Originally Posted by MommyTo4

I can only answer for myself. I voted for Obama for many reasons... first, I agree with his stand on the issues and that is the biggest reason he was my choice. We need health care coverage for our children, we need to roll back the tax cuts for the wealthiest persons, we need to insure that Roe vs Wade remains, we need to stop the economic bleeding in Iraq, we need a leader who believes in working for our environment, etc. However, there is a reason that I believe many voted for him... hope. They want someone who brings them a beacon of hope for change in a time when so many are losing jobs and homes, when so many choose between medicine and food, when so many are losing someone they love in Iraq. Obama is that beacon. He is dynamic, well-spoken and inspires hope in so many people. He is a uniter.

As far as him being black, I bawled like a baby when they called the election. I didn't vote for him because he is black, but I felt overwhelmed to know that anyone can now tell their children, "yes, you can be president when you grow up." We have finally broken down that wall for all children to come. It is a milestone that was too long in coming and my heart is smiling.

Originally Posted by Cuddlemama

In a political climate where it's almost unheard of to own the words you're speaking, I've always been amazed and thrilled that Barack Obama consistantly wrote or at least cowrote much of his public speech.

Our President-elect is eloquent, well-educated, and intelligent. Something about that makes me unbelievably happy.

Originally Posted by mammakat

Eight years ago I cried when I looked at my small baby and thought about the world that he would grow up in.

We found ourselves mired in two wars.
We outed our own CIA member.
At a critical time we trashed our own enviroment so recklessly. We had to take our own government to court in order to be able to drink clean water and breathe clean air. At the same time we did not make any advances in green technology because we funded the coffers of oil barrons.
We adopted a very narrow view of what type of person is acceptable and entitled to the human rights.
We alienated the rest of the world and undermined our position as a "superpower."
We didn't recognize that many citizens were very unhappy with the status quo. Those who disagreed with policies were, at the least, marginalized.

There is more (supreme court, etc) but I am tired.


Tonight I cry because there is hope that we can make some amends. Obama is not afraid to address these issues out in the open. I have hope that we can be a country every citizen has a fair shake and a voice. A place where caring about your community above your wallet is not considered a un-American.

Originally Posted by IBelieveInFae

Oi, there are so many reasons. I had been on the fence about McCain. I had respected him in so many ways. But when McCain picked Palin my respect for him started to go down. Then with all the negative campaigning done by the Republican party both nationally and here in MN it just killed all respect I had for McCain. If McCain had stayed positive, not allowed the negative stuff, and chosen a better VP candidate then I would have had a hard time choosing.

The things I love about Obama are many. He's actually known poverty, especially in his early formative years. He was mostly raised by a single mother. Yes, he was fed with food stamps and yes that makes a difference in how I look at people. Obama stayed POSITIVE. He didn't belittle the people he was running against - he would talk about how his plan was different and how it would help most people. Obama's plans are balanced with a nod toward long term plans rather than instant gratification.

Obama has given me hope in the American Dream, which I thought was long dead.

Originally Posted by brayg

Charlotte--up until a couple of weeks ago, I didn't know who I was going to vote for. I knew I wasn't voting for McCain simply because I think he would be 4 more years of what the Bush administration has given us and we don't need that. I wasn't convinced that Obama was "all that" either. But...

When I think of it, I really truly feel hopeful. I'm a Christian and don't feel like any of my religious freedoms are threatened. How do you think he would threaten them for you? If you are strong in your faith, how would an elected official change that for you? What could possibly come between you and God? Surely your faith is stronger than that.

If it's all about abortion, I think we've been down this road before. I don't believe there is a significant amount of people who are PRO-ABORTION. Most people are in favor of life. So to say that Obama or the democrats being pro-choice is pro-abortion is completely false. It just means that they are saying "hey, we are going to protect your freedom to choose for yourself" even if they don't believe in it.

Same with same-sex unions. Obama is personally against them. But it shouldn't be his choice to decide who you should and shouldn't love/unite with.

If anything, I believe that this party is going to protect the freedoms of ALL citizens--not just those of conservative Christians.

I am hopeful. Cautiously, of course. But hopeful. The last 8 years have been sucky for our country. Change is what we need and Obama *does* equal change. I'm excited to see what happens.

Oh, and though I rarely even stopped to realize that Obama was a black man (it's such a non-issue for me), I do realize how monumental this is and it is worth celebrating. :*)

Originally Posted by CityLove

I felt like under McCain, my choice to live as an atheist would be encroached upon. I felt like he would make more and more laws based on the bible/Christianity. So I guess I can understand how you feel Charlotte, from the other side of the coin.