Marked it, signed it, mailed it

Posted: Monday, October 22, 2012 by Travis Cody in
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Another thing I like about living in Washington State is that I get to vote by mail.  I've been known to lose track of primaries and mid-terms.  But here I get my ballot on time through the mail, so I never miss a vote.  That's important to me because it's my right and my duty as a citizen to speak.  My best voice is my vote.

You know my vote by the badge in my side bar.  I voted for President Barack Obama for re-election to the presidency of the United States.  I also voted a partisan Democratic down ballot, mainly because I find the national Republican social agenda repugnant.  Call me a member of the Democratic base in this era of divisive politics.  I make no excuse for it and I stand by it.

I don't feel the need to justify my vote.  But, in no particular order of importance, here are a few of the reasons I stand with President Obama.

  • Health Care Reform:  It's not perfect and it is incomplete, but I see what has been done as an important beginning to our government's social responsibility to ensure the rights to the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness due all of its citizens.
  • Our troops are out of Iraq.  You can say it's because they had to leave due to the negotiated deadline or that the Iraqi government finally told the US to leave.  The fact remains that President Obama respected that deadline and brought our troops out.
  • Osama bin Laden is dead.  Mr Obama promised that getting bin Laden was a priority and he followed through.
  • US Auto Industry:  Of the $62 billion investment in 2009, $46 billion has been recovered to date.  Jobs were saved and new jobs were created.
  • Stimulus spending:  The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate peaked at around 10% in October 2009 and has steadily decreased since.  At the end of September, it was 7.8%.  Note that in January 2009, when Mr Obama was officially sworn in as President, the national rate was 7.8%.  The economy is steadily recovering and I believe that responsible stimulus spending is one of the reasons for that recovery.
  • Repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".
  • Increased the VA budget and signed an updated GI Bill to assist returning veterans.
  • Signed Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
  • Appointed Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Justice Elena Kagan to the US Supreme Court.
  • Reduced and redirected defense spending toward more effective programs in intelligence gathering and cyber warfare.
  • Reduced and redirected NASA spending toward new technologies, and invited private sector investment toward unmanned space exploration and potential long distance manned flight missions.
Don't disenfranchise yourself.  Vote.


We cannot have peace if we are only concerned with peace.  War is not an accident.  It is the logical outcome of a certain way of life.  If we want to attack war, we have to attack that way of life.  AJ Muste


Reason 12: Because our troops have come home from Iraq, and I wish to honor their sacrifice to duty by wishing them peace in all the tomorrows of their lives.

We speak on one subject with one voice on one day. Won't you join us? You have a voice; how will you use it? Check in at Mimi Writes or at the Peace Globe Gallery for all the details you need to make your Peace Globe and join your voice to the movement.

Join us. You know you want to.

I believe that words have power, so this matters.

6 comments:

  1. Barb says:

    I've never 'not voted' but have always hated waiting in the lines and being squished like a fish in crowds of people. I keep saying I'm going to sign up for absentee voting to avoid the lines at the polls. I've promised myself to take care of that ASAP.

    Have a lovely Monday, Trav!

  1. Yep, your thinking is pretty much like mine on the election issues.

  1. Cherie says:

    No muss. No fuss. Signed, sealed, and delivered. That's the way to go for sure!

  1. Jean(ie) says:

    I miss getting my "I voted" sticker, but I like the ability to complete my ballot in the comfort and privacy of my home. I have a few more things to research and my votes will be cast.

    Regardless of party, policy or beliefs, I believe we have the responsibility to educate ourselves and vote. We are blessed to live in a country in which our votes actually count.

  1. Ivanhoe says:

    Sent mine on the tenth and feeling good about it. My only 2nd presidential election (was not citizen before). Still loving this right to vote :)

  1. Akelamalu says:

    "....it's my right and my duty as a citizen to speak. My best voice is my vote."

    I so agree with you Trav!

    We hear a lot about your forthcoming election over here in the UK. I hope your man gets in.