Election Fever

I was waiting for class to start the other day when a younger student sitting next to me turned and enthusiastically asked, "So... who are you voting for this year?"

The girl was decked out from head to toe with Obama gear. Obama shirt, Obama button, Obama bracelet, Obama stickers allllllllllllllllllllllllllllll over her computer. She should have been getting paid by the Obama campaign for being a walking billboard. I'm pretty sure I threw up a little in my mouth out of disgust for her enthusiasm. Sad, I know.

I politely responded that I hadn't picked a candidate to support yet and continued with my class preparations.

"Well, you should totally vote for Obama. He's going to bring great changes to this country."

"Oh? What kind of changes??" I enquired.

"Changes. He's got great values, you'll see. Vote Obama."

"Oh? What are his values?"

"Well, umm, I dunno. But it's going to be awesome."

I'm really excited that so many students at Stout are taking the time to become involved in the election. However, a lot of them just seem to have Obama fever, and haven't even taken the time to read and understand what both candidates stand for.

I've been finding it really difficult to choose a candidate this year. I'm not taking my right to vote lightly and I want to be an educated voter. So many students are looking at me as though I should instantly know who I'm going to vote for because my husband was injured in Iraq.

"So, you're husband was hurt in Iraq right?"

"Yes."

"Does that mean you're voting for McCain?"

Iraq has been such a huge part of my life. There isn't a day that passes that I don't think about the Middle East. I watch J.R. put on his prosthetic every morning and I remember. I remember all the goodbyes, all the hellos, the midnight phone calls, the care packages. I remember our family sacrificed for the country.

It is so important, this election especially, for all of us to take a look at what we as individuals need, and then to step back and take a look at what our country needs. There's no hiding the fact that the economy is horrible. What do we do about the financial industry, or health care, or the war? It's time to vote for what is best for the country, not the individual person. If that means we pay some hire taxes, so be it. Suck it up citizens of the United States and remember, we did this to ourselves.