The Stakes

[McCamy Taylor]

This election is not about Obama, Pelosi or Reid. They will do just fine no matter who runs the country. This election is not about more power for the Democratic Party. As one of only two viable parties in the richest nation on earth, the Democrats will always be flush with cash and power, on the state and local level if not in Washington.

This election is for Felicia, whose parents brought her to this country when she was nine months old. She did not ask to be an “illegal alien”. But her parents were offered jobs at a chicken plucking factory that did not want to hire citizens or legal immigrants, since that would mean overtime pay and OSHA inspections. Felicia was always a bright kid, and she worked hard in school. She graduated at the top of her class. Now, she attends a state college. She has to pay out of state tuition and she does not qualify for a grant (even though her family has paid sales, income and property taxes for 20 years). Somehow, her family managed to scrape together the money. She will graduate next year, and she has already been accepted to medical school, where she plans to study in order to become a rural family doctor. Too bad for Felicia that the Republicans view her as an “anchor” for a couple of aging lower wage earning chicken pluckers. Her hopes of medical school---and some small town’s dream of having its own doctor---will be dashed when she is deported, days after graduating magna cum laude---

This election is for Felicia---and the residents of a small town that will never get a doctor.

This election is for our firefighters. The Republican Party thinks that firemen are paid too much. And they think that local governments should get out of the public safety business and let private corporations take over. There is a lot of money to be made protecting a handful of wealthy people who live in well designed homes with smoke detectors and sprinklers. The right wing thinks that people who do not have enough money to pay their medical bills should not have fire protection either. If they have their way, fire fighters all across the country will be ordered to stand by and do nothing as the homes of “non deserving” Americans burn to the ground. I expect a lot of firemen will quit their jobs, in frustration and disgust---

This election is for the firefighters---and for the homeowners who will watch their life’s investment go up in flames.

This election is for Mary. Her kidneys are weak. With proper medical care, she could save them. However, the insurers will not write her an individual policy---pre-existing condition---and she is self employed, one of those “small businessmen” the Republicans are always going on about. The GOP is promising to repeal the health reform legislation that would allow her to get insurance by withholding necessary funding. Unable to see a doctor to get tests and medication, Mary’s kidney problem will get worse and worse---until she ends up on dialysis, at tax payers’ expense. She will have to close her business, which will put four more people on the unemployment rolls.

This election is for Mary—and for the families of her employees, who will be plunged into poverty.

This election is for Raymond, who is wasting away. Medical marijuana would let him keep down food, which would help him battle his health problems. But the Republicans have no intention of legalizing one of the most effective medications known to man. Their buddies who run the private prisons would much rather house a non violent offender---at tax payers’ expense---than real criminals.

This election is for Raymond---and for the families that will be broken to keep the for profit American prison system flush.

This election is for Terrance. He always dreamed of being a marine. After grueling training, he finally got his wish. He has fought for America in some of the most dangerous places on earth. But next year, some one will tell his CO that he was seen in a local restaurant with his male lover. This will be construed as “telling”, and he will be kicked out of the service, at a time when his country needs all the fighters it can get.

This election is for Terrance---and his country.

[cliffordu]

1. K&R

[Demeter]

2. This is True of All LEGITIMATE Elections

I am doubtful that it is possible to have legitimate elections in this country anymore.

Until the abusive practices and laws of the past 30 years are corrected, we stand no chance of meaningful reformation of our nation to the principles and goals upon which it was founded.

[TBF]

3. K&R nt

[VioletLake]

4. The U.S. needs all the fighters it can get?

For what, to protect you and me from invading armies?

[colsohlibgal]

5. I Get It But.....

The "we may not be much but we're not them" plea isn't doing it for me anymore. It's true as far as it goes but.....it feels a little bit like enabling to me. As long as we flock back like sheep at the end what incentive to the dems have to not immediately turn again to a combination of republican lite and spineless.

Obama talked firebrand progressive talk a lot running for president. Once in though...he hires the Goldman Sachs crowd as his financial guys to do battle with....Goldman Sachs and others - going with the Rubin crowd instead of the Reich populist wing......and hires a cheif of staff who thinks we in the progressive wing are "retards". On top of that evidence is mounting that he sold us out on the public option early in the game and then went on for months saying he was fighting for a public option.

I'm as conflicted as I've ever been. I know most of the republican party is evil and whacked out but at the same time it's getting harder and harder to excuse the democrat's bait and switch tactics.

[creon]

6. agreed

Agreed on all points.

This is what this election is about.

[DesertFlower]

7. K&R. nt

[Just One Woman]

8. I agree

Keep the forward momentum! Ignore the polls. Talk up the accomplishments. We can make this happen.