Former Gov. Mitt Romney won Florida; no big surprise. He's the guy who's going to be standing on the platform across from the president come November. Now that doesn't make me or many in the White House happy, as Romney appeals to some independents and centrists who I believe will determine the outcome of the presidential election, as well as the seats up for grabs in the House and the Senate. And this is why, now more than ever, those of us who call ourselves liberals or progressives or Democrats need to unite. We need to back our president. We need to stop whining and complaining that we didn't get enough "hope" or "change." You can bet the Republicans—who even still are "anyone but Romney"—will at the end of the day throw their support to a guy they wouldn't have asked for a dance, and they'll give him their vote for president.
[See a collection of political cartoons on Mitt Romney.]
Predictions are that there will be low voter turnout from both sides in November. Let the Republicans stay home, but we on the left need to stand up, get out, and vote. Those in the 99 percent, those with Occupy Wall Street movement also need to take their frustration and their anger and vote for the candidate who will help the 99 percent rather than the top 1 percent. Mitt Romney is the top 1 of the 1 percent. He will help the rich, and hurt the middle class and seniors by the amount he will cut. If the wants to run this country as he ran his companies, as he suggests, there will be even more of a sucking sound of jobs being outsourced overseas and unemployment will rise along with it. Don't let his calm demeanor and nice hairdo fool you...this is a man who has and will say anything for your vote. A man who reformed healthcare in Massachusetts and even stated it should be a model on a federal level. The Affordable Care Act is a stepping stone; just as Social Security was. Social Security originally did not include women, African-Americans or Native Americans; but Democrats and Republicans together built upon it. That is what needs to be done with healthcare and the Affordable Care Act as well.
[Check out our editorial cartoons on healthcare.]
If you want to avoid a war with Iran, vote for our president. If you want our relationship to continue to improve worldwide, vote for our president. If you want peace in the Middle East, and not just peace with Israel, vote for our president. If you want Medicare to remain intact and not have the elderly literally dying in emergency rooms because there is simply not the manpower to care for the numbers of those entering the system (10,000 per day since January of this year for 19 years), vote for our president. If you want any chance of Gitmo closing, vote for our president. If you want the Bush tax cuts to finally expire and for the rich to pay their fair share, vote for our president. If you want children who came here with their parents illegally, who are graduating from top colleges, to be provided a pathway to citizenship, vote for our president. As a liberal, progressive Democrat, the choice come this November is simple for me. My vote will be for our president, Barack Obama. But I can't let him, the country, or the world know I want all of that if I stay home (and believe me, Mitt Romney's counting on you doing just that).
- See pictures of Obama behind the scenes
- See a collection of political cartoons on the 2012 GOP hopefuls.
- Read the U.S. News debate: Can Anything Stop Mitt Romney?
Reader Comments Read all comments (20)
Guy DiGiacomo of PA 11:53AM February 05, 2012
bruce b of NV 12:12PM February 03, 2012
Phil Cioppa of CT 8:28AM February 03, 2012