That’s me… 53 years ago Sunday. My birthday often falls on election day. Ronald Reagan was elected on my 21st birthday. My first time in the voting booth, and I proudly voted for the candidate that lost.
Barack Obama made history on my 49th birthday. And this year, my big day comes two days before election day.
People who regularly listen to my show and read this blog know that I always call things the way I see them. Because of that, I’ve been attacked with pseudo-insults ever since by so-called liberals. I’ve been called “emo-prog” and “firebagger” (whatever those mean) simply because I refuse to tow the party line, and dare criticize President Obama when I feel criticism is warranted.
But right now, we’re faced with the reality of a very, very close election, and a Republican party that already has and will continue to lie, cheat and steal their way to victory. And victory for them means a really, really scary future for America.
I believe that once Obama is re-elected, we have a tough recovery road ahead, and I’m talking about both the continuing work on fixing the economy from the Bush disaster, but also digging out from Sandy’s destruction. We’ll have to push really hard from the left to stave off any talk of cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
Remember, I turn 53 on Sunday. Romney/Ryan and the GOP would like to see me and others my age be the first group of Americans to pay into Social Security and Medicare our entire lives but not get the benefits of the guarantee of the social safety net put into place and protected by the Democratic Party from Johnson forward. That is not acceptable.
Nor is Mitt Romney’s idea of dismantling FEMA and sending it back to the states, or his more preferred idea of turning it over to the private sector. This cartoon is from today’s South Florida Sun Sentinel and the awesome Chan Lowe:
I’m afraid that would be the reality in a Romney world.
If Obama gets another four years, there’s no guarantee that he won’t cut a “grand bargain” that I’d hate. But at least we stand a fighting chance against it. If Romney is elected, I’m afraid it’s game over. And not just for our safety net, but for the planet as well.
He joked at the Republican convention about President Obama’s promise to begin to slow the rise of the oceans and to heal the planet. JOKED!
Excuse me if I missed the joke there, especially in the wake of Sandy’s wrath. And after seeing the destruction she wrought, he likens Relief to cleaning up after a football game? I’m sorry, but this is NOT the guy I want leading this nation for the next four years.
So PLEASE, fulfill my birthday wish this year, and vote for President Obama. And, to the extent you can, make sure that your vote is counted.
Today on the show, I was joined by Alternet’s Adele Stan, who told us about her frightening story “Major Retailer Urges Workers to Take ‘Civics Course’ With Anti-Obama Content“, a story that really underscores the desperate lows to which the GOP will stoop to steal this election.
And, as we do on Thursday mornings, I was joined in the second hour by comedian and actress Maysoon Zayid, though we didn’t laugh a whole lot today. Maysoon was born and raised in New Jersey, and she still lives in Cliffside Park, NJ – where she is without power, cable or internet… but her cell service has surprisingly enough stayed intact.
Tomorrow night, all of the NBC networks will air a telethon to help the victims of Sandy. Of course, Bruce Springsteen will be there, along with other NY & NJ icons including Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi and others. Watch, join in, give if you can. And vote. Please get out and vote…. for Obama.
