Some people who voted for President Obama in 2008 are undecided, disillusioned, or not planning on voting. In 2000, the victory of George W. Bush over Al Gore was won by 537 votes, after the Supreme Court interceded. At weddings, there is a time in the wedding ceremony when the person officiating says “speak now or forever hold your peace” We are coming to that time in the presidential election of 2012.
This election outcome will determine our country’s future for generations to come—much longer than most marriages will ever last. That’s how long the effect of appointment of any new Supreme Court justices will have on this country. A Supreme Court justice holds a position for a life time—not just four years.
If President Obama is re-elected, universal health care will remain the law of the land. It will end denial of insurance coverage for those with pre-existing illnesses and diseases and cover over 30 million uninsured Americans. With obesity on the rise with its accompanying diseases of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, anyone who has these diseases or knows of someone who has these diseases, should be voting for President Obama.
A vote for Mitt Romney will repeal health care for the uninsured and those with pre-existing illnesses. And anyone can become uninsured by losing a job—to China or otherwise. And at the rate that obesity is rising among our population, if you don’t already have one of the forbidden diseases associated with obesity, chances are 40% or greater that you will get it sometime in your life time.
Everyone who lives long enough will one day retire, perhaps at 65. At that point, Medicare will be needed to take care of one’s health needs. One’s health does not usually get better after 65. Chances are the benefits of Medicare will be needed. Under Romney’s plan, you will be reduced to the use of vouchers for your health issues. Vouchers will not keep pace with expected rising health issues and treatment as one grows older. That means, more out of your pocketbook will be needed to cover health costs when you are no longer working. A vote for President Obama ensures that Medicare will not be taken over with vouchers.
Everyone is concerned about the economy. For the economy, the situation is improving. President Obama has laid a solid foundation. The jobs report on unemployment was the lowest in October since the President took office in 2009. No doubt that people are still struggling. Everyone was affected by the down turn in the economy due to the eight years under the Bush Administration. Even with the slower than expected recovery, I find it shocking that people want to go from the bad 8 years of Bush to worse years under a Romney presidency.
Romney keeps his money in foreign banks, sends jobs to China and would have refused to bring back the auto industry. A person is known by their acts and deeds—not just words alone. Romney’s acts show he is hedging his bets on the American recovery with money in foreign offshore bank accounts; supports the Chinese economy more than the U.S. with Bain Capital’s implosion of jobs there; and would deny bailouts to the U.S. auto industry and GM and Chrysler which saved jobs. There is nothing in Romney’s resume where it shows he builds or creates jobs. During his term as governor of Massachusetts, the state was 48 out of 50 when it came to small business growth.
Romney is a businessman who outsources jobs to other countries. And a Romney presidency would be far worse than that of George Bush. I thought I would never think anything could be worse than George W. Bush and the almost depression he brought on to America. But, Mr. Bush, to his credit, did not try to send our jobs to China or overseas.
As for the decreasing the deficit, President Obama has ended one war and is on track to get us out of the longest war—Afghanistan. Most of our money goes towards defense and the two Bush wars. President Obama has captured and killed Osama bin Laden which decreases the al Qaeda risk and the threat of war. Mitt Romney went on a foreign overseas tour and insulted just about everyone in every country he came into contact. My guess is with his lack of foreign experience and intelligence, it won’t take long before he does something stupid enough to start a war and not end one.
For voters “thinking that your vote doesn’t count, that it won’t matter,” in the 2000 presidential race “there were probably 537 people who felt the same way. Make your voice heard.” Vote now or forever hold your peace.
Washington, DC based Debbie Hines is founder of LegalSpeaks, a progressive blog on women and race in law and politics. As a legal and political commentator she has appeared in national, international and local media including the Michael Eric Dyson Show, local NBC, ABC and CBS affiliates, RT TV, CBC- Canadian TV, NPR, XM Sirius radio, the Baltimore Sun, Washington Post and Washington Times among others. She also contributes articles to the Huffington Post and the Women’s Media Center.