I’m not a celebrity, I don’t have a really large readership. I’m a struggling author and artist. I can say that I make absolutely, positively NO money with my writing, photography, or even my hand-made mosaics. My only claim to fame is that my husband is an officer in the United States Air Force, and even that fact I hide (though I am immensely proud of him, I don’t deserve any credit for his success). Yet I decided to declare, like a celebrity, who I am voting for. Namely, because my decision is not a popular one in my community. The responses from other veterans, neighbors, and military spouses: “Were you dropped on your head?” “You must be a special kind of stupid,” or my favorite one, “You are a traitor…”
Yep, I’m one stair step up from Bowie Bergdahl and that kid, who sold his stuff to Wiki-leaks. I’m voting for Hillary Clinton. Lucky for me, I own this site, so while I don’t necessarily have to explain my reasoning, but I want to explain my reasoning. I cannot, even as a somewhat conservative individual support what the Republican Party has become. I knew I was not going to vote for Trump the minute I saw the recording of him making fun of the reporter. From there it was kind of a windy road to get me to not only declare for Clinton, but to completely change my political party…
First of all she’s a woman… I used to think that was a utterly stupid reason to vote for someone, but then I got cancer and realized the inequity in female medical care versus male medical care when I tried to apply for veteran’s benefits. My cancer was deemed service connected by the doctor at the VA, and I was still turned down for benefits, when I read many men with similar cancers were getting disability benefits. Besides female medical benefits, I can’t see women being respected in an administration that accuses a woman of being on her period when they don’t like what she has to say. Nor can I vote for someone, who trades in wives almost as much as he changes his underwear. Nor can I vote for someone, who changes what he says based on the crowd he is in front of. Nor can I vote for someone, who says he is going to punish women if they have an abortion.
Secondly, educational rights and ADA/IDEA… This is one of the platform points that’s the most important to me. When we first moved to Florida, my son was performing at just below grade level. He did have some behaviors, but they were minimal. He had a teacher that absolutely loved him. We put him into public school, and his performance fell off. He reacted poorly to the teacher, and I could tell that the teacher did not like him. He now cannot read, or write. I do blame myself for some of this, but I mostly blame the school system that let him down. I don’t see how things would improve by disbanding the Department of Education. I don’t see a man, who makes fun of a disabled reporter as someone, who would deal compassionately with my son. When called out for making fun of the reporter, Trumps supporters accused people of being oversensitive, or too politically correct. Here’s the thing, people with special needs have feelings too, and those feelings count as well. My son, though cognitively delayed is very aware of how people treat him and look at him. He can tell when someone doesn’t like him, and so can I.
Do I really want the man, who has his finger on the button to be completely uneducated on what that button does? Hillary Clinton never served in the military, got it. She may have potentially killed four people, got it. She leaked classified information on a home server, got it. But I have the utmost confidence that she wouldn’t fly off the handle and misuse nuclear weapons. I also know that she isn’t $250 million in debt to one of our biggest adversaries. She knows what the nuclear triad is. Trump had to be schooled by another candidate. Trump may have a fair to mediocre business sense, but he doesn’t have the temperament or knowledge to manage a country in an extended war.
Finally, the name calling… Trump has started a trend of calling opponents names. “Crooked Hillary,” “Lying Ted,” and “Little Marco” was a real turn off for me. It said more about Trump, than it said about any of those he opposed. Further, when people on the Trump Train began calling Clinton Supporters names, it drove me further and further to her side. When a politician calls people names rather than addresses issues it tells me that they are not educated, and not willing to be educated, by the real issues. Further, it also displays a complete lack of compassion and empathy towards other people. My political views are fluid. I’m starkly in the middle, I could be easily compelled to vote for any political party. When I make a decision to vote for someone calling me names does not change my mind.
These are just a few of the reasons I have decided to vote for Hillary Clinton. If you are going to comment on my blog, please keep the discussion/comments respectful. Anyone that makes disrespectful comments, or insults me will be blocked.
Jodi's Going 180 