Election Day 2012

Tomorrow is a big day - election day 2012, the day we will choose who the next President of the United States will be.  I am passionate about politics?  I put a question mark, because I don't feel like I'm passionate about politics.  I feel like I'm passionate about people, about standing up for what is right and for those less fortunate, about having a voice.  So, today, as election day is upon us, I want to tell my kids why I vote democrat (top 5 reasons).

1.  I believe in a world where people have the right to choose who they love and if they so choose, to be able to marry that person.  I pray that if one of my children chooses for their life partner a member of the same sex, that they will not be ostracized.  I hope that they will have the freedom to express their love through marriage and have it be recognized by the government. There is one reason, and one reason alone, for a government to disallow same-sex marriage and the government has no place imposing religious beliefs on its citizens.

2.  I believe in a woman's right to manage her own reproductive health.  After having 3 kids of my own, I believe this now, more than ever. There was a time in my life, long before having kids, that I was very short-sighted when it came to the topic of abortion and I am ashamed to admit that I thought I knew best what other women should do with their bodies and their pregnancies.  How naive and wrong I was, and how wrong it is for anyone to think they have this right, especially a government comprised mainly of men.   

3.  I believe access to proper medical care is a right, not a privilege.  46.3 million Americans in 2008 went without healthcare and 61.2% of all bankruptcies were related to medical expenses (healthcare.procon.org).  These numbers are overwhelming and disheartening.  Our fellow Americans should not be sitting at home sick and scared because they do not have the money to pay for a doctor or a hospital stay.  They should not be sitting in the hospital waiting for their money to run out and to be kicked to the curb.  We believe we should have the right to the protection of law enforcement in case of criminal activity, to emergency responders in case of a fire or other accident, but not to health care in case it is our own bodies that are working against us?  The ACA (or Obamacare) is not the end-all, be-all, but it is a start down the right path.

4.  a) I believe in paying my fair share of taxes.  I also believe that the more money I make, the more I should be indebted to my fellow American.  People (i.e., Republicans) like to talk about cutting tax rates for the rich to boost job growth, especially when talking about the great former President Reagan.  Did you know that the top tax bracket before President Regan took office was 70% and before that 90%?  Reagan did manage to cut this to 28% (for 1 year of his 8 year term), but did you know that he did this by placing the burdens on to businesses and by increasing taxes such as the capital gains tax (things that will NOT happen under a Romney administration)?  Did you also know that under President Obama the average family of 4 pays a 4.68% income tax rate versus that of 11.06% under President Reagan?  In a Republican administration, the tax cuts of the Bush administration will be further extended, tax loopholes for big business and the insanely rich will continue, and companies will continue to send their jobs overseas in order to take advantage of these loopholes, further impeding our growth as a nation.

 b)  I believe that my taxes should go to many programs, including programs to help those less fortunate than myself.  I do not believe that the people who accept help from these programs feel 'entitled'.  I think they are down on their luck and I hope and pray that if ever my family is in a similar situation, that these programs will be in place and that I will not be judged for taking advantage of this assistance.  I beg you to imagine a world without welfare and similar government programs.  What would you do in a desperate situation to feed your children?  Now, imagine what those without your conscience might do.  Do you want to live in that world?  I don't.

5.  a) I believe that my children are entitled to an education; an education in which their minds are nurtured and they are made to feel safe.  I believe that in order for this to happen, the federal government needs to send more money to the states and that instead of continuing to cut teachers year after year, we should be hiring teachers.  Comparisons are often made of class sizes today versus class sizes 50-60 years ago.  It is important to remember the differences in kids 50-60 years ago versus kids today.  Once upon a time, teachers were respected and revered as experts in their field.  Today, however, this is all-too-often not the case.  Classrooms today are simply not the same classrooms as they were years ago and smaller class sizes are imperative to a nurturing learning environment.

b)I also believe that lack of finances should not prevent a student from going to college. To ensure a strong America, we need educated individuals with new, innovative ideas and these ideas should not come alone from those wealthy enough to afford college on their own.  "Borrow from your parents", as Governor Romney, so eloquently put it, simply won't cut it and shows that he is not truly in touch with the middle class.

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To my kids,

I hope that one day, when the time comes, you will do the research to make these decisions for yourself.  I hope that you will care enough about our great country to be informed and to make your voice heard.  I hope that you will make decisions based on your faith, your head, and your heart.  Above all, I hope that you know if you do all these things, and you come to a different conclusion than me, that I will not be disappointed.  I will be proud of you for educating yourself and speaking up.  I may try to change your mind, but I will be proud, nonetheless.  :)

Love,
Mom