Why I voted for Obama

Oh Barry,
Your presidency has not turned out to be what I had hoped. I assumed the hope and change you'd bring would have us all medically insured, cancer cured from an increase in stem cell research funding, attending college at reduced rates, taking a year of maternity leave while we watch coverage of Gitmo closing and automatic firearms being outlawed on PBS, and then go attend our gay best friend's wedding.  The reality is different, which I probably should have known.  After reviewing the last few years, and watching the Republican primaries, I knew early on that I'd again lace up my boots for Obama. But I think it is worth an explanation.

Why did I cast my vote for Obama in 2012? And why write about it now? The spirit of this blog is exploring our urbansuburban life, and creating a type of time capsule for myself and my family. I wish I could read about my grandmother's first time at the polls. Now Mathilda can.

We voted! Tilly got to push the "VOTE" button after we made our choices

First- personally, I'd like to answer the question, " are you better off than 4 years ago?" With "yes!".  A few of Obama's policies have had a direct positive impact on my life. First, with the first time homebuyers tax credit, we were able to purchase our first home, begin building equity, and contribute to the health of our Pittsburgh neighborhood. Then, the stimulus gave money to the NIH, which lead to a call for grants, which lead to my advisor having a grant submission successfully funded, allowing myself and other doctoral students to get an incredibly high quality Ph.D. education for free.  Because we have government insurance, which carries with it many of the same rights now thankfully afforded to all Americans with the affordable care act, we could switch insurance providers when I was 7 months pregnant, without a hike in premiums or coverage denial. Yes, some insurance companies consider pregnancy a pre-existing condition.
I can write of dozens of other closely related experiences- most related back to the affordable care act- where loved ones lives were positively effected, but those are their stories to tell. From a purely economic perspective, I only know one small business owner (happens to be my dad), and he tells me and shows me that his business has grown.

So now, a summary of why I think Obama is the better choice.


Healthcare
I support Obamacare for the following reasons- 1. if you have a "pre-existing condition" (this can include being born with an illness like hydrocephaly or spina bifida, or even being a pregnant woman) can no longer be used against you to deny you healthcare coverage. 2. If you're under 26 years old, you can stay on your parents insurance. My younger brother (gainfully employed outside of the US so does not have benefits when home in the US or outside of Russia where he works) benefited from this policy already. 3. More choice in the market makes the market more competitive. I wish we had a single payer system, but I can be satisfied with what passed. 4. I work in a hospital. If you are insured, and hit by a bus, you will be admitted to the hospital, where you will receive excellent care. If you are uninsured, the same thing happens, the same care. The cost of your care is covered by the high rates of insurance dollars of the insured, by cuts in other areas of hospital spending including infrastructure, and employee pay. The ACA pays for itself, it won't raise your taxes, it will help people. In addition, the ACA provides funding for preventative care, which reduces ER admissions and high cost treatment down the road. Taking care of ourselves now keeps us from suffering later.

War
The war in Iraq is over and Bin Laden was killed, meaning my colleagues at Walter Reed can focus more on stroke care and cancer than treating 18 year olds with faces blown off by IEDs. Im not being dramatic, that's what it was like working at WRAMC during the height of OIF/OEF. Traumatic and nightmare inducing, and I didnt even come close to seeing what these men and women in our military experienced. Looking forward to the end of our involvement in Afghanistan, too.

Stem Cell (et al) Research.
Romney opposes stem cell research, stating stem cells are "life", while thousands of actual lives- like real, living, breathing, loving Americans live and die with terminal illnesses, the treatment and prevention of which can be aided with the use of research using stem cells. Romney has a history of disparaging the value and job creation that comes with investment in research. This one hits close to home. As in, I could lose my home. When the NIH receives a funding cut from the federal government, that cut is passed down to the individual institutes who then fund less grants, leaving us scientists, dependent on grant funding for job security, on very scary, very thin ice.



