A Tale of the Undecided Voter

I usually reside in the middle, with leanings to the right. I loved McCain, thought he was a great man, and in 2000, I was ready for him to be our president. When he announced his candidacy for 2008, I was excited. Here was a man who usually did what made sense, and not just because it was expected of him by the GOP.

Then, something changed and McCain became the very thing he despised about his party. I still clung to hope. Then, he (or rather, his party) selected Caribou Barbie as his running mate. I balked, but still hoped. Then, I heard her speak. She had the mental capacity of cole slaw. I was insulted, but yet I still held out hope that McCain would pull his head out his ass, ask Palin to step down, so he could select the running mate he wanted, and not the running mate the GOP thought would sway my vote just because she had a vagina.

This country is broke. Literally and figuratively. We are despised by other nations. We are in wars and no one can give a clear reason as to why. Families are losing their homes. People are losing their jobs. Socialism exists today only for the wealthy, while the debt of capitalism is passed along to the lower and middle class. Don't believe me? Take a closer look at the bailout plans.

Sure, some people voted for Obama because he was black, but on the same token, some people didn't vote for him because he was black. One is just as wrong as the other.

However, there are people who voted for him because they know that the current way of doing things is obviously not working. They voted because they finally got fed up with not being heard. They voted because they know that the country that we are today, is not the country that our forefathers had in mind when they penned the Constitution. They voted because they know that people should not fear their government, but the government should always fear it's people.

This election reminded the government as to why.

I voted for Obama, not because I'm some young idealist who expects unicorn and rainbows with the Obama administration. I voted because I look at the country today, and it makes me sick to see what has become of it. I voted because I'm tired out or nation being whored out in the name of greed and malice by men in secret combinations who are above the law of the people who elected them. I voted for Obama because it was my one chance to say, "Enough!"

It amazes me to see just how powerful a democracy of the people can be. It astounds me that government heard my voice. This election was historic on many levels, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it. I think if George and Ben could see us today, they would nod their heads in satisfaction as if to say, "That's how it's supposed to work!"

I don't know what the future holds, but I do have a pretty good of what will happen if we stay on our present course. You only need to look to the histories of other great civilizations to know how they fared. This country is in such bad shape, it will take years to restore us to greatness. Obama may not be the be-all, end-all solution, but he felt like a good place to start.

I will do what is asked of me by this administration if it means our country will be better for it. If it means that I don't have to watch people die anymore only because they don't have sufficient health care. If it means that children will have access to a good education. If it means that all Americans truly do have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness regardless of race, creed, gender, or socioeconomic status.

Because that is what it means to be an American.

So, yeah, I voted for Obama.

What of it?