Dear Registered Voter of the United States,
I have a secret to tell you: the economy will get better… no matter who is President. Both sides want a better economy. You may agree with one candidate’s plan or pseudo plan, but no Commander In Chief wants America to slide farther down the ladder financially. Plus, our economic history is littered with economic booms and recessions… it’s the nature of a capitalist society. Economic expansion and restriction has been the breathing pattern of our economy since the country’s birth.
I don’t think I’m mistaken in saying that the office of the President itself has less effect on the economy than people think. What the President CAN do is help shape policy and more importantly, appoint Supreme Court Judges.
I know it is hard to think past the number one issue concerning most Americans right now, but it’s time. It’s time to think past your own pocket. It’s time to think forward.
What you as a voter need to decide is what kind of America you want to live in. There are two roads, and you must choose. If you don’t see a road that leads to your America, then choose the one that has the least power to destroy it…
One road could separate us.
One road will separate certain humans being from getting paid equally for the same work.
One road will divide us into groups worthy of care and those not.
One road will separate which human beings have a right to be legally joined to each other in marriage.
One road will divide women into those who are pro-life, and those who are criminals with coat hangers.
One road could parse violent acts against women into categories of “legitimate” or not.
One road could actually force a woman to carry her rapist’s child.
One road could allow employers to decide whether or not to provide insurance coverage for birth control. This could lead to women making employment choices based on a company’s coverage and very likely religious beliefs. This could lead to a workforce separated by personal belief systems – companies with employees of only like-minds.
One road leads to a future where religion becomes policy.
One road takes us toward less Federal Law and more “States Rights”. Laws in California could be dramatically different than North Carolina. Citizens would move to, love, or hate a state based on it’s policies – we could go back to before we were “united”.
One road leads to “accountability for yourself”, to radical individualism, and to no longer being our brother’s keeper.
One road leads to selective charity not responsibility for our fellow man.
One road will lead to a Separate America – an America separated by states, by religious beliefs, by gender equality, by station in life… where we don’t tolerate each other because the government makes it clear that we don’t have to.
One road leads to rights for some but not for all… and to great civil unrest.
One road speaks more hate than the other.
Two roads. Two candidates. It doesn’t matter who smiles bigger, stands taller, or makes the most noise. It matters who they surround themselves with, who they endorse, what policies they favor, what lies they’re telling, and which road they’re asking us to take.
One road may look less bumpy than the other, but it doesn’t really matter…
The question isn’t really which road looks easier to travel.
The question is where do you want to go?
Fantastically written, my dear.
Pretty much everything that happens in the US has a ripple effect up here in Canada, so I am very moved/ concerned/ irate at statements being said & whispered that could very well be reality in the future; our reality. Terrifying.
At the risk of being hated (although probably not by you), I’ve not met a Republican who can think past their own pocket. And many of them are my very dear friends who proudly admit it.
Lady Jennie recently posted..The Eeek! Factor
Some are mine as well. The “past your own pocket” comment was really for all us Americans. With times being as hard as they are, the election could be decided based on who people feel will put more money in their pocket.
The economy is already on it’s way to getting better… we need to vote based on the bigger picture.
So I should vote for Romney?
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!
Perfectly said… great post.
Becky recently posted..Trouble in the Bedroom
This post is fantastic! Thank you for writing it.
Jen recently posted..Just 2 Hours of Sleep
Extremely well put…
There are so many things I’d like to say here. I’m sure none will make a difference, but I’ve never been able to keep my mouth (or fingers, in this case) shut.
First of all, I’m not going to stop thinking about “my pockets” because I have a family to take care of. Since our president has taken away my ability to put enough money in my flexible spending account (My money earned from my job) to cover my family’s medical expenses that our insurance doesn’t cover, it comes out of my pocket. That means I have less for things like food and electricity. Believe me when I say that my kids have noticed a difference. Let’s face it, if I am having to cut back within my own family, I am going to be less likely to help anyone else, which is something I believe strongly in.
