My voting record for the Presidency has been interesting. I was 20 or so days too young to be able to vote in the 1992 election, but if I was a voter, I would vote for Ross Perot. He represented someone who provides potential solutions to address the budget, something I value highly as a fiscal conservative.
In 1996, I voted for Bob Dole, despite the fact that Bill Clinton was on his way to being a model of fiscal conservative partly thanks to the Republican congress that took over in 1994. I thought that Bob Dole would represent the same idea, and felt that his staff screwed him out of the election by attacking Bill Clinton far too harshly.
In 2000, I voted for George W. Bush not because he was a good choice, but because I do not believe Al Gore would have been a viable choice as a President. His intelligence, and passion for certain subjects aside, I do not see him as a leader. Yes, I was suckered into believing that George W. Bush was a “Social Liberal, Fiscal Conservative” person. Well, actually, he may be, but he’s too socially liberal in allowing his staffers to run amok.
In 2004, I abstained from voting. Neither George W. Bush nor John Kerry motivated me enough to vote for them.
This year, 2008, I will be voting for Barack Obama. I am voting for him because he is the best person to represent me, despite a few shortcomings.
Barack Obama is a leader. He is the kind of person who many of us are drawn to listen, and rally for. Many echoes the soul of John F. Kennedy in the way Barack Obama speaks. Not only will Barack Obama help lead us, he can help us feel proud to be an American again.
He is by far more fiscal conservative than John McCain, based on his tax and spend proposals. After all, analysts noted that his proposals are projected to cost 1.5 trillion dollars less over the long term than John McCain’s proposals. I doubt that Obama will be able to balance the budget, but I know he will have a far better chance to achieve this than John McCain.
Barack Obama is not dumb. He studied Constitutional Law, lending him a deep understanding of how things work. He will not outright break our precious rights, like our current president did. His opinions of the gun rights may get some of the absolutists all upset, but is far more sensible for us, taking in account our rights to protect ourselves, with and without guns.
But what of our security? Ask yourself this — would you rather have a president that actually would listen to our foreign friends, or someone who would refuse to meet with the leader of Spain because he feel slighted by their choices in withdrawing troops from Iraq? Now ask yourself this — would you rather work with someone who listen to you, or someone who does not? With Barack Obama, the chances are higher that our foreign friends and enemies would be more respectful toward him and America as a whole because he demands respect, and gives it in return.
I want a leader. I want a fiscal conservative person. I want someone who will listen. I want someone who is capable of making tough choices intelligently. I want someone who encourages me to contribute and feel more proud to be an American.
I want Barack Obama to be my President. So I will vote for him on November 4, 2008.
