hackthis_archive | Why this one is voting for that one.

I worked the Obama phone banks again today. And let me tell you, my only regret about anything I've done this year is that I didn't start working the campaign phone lines sooner, because today, I had the phone call that made it all worth it.

So, I once again found myself calling MissouRAH. Now, anybody who has ever cold-called anyone for anything knows that the ratio of hang-ups to conversation has got to be 5 to 1. Well, with political calls it's more like 10 to 1. My friend and I were actually talking about taking a shot every time someone hung up on us, but then we would've had alcohol poisoning and been useless. This isn't about that though. This is about the middle age white man from MissouRAH, who, when I told him who I was and why was I calling, said, "Give me one good reason why I should vote for Obama?"

To which I replied automatically, "Veteran's Affairs."

And he said, "What?"

And I repeated, "Veteran's Affairs."

And he said, "Huh."

Now I should point out that nobody has ever asked me this question in my history of calling for the campaign, and so, I could've said anything. I could've toed the party line and said, "For change!" Or, "because he's black and I'm black and we obviously always stick together." Or I could've listed any one of the twenty other reasons I support Barack Obama, but I said 'veteran's affairs', because his policy on this issue is what truly made me say, "Yes, this is the one I've been waiting for."

Let me go back for a moment. About ten months ago, a brilliant, young man named Derrick was asked about the Obama healthcare plan in an on-the-street spot interview. And his reply was so well thought out, so considered and concise that people called him a plant. And why would they think a young black man supporting Obama was a plant? Because he knew what he was talking about. Because the young people, you and me and your friend across the country, we are the ones who are driving this campaign. We are the ones we're waiting for, and we have said, "Enough of this bullshit. It's time we had someone we believe in in charge." So ten months ago, when I heard what Derrick said, I thought to myself, you can want change, and you can believe in something better, but shouldn't you be able to say more than just because? Isn't it your responsibility to be like Derrick? To be informed? To make an informed decision?

Yes, it is.

Of course it is.

So, I went to barackobama.com and I printed out Barack's stance on every issue listed: the environment, taxes, disability, defense, economy, education, immigration, foreign policy, homeland security, Iraq, veteran's affairs. In short, everything including the kitchen sink. It was about 60 pages. And I took those pages home, and I put them on my kitchen table, and over three weeks, every time I was in the kitchen cooking, or cleaning, or listening to the radio, I read what Barack Obama believes. To know the man you have to know where he stands, and not only did I learn about Barack, but I re-learned about America as a whole. It made me think about what we need, and what we lack, and how we have so much potential to be great if we can get out of our own way. But out of all the policies I read, all the changes Barack wants to make, it was the Veteran's Affairs issues that made me say, "Yes, this one."

So, when I spoke to Mr. Undecided in Missourah, what I said to him was this:

"When the troops come back from Iraq, they need help readjusting. They need medical care, they need psychiatric care, they need help getting jobs, taking care of their families, changing speeds and getting back into civilian life. And the government is supposed to help them with these things. Their government is supposed to take care of them. But right now, there are six month waits to see a shrink if you have PTSD and if you need medical care, the VA is just as likely to push you aside as it is to help. You get mired in papers and bureaucracy when all you need is your injuries to be checked or some physical therapy, and there is no one helping you. These men and women go off to fight of for this country and they come back and get treated like shit. Barack wants to change that. He wants to get them help, he wants to change the way things are done. Walter Reed Medical Center is supposed to be bastion of how the military treats its veterans, and the media has uncovered that at the VA and through Walter Reed, people with mental illnesses are being ignored and locked in wards with roaches and filth that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. Our troops deserve so much more than that. John McCain didn't even support the new GI Bill, which would give our troops a chance for a better life when they leave the military. What kind of commander is that? And speaking of medical care, the McCain healthcare plan works fine as long as you don't get sick. Anybody who has EVER been sick can tell you a trip to the ER will run you at least $1500, so if you have to go once, you better hope that nobody else in your family gets sick that year. And you better hope the only prescription you need is for aspirin. Because $5000 may sound like a lot of money, but it costs tens of thousands of dollars just to have one baby, so imagine if you get sick and your wife gets pregnant? One of you isn't going to be able to afford care at all. And as for allowing you to buy insurance across state lines, if you're in Missouri and your insurer is in Texas and they deny you coverage, your state can't do anything for you.

So, you know, think about that when you go to the polls."

And he just said, "Okay. I'll think about it."

And I just said, "Thanks," because I've made dozens of phone calls in my time and I've been hung up on for most of them, but every person who says "Obama for sure" makes it worth it. And this one man, who may not even vote for my candidate in the end, has made every hour I've been hung up on worth it, because I made him think about his vote for just a few minutes.

People who are are planning on voting on November 4th, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.

If you can vote early, please do, the lines are crazy and with every hour the election officials across the country are freaking out a little more, because they didn't anticipate this level of ~~awesome~~ participation.

And please remember when you go to vote: a) take at least one form of identification. Even if you know your own mother is working the polls, take one, hell take two, because there are several states, especially in the Midwest where if your name doesn't match exactly to the rolls, they are going to say you can't vote. That means Jo vs. Joan or a middle initial vs. no middle initial. That little shit will kill you. b) I know you want to wear your Obama/Palin/McCain/Biden shirt to punch that card, but in most places no political propaganda is allowed within 200 feet of the polling place. It's called Electioneering. So, if you wait in line for 2 hours and get up there in your Obama shirt? They will tell you you can't be there and that's bullshit, and you'll need to strip in public and turn your shirt inside out and I know you don't want that. So, bring a coat, take off your button. They can't turn you away, but they can give you grief, and you don't want that c) Vote early if you can, I'll say it again. d) Watch it with the straight ticket ballots. Sometimes they switch to the other party. This has been happening. Pay attention to what you are doing. e) Do not cast a provisional ballot if you can help it. And f)

VOTE. No matter for who or what, vote on November 4th. Be the change you want to see. Take a stand. Be heard. And don't let anybody tell you the day has changed. It hasn't.

Current Mood: mellow
Current Music: The Verve 'Chasing the Butterfly'