Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama: Who should I support?

For me, it is hard to support one over the other because of their very similar platforms. I like and could support either of them for reasons that are alike, and reasons that differ. I walked into the voting booth on Super Tuesday not knowing who I would (or should) vote for, even though I had been using every free second I could gathering information that I had hoped would put a clearer picture in my head of what was the right vote for me.

For my life and my future, I would love to live through the progression for women that would certainly take place if Hillary is our next president - being taken more seriously in the workplace, not being passed up for promotions/raises because of our anatomy, and even being treated better and with more equality within our homes.

I also think about my son, and the progression that could come for his life and his future if Barack is our next president. Although he is mixed (as Barack is), society labels him as black, and he will be treated "black" throughout his life if we as a society continue on the same path of fear and ignorance. I have seen and experienced the looks and comments that are directed at my family, and maybe if people see a black figure of positive power and eloquence, the stereotypes that I foresee plaguing him will diminish.

For me, as a mother, the latter is more important, which is why on February 5th, I placed my vote in the New York State primary for Barack Obama. I will strongly support whomever gets the nomination, but as a mother, my vote is for my son's future, his comfort and his ability to navigate freely through society without labels. I see Barack Obama as my son's first chance.

Romney is out.

Am I surprised? Absolutely not. It was just a matter of time.

McCain is now the unofficial Republican nominee, with Huckabee as his unofficial vice-pres pick.

Is anyone else scared? Petrified? Already considering a move out of the country if we have another suspicious "win" in Florida, or any other state for that matter?

Can we take 4 years or more of the same tricks from a new group of people? I know I can't.

The Results Are In

For the Democrats, Super Tuesday was exactly what I expected - A race too close to call.

We are living historical moments. Democratic voters turned out in record numbers to place their votes for two candidates that some have thought would never make it this far. We have never before had a viable female candidate or a viable black candidate. The fact that so many people have rallied behind each of them is amazing.

There are many ideas and opinions being thrown around as to whether a Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket is in the future and if it should be. Although I view them as an unbeatable pair, I try not to disillusion myself. Will Obama want Hillary, or vice versa, around to steal the spotlight? The purpose of your vice is for them to support you and to be in the background while you shine. Is either of them capable of taking a backseat?

While I don't believe I will see my "dream team" on the election day ballot, that won't stop me from fantasizing about what could be.

Super Tuesday's First Official Win

The first official win of the day was in West Virginia by, in my opinion, the worst possible candidate for President, Mike Huckabee . Although I don't think he has a shot at getting the Republican nomination, I do believe that if McCain gets the nomination that Huckabee will be under great consideration to be his vice. SCARY!

I have done a lot of reading on Huckabee. Out of the Republican candidates I have recently spent the most time reading about him. This is because: 1) he was the candidate I knew the least about, and 2) right off the bat, I came across information about him that disturbed me.

As I have stated, I am very liberal, open-minded, live and let live, etc. I am supportive of same-sex couples having the same rights as heterosexual couples, I think abortion is a choice that a woman makes, not the government, and I do not think religion/creation should be taught in public schools.

He seems to be against everything I believe in. (War, the above issues, economy, healthcare) I was already feeling a strong distaste towards him when I ran across this article by Max Brantley. It touches on his record as the Governor of Arkansas. Apparently, Huckabee does not like to be called out or criticized, and has no problem trying to force journalists to step back and shut up. On top of that, he has acted shady with his spending and did what he could to loophole his way to spending campaign money on what he wished.

Yes yes, I know, this is one person's article and opinion, but the layering of all that I have read is what leads me to the conclusion that Mike Huckabee embodies not one quality or belief that will be necessary to clean up the mess that Bush has made.

Yes We Can!

What are you voting for?

Our choices now on who the next president will be will have implications for years and decades to come. It will affect the way that our children grow up. Why are so many people so close-minded or brainwashed or just plain off the rocker, that they let politicians, especially the Republican/conservative candidates, guide them to the voting booth with issues such as religion, abortion or whether gay people should have the right to get married? We need to focus on the bigger issues - how are you going to make Americans lives better? Are you going to give everyone health care? Are you going to start raising taxes on companies who are sending jobs overseas? How are you going to protect me? After all, you are supposed to be my president, my government. For the People, not for the corporations, and certainly not for lining your own pockets with oil money while ruining this country's economy.

We have the choice to elect someone who will work to fix things for the regular person, or to put someone in office who will continue on the same path we've been for the past 8 years.

I'm scared to know how much damage has really been done in the time that Bush has been our president, since the government is virtually never honest about the things that are going on until long after they have happened, and even then, they hide what they need to. Scary thought that Bush has put us all in a much worse position than we are already aware of.

For me, it is important to have someone in office who does not want to continue the war. In my point of view, it is a huge waste of my money that is making a small group of people very rich. On top of that, it is ruining the lives of young people who had no idea what they were getting into, and ruining the lives of families who are being separated. Many are reservists who hold regular jobs or small businesses of their own and being sent away is literally draining them and leaving them with nothing to come home to. Along with this, gas will continue to get more and more expensive, which in turn makes all of our utility prices go up and grocery prices as well....all of this means the regular working class American will never be able to get ahead. We will be boxed in with no where to turn. If we are not careful, we will end up with a government that makes all of our choices for us.

Not to even get into the huge mess that we have made of another country. Yes, I know, Suddam Hussein was not a good person. But can anyone honestly say to me that the people of Iraq are better off now than they were before we invaded and turned their lives upside down?

If all of the money that is being used to fund the war each week was spent to repair some of the devastating problems that people within our own borders face each day, we would be a much healthier, happier and prosperous people. We could potentially house every person who is homeless within our borders, feed every hungry person and rebuild our cities and towns that have been devastated by natural disasters. That money could also be put to good use protecting our own country from future attacks that are most certainly being planned against us right now by all of the new enemies we have made in the last eight years with Bush as our president. If there were to be a major strike against the US right now, I fear that our government would be unable to protect us. How could they, with the great majority of our military deployed or stationed elsewhere in the world and with almost all of our equipment and weapons with them.

So what will you choose to vote for? The future or the past? For the people or for the corporations? What will you base your votes on? Will it be the issues that matter, or the issues that they use to distract us and spread hatred among us? Choose wisely, as you may very well have to pay for your choice for the rest of your life.

Where do I begin...

I am what some would call young. I think of myself as the future.

I live my life on the left. I am an unwed mother. I am in an interracial relationship. I believe in gay marriage. I know, from deep within myself, that we should take care of people. There should not be poverty. People should not have to worry about sleeping in the cold, or if they will eat, or the countless other worries that too many have. We should not be wasting money on a war that is making a small group of people rich while the rest of us pay the price. I do not believe that religion should be taught in public schools. I think abortion should be a woman's choice. Racism is still alive. I think we should have a living wage, not a minimum wage. How can housing, childcare, food, gas, transportation, clothes, electricity, and other necessities become more expensive while my salary remains the same? How are we supposed to survive? There is not enough focus on us, the people. Why are the issues that affect the ordinary working class person/family each day on the back burner?

I do not think I should have to live my life the way someone else sees as appropriate. In fact, I refuse to live my life to someone else's guidelines. I think everyone should refuse. Live and let live. If what you are doing does not hurt me, why is it my concern? I don't have to understand, or agree with your way of living. It isn't my life.

Why are you so concerned? Why are you so afraid?