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EDITORIAL: The Five Reasons Why I Plan to Vote for Obama
The Kittanning Paper ^ | August 28, 2012 | Saundra McKee, retired educator

Posted on 08/28/2012 8:28:46 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

After weeks of op-ed pieces against our President, I’d like to offer a dissenting viewpoint. I like and respect and consider Jack Bennett a friend, but disagree with him politically. I have no doubt that it will set off a series of tyrannical rants from the right, and that’s okay. I’m a liberal Christian, sixty-two year old female, Democrat and retired educator (in order of importance to me). For as long as I can remember my litmus test for those I vote for is based on a quote from the late Vice President Hubert Humphrey: “The moral test of government is how it treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the aged; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick needy and the handicapped.” For me, Barack Obama’s life, career record and philosophy most reflects the values presented in the quote.

1. The children. It’s no accident that teachers, like other union members, support Democratic candidates most of the time. Obama worked for children and schools as a state legislator in Illinois and continues to see the problems with standardized testing being used as the sole measure of a student’s achievement. Romney thinks class size is irrelevant to student success. There are studies that go both ways on that one, but ask almost any teacher. Obama is willing to listen to students, parents and teachers. I don’t get that from Romney.

2. The aged, sick, needy, handicapped. I’ll lump these together because too often being old and being sick go together. Medicare and Social Security are so important to many of our seniors and the historical record shows that the Democrats have been the ones to protect it. Organizations for retirees agree. Ryan, Bush, Santorum and other members of the GOP were determined to privatize social security and throw that money on the stock market. With health care, we are just about the only modern nation that doesn’t provide quality health care to all its citizens. Obama care isn’t perfect yet it is so much like Romney care from Massachusetts! At least we’ve taken the first steps. The American Council of Churches, AARP and many other groups support these efforts. All these programs can be saved and reformed if members of Congress stop worrying about re-election and try to work together.

3.To Humphrey’s list of who government should look out for I would add some others: Pets-It may be silly, but I would never carry my beloved dog on the roof of my car. Victims of bullying-as a teacher you try to curb this, but can only do so much. It may be reaching, but I don’t like people who prey on or in Mitt’s case beat up on weaker individuals. Veterans-Obama has worked to get us out of Iraq and Afghanistan and increase benefits for veterans. I understand Romney got several deferments and along with mission work, studied French in Paris during the Vietnam War. Women and racial minorities-I try to respect all religions and have no idea what he’ll do, but a cursory glance at the history of Mormonism or Church of Latter Day Saints raises all kinds of concerns about racism and empowerment of women. Victims of incest and rape- Paul Ryan(who would be a heart beat from the presidency) opposes abortion even when the mother is the victim of incest and rape. That to me should be a very personal decision. Mitt was once pro choice, pro gay and pro gun control. He claims he’s done a big turn, so I don’t really know where he stands on many social issues. In the area of civil rights and human rights, Obama wins hands down in my humble opinion. Conservatives claim they don’t want government interference but then try to get the government to tell women and gays what they can and cannot do.

4. His persona. Obama is a likeable guy that I can relate to. He seems like a good husband and dad who really cares about people. He wasn’t born wealthy. He and Michelle had student loans and he drove around in old clunker cars even when he was in the Illinois legislature. He lived in crummy apartments and lived paycheck to paycheck. He could have made big bucks in the private sector, but chose teaching and service. I respect that. He’s patriotic but doesn’t think every war is equally just. I can connect with him. Like his granddad, my dad went out and signed up to serve and defend our country the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. He’s a Constitutional Scholar who understands the need for limits to our rights. He doesn’t want to take away anyone’s guns but questions whether private citizens need automatic rifles. I find the Republican mayor of NYC much more outspoken on gun control. I also like that he is of mixed race and has lived and experienced other cultures. He sees the shades of grey (nothing to do with those novels!) when it comes to global issues like the Middle East and global warming.

5. His record. “General Motors is Alive and Bin Laden is Dead.” Great bumper sticker and true. NASA is privatized, credit card companies are more honest and the economy is coming back. I think we were on the verge of a major depression in 2008. Romney’s policies sound scarily like those of George W. We can’t blame the man for all that’s wrong with the world. Gas prices reflect oil company greed (he did make BP clean up the Gulf) more than presidential policy. There are several sites that list accomplishments of his first administration. Check them out.

It’s clearly going to be a close election. I have tried to warm up to Romney and just haven’t been able to sense that he gives a darn about my demographic or the demographics that I care about. I fear what blunders he’ll make across the pond. I don’t think he can inspire us or bring us together as a nation. He was strongly disliked during his one term governorship. I could say lots more and should include footnotes, but space is always at a premium. If this gets printed, I sincerely thank the KP for its independence.


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: obama; romney
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To: detective
Typical aging female Baby Boomer, who bought in to all of the feminist liberal claptrap. I am a Boomer too and I have listened to all of this rubbish for a long time.

Now having been disappointed with their life choices, they are bitter, revanchist, and vengeful.

They will vote left/liberal until they die, never researching the real issues, because it makes them feel good.

81 posted on 08/29/2012 2:03:05 AM PDT by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Man if a post ever needed a hurl alert this would be it.

