Why I'm Supporting President Obama
Regardless of your political affiliation, it can be difficult to talk about policy and politics on social media. Whether you're a blogger who doesn't want to alienate her audience or a Facebook user who doesn't want to stir up drama with old high school acquaintances or family members, politics and the wide open social space sometimes don't mix. But your readers and friends follow you online for a dose of you --who you are, what you believe and what is at your core. They come for your stories and they come for your hearts. So we invite you and encourage you to share why you support President Obama on your blog. As bloggers, you tell personal stories in the way that 30 second campaign ads and billboards can't.
This post made us cry: from Girl's Gone Child
I am voting for Obama tomorrow because I have faith in my president and what he is capable of doing, protecting, rallying behind. I'm voting with the faith I have in people. In women to make their own choices and friends to marry for love. I'm voting with the faith I have inscience and the environment, in education and disaster relief. I'm voting with the faith I have in other countries and their people. I'm voting with 100% faith that Obama represents the best of what we can be as a nation in the world.
Julie Marsh: I Voted for President Obama
Why did I vote for the president? Because he understands that we need both spending cuts and tax increases to solve our financial problems. As a fiscal conservative, I’ve been dismayed by GOP spending, and that’s one big reason I left the party and why I voted for the president in 2008. I remain convinced that the Democrats will exercise greater fiscal restraint than the Republicans.
Why did I vote for the president? Because he is committed to using military force judiciously and has kept his promises to bring our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan. As a veteran, I cringe at the number of deployments being served by active duty, guard, and reservists, and I’m thankful each time someone I know returns home safely. I don’t want them heading out again without a clear and broadly supported mission.
Mom101: Why I'm Supporting President Obama
I watched Obama last week during Hurricane Sandy, calling every governor of every state in the track of the storm, starting with those most at risk–regardless of party affiliation. He behaved in the spirit of Presidents Clinton and Bush I in the wake of Katrina who joined together to help fellow human beings....I watched Romney only make calls to the two Republican governors.
Sassafrass: Why I Vote for President Obama
Today, I teared up to cast my ballot, again for Obama. I felt a wave of relief and hope as I watched it the counter suck up my ballot and register the numbers. The prevailing question of this election, "Is your life better than it was four years ago?", rang in my ears. Yes, I thought back, it is.
[Obama]...didn’t deliver everything that he promised — like immigration reform — but he delivered a lot especially for women: health reform, the Lily Ledbetter Act for fair pay for women and two women justices on the Supreme Court — including the first Latina justice! I am proud to give him my vote again.
Obama is the Only Candidate for Mothers and Children, The Stir- by Ilina Ewen
Honestly, I can think of nothing on Mitt Romney’s platform that makes him a candidate to support mothers and children. It continues to baffle me that women or those people raising daughter would vote for this man.
BlogBlast for Peace, BrainFoggles
Why do I bring politics into this mission for peace? I want a more peaceful world and believe that President Obama is the man who puts this issue as one of his top priorities. He has ended the war in Iraq and has set a timeline for the end of the war in Afghanistan.
Ballot Chasing, from MochaMomma
So it should come as no surprise that how I parent my children includes having them pay attention to what goes on in our government. That’s a part of parenting.
He watched as President Obama signed the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Recovery Act and he heard me sigh with relief when I told him how he would have insurance to cover his health care until he turns 26. We both watched the news together as the President ended the war in Iraq. Mason only cared about the auto industry because The Cuban worked in it before moving here and had plenty to say about saving the American autoworker jobs. Mason was relieved himself to find out that Pell Grants would be supported for his own college costs and he was surprised to learn that I got my undergraduate degree with the help of Pell Grants. When he heard friends of ours complain that the President didn’t care about small businesses I pointed out that Obama has signed 18 tax cuts for business owners in the last 4 years.
