While I sometimes fall short of my own expectations, I try to lead a moral life and exist as a good person. The political causes I support are largely based on simple moral beliefs. This is why I have been so disappointed to see the Republican Party stake a claim to being the moral political party. Now, I'm not foolish enough to say that Democrats are right on every issue, but I think that if we balance the issues that amount to real quality of life, the Republican party has gone astray.
These are the issues that matter to me:
The Iraq war is wrong. It was wrong from day one. It was sold to the American public on bad intelligence, and the Bush administration used fear echoing from 9/11 to drum up support. We acted as the world police and removed a secular leader and have left the country in the midst of a civil war. Young American soldiers are being torn from their familes, scarred for life, or are losing their lives. At the same time, we're virtually ignoring the real strongholds of terrorism, Afghanistan and Pakistan. This war is a shameful stain on the history of our country, and I hope the world forgives us.
Global warming is a crisis. It is caused by humans. We are ruining the planet for future generations. Republicans consistently have blocked progress in combating global warming.
Public schools need our help, not our scorn. I teach middle school students out of a text book published well before they were born. Many computers in my building are so ancient that checking email is a challenge. Still, I try to prepare quality lessons (even though I'm still smarting over the county denying us pay raises we deserved last year). I also give regular standardized tests that are mandated by No Child Left Behind, even though teaching to these tests stifles my creativity as a teacher. I completely disagree with solving the problems in our educational system by spending government money on private school vouchers. Instead, let's make improving public schools a real priority. Public school teachers are largely a dedicated, underappreciated bunch. Although I agree teachers should be held accountable, I'm disappointed that this is the first line of attack John McCain often takes when addressing the failure of our education system. We need to work at making public schools in our country great. The National Education Association endorses Barack Obama on the basis of fifteen different topics that relate to quality education. I agree with them on all fifteen.
The poor are ignored in our country. The Republican Party has consistently supported a philosophy where we only look out for the rights of the shareholder. The working poor deserve human rights and equality that we simply haven't been willing to give them. The fact is that we are the only wealthy industrialized nation that doesn't provide health care for all. In a nation as great as ours, this is just wrong. Business profits go to a small few, and simply haven't trickled down. Having grown up in a small town I was somewhat oblivious to the horrors of poverty in an urban setting. I no longer have that comfort. I now am glad to hear Obama supporters such as John Edwards and Colin Powell say that we need to take major steps in helping the poor in both our country and the world. Also, while I'm no fan of abortion, I think there are real issues of human suffering that need to be resolved before any of us can claim any moral high ground on that issue. We should, and can, help to alleviate the conditions that afflict many scared young women before we look down on them concerning their choice on this issue.
We need more rational gun control. I think we can honor the rights of sportsmen and law abiding citizens who want to protect their homes while also passing strict laws that keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Republicans have continually supported positions on guns that leave our cities unsafe. How could we let an assault weapons ban expire? Why not close the gun show loophole? I hear another police helicopter flying over my apartment as I type this. I fear sending a child out into these gun infested streets.
Gay people don't deserve to be discriminated against. If you are morally against homosexuality, don't engage in it. My feeling is that many conservatives have latched onto issues concerning homosexuality and have used a supposed Biblical perspective to justify bigotry. As the Republican Party has moved further to the right, I feel the base of the party has become too concerned with the judgment and ridicule of gay people.
Government spending has gotten out of control. Bill Clinton left office with a budget surplus. The national debt has doubled under Republican control, and is now at roughly $11 trillion. This endangers national security. This endangers the hope of a quality existence for workers in this country in years to come.
I think the Republican Party has been hijacked by people that have lowered the standard of political debate and discussion. If I honestly believed in the real core principles of the Republican Party, I would be outraged by this. Colin Powell obviously is. Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and the like have become superstars by lowering the standards for political discussion so low that their followers are unable to engage in any political discussion based on real issues. I've been disappointed in the arguments people have offered me as they state reasons for supporting McCain. People have forwarded me racist images of things like "Obama Bin Laden," showing Obama's face Photoshopped onto Osama Bin Laden's image. People have forwarded me bigoted information claiming Obama is a Muslim, as if there would be something wrong with that. I've watched the political rallies on television where someone yells "terrorist" and instead of that person being corrected, it's used as some sort of rallying cry. I choose to believe John McCain is probably sickened by the bigoted, small-minded turn many Republicans (including his running mate) have taken in opposing Obama, but it still doesn't excuse it.
I think we have a real chance to swing the political pendulum back the other way. The Republicans have really lost their way, and I think that in the weeks and months to come many will admit to that. Today I'm gladly casting my vote for Barack Obama. I honestly believe he's a good man who wants to make the world a better place. I have no way of knowing if he'll fulfill his promises and make a good president, but I know that when he speaks he inspires me like no politician I've ever seen. By voting for him I feel I'm making a truly moral decision.
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