being sued for the inhumane treatment happening in their private prisons) and want to put everything in the hands of a few rich white men who really care nothing about the people of the country.

I already knew I was going to vote for President Obama because he has done a great job in the face of tremendous obstacles, including threats against his wife and most recently, against his daughters (Ann Coulter) and the disparaging racial remarks against him (again, most recently from Sarah Palin).  This man, faithful husband, devoted father, Christian, has endured more than any of the other 43 white presidents ever had to take from the populace.  He stands for fair pay for women, knowing that if women have the equal opportunity to make a living wage and afford healthcare; they will not have to make wrenching decisions like aborting a fetus because they can not afford to feed it; he knows that the affordable health care act is really an economic recovery act because it only takes one major illness to wipe out family finances (my family pays a mint for health care and I endured two sudden illnesses, two hospitalizations, and one emergency surgery all within the last three months, without health care, the bills would have bankrupted us); he has spoken in support of the public school system as well as those innovative charter schools that are working to increase the national educational success for ALL the children of the country and not the select few like the five Romney sons who have never been in public school.  There are many reasons why President Obama has earned my respect and my vote.

The bottom line in this last week of the election is that there is only one man who truly cares for the nation and he is not the wealthy man with the condescending smirk on his face.

You can make a difference - the President asked that we donate to the American Red Cross because "they know what they are doing" and respond immediately to the needs of those affected.  Please consider that as part of your action.