Missing Her Vote, But Not Her Voice by Tereza Nemassanyi, Huffington Post
Obama
We need you. Us, a people who have slowly descended From the dream of our ancestors. Us, a people fallen from grace. We need you to be our Father We need your gentle strength Your wise eyes.
I Believe in Barack Obama, Also Healthy Man Parts, Christine Koh at PopDiscourse
The election is really soon. It’s essential that you cast your vote. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain, as it were. I won’t be making kick ass Obama cupcakes this go around (I’m already pegged for nonpartisan baking contributions for Laurel’s school Election Day bake sale), but today I did take a few minutes to inject some much needed levity into my day and want to publicly share my support for two things I care about this month: re-electing Barack Obama and Movember. I believe in Barack Obama. And I believe in the health of man parts around the world. It’s just that simple.
You Are Gonna Vote, Right? WestPhilly Mama
For this presidential election though, my choice is easy: I am SURE that Obama will make better decisions about ALL of these issues that Romney would. EVERY SINGLE ISSUE that is important to me: Obama is on the right side. I will cast my vote with confidence
Obama is the Reason I can Have This Conversation, Working Mom Fence
Just as I believe that all rape is rape (legitimate or otherwise…), I believe that love is love and my children should be able to love whoever they choose. Love makes people happy. Doesn’t it? As a mom, my children’s happiness is my top priority. My president values love and choice like I do, as a basic human right. It’s one of the many reasons I am blogging for Obama. (Another reason is that I’m currently too fat to fit inside a binder…)
As it turns out,Obama is the leader you want in charge in a a crisis and Romney…the guy you want to just get the hell out of the way. (But tell us how you really feel, Liz…)
2012- or The Twilight Zone? By Darryle Pollack
Who could have imagined that 4 decades later, reproductive rights are still being debated; abortion laws are threatened and in danger of being reversed depending on who is appointed to the Supreme Court.
How is it possible that women could move so far forwards and at the same time, so far backwards?
"Four More Years...Please?" from Aliza Worthington of Worthington Post
1. Obama is a friend of groups who have historically been ignored, dismissed, abused and refused basic rights of equality.
He signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law. This broadened the ability of those (mostly women) suffering from pay discrimination to take action against their employers. He endorses marriage equality. He’s strong enough to stand up for and take ownership in protecting rights of the LGBT community. He renewed the Combating Autism Act, landmark reform “assuring continued federal support for critical autism research, services and treatment.” He supports and defends a woman’s right to determine her own healthcare and family planning choices. He *gasp* TRUSTS them! He *gasp* RESPECTS their right to determine their future and what goes on in their uteruses!
"Who's THAT guy?" from Aliza Worthington at The Worthington Post
Dr. Benjamin Rush held many views with which I disagree. Yet, I am grateful for and respect the common thread he wove throughout his life and through his legacy. Bitter political enemies can reconcile and be friends. The country would be better for that. States can only be independent if they are working as a union with their fellow states in Congress. The country would be better for that, too. And if you need me to connect the dots between these lessons and recent events and behaviors of our leaders in times of crisis (I’m looking at you, President Obama and Governor Christie,) let me know. I’m happy to help.
And please, don’t forget to vote.
"Why I Voted for Obama, Again. Last Chance to Vote Early #blogforobama" from Megan Cooper at J@Monkey
Voters seem to be focusing on the things that Barack Obama promised but hasn’t achieved yet. My response is always the same to this. How do you expect to turn an entire country around in just four years? No president can achieve this. Plus he had quite a mess to clean up. But I truly believe that Pres. Barack Obama managed to change a lot within his four years. I can’t wait to see what he can do with four more.
"They come for the candidate, but they stay for the coffee" from Kaitlyn Dowling
Politics can seem an individualistic pursuit. Many candidates are more interested in personal accomplishment than serving people and many voters cast their ballots in their own self-interest with little regard for the impact of their decisions on others.
I support President Obama because I might not be able to afford health care if not for the Affordable Care Act. I support President Obama because I don’t want my tax dollars funding ill-thought-out wars. I support President Obama because I want free birth control and preventative care.
