I have been eligible to vote since December of 1979. The very first election I voted in was the 1980 election and I have voted in nearly every election since then. The presidential election always stirs up a firestorm and is a source of good debate and discussions. In my opinion, while the presidential election is important, people blow off so many more elections that are very important to the little world that they live in. For instance, in my life, in the rural community I live in I am most interested in who is running for County Commissioner? I don’t live in the city limits, I have no mayor, no city council. But the county commissioner is responsible for my road conditions and they are horrible. So this year we elected a new one. But I’ve strayed from my original thought.
Just for fun here is a list of who I have voted for for president in the last 30 years.
1980 – John Anderson, Independent
1984 – Walter Mondale, Democrat
1988 – Michael Dukakis, Democrat
1992 – George H Bush, Republican
1996 – Bob Dole, Republican
2000 – George W Bush, Republican
2004 – John Kerry, Democrat
2008 – Barack Obama, Democrat
Looking over this list, it looks like an odd type of lunch. With the independent as the pickle spear on the side and the Republicans between two pieces of Democrats as the sandwich. Oh My! Again I find myself off track.
Like other presidents before him, Obama has his lovers and his haters. He’s human. He makes mistakes and stumbles. While I might not agree with everything that Obama has done or has proposed to do, if I had to do it over again I would still vote for Barack Obama. You might not agree with my choice and judging from Facebook, most of you won’t. But you do have to agree it was MY choice. I’m not the type of person who willy nilly hops on the most popular train and wave my banner while riding into the depot.
Its an important choice for me. I take it seriously. I listen, I read, I pay attention. So when someone post a comment like “all those idiots who voted for Obama…..” I take offense. I think it shows a lack of intelligence on the poster’s behalf that the only thought that they can articulate is the “idiots that voted for Obama.” If you want an intelligent debate come up with something better. If you don’t like a particular policy or program. Wonderful! That is something to discuss. I may even agree with you. But please no more “he’s a muslim”, “he’s a socialist”, or “he wasn’t even born here”, or “he has no birth certificate”.
I think I’m entitled to my opinion just as you are entitled to yours. I think I still live in American and my vote is important. I don’t have to explain it to you and I don’t owe you an explanation. It is my choice and a personal one. Who will I vote for Obama in 2012? I don’t know yet and it really isn’t any of your business.