Wednesday, September 1, 2010

VOTE Election Day 2010

The American elections of 2010 are crucially important to the well-being of all Americans - to our families, to our careers, to our values, and to our future and the future of those yet unborn.

The balance of power in the United States Senate, the House of Representatives, a number of Governorships, and other critical offices will all be determined on November 2nd by YOUR vote. Choose wisely.

Consider carefully all the social issues at stake, and consider them along with your analysis of the current and longer term economic issues. Do your homework, and vote from your conscience and consciousness as well as from your pocketbook. Vote to build up, not to tear down. Vote from optimism and a belief in a great future. Don't cast your vote out of fear or desperation.

Whatever your sincere and reasoned beliefs about this election, choose wisely and VOTE.

VOTE on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. ... and ask your friends to vote too.

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I will now share my own perspective on the issues - how I will vote and why...

Please read everything on this page! But if you don't have the time, here's the bottom line...

I am voting Democratic and asking all my friends to get out and vote Democratic because...

1. Big banks, big oil, and big business need to be controlled so we can have stable money, stable home mortgages, stable American jobs again.

2. Democrats will create American jobs - and in the process, rebuild the infrastructure and advance renewable clean energy.

3. The Democratic orientation is compassion - honoring all individuals regardless of the state of their health, or their race or religion. The Republican orientation is fear and selfishness - how the rich can save a few dollars on their taxes by ignoring the sick or downtrodden.

PLEASE get out and VOTE - and Vote Democratic!

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BIG BANKS - BIG OIL - BIG BUSINESS

Why did the real estate market crash? Big banks run amok. Why are there unsafe wells in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico? Big oil run amok. Who can control big business and keep it from grabbing all your money and political influence? The unholy alliance of big business and Republicans is deeply entrenched. Can the Democrats put a leash on big business? I hope so. Certainly big business will hold a bigger club over your head if Republicans take over.

JOBS

President Obama inherited an economic mess from his predecessor - bankers profited wildly and unsustainably from underfunded mortgages. As chance would have it, this mess unraveled just before President Obama took office - the stock market crashed, housing values plummeted, and many people lost their jobs.

While private companies are great at creating jobs when everything is looking good, they lay off rather than create jobs when an economic downturn hits. That is when it is time for the Federal Government to step in. In spite of strong opposition, President Obama began a jobs creation program. This is a very serious recession, and there is a long way still to go in creating jobs, but let's move ahead faster, not throw up our hands at the problem as the Right Wing would advocate.

REBUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Many of our roads are in disrepair and a number of our highway bridges are literally ready to fall down. (As of 2007, over 72,000 US highway bridges were "Structurally deficient"). With so many jobs having been lost in the construction industry due to the crash in home building, rebuilding our infrastructure is one way to accomplish two critical goals at once - creating well paying jobs and restoring a safe and efficient highway system.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

As the Gulf spill shows, as the continued tension in the Mid-East shows, as global warming shows, as oil reserves begin to run dry worldwide (data at www.hubbertpeak.com), the United States needs an accelerated program of large scale solar (thermal and photovoltaic), geothermal, and other technologies, including a renewed focus on modern nuclear plants and an upgrade to the nationwide electric transmission grid - which in many ways is in even worse shape than our highway bridges. A federal focus on renewable energy is another way to accomplish two goals at once by creating skilled jobs - which creates discretionary spending and in turn creates service, retail, and other jobs.

Who do you think is going to repair roads and bridges, bring us to a new era of American-produced clean energy, and create professional, service, and retail jobs in the process? Of course it is the Democrats. It is certainly not the Right Wing, and especially not the tea party.

HEALTH CARE

For me, universal health care is the only compassionate and acceptable choice for America. A number of wonderful people I know personally have suffered greatly as a result of being denied health care. One friend suffered severe pain and a pronounced limp for several years until he reached 65 and could have a hip replacement paid by Medicare. What a cruel and stupid policy! This man could have had his pain and limp eliminated years earlier in any other first-world country, but not in the United States.

Yes, the recently-enacted health care legislation is imperfect, but what do we want to do next? The Republicans are committed to repealing even this step toward a compassionate health care policy! Democrats will continue to improve compassionate health care for the United States until we can proudly compare ourselves with any other country, and more important, until we can know that our friends, our relatives, and perhaps someday ourselves will not be denied pain-relieving and perhaps life-saving treatment because of an inability to pay.

SOCIAL SECURITY

The Republicans want to reduce social security payments that your social security taxes have already paid for. Don't let them do it.

VALUES

As anyone who has read my Daily Inspiration knows, I place a very high priority on honoring all individuals - honoring their being, their beliefs, and their private practices. It is not my place to judge anyone as better or worse for being Black, White, Yellow, or Red - for speaking French, German, Chinese, or Spanish - for believing in Catholicism, Fundamentalism, Atheism, Islam, or Buddhism - for being Gay or Straight - for being Male or Female. Moreover it CERTAINLY isn't the place of my government to pass laws that treat people unequally or unfairly. Being a member of a majority class does NOT confer the right to discriminate against those with minority beliefs or practices.

