James Seay 2.0

Yes He Can!

On November 4th, 2008 I will be voting for president for only the third time in my life. Unfortunately, the candidate that I supported in both 2000 and 2004 did not end up becoming President. The person who did win the office, in both cases, will be leaving the Presidency with many problems for our next leader to face – the war and the economy are top issues which will need to be addressed immediately. In this election, I will be voting for Senator Barack Obama because I feel that he has what it takes to led our nation in tackling the many issues of the day. If you are unsure where Obama stands on the issues that you can about, you can read Obama’s entire Blueprint for Change here. There are many reasons that I believe that you should vote for Barack Obama, but here are a few reasons that he has my vote.

He will end the war responsibly

On May 1st of 2003 President George W. Bush declared “Mission Accomplished” in Iraq. Since that time, not only have I been deployed to Baghdad, but hundreds of thousands of men and women have been sent overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the time since the President’s declaration 4,050 people have died in service of our great country. This number includes a fellow solider from my deployed unit, 612th EN BN, SGT Jeremy Hodge. In addition, there have been well over 100,000 soldiers wounded in combat and many more families separated and strained. The war began as a measure to protect America from a future attacks, a preemptive strike against Saddam Hussein’s evil empire. The war continues to rage on despite his removal and execution. Still many men and women continue to serve and risk their lives for a war that should have been finished years ago. Barack Obama, however, has made a pledge to end this war, responsibly, and focus our military efforts on the enemies who have sought to destroy our country. The Bush doctrine has failed, now is the time to change our strategy and try a new approach in the war on terrorism – diplomacy. As a former member of the Armed Forces and veteran of a foreign war, I understand the need for America to protect herself. I also understand, however, that we must act responsibly and use force as a last resort in solving problems abroad. With his stance against the war, when it was unpopular, I believe Barack Obama has what it takes to end the war and protect our country.

He will protect our families

As a father and husband, nothing is more important than my family. With each passing day I am worried about the future for my family. The soaring price of gas is pale when you consider it against the rising price of food or the astronomical price of health care. The last few months have been a roller coaster ride on Wall Street and many people face the fear of losing their homes. Barack Obama has what it takes to protect our families. His mantra of change from the bottom-up resonates because people are tired of turning to government to solve all of our problems. While I belive the government should play a role in the problems of the day, only me and you can start that change. Obama will finish the job by providing more people with reliable healthcare, protecting American jobs, and focusing on empowering our future through education. I proudly served my country, and in turn, my country helped provide an education for me. Obama will continue this tradition, with great vigor, for those who will serve their country in the military or PeaceCorp. His plan for education includes less standardized testing for elementary students and a voluntary universal pre-school system. This will give our future more time to learn about pushing America to greater heights in the future.

He has bought excitement to the political process

My grandmother, Queen Esther Seay, is 85 years old and will be voting for the first time in her life. You might wonder why she has never voted, but as an African American woman in the deep South voting never really seemed to help her situation or the situation of those around her. She witnessed first hand the evils of Jim Crow; lynchings, segeration, and voter suppression were commonplace for many years for my Grandmother. No matter who was in office, very little changed. This year, however, she will be exercising here right, as an American to vote for the President of the United States. She will be joining millions of people who will be voting for the first time. Obama is the first person in my lifetime, that has inspired so many people to be interested in the political process. Many people have compared Obama to JFK for this reason, because he represented a change from the status quo. Unlike McCain, he is not a career Washington insider who is used to the same old stuff. He is a person that posseses numerous life experiences that will enable him to be an effective leader. Barack Obama has inspired so many because he is the Rocky of this election. He has been an underdog (despite his strong poll numbers) for many reasons; he is an African American, he is young, he lacks political experience, he has a funny name and many other reasons. Yet, he has remained the course and driven home a message of change.

Overall, I am proud to witness history in the making. Barack Obama will be the first African American to hold the office of the President in a country that is not too far removed from slavery and Jim Crow. Our country does have its problems, but we have progressed so far to in have this possiblity upon us. While I understand that Barack Obama will not be a perfect President (who was?), he is a step in the right direction for the country I love. For these reasons, I will be voting for Barack Obama and I encourage YOU to do the same.