The 2016 election is a seminal event as this country prepares to pick the successor to President Obama. The stakes are too high to not give proper weight and thought to the issues. We need to learn about the candidates, so we can ascertain who is the most qualified, whose views reflects the values we share, and who has the track record of accomplishment that would enable them to lead.
The issues are varied and complex and cannot be reduced to a sound bite or a bumper sticker. In this day of the 24 hour new cycles, dogged pursuit of free media, gotcha journalism, and an electorate that is polarized by forces that sometime we do not even realize are at play, it is incumbent upon each us to be part of an informed electorate.
This diary is not an attempt to sway any particular group, or person, to my way of thinking, but rather it demonstrates my personal journey to decide who I support as nominee of the Democratic Party.
I am not new to politics. As an 8 year old my father volunteered me to go door to door to hand out literature for our Congressman John Dingell. Later I would do the same when my father ran for city council.
As small business man I decided to challenge my incumbent congressman, I was not unhappy with my life, but I was unhappy how our congressman treated his constituents with such a dismissive attitude. Little did I know that an ensuing scandal would force the congressman out of the race. What once was a seat no Democrat wanted to run for became one that now was the focus of of several seasoned politicians who always dreamed about being in Washington. I am proud to say that cycle I raised more money then any non incumbent candidate east of the Mississippi River. I did that without taking any money from a PAC. My reasoning was if I was right on issues they cared about, I would take their voice, their support, and the votes of their members. My thought was that neutralizing the other candidate in the race ( a career politician looking to move up) I could even the playing field while at the same time demonstrate I was my own person. I lost. I carried more counties than the other candidate, but his anti choice position in the one of larger counties of the district proved to be my undoing.
As I looked at the two candidates running this cycle I began without a favorite candidate. I knew more about Secretary Clinton than I did about Senator Sanders but I wanted to make a decision based on the issues I care about, and who I felt could build on the successes of President Obama.
What issues do I care about? I care about education, climate change, social justice and equality. I care profoundly about the vanishing middle class, gun control, voting rights, and the women rights. As I researched the candidates I visited each of their websites. I educated myself on where they stood on the issues. For Secretary Clinton I visited here, and for Senator Sander I spent time here. In many areas they share similar philosophy. They both had issues they promoted that the other did not mention. There were three issues that swayed me...
At the end of the day I decided #Imwithher. i like the fact that Secretary shared my values about gun control. Every day on average (all ages) every day, 297 people in America are shot in murders, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings, and police intervention. Every day, 89 people die from gun violence: 31 are murdered.Can you imagine the hue and cry if that many of our fellow citizens were being killed on American soil by foreign terrorist coming to our shores. It is a shame and a stain on all of us that we allow the NRA to set the agenda on this issue.
Senator Sanders has stated that students should be able to attend college for free. I think that goal is admirable. But not every student will attend college after high school. The fact that Secretary Clinton has a more detailed planned to educate and train workers to work at jobs that will allow them to live as part of a stronger middle class is an approach I support. By partnering with workers, job seekers, training providers, the government, and employer I think we can have a workforce prepared for success. A workforce that will be part of stronger middle class that gives them a chance to live their dreams,
Secretary Clinton addresses voting rights in a fashion all Democrats should support..
Restore the crucial provisions of the Voting Rights Act.
Implement universal, automatic voter registration for eligible 18-year-olds.
Set a new national standard allowing early voting to begin 20 days or more before an election.
As a nation we succeed as a beacon of democracy if we make our right to vote easier and less cumbersome.
As we prepare for the fall campaign only one candidate has been vetted. Only one candidate has fended off attacks from the right wing in this country, and yet is still standing. That candidate is the one candidate running committed to working for success of all Democratic candidates up and down the ticket, that candidate is Hillary Clinton.
As a husband, father of an amazing daughter, son of a strong mother, brother to five incredible sisters, and as a colleague of many amazing and talented women I look forward to castinga vote in November for an accomplished, compassionate, experienced, and most qualified person to be the President of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Yes I will send money, yes I will phone bank, yes I will advocate, and yes I will work for Secretary Clinton electoral success.
I do so for my children, grandchildren, family, friends, for my country, and for my party!