Second, there have been days when I was positive I couldn’t go on. Life just felt like too much, and I didn’t think I could handle it. Lucky for me, I have a best friend I could turn to. She is always there when I need some sunshine blown into my day. A day doesn’t pass that I don’t thank God, and her mother, for putting her here. It’s funny because I see her as so much more than a product of rape.
And I don’t know if you’ve noticed this or not, but people already choose their jobs by what benefits are offered, how their beliefs will mesh with their work, what they will be paid. It’s nothing new.
As for which side speaks more hate, I can’t exactly say that your side is making me feel loved right now, so maybe you can explain to me how exactly your side is more accepting of everyone. (Or does acceptance not include Christians, or Republicans, or people who don’t believe exactly as you do? We seem to be all lumped together in a category of people who are wrong with beliefs different than yours.)
Cassie recently posted..And a little girl smiled
I am actually quite careful not to lump people into one category or another. I know many (regardless of party) that are accepting people. I am speaking of policies, and I do feel that one side is in favor of introducing policies that are not “accepting” to particular groups of people.
Perhaps you can explain more clearly how this particular President caused your insurance company to not cover many of your expenses. I would like to honestly understand where that statement comes from. I am no political analyst, but am trying to be as knowledgeable as my time allows.
My flex doesn’t cover OTC meds anymore. And since we try more preventive paths than waiting to be sick, I now pay for all of that out of pocket. That’s one way that it hit us. We have also already received letters from my husbands employer letting us know our benefits will decrease and our cost per paycheck increased next year to help compensate for the required changes by the Affordable Healthcare Act. It haven’t seen any part of the act discussed (and if it is in there I would love to see it) that will improve any part of our family’s healthcare or insurance plans. The plan still stinks and is expensive. I just paid $90 for a 30 day supply of a medicine that made me sick and I can’t take it. Can’t return it either. It’s another copay to go back to the doctor, so I now just wait for my next appointment with him.
I haven’t seen one thing in our life, or the life of any one of my family members or friends that has improved in the last four years as a result of something the President and his administration has changed.
Lisa B…theTadey recently posted..Our Turkey Garland Craft (You can call them chickens)
It’s not from my insurance company not covering expenses. It’s from him lowering the amount I can put from my paycheck into my flexible spending account to cover things like co-pays, deductibles, and other medical costs we have to pay for out of pocket. Having that money set aside and available instead of having to come up with it on the spot if we have to go to the emergency room (which happens because we have 4 kids) is a big deal. We also used to be able to use it for preventative over-the-counter medicines, humidifiers, etc., and a majority of that has been cut out. The flexible spending plan used to be a wonderful benefit of my husband’s job. Now we just have to hope we have the money to cover the expense of those things when they come up. Worrying about my own pockets might sound petty to some, but it has come down to wondering if we will be able to cover unforeseen medical expenses on top of the bare necessities.
Cassie recently posted..Sing it Out
Lisa and Cassie- Just to be clear. Your flex now has a cap. That cap was put into place because Congress (Republican portions of Congress) demanded that ACA be entirely paid for if it were to be passed. The President and Dems were against this, because it would put an undue burden on patients and families and they offered up several OTHER ways to pay for this part of the legislation. However, due to the compromises that needed to be made to get it passed, this was ONE of the many things that the President compromised on in order to get the entire bill passed. So what he did to try and off set the issue was to make sure you still could use your flex account (the looked to cap it just at 2500 and cut off your OTC) was allow you to still get those OTC meds by getting a note/script from your doctor. This way at least you could still get those things. To get around the cap, they also hoped to keep the IRS out of it- but again, the GOP got in the way, and put a 6k per individual `12k per family limit on your taxes- or are trying to anyway. There are also two bills pending on the hIll that will get rid of the ‘use it or lose it’ rule so you don’t can have your flex benefits roll over to the next year and a bill to again get rid of the cap of 2500 on your flex account. Both currently claim to have bipartisan support since so many people were ticked off about how it all worked out, but we’ll see what actually happens once votes and committees get involved. However I find it very disingenuous to blame the President when he fought very hard against these measures in ACA and was forced to give into the other side of the aisle. Of course, then, he’s also accused by those same people who demanded he compromise of ‘never compromising’ and passing the bill in the dead of night with no GOP ideas, etc… when nothing could be further from the truth considering the amount of compromise that had to be made to get it done. What I am thrilled about is that all of those ‘bad’ compromises the President is angry about, he is still out there working hard to try and roll back, change will bills on the hill, or close loopholes from. He has not quit.
