stoopmama

In the wake of a devastating superstorm fueled by climate change; at a time when Republican senators cannot seem to stop engaging in foot-in-mouth discussions about rape; while Tea Party members and toupeed billionaires attempt to degrade, shame and attack the President of the United States via thinly veiled racism; as popular conservative pundits prove to be more outwardly hateful and racist by repeatedly playing songs like, “Barack the Magic Negro” on their radio show as well as calling the sitting President a “retard”: I can’t fathom how any Republican can embrace their current party.

As a woman, as a mother, as a human being I must ask: where do you draw the line? What values are you teaching your children? What kind of price are you willing to pay for a tiny tax cut?

Sacrificing your reproductive rights?

Denying people their basic civil rights?

Really?

I am a Democrat.

I am a Democrat because I would be willing to pay a bit more in taxes to fund government programs like Medicaid, The Affordable Care Act and Food Stamps which help disadvantaged Americans.

I am a Democrat because I am compassionate and respect the rights of others, and those are the responsibilities and values I am instilling in my daughter.

Naturally, I’m voting for Barack Obama this week, and for many reasons. Here they are, in no particular order of importance:

I’m voting for Obama because he believes reproductive choices should be made between a woman and her doctor.

I’m voting for Obama because the Republican Platform is calling for a constitutional ban on abortion.

I’m voting for Obama because Romney wants to overturn Roe v Wade.

I’m voting for Obama because Romney said he will appoint supreme court justices who would overturn Roe v Wade, and five of the current justices are over seventy years of age.

I’m voting for Obama because he repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Before that repeal, “More than 13,000 service members had been discharged since DADT went into effect in 1993” (LA Times, July 23, 2011). That means 13,000 military members were discharged simply for being openly gay.

I’m voting for Obama because he was the first Democratic President to come out in support of gay marriage.

I’m voting for Obama because Romney supports the passing of a constitutional amendment defining marriage as “the union of one man and one woman.”

I’m voting for Obama because he supports labor unions.

I’m voting for Obama because he wants to reinstate the ban on assault weapons. No citizen needs an assault weapon. Period.

I’m voting for Obama because he stopped the unnecessary war in Iraq and wants to end our presence in Afghanistan.

I’m voting for Obama because he stopped us from stumbling into a depression, we avoided a complete meltdown, and all signs show us heading in the right direction. Anyone who thinks more could have been done in only four years with the task he inherited is delusional. Seriously.

I’m voting for Obama because of the Affordable Care Act.

I’m voting for Obama because Romney and Ryan’s healthcare plan would NOT prohibit discrimination based on pre-existing conditions.

I’m voting for Obama because of his student loan reforms that would enable more people to get a college education.

I’m voting for Obama because Romney wants to nullify the Environmental Protection Agency’s power to regulate greenhouse gases under The Clean Air Act.

I’m voting for Obama because Romney would cut all funding for Planned Parenthood, an organization which provides life-saving medical preventative care for millions of women.

I’m voting for Obama because he approved one of the largest funding increases for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in decades.

I’m voting for Obama because his Job Corps Act would put veterans to work as police officers, firefighters, and rangers in our National Parks.

I’m voting for Obama because Mitt Romney doesn’t have a plan to address unemployment among veterans, or at least not one that I’ve seen through my research.

I’m voting for Obama because he supports stem cell research.

I’m voting for Obama because Romney wants to uphold No Child Left Behind, which, as any teacher knows, is a NIGHTMARE.

I’m voting for Obama because Romney wants to start drilling in federally protected areas, discontinue wind and solar energy development and is against carbon emissions regulations.

I’m voting for Obama because he wants to cut military funding and use more sanctions and diplomacy.

I’m voting for Obama because Romney wants to increase the strength of armed forces as well as the military budget.

I’m voting for Obama because the Romney plan suggests taxes would decrease for the wealthy but rise for the middle class, according to the Tax Policy Center.

I’m voting for Obama because I believe in science.

I’m voting for Obama because I believe in climate change, and it’s certainly not a joke.

I’m voting for Obama because of THIS:

What a dick.

#Obama2012