Why I Am Voting For Barack Obama

Barack Obama does not come from the privileged class. His parents and grandparents were not wealthy. His mother was an educated person, an anthropologist who worked in rural development. Obama worked hard educating himself and received high recognition as a scholar, a thinker and a servant to the needs of poor people. He's a man who pulled himself up with his bootstraps.

Not so John McCain. He was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. All his life he has associated himself with the wealthy elite. His voting initiative leans toward favoring the wealthy. And why not? He is one of them. He divorced his crippled wife and married into very wealthy family in the beer and liquor business. When the organization MADD [Mothers Against Drunk Driving] lobbied to curtail alcohol advertising on TV, McCain fought against the bill. Unless you are rich, with an income of $250,000 or more, I can't imagine why you would vote for McCain.

I come from the working class. My career was in food. I worked as a cook, became a chef, and then managed restaurants, hospital and college food service programs. Eventually owned my own restaurant. And finally, in my last eight years in the work force, was in charge of the U.S. Senate Restaurants at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. I had the oppportunity of seeing close hand how these guys operate.

Being a member of the working class, I identify with Obama's efforts in behalf of the working class. I can't say that McCain has favored us, the working class, whether we are white, black or latino. In case you are wondering, I am Caucasian. My people came to this country in 1910 from Eastern Europe, Poland to be exact.

Obama represents the progressive ideas of the younger generation. McCain represents the regressive ideas of the old school. Obama wants to rebuild our standing in the international community, strengthen relations with our allies, and bring better understanding with our so-called enemies. I myself wish that he would reach out even more and work to convert our so-called enemies into friends. In the Cold War, we supported the Afghanistan people in their struggle to rid themselves of Soviet domination. Our CIA covertly supplied arms to the Afghanies and trained the fighters who became the Taliban. In effect, we created them. In the 1980s, it was McCain who supported the mujahideen (Muslim holy warriors) blowing up things in Afghanistan, which ultimately led some of the mujahideen to form al-Qaeda. It was McCain who maintained friendship and support for Gen.Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, who refused to help capture Bin Laden in 1999 and who continued to support and use the Taliban.

Obama clains he wants U.S. Forces to kill bin Laden if no one else will [the Pakistanies or the Afghanies]. I would prefer he put more effort into re-building the Afghanian infrastructure and bring relief to the starving people. In other words, I prefer that we make friends instead of more enemies. As it is now, our war in Afghanistan against the Taliban is devasting the people. We are making enemies of them. I would hope that Obama would move in that direction. Maybe he will, if he gets the chance. His position is not totally clear to me. Neverthless, I will still pin my hopes on him rather than on McCain. McCain believes in war. I belive in peace. I trust Obama leans more toward peaceful means, meaning negotiation, as the primary approach to international issues.

Obama's policy regarding our environmental situation coincides with mine. He wants to invest in renewable energy, make jobs through that program. He wants to avoid present actions that exascerbate climate warming. McCain follows the Bush pattern which supports the fossil fuel industry. In other words, he supports the agenda of the big oil companies. And no wonder. He is one of the elites. We can no longer persist in actions that are devestating our planet. Without a healthy planet, life - all life - will suffer and perhaps we, along with all other life on this planet, will become extinct. We need an adminstration that underands the priorities of our ecological issues. McCain clearly does not.

I'm not very pleased with Obama's plans for health care. He seems to think he can make the health insurance companies change their ways. Lot's of luck. I would prefer we had governement take over providing health care, as in Canada. Everyone, rich or poor, deserves health care. And low cost university education as well. Stop making industries of these two aspects of life. A healthy and educated nation should not be sacrificed to the interests of business. So, I don't agree with Obama's approach, or what might be his approach. I hope that he would surround himself with well intentioned advisors, men and women with wisdom and knowledge aiming to serve the people first rather than big business.

I support Obama in his choice to have the very wealthy bear their share of taxation in support of the our society. For many years now, it has been the wealthy people and the big corporations who have been on the government's welfare roles. The so-called trickle down policy has proven to be nothing that helps the little guy. The rich have gotten richer and the poor have gotten poorer.

If any of you hub folks read this and disagree, I am very interested in hearing your arguments. If you are in favor of McCain, I hope it is because you are a millionaire...