I asked a few people I know to write up something about who they were voting for and why. Some answers were brief, some were not, but all were interesting. I will be posting them over the next day or two in order to let anyone reading this site hear a voice other than mine. Here are some, there are more to follow:
Neil, from Milton, MA, in his 20's says:
This is the first year that I'll probably not vote. The main reason is that the impact my sole vote will have on the outcome is negligible. This is especially true as I'll be voting in a state which is heavily skewed towards one party. The winner of the presidential election and most state-wide offices will be determined by the party and not the individual. I would vote if I derived a utility from voting such as personal gain , e.g. the local elected representative employs or does business with me, or an emotional gain e.g. I feel more patriotic since I fulfilled my civic duty. But I feel like my time is better spent working and doing homework this Tuesday rather than making drive to the polling booth. And local community service makes me feel more patriotic than voting. Maybe if this state had multiple days on could vote, or somehow made voting more convenient I'd vote, as I do feel their is a qualitative difference in the two presidential nominees, and that the outcome of the vote will impact my life. But again, the effect of my vote will still be extremely statistically negligible, whereas what I do instead of voting on Tuesday will be significant to other outcomes in my life.
Kimberly from Norfolk, MA, says:
I am a 46 year old independent female voter and citizen of the United States. In my first election in the 1980s I voted for Jerry Brown (D) because of his flat tax proposals. I have never really voted for anyone whom I feel represents my individual views but have to choose a lesser of 2 evils every 4 years. Once again I have had to determine my vote based on this premise: Who do I believe will do the least damage and who represents more of my views. In 2000 I had to vote against my fellow Tennessean Al Gore because the man is insane! In 2004 I had to vote against John Kerry because he is an elitist who changes his position depending on his audience--truly a "love the one you're with" politician. Now, in 2008 I am voting against Barack Obama, in summation Not NO but NOT NOW. I believe he is so inexperienced it borders on arrogance to think he is somehow ready to lead our country. Below I have detailed the main reason why I cannot vote for Obama but there are so many others. For brevity I argue my main reason: Questionable judgment. Other reasons like expected tax hikes, continuing expansion of government, and his lack of experience are well documented so I argue my main point:
Barack Obama wrote in his autobiography that he chooses his friends carefully. Some of his friends are of dubious character with known terrorist (euphemism: anarchist), racist, anti-American, and marxist views. Yet when asked directly about questionable relationships, Mr. Obama repeatedly claims he didn't know about their views. Only his supporters are buying this excuse resurrected from an old Steve Martin comedy gag "I didn't know...(it was illegal to)" fill in the blank. Suppose he did not know Rev. Wright preached hatred towards country and the white community. Suppose he did not know William Ayers had a history of criminal and domestic terror activity. Perhaps he really did not understand that Tony Resko was a convicted felon. Suppose he did not know Frank Davis was an admitted communist as he conversed with and became inspired by his grandfather's friend. Mr. Obama's carefully chosen friends also include Rashid Khalidi, Palestinian founder of Arab American Action Network. Khalid al Mansoor of the Black Panthers, proud antiSemites, who helped Obama get letters of recommendations to enter, as well as fund raising to attend, Harvard University. With all these suppositions taken in to account, I can only deduce that it would be foolish to elect a man so clueless of his close friends and associates. If Mr. Obama was not aware of the basic beliefs of this short list of his carefully chosen friends how will he lead America as president? I implore anyone who is still not convinced that Obama should not be elected to consider saying NOT NO but NOT NOW on election day. Give Mr. Obama more time to prove himself in the senate and actually perform the duties he was elected by the good people of Illinois to do.
Adrienne from New Jersey says:
I'm voting for Barack Obama because I'm a Democrat who worships at the altar of FDR.
Last night I heard echoes of the following:
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself." - FDR's Inauguration Speech.