As for being better off than 4 yeas ago- I have a disabling chronic illness. Without ObamaCare we would have lost our home, lost everything. I’m one of those people the President talks about when he says no one should lose everything because they got sick. That’s me. THat is my family. We have used ObamaCare for the limits/caps on out of pocket expenses thank GOD and HAMP and HARP to save our home.
I’m more than happy to go into great detail, including my bills that went from 30-50k per year to 4k.
So in short, yes, I am better off than i was 4 years ago. HUGELY. I’m also very aware of how ACA or Obamacare got to where it is, and who is still working to be on my side to fix it.
I am also very accepting of others’ beliefs and try very hard not to label them as wrong simply because I think differently. That is precisely the reason I don’t think the government should force religious beliefs (or policy born of it) on it’s citizens.
Brilliant post my friend. xo
tracy@sellabitmum recently posted..Kids and Politics #vlogmom
I think some of the commentors on here have completely missed your point, which was to look beyond “What can an administration do for me and mine?” and out into the broader scope of society.
The current president’s administration has made the lives of LGBTQ people in this country somewhat less crappy: He repealed DADT, and he is the first president to endorse same-sex marriage equality.
His policies have lowered the cost of prescription drugs for people on Medicare. Yeah, maybe that’s not you or anyone in your family, but how can that be viewed as anything but a good thing?
ACA prevents insurance companies from denying insurance because of a pre-existing condition. So what if that doesn’t affect you because you already have insurance? (And you’re bitching about now you have to pay more out of pocket–are you sure that’s the fault of the ACA? Or is that your insurance company? Or your state? Because i’m paying more out of pocket, and that’s a change at the STATE level.) I would also like to point out that according to Forbes magazine, “In light of the new $2,500 cap on healthcare flexible spending accounts under ObamaCare, the Internal Revenue Service is asking taxpayers: Do we need the use-it-or-lose-it rule? It might sound arcane, but it can mean hundreds of dollars extra in your pocket each year.”
Seriously. This president hasn’t done everything I’d hoped for: Gitmo is still open, and there was NO mention of how we are going to address climate change (as I sit here in my office in northeastern Wisconsin sweating at the tag end of October because it got to 72 today). But his opponent and his running mate, the zombie-eyed granny-starver from Wisconsin (h/t to Charles Pierce at Esquire for that description) are, in my opinion, looking to take us backward.
And I want to go Forward.
I’ll stop my “bitching” about my issues, because, once again, I’m obviously wrong. Luckily I stumbled upon a blog with readers who are so open-minded toward everyone…
Cassie recently posted..One Question (OK, maybe 2)
Cassie I think your issue is an entirely valid one. And you are not, obviously wrong. I think you are suffering under laws that were put in place to try and help, and I’m trying to explain how that law came to be. I also think it’s fair to note that the President is working very hard for people in your situation and running up against road blocks from the GOP, which are unfair and unwarranted. They are simply doing it so he fails, you get angry because he gets nothing done, and then you don’t vote for him. Clearly it’s working. I have been lucky enough to see the other side of it all, and to know the good intentions do actually, believe it or not, work in the end. To know that the WH is working very hard to get rid of those restrictions and to know that when they succeed people like ME actually benefit- we had savings. We have good insurance. We did everything right when I got sick. Everything. Yet we still found ourselves in the position of so many millions of Americans. My wallet has been GREATLY affected too. We live pay check to pay check. But we nearly didn’t live in a house or even have a pay check were it not for the President. And that is the truth. We both have our truths. One is not more right or more wrong. I just ask you look a bit deeper into the reasons why, because I think you will see that one side is clearly fighting very hard for your family and trying very hard to make your life better, while the other does not care at all.