But more importantly, I support President Obama for all of the people I’ve met over the last five years of supporting his campaign.
"Why I Voted for President Obama Again" from Connie Roberts of Brain Foggles
The Economy – President Obama has put the middle class and low-income class first and will continue to do so. . He is working to end poverty and hunger by helping people get trained for work, by creating jobs, lowering taxes and supporting services such as SNAP (food stamps) and WIC. He has bailed out the auto industry because it stopped people from losing their jobs and is now creating more jobs. He reformed Wall Street which leveled the playing field for working families.
"Sandy's Wake Leaves A Clear Choice" Ronnie Citron-Fink of Econesting
Until recently, most politicians (including the two running for President) were careful to sidestep climate change. But even in their tip-toe avoidance of attributing any single weather event to climate change, where they stand are telling in these statements:
“I’m not in this race to slow the rise of the oceans or to heal the planet.” ~ Gov. Mitt Romney
“And yes, my plan will continue to reduce the carbon pollution that is heating our planet – because climate change is not a hoax. More droughts and floods and wildfires are not a joke. They’re a threat to our children’s future. And in this election, you can do something about it.” ~ Pres. Barack Obama
Sandy has come and gone. My cousins are still unable to make their way from Brooklyn back to their oceanfront house to see if the house succumbed to Sandy’s roar. But in this hurricane’s wake, a clear choice has blown through the broken windows, boardwalks, airports, subways, power lines and our presidential election. As Gov. Cuomo says, we need to redesign the system. And to those who say we can’t afford renewable energy, I say, we clearly can’t afford more Sandys:
"Four Years Later: Indivisible" from Erin Kotecki Vest of Queen of Spain
So four years later I keep getting asked over and over and over again if my life is better than it was four years ago.
No. No my life is not ‘better’- but that depends greatly how we are qualifying ‘better.’ It’s ‘better’ in that I am getting healthier. Stronger. It’s ‘better’ in that our medical bills are becoming more manageable thanks to the Affordable Care Act aka ObamaCare. It’s ‘better’ in that we did not lose our home due to foreclosure, or even get near foreclosure, because JP Morgan Chase worked with us to modify our mortgage (through HARP and HAMP) and I was finally granted the private disability check that took a chunk out of every paycheck I made with that full-time job I took after the President was elected. It’s ‘better’ in that my daughter still has Title IX in place to play co-ed, PeeWee basketball, and she can score her very first every basket:
It’s ‘better’ in that the President has backed same-sex marriage, equal pay for women, he has repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, he has taken care of Osama bin laden, he has put into place an Auto rescue of Detroit keeping many of my friends and family back in my hometown in jobs. And, as always, his administration has taken the time to show the compassion to follow my illness and express their concern and thoughts when necessary. For that, I am grateful.
my 11yo has a binder full of questions #blogforobama from Anissa Mayhew, Free Anissa
We talked about how for the first time in several years I’d started to not worry about her Dad’s job or ability to find another if something happened.
We talked about me being in a wheelchair and something called Medicare that took care of her Grandma and Grandpa but would be all gone when I was their age, meaning it would her job to pay all my bills and I liked my pedicures.
Cecily Kellogg, Uppercase Woman
“Obamacare” gave me access to affordable healthcare nine months ago. Yes, really. Pennsylvania Fair Care, one of the first elements of Obamacare (low cost health insurance for those with pre-existing conditions), gave me health insurance for under $300 a month – compared to the $750 I was paying with private insurance.
"Foreign Policy in My Kitchen" from Korinthia Klein of Korinthia's Quiet Corner
There has been a lot of discussion about looking back at the past four years. They have been a hard four years for many, and I understand. But compared to the four years before that? I prefer the path we are on now.