"After all there is an element in the readjustment of our financial system more important than currency, more important than gold, and that is the confidence of the people. Confidence and courage are the essentials of success in carrying out our plan. You people must have faith; you must not be stampeded by rumors or guesses. Let us unite in banishing fear. We have provided the machinery to restore our financial system; it is up to you to support and make it work. It is your problem no less than it is mine. Together we cannot fail." - FDR Fireside Chat on the Bank Crisis, March 12, 1933
"Never since my inauguration in March, 1933, have I felt so unmistakably the atmosphere of recovery. But it is more than the recovery of the material basis of our individual lives. It is the recovery of confidence in our democratic processes and institutions. We have survived all of the arduous burdens and the threatening dangers of a great economic calamity. We have in the darkest moments of our national trials retained our faith in our own ability to master our destiny. Fear is vanishing and confidence is growing on every side, renewed faith in the vast possibilities of human beings to improve their material and spiritual status through the instrumentality of the democratic form of government. That faith is receiving its just reward. For that we can be thankful to the God who watches over America." FDR Fireside Chat on the Works Relief Program, April 28, 1935
"On the road ahead there lies hard work -- grueling work -- day and night, every hour and every minute. I was about to add that ahead there lies sacrifice for all of us. But it is not correct to use that word. The United States does not consider it a sacrifice to do all one can, to give one's best to our nation, when the nation is fighting for its existence and its future life. It is not a sacrifice for any man, old or young, to be in the Army or the Navy of the United States. Rather it is a privilege. It is not a sacrifice for the industrialist or the wage earner, the farmer or the shopkeeper, the trainmen or the doctor, to pay more taxes, to buy more bonds, to forego extra profits, to work longer or harder at the task for which he is best fitted. Rather it is a privilege. It is not a sacrifice to do without many things to which we are accustomed if the national defense calls for doing without it." - December 9, 1941 - Re: The Declaration of War on Japan
He's not "The One", he's not "The Messiah" . . . He's just an average American who worked hard and took advantage of the best that America had to offer. All of those things that FDR said, and there are many many more - he is the realization of the best of America come to fruition.
1. Yes we can do anything we set our minds to.
2. No fear. Carry onwards and upwards and let's get back to being America.
3. America is a place where if you brush off the naysayers who tell you, "No you can't" - you can turn right around and make them eat their words through hard work, dedication, and perseverance.
4. We all have to sacrifice, tighten our belts, and do our duty as Americans if we want to conquer evil in this world, defeat our economic enemies, and preserve the tenets of our Constitution by which we live.
Obama is a man who is opposed to Affirmative Action in its' present form. He realizes that there are poor white Americans who have had inequality in education - that need a hand up that neither his daughters nor I should come to the front of the line and bypass. He is a man who tells people that their child's education is only as good as thier dedication and commitment as a parent. He tells men to get up off their dead you know what's and be fathers. He means it when he says - "Take them out" - in regards to evil vile people in Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, etc. etc. And on that note, he knows who our real enemies are. Just the other day he called China to the floor for manipulating the American dollar.
At the end of the day . . .
George Washington Fought so James Madison could define what it means to be an American.
James Madison defined what it meant to be an American so that Lincoln could make us staund up and take note.
Lincoln stood up so that FDR lean on his cane and dispel fear.
FDR struck fear out of the hearts of many Americans so Rosa could have the courage to sit down.
Rosa sat so Martin could walk.
Martin walked so Obama could run.
Obama is running so that every single American child regardless of race, religion, creed, background, first generation American, Mayflower American, political upbringing, financial background can grow up to FLY
Bruce from Shirley, MA, says:
Why I am voting for John McCain:
I believe that John McCain will help our country retain a more free market oriented economy than his opponent. I believe that allowing individuals to do with their resources what they feel is best for them is one of the things that has helped to raise the living standard of so many Americans, and will continue to do so. Spreading the wealth may sound good, but creating wealth is much more efficacious.
I will vote for John McCain because I believe that this country's best interests lie in having a muscular foreign policy. I believe that our country's enemies will not be impressed with a weak responding administration, but will only respond positively to an understanding of our resolve. Think of the hostages being released at 12:01 on the day of Ronald Reagan's inauguration.
Last but not least I will vote for John McCain for the judicial appointments that will be made in the next 4 years. Think Roberts/Alito vs. Ginsburg/Breyer! Think about Justice Kennedy's slow but inexorable conversion to a "world view" when writing his decisions. Do we want a panel discussion at The Hague influencing how our highest court interprets our Constitution? Please don't forget the many lower court appointments to be made also.
Thank You
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