Same-Sex marriage.
This one seems so easy. Above any other issue I cannot understand the opposition. Obama supports, Romney opposes. How anyone can have the audacity to say their marriage is better than someone else's is beyond me. How can you look someone in the eye and say, I know you love your significant other, and have for 30 years, but you aren't allowed to be married because I have decided your union isn't worthy. I truly believe that to hold this viewpoint you have never actually gotten to know a gay person, especially a gay person with a partner and a family. Because if you had you would know they are just like you. Carpools, home improvement projects, summer vacations, family budgeting, crock pot cooking, homework helping. Just like you. If you don't support gay marriage, fine, we don't have to be friends. And if you're in my family, well, I'll still love you. But please don't put your values on someone else. Marriage equality won't affect you.



Abortion and reproductive rights. 
Do you know anyone who has had an abortion? I do. I bet you do too. I believe in equal access to safe, medical abortions. End of story. No exceptions. Regarding contraception, Romney would allow an employer to decide if an their company insurance policy covers contraception. It takes a man and a woman to conceive a child, yet the birth control methods most effective at preventing pregnancy can only be prescribed to and taken by a woman. In addition, many proposed cuts would reduce services for the poor including affordable childcare and healthcare. Why does it seem that those against abortion and contraception care about life until it is actually born? I believe in access to affordable and effective contraception. I don't believe your employer can dictate what medications you can be prescribed. Obama shares these views. In addition, I support Obama's lifting of the ban on aid to nations who support abortion rights.

Gun Control- an issue I wish Obama would address. Romney does not believe that it is the "time" for gun control. Over 30,000 people die yearly from firearms. Automatic weapons have no role in our society outside of the military. None. I cannot support a candidate who does not feel the same.

Immigration- I support the Dream Act which states that children born to illegal immigrants- who break no laws, and live as citizens live- cannot be deported because of the alleged crime of the parents.  Mitt Romney has stated he would veto this law.  I can't support a person who is ok deporting law-abiding, military-serving, college students because their parents came here illegally.


Planned Parenthood
While federal funds to planned parenthood currently only go towards routine gynecologic and oncologic care, Mitt Romney and many in his party "fear" that money "may" be going towards abortions. He has stated he would cut funding to planned parenthood. This issue hits me very personally. I was once a young, responsible, sexually active teenager. Planned Parenthood helped me and my partner. I had my first gynecologic exam (including cancer screenings) at PP. I paid for and received my first birth control, including birth control counseling, at PP. And millions of responsible, professional, women have a similar story.

Culture. I listen to NPR, watch PBS, attend live theater. Our culture is what makes us a great nation. I don't support cutting the National Endowment for the Arts and its beneficiaries.

Regulations and taxes. I don't believe we are better off with less regulation. Be it business, environmental, etc. I hear the argument- I really do- that our national debt will be on the backs of ourselves and our children if we don't do something. I don't think deregulation and tax cuts are the only answer, as Mitt Romney does. I think we need a balance of spending cuts and tax increases (as Obama tried to do but failed due to Republicans refusal to compromise). I'd rather have highly regulated industry that protects my health and safety than undrinkable water, unbreathable air, no paid leave, and an unlivable minimum wage. Also, this idea that Romney will grow 12 million jobs and Obama won't? False. Most independent economists forecast that the next decade will bring about approximately 12 million new jobs regardless of who is president.  The economy has grown every month since a few months after Obama took office. It is slow growth. I wish it were faster. But for me, it isn't worth sacrificing my other values for a candidate who "might" be able to get it going faster.

Finally, fundamental values.
This is the emotional one for me. I can't link to a fact checker, I can't quote an economist. I would have a really hard time standing on the same side of a line with people like Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Donald Trump. These are bad, hateful people. There are for sure crazies on the left who I don't agree with, but the hateful speech spouted from these and other conservative talking heads actually hurts my feelings. I am also a cautious atheist. I fully support anyone's religious decision. I don't care what religion our president is. I can't support a party with so many vocally opposing any "other" religion, perpetuating fear about other's cultural and religious beliefs. I know that "these people" don't represent all Republicans. But I can't see myself standing by their sides.

So that's it. That's why we pushed the "Obama" button. That's why I hope he wins tonight. I hope you feel the same. And if not, I really hope we can have a dialogue about why. I would like to hear the "other side's" views on these exact issues. Contact me! If Obama loses, you can try to comfort me over a beer, convince me it will be ok. I'm listening.