When I think of foreign policy, I think not only of the role of our nation in the world, but of the future of my children and our own family. I think about standing in my kitchen watching President Bush on television while my husband was deployed in Iraq the first time. I was washing dishes while my daughter, only four at the time, was drawing at the table. I didn't usually express political opinions in front of Aden back then because she was too young to understand and her life was complicated enough with her dad away. But then the president was asked if the responsibility for all those soldiers overseas troubled his sleep at night. And President Bush replied that he slept just fine.
"View From the Left: President Obama Sinks Mitt Romney’s Battleship" from Liz Henry on iVillage
While the second debate was about drawing succinct differences between the candidates, this third and final debate seemed to say: here is the Commander-in-Chief and over there is a guy that likes to pretend. Romney came in with a marketing plan and, according to post-debate polling, left the loser.
With two weeks left until Election Day, President Obama has already won my vote and continues to remain in the lead nationwide. The final debate probably did little to sway voters who have already made up their minds and, maybe, swayed a few undecided voters. But the lines have been drawn: Do we want a president or a former governor that pretends to be presidential?
"Why I'm Voting for President Obama" from Donna Schwartz Mills of SoCal Mom
3. President Obama Kept His Promises
Candidates make a lot of promises during their campaigns. It would be nice if those promises came with disclaimers, like "if Congress cooperates" or "this is just a case of cynical pandering to get your vote."
PolitiFact has been tracking the promises the President made in 2008 and how many were kept. As of now, that number is 38%, with an additional 21% in the works - plus 15% where he could not get the deal he wanted and had to settle for a compromise. So he either fulfilled or made progress on 64% of the promises he made during his campaign. When you consider the extraordinary resistance he got from Congress, I think that's an amazing record.
It’s no contest really. I (and my lady parts) would like a president who will protect and advocate not only for me as a person, but as a person with lady parts. While there are a variety of ways the two candidates differ on the issues, the biggest one in my hormone-addled mind is their stance on reproductive rights. To be honest, I have no clue what Romney really thinks. When he was governor of my state, he supported Planned Parenthood, and in turn made it clear that he supported Roe v. Wade, state funding for abortion, increased access to emergency contraception, insurance covered contraception and more. Now? He wants to defund Planned Parenthood and rip away any and all control I have over my lady parts. Will the Real Mitt Romney please stand up?
"Why I Support President Obama" from Karoli Kuns of Odd Time Signatures
- Obamacare gives people with pre-existing conditions access to affordable health care (my storyhere).
- He keeps his promises.
- He genuinely cares about women’s issues. Men too, but women are given equal standing.
- He is an extraordinarily good, steady man with an amazing capacity to keep all of the balls in the air and still manage to get things done.
"Why I Support President Obama" from Caroline Urdaneta of Salsa Pie
First, let me start by saying that one of the many reasons that I am supporting President Obama for a second terms has to do with his healthcare reform. In 2007 I was diagnosed with a heart valve defect that will require a surgery to repair or replace my valve. Faced with that surgery in the near future, I am a big proponent of a plan for our country that ends insurance company abuses and makes healthcare more affordable. The President's plan does just that.
"Why I Support President Obama" from Morra Aarons-Mele of Women & Work
I support President Obama because I want to experience peace in the country for the first time in ten years. Can you imagine what we can accomplish if we are not at war? I support President Obama because I own a small business and I believe it’s wrong that GE pays less taxes than my tiny company. I am anti-corporate welfare. I support President Obama because I don’t want to lose everything I’ve worked so hard to build for my family if I get sick. I support President Obama because it is my right to choose what to do with my body and I will not allow a bunch of men in Washington to tell me what I can and cannot do with it.
"Why I’m Voting For Barack Obama In the 2012 Presidential Election" from Denene Millner of My Brown Baby
Before you go dismissing my decision as nothing more than the black lady voting for the black dude, let me be very clear: I’m not looking at melanin; I’m looking at policy. Does his skin color matter to me? Of course it does. I’m proud of this intelligent, thoughtful, strong black man, husband and father of daughters, whose family and life (before the White House) mirrors my own. Still, my connection with Barack Obama lies not in the color of his skin, but the content of his character—the part of him that appeals to me as a woman, a mother, a provider, a small business owner and an American with a brain and a conscience.
