A vote for Kerry....

I am voting for John Kerry...and I plan on taking the next few paragraphs to explain why. I imagine it isn't a surprise to anyone who knows me...that my votes resides with Kerry. I also imagine it isn't a surprise that even if a perfect stranger happened upon my site...and just read the first sentence of my profile...where I state I am social worker...that they would be surprised I am voting for John Kerry.

So, why am I voting for Kerry? Well...here it is.

1. My vote...in one part is not a vote for John Kerry, but a vote against George W. Bush. If it was my choice, Kerry would not be his opponent. I would much prefer voting for Howard Dean, but that choice was taken away from me and the nation by a ridiculous reaction to a hyper yell. But...I digress. I don't think John Kerry is sunshine and roses....but I do think that his vision for the country and the democratic party are what this country needs. I think the damage that has been done to this country and the world needs to be stopped...and not allowed to continue for 4 more years.

2. The war. I am anti-war...not anti-soldier..but anti-war. Should we be in Iraq? Should our soldiers be dying everyday? Should we be doing something which is not fighting terror but feeding it? No. No. No. I know others disagree...and that is what makes this country wonderful...that we are allowed and encouraged to voice differing opinions. But...I cannot support an administration that sends our troops...our sons and daughters to battle under false pretenses. Yes, the world is a better place with Saddam out of power...no question, but I happen to believe the end does not justify the means. Now...John Kerry won't stop this war once he is elected...because it is too late, but Kerry already fought one un-winnable war...and it seems like he has learned a lifetime from that....so, I trust him to make the most humane decisions for this country. I don't expect him to hide behind rhetoric...in order to coax the country into doing what he wants.

3. I kind of alluded to it in the last reason...but, I am sick and tired of Bush using 9/11 as a tactic. He used it to get the people behind this war...pulling on the 9/11 heart strings and telling people that he is fighting this war on terror. He made false links between Saddam and Osama...just to make this about 9/11...when it wasn't. And it has continued on the campaign trail. Bush is using 9/11 as a selling point...he is using people's pain and tragedy in hopes of increasing a few points on the polls. I am personally disgraced by it. Bush didn't plan 9/11...but he sure jumped to capitalize on it.

4. The economy stupid! Look at the shape this country is in right now??? People are out of jobs...and those that are replacing them don't cut it. Bush talks about all those jobs that his administration has created...well...they don't cut it. Good paying jobs have been lost...and have been replaced by minimum wage work. Factories are continuing to close and head overseas for cheap labor...and those factory workers are now having to take a huge pay cut (averging 66%) to now say, "Would you like fries with that?" And let's talk about out sourcing...next time you call for tech assistance on your computer...or your telephone bill...you can bet that you will be talking to someone from another country. The person who used to have that job...was eliminated for the all mighty buck. Kerry has made strong claims against out sourcing...saying it is not the answer for this country and all it does is strengthen the wealthy business owner while putting the former employees into higher levels of poverty. Oh yes...and Bush loves to say that unemployment is down. Well, that is a shallow and misleading statistic. Someone can only stay on unemployment for...6 months I believe...and then they are dropped from the program. Well...the stats from those receiving unemployment assistance are the only ones which GWB is counting...so, for high poverty areas which have been hit by lay offs...those people are often dropping from unemployment, but they are still unemployed. It's all smoke and mirrors....and the next time GWB and Co. tells you how much better the economy is and lists of a bunch of stats...look around you...at your neighborhoods...call the closest food pantry or soup kitchen...and ask them if their numbers are going down or UP?

5. Dubya's values...and how he puts them on the nation's agenda. Bush single handedly is making the issue of same sex marriage something that he must smoke out. He declared that same sex marriage must be abolished with a constitutional amendment...when in reality, it isn't in his power to do so. He is hell bent on denying the rights to people...instead of doing something to strenghten this country. Instead of fighting the institutional problems of homelessness or poverty...he must fight those gays trying to unite with someone they love. George Bush does not share my values...nor the values which I see for the nation.

6. The Patriot Act. John Kerry has spoken out against key portions of the Patriot Act. Those parts which go far beyond protecting us...and infringe on our rights. Remember that part about the great thing about this nation...that we had rights...and could speak out against tyranny. Well...the Patriot Act puts much of that into question. Parts are good, but it is all marred by the damaging parts. In my opinion...the terrorists are winning if we continue with things along the lines of the Patriot Act.

7. Bush arresting two protesters at a speech he was giving. A man and a woman went to a public appearance by GWB...and wore T-shirts that were not in support of the President. It was a t-shirt with the word Bush on it with a circle and a line through it. The two individuals were asked to leave...and when they said they had tickets and were allowed to be there...they were arrested and charged with criminal trespass. When asked who had them arrested...they were told it was the secret service. I will not support a President who does not allow its people to speak out for and against his administration. He is cowardice...and more importantly...he is dangerous.

You see...GWB does scare me. It terrifies me to think of 4 more years of Bush...and what the nation and the world will look like when he is done. There are probably a million more reasons why I am voting for John Kerry...but mostly, because I cannot accept another 4 years under Bush's misleadership. I am not an Anyone But Bush person...because our nation deserves more than that...but at the same time...one of the biggest reasons that I am voting for John Kerry is that he is not Bush...and he doesn't stand for the things that W stands for.

I stand proud and strong in my choice for the next President...and I pray to something that the nation in November agrees with me.

Off to watch the RNC and Bush's speech...and by then, I will probably have many more reasons to add to this list.

Ta ta for now...

Shelley