Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Why my daughter (and I) support Barack Obama

This is from my daughter in Phoenix. For some reason, FB is not letting me share it. So I have done the Copy & Paste experience. You need to read this and understand how some of us feel about the current political system. I always took my daughter and son with me back in the days when Oregon still voted by standing in line and waiting for an empty voting booth. I took them to rallies and parades and demonstrations. I guess it made an impact.

"Wanna know why I support Barack Obama? Because I know someone very dear to me who can't really afford his insurance or his medication co-pays for his cancer treatment, but who is paying it anyway. He has it for the next 18 months because of the terms of his divorce settlement, but he has the privilege of paying Blue Cross $500 a month for it. (Before the divorce, he and the wife paid about $250 for both of them.) If he hadn't already been a Blue Cross customer, he would have been denied....because of his pre-existing condition: Cancer. They are covering him only because they have to. And if he misses or is late with even one payment, they can cancel him, with no chance for reinstating him. He has to take medication for the cancer, medication for the side effects of the cancer med, and meds for a couple of problems that aren't life threatening but make it easier for him to go out and have a job, a life, pay taxes and be a productive member of society. He has been doing cancer treatment for two years in April, when he is done. He gets to hope to god that it doesn't come back after that. After the 18 months are up, he may not be covered anymore because they could jack up the premium so high that he can't afford it, or maybe deny him completely. He will then be at least 5 years away from being able to get onto Medicare. The Affordable Care Act will give him at least a better chance to be covered by SOMETHING. The insurance companies would then NOT be able to deny him because of the cancer. The Tea Party Republicans want to take that away from him. Mitt Romney doesn't give a SHIT about anyone except his rich buddies getting richer. He is a joke. He DOES NOT CARE IF WE POOR PEOPLE LIVE OR DIE.

I needed to put a human face on this, so I can explain why I post and share political stuff. I do it because I believe that what we are facing with the Tea Party and their agenda is very scary and alot of good people will suffer and die because they DO NOT GIVE A SHIT. As far as I am concerned, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are pure evil. Obama may not be perfect but he's doing SOMETHING and I still believe that to a certain extent, he cares.

Jesus said to love one another and take care of each other, right? I'm voting for Obama because I happen to care a LOT about people. Including the fellow I referred to at the beginning of this post. And my gay friends in long-term relationships who want to make it official. Also the kids in foster care who need a certain friend of mine to help them navigate a very scary system. And my own daughter and the daughters of my friends who need to know that they are just as important as boys and can do anything they want, and their bodies are sacred and worthy of being honored. And my own son, who has poor parents who want him to have opportunities in life to make himself the best person he can be.

This is why I hit that "Share" button on certain things. Don't read if you don't want to, it's your right. I respect your views as I hope you respect mine.

But I also hope I have really, really made you think. ♥"