Let's get political, political, come on and get political, political.

On the eve of the "most important election of our time", although I could have sworn that was 4 years ago, I'm not holding back and letting it fly.

It's easy from my past posts, and from anyone who knows me, to figure out which way I'm going to vote tomorrow, pretty much a straight "D" ticket. However, this election season has, to me, been pretty harsh and leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. If I had to sum up why it would be one word, money. Not the economic setting, for while my "personal economy" could be better, I think the President has us headed on the right track, but instead the amount of money that has been spent on this campaign. The "Citizens United" decision has flooded our airwaves, phone lines, mailboxes and internet with a constant barrage of mostly negative ads with the main purpose of discrediting or knocking down "the other". Campaigns used to be about ideas and plans to get the country together not divide it apart, it saddens me. Neither side is immune, neither side is without blame, it is the duty of the electorate to speak up and say enough is enough. Our current 2 party system has entrenched a good portion of the electorate into deep partisan holds bent more on winning than solving the problems that face the country today, and our problems are not few.


The Economy-As stated earlier my "personal economy" is not too bad, I have a pretty good job, sufficient enough pay and a little (although very little) stashed away for retirement. As a whole I look at my environment and while most of my friends and family have a job, and things could be a little bit better, they're not too bad and they are much better than they were 4-6 years ago. By, simply looking in Columbia with the addition of an IBM service facility, 2 new shopping centers already expanding, more new restaurants than I can count, 3 new car dealerships along our major thoroughfare and additions to all 3 major hospitals, it looks as though both the manufacturing and service sectors are on the rebound. The only hit that I can see, other than "poor" personal choices; eating out, spoiling my daughter and taking in one to many trips to the "mouse house" is an increase in my employer provided health care plan. Which takes us too...

Health Care-Yes my premiums are going up next year let's see how much, drum roll please, $5 a month. Holy crap, that means one less trip to Jimmy John's a month, I'll sacrifice that to insure that those less fortunate than I can be covered under preexisting conditions, my brothers are able to stay on my parent's plan until they're 26, the basic wellness checks and programs are in place and children in poverty get to have a little better starting place when it comes to issues of health.
Side note-rock on Michelle, healthy living and planting a garden should be a paramount issue for this country, personally our little one can't get enough of the cucumbers, eggplants and tomatoes you inspired us to plant in our garden.

"Pro-Life" Issues-This one is "easy" for me, the bottom line is that I can only control my actions on this subject as a male I can only make choices are informed upon by my faith my beliefs. I myself, or my government does not get to tell anyone, male or female, how to control the actions of individuals. "Pro-Life" cannot be taken solely out of context and tied solely to abortion, there are too many other "life issues" within the electorate to narrow this down. I believe my calling as a Catholic is to reduce not only the 1.2 million abortions (supposed number), but to consider my Christian Conscience, and take a larger look at the totality of "life issues". 

You cannot be "pro-life" on the abortion issue alone you must also consider the 45,000 who die from lack of insurance (http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/18/deaths.health.insurance/index.html), the 30 million on the edge of poverty (http://money.cnn.com/2012/10/24/news/economy/americans-poverty/index.html), the 42 American executions (http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/execution-list-2011) the 6,518 soldiers that have died, 41,936 wounded in the war on terror (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_of_war), and the 195,000 deaths from medical errors (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/11856.php) to name a few.

Military Actions-Before my brother joined the military and, to be honest, even after he joined, this part of our American electoral system was not high on my radar. Personally I know that I would not have the stomach, both figuratively and literally, to debate and question sending individuals into harm's way, that's why I'm not running for office. This does not mean that I cannot learn the skills needed to assist in these decisions but at this time it is truly out of my realm or "comfort zone". With that being said it's not in the current Republican candidate's either. The third debate on top of the politicization of the horrible tragedy of the "Benghazi Affair" leaves me with no confidence in that ticket for the consideration of the brave men and women who defend our freedoms and liberties everyday. I stand side by side with General Colin Powell in voting for the candidate who has taken the actions to "get us out of one war, start to get us out of a second war and did not get us into any new wars." I agree with General Powell that the President when he says "the actions he has taken with respect to protecting us from terrorism have been very very solid. And so, I think we ought to keep on the track that we are on."

Voting, to me is an expression of faith in a system which although not the best is the one we got, join me tomorrow in voting, make your voice heard, and participate in our American experiment to "provide a government for the people by the people".