Erin recently posted..Hi, I’m Erin, And I’m One of THOSE Sports Moms
I have already voted and I am Romney/Ryan all the way. Obama has been totally dishonest about Libya. The liberal tv which is every channel but Fox News is unbelieveable. They are so Obama that they will not even talk the truth about this President. At least at Fox News you get fair and balanced news. I did not vote for Obama in 2008 and will not vote for him in 2012. I am on Medicare and Social Security and I don’t like that 716 billion will be taken from Medicare to pay for Obamacare. This will cut my benefits. Obama is crushing the middle class. TIme for a change…………. because I believe in America, God, and marriage between a man and a woman. I grew up with very little and worked 44 years with no one giving me a hand out. I never went to college. I bought my own birth control. Today I own my own home .. oh and I have never been married so don’t think a man gave me money. This is just my opinion and I value yours.
You are on Medicare and Social Security but say you never took a hand out. You say Fox News, who’s owner has clearly stated many times his news channel is entirely ‘entertainment’ and gives it’s money transparently to the Republican party and it’s backers is fair and balanced. My head is spinning a bit here. I have to sit down. Did you not happen to notice all of your preventative care was free this year? Your cancer screenings? Flu shots, etc? When you go to the doctor on Medicare, why is that not a government hand out? Why isn’t social security a government hand out? And let me just knock down one more right wing falsehood that drives me batty…we DO buy our own birth control. It’s covered under our insurance just like every other medication we buy that is covered under the insurance we pay for out of our paychecks. The only thing the President has done is make sure birth control is a medication insurance companies COVER. I still pay my insurance premiums out of my paycheck, which goes to the insurance company, and they still take that money and give me copays or lower costs on medication when I go to the pharmacy. Birth control is now one of those medications instead of being $120 when I go, it will be $10 copay. (that is an example, Lupus caused a total hysterectomy for me in 2010 so I no longer take bc…however you get the idea) … so no one is asking for a government hand out of tax dollars to have sex like sluts. We asked that birth control be covered like every other medication in the world by our insurance companies. WHICH WE PAY FOR. Sorry, pet peeve. But honestly, if you watched something OTHER than Fox you might know that already. If you do not like the ‘other’ main stream media I would suggest things like politifact or factcheck.org or sundlight foundation or open secrets or one of the many pulitzer winning, bi partisan or non partisan places you can go for information. But I have trouble taking anyone seriously who in one breath says Fox News is fair and balanced and in the next breath says they are on Medicare and Social Security but don’t take government hand outs. Please, please, please I beg of you to find many sources for your information. MANY. Not all right wing and not all left wing and not all main stream. See all sides. I’m also curious how and where you think the President lied to the country on Libya. I’m posting right now on twitter and on facebook and the last I checked those were not credible sources for confirming who killed someone. And I am sorry you believe it’s ok to be afforded rights in this country that other citizens are not. You CAN go get married, many can not. I find that sort of bigotry inexcusable. I hope you find it in your heart to at the very least understand that all men and women are created equal under the law an deserve every right our country gives people under the law, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation or religion.
