For Me It Comes Down To This

There is plenty of finger pointing to go around.  Failed Congress, disappointment in the fact we are using drones, a House that is beyond arrogant and a Senate that can't get anything done because they would rather see the President fail than cooperate across the aisle.  Fixing the economy would have taken/is taking far longer than four years- there is somehow this notion that four years is a magical number to fully achieve what is needed. And as for campaign promises? Whatever, broken promises are rampant on both sides.

I am willing to give President Obama four more years on the economy - the mess we got in is going to takes decades to recover from and will take bi-partisanship- that means that ideologues have to let be more interested in the greater good than they are interested in their own ideology.  We have a long, long way to go.  Conservative legislators have spent a lot of time the last couple of years trying to pass legislation that undoes progress in voter's rights, civil rights and women's rights.

For me it comes down to this: Zach Wahls- a young man raised by two mothers, who spoke powerfully about the definition of family.  Some people believe that the equality train has left the station, and the the momentum can't be stopped.  Make no mistake- progress will be slowed, hearts will be broken and there will be efforts, there are efforts to change the Constitution to put into our CONSTITUTION that marriage is between one man and one woman!  Is that who you want to support? Someone who thinks that family is so narrowly defined that more than half of us are excluded? For me it comes down to that!

It comes down to women having control of their fertility, to make decisions about when we have children, and that the right to abortion should be left to a woman and her health care provider and more importantly women need access to affordable, safe birth control. For me it comes down to that.

It comes down to supporting the Violence Against Women ACT, that we respect our sisters, mothers, wives, daughter, aunts, and grandmothers enough to protect them from violence and it should include same sex marriages too. For me it is about providing a safer place in which to grow and reach your potential.  That is good for all of us, it brightens all of our futures. For me it comes down to that.

It comes down to the right to vote. I don't remember ever missing an election day- maybe the day I found out my dad had a brain tumor- I think I drove straight to my parents house, I even voted absentee on my mission.  I remember my parents voting, dad coming home and going to vote even before he ate dinner.  We VOTE! The right to vote has been hard won for some of us, I am grateful to those who fought that fight. And we have to keep fighting, voter suppression laws are being over-turned but there are more on the way.  For me it comes down to this.

I am not willing to support someone for office who wants to deny some of the people I love most the right to marry and raise a family.  I am not willing to vote for someone who doesn't trust me enough to make my own healthcare decisions. And, I won't vote for someone who wants to rig the game.  For me it comes down to this!