Fortitude & Fundamentals

It's getting rough out there. I am beginning to wonder what the Democratic party is trying to do with respect to our candidates and our chances. I am solidly behind Hillary Clinton but I can see the allure of a Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton's tenacity, strength and in-depth knowledge of so many issues we now face convinces me she is the right person for this job. I am bowled over by the idea of finally having a female president. It is wonderful. I believe she is committed to her causes: health care, economic reform, the removal of troops from Iraq. I am continually impressed with her ability to bounce back from the truly angry & snide comments made about her; the press counting her out; the 11 straight losses to the two big wins in Texas and Ohio. This is what we need; someone with fortitude, smarts, and stamina.

For almost 8 years we have suffered with a president who basically has no smarts, no stamina (how many vacations/days off/visits to Crawford & Camp David has he taken?) and his fortitude has been completely wrong-headed stubborn and downright stupid with respect to Iraq and the economy.

My husband talks endlessly of leaving the US. He is so disgusted with the plight of the nation. He is sickened by the death and disability of our military men and boys. He is frustrated by what he sees as the "corporate mentality" of our politicians and the big business they pander to...the big business that cares for nothing but profit. He is despairing of the manner in which the middle class, of whom we are part, is expected to keep this country afloat with payouts from the govt we are supposed to spend. He is particularly depressed by the manner in which we treat our poor and our children. My husband is a former social worker. He is also a former VP Marketing for a major U.S. veteran's organization. He knows all about bureaucracy,red tape and politics.

So what do we do? We, the people, not just Democrats, Independents or Republicans, need to get out and vote this year. We need to stand up for what we believe in and get out and grass roots politic ourselves. We need to make sure our friends, our neighbors, our acquaintances vote. We need to speak. I believe we will vote for a better tomorrow, health care reform, the end to war and an economic overhaul the likes of which we haven't seen in decades. But, we have to take the trouble to vote.