Erin recently posted..Hi, I’m Erin, And I’m One of THOSE Sports Moms
I paid into Social Security as a worker so I do not call Social Security a handout. I also pay for medicare and a supplemental plan. I am not getting my medical insurance for free. I worked and I have two pensions as well. I was just stating that I did pay for my own birth control because it was not covered on any insurance plan 30 years ago. Great that it is covered now, I am not knocking that. I still believe marriage is between a man and a woman. That is my belief and I respect that it is not yours. That is why we have 2 parties republican and democrat. Because we all have different beliefs, ideas etc. I was just stating mine. I do believe all people are created equal. Just because you condone same sex marriage does not mean I have to. If we all believed the same why bother with two parties? Some of my friends may not believe what I believe that does not make them my friend. Sorry if you were offended, but I am also offended by some of the remarks here as well but I respect your right to say them.
Yes, and I pay into all of my disability insurance measures yet am told by Fox I am a moocher and am taking a hand out. You are missing my sarcasm. This is what the Democrats have been telling you. You DESERVE your medicare and your social security and they are NOT hand outs- neither is birth control I pay for. Or the disability I receive that Fox keeps telling me I’m a lowlife and a loser for accepting- and how I should have ‘planned’ better… and as it turns out I did plan, but, whatever. And no, we do not have two parties so that people can discriminate against one another. We have two parties so that people can come at problems in our country from different angles. And come up with different solutions. NOT so we can keep an entire population of citizens from their rights. If you would like to KEEP your medicare and your social security I would suggest you think about looking into the other party. The $716 million the President has moved comes from waste and fraud out of medicare- NONE of it comes from any service you receive or any of the meds you buy or any doctor you see… or payments that go out. NONE of it. The Romney/Ryan plan gives you a voucher to go and buy your own insurance- be it Medicare or otherwise. Oddly with the same $716 mill price tag. As every economist on earth has stated (minus the ones on Fox) there is no way this will work and no way this plan is paid for. I invite you to read up and President’s plan and to take a look at what you paid last year over what you paid this year – including your screenings, your office visits and your medication.
Erin recently posted..Hi, I’m Erin, And I’m One of THOSE Sports Moms
Hi. I appreciate this blog and I have visited here a couple of times. Thanks Jenni. On these issues, I find myself torn but leaning left. On the one hand the economy has been sluggish and the President has had difficulty putting into place everything he talked about in 2008. However, Mitt Romney has changed his views many times not only over the past few years, but just since the Republican primary season. So what is a girl to do? Well, I suppose with my science background (I am an engineer) I stick with the facts. I also find myself mostly engaged with economics so my interest wanders there. And what caught my eye most over the last few months came out of the Tax Policy Center. They’re a reliable groups of “nerds” (I love nerds) who are well respected for their info and their non-partisan analysis. They basically called the Romney plan a falsehood. Don’t believe me though go here: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/url.cfm?ID=1001628. It’s a white paper, so it’s pretty dry but here’s the gist: it’s not possible to do what he’s said. You can’t lower taxes on everyone, and keep military spending at it’s levels, and repeal the Affordable Health Care Act, and pay down the debt. Not possible. This is worrisome to me. I think when it comes to the most sound ideas on policy, I have to give it to Barack Obama. He’s not perfect, but the alternative does appear to be a rehash of the Bush years. The economy wasn’t very good then. Lastly, I must say that I implore all of you women out there to do just one thing: stick with the facts. Facts are your friend.
as a writer, I don’t like it when someone takes my own thought and lays them out so beautifully in a post. As a regular citizen taht followes politics and the process, I love everything about this post. well done
Lance recently posted..State Of Taylor
Isn’t she a wonderful writer, Lance? I love to read her words.
Naked Girl in a Dress recently posted..Pause. Breathe. Start Anew.
I am truly frightened over what the outcome could be Tuesday night. We have been joking about moving to Italy for four years if necessary. My daughter has been enjoying house hunting in the Tuscany countryside online. But if I pause and think of what might be coming, it makes me so sad. We will slide, and lose so much progress.
What baffles me the most, though, is the thought of restricting our access to birth control and making abortion illegal. I don’t understand how a woman, or a man who has a daughter, could vote to set women back so far.
Naked Girl in a Dress recently posted..Pause. Breathe. Start Anew.