"Obama Still Rings True:(Not Quite) Wordless Wednesday" from Ilina Ewen of Dirt and Noise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9D5QcQli-W4
"Yes We Can Again, North Carolina!" from Ilina Ewen of Dirt and Noise
In 2008 President Obama brought us a message of hope and change and enthusiasm and belief that he could lead America back to her very best self. To that challenge we said to him
YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN!
But this election in 2012 is OH so very different. The ditch that George Bush drove us into between 2000 and 2008 was so deep that it has taken all of 4 years to begin to climb our way out. And yet, even amidst this daunting economic struggle, there is some very good news:
When the President took office, we were losing 800,000 jobs per month. Now we are adding 50,000 jobs per month.
"A is for Alex: Thank you, Mr. President" from Alex Asher Sears of Alexandra Wrote
A is For is doing this incredible video series and the latest features one of the family friends I walked with at the rally, Shannon (the photo above of is me with two of my aunts and Shannon that day). I think what Shannon has to say is worth passing on. So, please watch and share. And please, VOTE. Our lives depend on it.
A is for Alex, who supports President Obama because he supports my right to decide what happens to my body and when.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-y8mZCI_kAs
"You Don't Own Me: A Singalong for Choice" from Alex Asher Sears of Alexandra Wrote
If elected, one of Governor Romney’s day one promises is to bring back the global gag rule, by which we cut off funding to any international health organization that provides legal abortions or supports the notion. This funding never paid for abortions. It provides for family planning resources in places that needed it regardless of whether they are pro-choice. It’s about contraceptives, fighting disease and maternal health.
http://vimeo.com/51940856
"I Am Not Debatable: The War on Women and the VP Debates" from Alex Asher Sears of Alexandra Wrote
Tomorrow night is the second of the debates. This time it’s a conversation between the vice presidential candidates, Joe Biden and Paul Ryan, and you’ll be sure to find me live tweeting along with much of the country. Listening to the two men who would become second in command. Two men who could potentially become the President.
Two men who’ve used their political influence over the years to create (or attempt to create) legislation that could not differ more when it comes to my rights as someone with a uterus.
One led in the creation of the Violence Against Women Act. The other worked to redefine rape. One whose party platform supports my right to choose what happens to my body. Another who feels such decisions are not mine to make. One upholds the separation of Church and State, while the other has fought to create legislation that blurs such lines completely.
"I Am Not Debatable: The War on Women and the VP Debates" from Alex Asher Sears of Alexandra Wrote
One [vice presidential candidate] led in the creation of the Violence Against Women Act. The other worked to redefine rape. One whose party platform supports my right to choose what happens to my body. Another who feels such decisions are not mine to make. One upholds the separation of Church and State, while the other has fought to create legislation that blurs such lines completely.
"Why I'm Voting for Obama" from Maggie Christ of Magpie Musings
There are a lot of issues on the table right now. For me, I am horrified by the degree of inhumanity evidenced by Mr. Romney vis a vis women and gay people. I am dismayed at his lack of concern for the "47%". I am shocked by his poor grasp of foreign affairs, and the way he's put his foot in it over and over again. But one of the most important things to me is our domestic policy as regards health care. I wrote about this not too long ago, when I talked about how much it cost for us to have our daughter's broken arm attended to.
"The Head Spins" from Maggie Christ of Magpie Musings
It doesn't sound like you have any concrete, well-thought-out, workable plans, Mr. Romney. I've tried and tried to understand the magic math of lowering tax rates and scaling back deductions and how that could possibly help small businesses and it just doesn't make any sense. And if you just keep saying "I know how to make that happen", it's not helping.
Photo credit @sixyearitch