It's not like I love paying taxes, but my income is a result of the society in which I live. I do better when people have good roads to get to work and a good education to perform the intricate work required to keep us moving forward. If I make more money, then I want to pay my fair share in order to keep health care options reasonable and not discriminate against women; they are a big part of my success. I feel a responsibility to the society that has created the conditions that have allowed my success. I didn't get where I am solely on my own. I had good police and fire protection, I relied on an education system that produced enough other people that were articulate, well enough informed to think critically, and people who enjoyed the fruits of their civil rights not because they had the same perspective and made the same choices as me, but because they were free to live without fear of reprisal for who they are.
Yes my life is richer for all these things and I am voting for Obama in the hope that we won't head in the direction of tax breaks for those least needing them, cutting off support for the true 'fair and balanced' reporting ONLY found on public radio and television. Big Bird as a talking point? Please. I also can't imagine a world where women's health care would be under attack; I don't care much for abortion, but I believe that it is the result of ignorance on how not to get pregnant or the capability to prevent it. Doesn't it make sense to work on educating and supporting women on how to care for and manage their own bodies, the core mission of Planned Parenthood? I am dedicated to moving forward into a sustainable future, not back into an idealized, and largely fictional, past.
Please join me and vote for Obama so we can realize our potential.