The really scary thing about this well thought out peace of self-delusion is just how many others think exactly the same way.

82 posted on 08/29/2012 2:36:31 AM PDT by mitch5501 ("make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things ye shall never fall")
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To: mitch5501

peace!!??..piece


83 posted on 08/29/2012 2:37:39 AM PDT by mitch5501 ("make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things ye shall never fall")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
An attempt to try and refute this deluded screed is a waste of time.

You can't persuade people like this with logical argument; they are emotional creatures who have been conditioned all their sorry lives into an existence that is based on the premise that anything you want, need or desire should be paid by someone else who has the means to do so.

The only other comment that I have about her is that the biggest mistake made in her lifetime was someone allowing her to be a teacher.

84 posted on 08/29/2012 2:45:40 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: Cicero
The moral test of government is how it treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the aged; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick needy and the handicapped...” Aw yes, unless it involves sticking a spike in the kids head as the child is being born or leaving the kid in a garbage can to die after a botched abortion. Yes I do feel his care for children, especially when he canceled the DC voucher program, as an educator that just made all the sense in the world. This women is deficient in knowledge of the DEAR LEADER!!!umm umm umm
85 posted on 08/29/2012 2:57:36 AM PDT by carcraft (Pray for our Country)
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To: Chgogal

You might want to make sure she’s not just another one of Obama’s fabrications. She might not exist at all. Big O is the master of deception. Smoke and mirrors is his game, he has no shame, and he’s always looking for others to blame...; )


86 posted on 08/29/2012 3:21:05 AM PDT by jsanders2001
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I see the author is a “retired educator”. I suppose the word “teacher” would have been too dishonest for even her...


87 posted on 08/29/2012 3:23:01 AM PDT by trebb ("If a man will not work, he should not eat" From 2 Thes 3)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

My favorite is “the economy is coming back”. LMAO!!!!!!!


88 posted on 08/29/2012 3:44:27 AM PDT by LMAO ("Begging hands and Bleeding hearts will only cry out for more"...Anthem from Rush)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Reading her screed, she sounds naive and childlike. Each of her points can be taken apart with logic. The scary part is she once educated the young


89 posted on 08/29/2012 3:46:54 AM PDT by LMAO ("Begging hands and Bleeding hearts will only cry out for more"...Anthem from Rush)
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To: GlockThe Vote
Idiots like this are why we are doomed. I'm sure some parents at her former school thought that public schools are bad . . . . except theirs.
90 posted on 08/29/2012 4:14:56 AM PDT by ALPAPilot
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To: ConservativeStatement; 2ndDivisionVet

91 posted on 08/29/2012 4:27:42 AM PDT by Old Sarge (We are now officially over the precipice, we just havent struck the ground yet)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I’d rather vomit than try to finish reading this slop...


92 posted on 08/29/2012 4:30:16 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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To: re_nortex

I’m 69 going on 70 and also well recall Hubert Humphrey. Whenever I saw him, I referred to him as, “a loud fart in a tin toilet.”


93 posted on 08/29/2012 6:38:32 AM PDT by libstripper
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Obama is a likeable guy that I can relate to.

Really?

The man never had an honest job in his life, went to university under shady circumstances, and got wealthy by way of corrupt insider deals.

Interesting. So that's what a retired (government school?) teacher relates to?

Time to end the government schools.

94 posted on 08/29/2012 6:42:05 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Hoodat
And he has done nothing as President.

Sorry, my FRiend, but I can't agree with that.

Barky has done entirely too much as pResident ... none of it good. We'd be better off if he HAD actually done nothing.

95 posted on 08/29/2012 6:44:28 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: re_nortex

You forget the Bible is “living and breathing.”

Think not? How many versions are there? What’s to stop someone from writing another?


96 posted on 08/29/2012 6:46:02 AM PDT by Loud Mime (I'll claim I speak for God only after I do acid, a few lines of coke and half a bottle of bourbon.)
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To: dandiegirl
"He’s the most arrogant,cold sob ever to inhabit the Oval Office."

I got a weird feeling about him watching his campaign speech in Germany before he was ever elected. That caused me to watch him closely in his Greek Columns spectacular. I definitely agree that there is something different about him and it is more than just arrogance, to me. His entire persona bothers me a lot. There is something about him that was fostered during all those missing years that the media is hiding that I think needs to be sought out and publicized before he accomplishes something unforeseen that we have a lot more trouble with than anyone expects.

97 posted on 08/29/2012 7:23:01 AM PDT by Baynative (A man's admiration for absolute government is proportionate to the contempt he feels for others)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

She might be a Liberal, female, and 62 years old. But by no strectch of the imagination is she a Christian.


98 posted on 08/29/2012 7:30:48 AM PDT by sport
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To: Baynative

Who wouldn't vote for this guy ... what could possibly go wrong?


99 posted on 08/29/2012 7:34:37 AM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"I have tried to warm up to Romney..."

Ah, the standard democrat lie.

100 posted on 08/29/2012 8:03:12 AM PDT by Baynative (A man's admiration for absolute government is proportionate to the contempt he feels for others)
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