Who is going to uphold and fight for the American Bill of Rights? Again, it is Democrats.

VOTE! Vote Democrat! Ask all your friends to vote!

14 comments:

  1. Well said! I applaud your courage to take a stand. In today's headlines, it was reported that corporations are now abandoning Democrats and contributing billions into Republican races. The Supreme Court decided in the landmark "Citizens United" decision that Corporations are protected by the First Amendment to contribute as much money as they wish, due to "free speech". Corporations are NOT people, but, they are controlled by people whose only concern is profit - for a select few. Until we all realize that we are becoming more of an "oligarchical" society we will continue to suffer. I am voting Democrat and not abandoning the party. I also suggest a universal connection with like-minded individuals to give as much money to the DNC and Emily's List (A great progressive PAC who funds campaigns of "Progressive" women.) While we don't have as much money as Corporations, if we band together, we can give like-minded candidates the resources they need to fight back.

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  2. Excellent Jonathan. This should be read by all of those Democrats who are sitting on the fence and saying they won't vote because they did not get everything they hoped for. Why hand things over to the party who will take all that has been accomplished and make things worse?? Makes no sense. Yet not voting will do just that. The party of fear and demonizing is not what America is about. We are indeed better than that. Our vote does matter. We can continue forward or go back to much worse times. Lets help to give the Democrats a filibuster proof congress and say No! to the Party of No.

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  3. Thank you, Jonathan. How refreshing to read something actually based on "family" ( the Body of Christ) values.

    During the last 8 years of Republican leadership a woman I had never seen before stopped walking with her friend and came over to my car where I was loading an item from a garage sale. She said, " Don't you read the paper? You people need to remove those bumper stickers ( just a plain Democratic candidate sticker - nothing more) from your car - the election is long over, you lost and you need to get over it."

    Openly without a second thought I calmly explained, " Now is the most important time to keep this on my car. I don't want anyone thinking I'm responsible for this mess." My reward was to see the shoulders of her walking partner shaking with laughter as she turned away - surely facing a continued diatribe from her walking partner.

    Sometimes when we speak we speak not only for ourselves but also for others who can't speak given their circumstances ( humorous, or otherwise). We don't have to argue or be rude - but we are bound to think and to express that openly if we expect to "Be the change you wish to see in the world..." (Ghandi) VOTE - for yourself and in the name of others who cannot or do not. Keep your mind nimble and your courage free flowing.

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  4. I was so glad to come here today and see this blog. I, too, will vote Democratic for the same reasons as you have listed here. Unfortunately, I live in a Republican stronghold and most of them don't want to hear my opinion, except for one co-worker who has turned completely around since he started here over a year ago. Thanks so much for posting this!!

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  5. I WILL TAKE JEFFERSON'S ADVICE AND ACT BY VOTING FOR PATRIOTS WHO BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION AS WRITTEN BY OUR CHRISTIAN FOUNDERS.

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  6. I respectfully disagree that "The Democratic orientation is compassion - honoring all individuals regardless of the state of their health, or their race or religion." The Democratic party has passed and continues to pass laws that compel doctors and pharmacists to act against their conscience by prescribing or filling medications or performing procedures that go against their deeply held regligious beliefs. That is not honoring at all. In addition, your 9/30/10 inspiration email stated "The American elections of 2010 are crucially important to the well-being of all Americans - to our families, to our careers, to our values, and to our future and the future of those yet unborn." Sadly, the Democratic party does not protect the rights of unborn Americans to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In fact, quite the opposite. I am not saying Republicans have the answers, but I feel compelled to share another viewpoint.

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  7. It is great to hear this is your point of view. As a Canadian, I have watched in fear and loathing the American Right spew forth such incredible (and ill-informed) venom at a man and government that has been cleaning up the mess left by the Bush administration. I have been amazed and disheartened to hear the idiotic diatribe of the Republican Right (Palin and her ilk) and then to witness people actually championing this nonsense. Thank goodness the majority of Americans have far more sense and intelligence --- or at least that is my desperate hope. Vote wisely and with your heart head and conscience!

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  8. Stick to your daily inspirations!!
    Vote for a bright future....Vote Republican!

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  9. I live in Canada. From what I have seen and read I believe President Obama deserves the votes. Good luck Americans.

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  10. Thanks for sharing your views here Jonathan. I am an Independent Democrat and will definitely vote for the Dems. I am tired of these whining, negative Repubs.

    They want to go backwards and have no ideas for the future. I think it is unfair that they expected Pres. Obama to clean up their mess in just 18 months.

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  11. Thank you for sharing our political views...

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  12. I am going to stick to my guns and vote REPUBLICAN!

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  13. I voted straight Democrtic Ticket this year because I feel so strongly that we should have supported our President on this ticket - to help him see through his plans to get our country back on it's feet. But now with all the Republicans elected into the senate and house - well, it's going to be deadlocked. Obama's plans to get the country back on it's feet will be blocked and not come to fruition. His dream, which was my dream, will not happen. Something will happen - and that is the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer and that is the Far Right Republican Way.

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