Four years ago tomorrow, I sat huddled with three amazing friends as we stood in a packed London bar and watched the results of the election come in. Made even more punchy by the difference in time zones, it will always be a perfect and happy memory for me. When I think of us now, literally scattered across the globe (Los Angeles, New York, London and Sydney) I understand the bigger picture of how such a seemingly small amount of time can change your life. In my 30 years on this planet, I have seen the Reagan, Bush1, Clinton, Bush2 and Obama presidencies. But truly, the last four years have been the ones where I have seen the most, and done the largest amount of growing up. It is my experiences during this time that have cemented my decision to go to my local poll tomorrow and vote to keep President Obama in office. Because my last four years have informed me that (in my opinion) he is the best man to hold the job.
I have friends (not many, but still) who are Republicans and will be voting for Romney tomorrow. While that makes me sad, it is their choice, their vote, their contribution to democracy. Politics is a tricky thing in friendship - finding a way to care for and respect others while still disagreeing with some of their ways of thinking.
When I started writing this blog, the "goal" was to impart some of the "wisdom" and "experiences" (aka crazy shitshow stories) I have amassed over the last 30 years. Though I often deviate to bring you updates on my work crush (still so hot. still unsure if he's gay.) and other nonsense, today I revert to basics, breaking down the biggest lessons I have learned in the last four years, and why I'm not losing faith in the man I voted for in 2008.
The Economy - Many Americans are voting for Mitt Romney solely on the hope that he can get the Economy roaring back again. But I believe it is important to look at the fiscal reports that make it abundantly clear that the primary causes of the debt predate Barack Obama. According to The Washington Post, "The post-9/11
wars and security build-up, the Bush tax cuts, and the 2001 and 2008
recessions simply began before Obama became president. You can blame him
for extending the Bush tax cuts till 2012, or for the stimulus (though
the stimulus would never have happened without the 2008 financial
crisis), but the structural of deterioration came in the Bush years."
Now. Romney supporters are wondering why Obama didn't fix everything wrong with the economy in four years. That is simply not possible. It's not. Especially not when Republican law-makers such as Mitch McConnell have been quoted in their goal to stymie progress in order to get nothing done and keep Obama in office for one term. They go out of their way to block job creation bills. Keep Americans suffering (and the economy down) long enough to put a Republican in office? How can ANYONE who claims to want to "serve the people and the greater good" do that?
Over the last four years I have worked multiple jobs to keep myself afloat. And oftentimes I have hated them, because (snobby but true) they've been beneath me in terms of intelligence. But you know what? I sucked it up and survived. I'm not a doctor, or a lawyer. I have degrees (by choice) in things that aren't exactly profitable, and I know that nothing is going to be simply handed to me. So in order to keep doing what I love (arts!) I will have to perform less glamorous jobs for survival. That's just how life is.
Interestingly enough, I worked for two years for a British company, and I loved it. I had hoped to build myself up high in their ranks, and move from the shop floor to the more creative PR division. It wasn't until the company was sold to an American Conglomerate (Retail Group of America!) that all of a sudden everyone who'd built the US stores from the ground up were let go or forced out. So let's not romanticize American jobs, because we're stabbing each other in the back here at home even more than overseas.
I was unemployed for about two months and it was terrifying. I cannot imagine being unsure of one's stability for a longer stretch of time, and my heart aches for those who despite being more than qualified, cannot find steady employment in any field. I was fortunate enough to have friends looking out for me, and have subsequently found a really really good job. But it wasn't all sheer dumb luck -I was scared but I was looking. You can't give up and throw in the towel. You've got to be pounding the pavement every day, looking on job websites and everything. It's hard work for everyone involved.
Love and Human Rights - This one is simple. Romney's own words speak for themselves.
"Some gays are actually having children born to them. It's not right on paper. It's not right in fact...It may affect the development of children and
thereby future society as a whole.''
Damn those gays! Wanting basic human freedoms to love! Liberties to marry! The right to a happy life! Was America founded on the basis of freedom, liberty and rights?!? Nooo...Oh, wait a minute.
I don't think anyone with gay friends (Isn't that all of us?) has a leg to stand on when voting for Romney. It is a slap in the face. My taxes are more important than your basic human freedoms. (Bad News: Romney is going to raise taxes for everyone!). I fear that your children will be deeply ashamed of you, when they look back at this point in time. Because to them, it's going to be the same as the civil rights movement was to us. "Black people couldn't use the same bathroom? What the fuck was wrong with you people?"
I want to go to at least 10 gay weddings in the next four years.
And that's not just an excuse to buy a bunch of new dresses, either.
Women's Bodies - Often times I think I don't want to bring a child into this world...between the temperature freakouts of planet Earth, the denial that homosexuals are human beings, and the thought that a Romney administration will absolutely work to overturn Roe v. Wade and put the kibosh on my right to decide what goes on in my uterus.
In the event Romney is elected, this blog might have to stop. Because I'm going to on-the-run as a feminist vigilante super heroine, dashing across the country trying to save women's clinics.
Truly, though. How fucking dare ANYBODY tell ANYBODY ELSE what they can and can't do with their bodies. If it's inside me, it's off limits to you. And vice versa!! I won't try and regulate your testicles if you do me the same courtesy. Period. End of story.
Senior Care - Last but most certainly not least, is care of Senior Citizens. Aging in America is certainly different now than it was even fifteen years ago, but even the healthiest senior should be aware of what is going on currently with Medicare. The number of seniors on Medicare is expected to be around 62 million by 2020. Subsequently, not a program to be fucked around with, eh? (I've said eh? twice now. Canada calls.) A study from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that the Romney/Ryan plans to overhaul medicare will result in increased cost - 59% of seniors paying higher premiums in
order to receive the same Medicare plans they currently use. Seniors in places with very expensive health care (Florida!) might have to
pay much, much higher premiums to get the coverage they have today. Medicare
would remain an option for seniors, but in
order to choose this option, some seniors would have to pony up even more money.
The only reason my family isn't completely bankrupt is that my mother was savvy enough to make sure that my father was signed up for Medicare before he turned 65 (which almost didn't happen, because people with dementia aren't really bothered with checking their mail and signing up for shit) as well as TriCare for Life, which is a health program for Uniformed Service members and retirees, which my dad is. It is with the aid of these programs (as well as my parent's savings) that Mom pays for Dad's care. That's it. Without it, we'd be so fucked, to put it bluntly. I mean, we're still somewhat fucked just due to healthcare costs in general, but that's life. So, fellow young adults. Please don't just think about your needs. Think about your parents. Because this time is coming for all of us, if it hasn't already. YOU HAVE TO THINK AHEAD. Plans need to be laid out and they need to be clear. You can't just be like "I'll tell you later, issa secret!" like Romney and Ryan.
To conclude. I thought about throwing in one of those ridiculous Paul Ryan weight-lifting pictures (seriously? HIM?) then decided against it in hopes of keeping my points serious. Because this needs to be taken seriously. Everything can change in four years. It did for me. However you vote, you need to be thinking ahead and know that.
See you on the other side of the polls....
