The first thing to tell you is that I am voting for Obama. But, I can't tell anyone here. I am 49 years old, living in a rural western county that will likely go about 70% Romney. The people here are simply not reasonable when it comes to Obama. Most people here ...VOCAL people ...HATE the president so much that if Obama said he's for puppies, kittens, cute babies, and S'Mores, those things would quickly ...at least until November 6th, fall out of favor here. I mean the hate for him is deep and strong and is devoid of any fact other than ...well...he's OBAMA (said with a thick and gruff country accent)
I understand that Northern Virginia and Hurricane Superstorm Sandy devastated Eastern Virginia are big for Obama. He'll need it. In my opinion, the future of our country needs it.
And Obama and his policies need my vote as well. Florida between Gore and Bush came down to 500 somewhat disputed votes. If Virginia comes down to one, here is why Obama gets mine.
Those die hard I hate Obama worse than anything ever and the country will be ruined if he gets four more years Republicans ignore simple fact. He inherited an economy in ruins. He turned around the shrinking GDP which was spiraling at the rate of nearly 9% . Unemployment continues to fall steadily and 4.5 million jobs have been created, as the often used in Obama advertising bar graphs clearly show. Bush economics and big bank greed crashed the stock market ..it hit bottom and has since recovered and even doubled thanks to Obama. The housing market has stablized, and as Time magazine said,
"Mitt Romney can promise 12 million more jobs in the coming four years because Obama’s policies have already put us on track to produce them, courtesy of a revival of manufacturing, a rise in exports and a new wave of research and innovation"
The audacity of Romney campaigning sometimes standing in front of the economic successes of the Obama administration while blasting the stimulus plan that we all should hope any president, regardless of party, would have followed through with. (It's roots were in the end of the Bush years) And lets not ignore the unmitigated gall of Paul Ryan and his criticism of the stimulus while seeking funds from it for his own district.
So, a little momentum from the first debate charisma of the "salesman" Romney has blinded many from looking at the facts. The facts, if they were being considered by reasonable human beings, would point to the re-election of the man who stands a great chance of the hope and promise fulfilled.
The only reasonable arguments against him would be
1-"I'm in the one percent and I too don't care about 47% of the population because all I care about is ME and MY MONEY and I GET A TAX DEDUCTION FROM MY MILLIONS (plus some great tips on how to harbor your haul in the Caymans from the would be President himself),"
or, what I fear is most common in rural Virginia which is going to go HUGE for Romney on Tuesday,
2-"I just hate Obama."
Trust me ...on election night ..after all the GOOD he has done, and considering the conservatives all out opposition to his every breath in the past 4 years, and especially considering the absolute tool the Republican party nominated (not even the GOP wanted him and tried numerous alternative before settling for Romney), Barack Hussein Obama, if he loses, must look in the mirror and say "Golly...they really hated me."
Because those are the only explanations in the face of fact.
Said Time : "The new right has broken with conservatism’s past—and our country’s most constructive traditions—by adopting a new and radical individualism that largely ignores our country’s gift for community.
Gone in a Romney administration would be the push for women's equality, gay equality, and simple respect for the middle class of our country being treated as constitutional equals to the rich who get richer in every Republican administration and will do so doubly under Romney.
While those things will be gone, one thing will become restored. The right of the insurance companies in all their greed to deny those with pre-existing conditions the insurance they need to avoid catastrophic financial ruin because of being denied coverage. Romney will champion those insurance companies inhumane greed. On "day 1" he has vowed.
I should tell you at this point that 100% of my family have pre-existing conditions. And if there is anyone who themselves or who have a family member surviving breast cancer or a heart condition or injuries from an automobile accident as in my family, or perhaps suffer from diabetes, depression, or a chronic pain problem....if you even KNOW anyone with any of these pre-existing conditions, you are blatantly slapping yourself that afflicted person in the face with total disrespect if you vote for Romney, because you are voting for the man who vows to give insurance companies the right to disallow basic insurance to those individuals on his first day in office.
Slapping them in the face !
Slapping ME and my family in our faces !
Damn right this is a big choice.
As Time stated: "Obama is battling to defend the long consensus that has guided American government successfully since the Progressive Era. It is based on the view that ours is a country whose Constitution begins with the word we, not me, and that the private success we honor depends on a government that serves a common good and remembers the most vulnerable among us. The task of our moment is to revive that long consensus and renew it. Of the two major candidates, only Barack Obama accepts this mission as his own."
And so, while disgusted with the lack of progress in election reform and the pure nastiness of this election on both sides, this independent voter can only see one clear path for our next 4 years to set the table for generations to come. It's a single vote in the critical swing state of Virginia ...for four more years of Hope for President Obama.
