Why I'm voting for Barack Obama

I saw the following declaration on a friend's Facebook page a few week's back, before Super Storm Sandy. It was written by a woman named Julie E., who beautifully expressed why, even though President Barack Obama did not live up to certain expectations and did not fulfill every campaign promise (though find me a single politician who has), many of us will vote for him over Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Especially now, in the aftermath of Sandy.

So why am I voting for President Barack Obama? "Because I believe...

"no one has the right to tell another what they can and cannot do with their own body.

"Because I believe everyone should be allowed to marry the person they love – and share the benefits of legal marriage.

"Because I believe health care should be a given.

"Because I believe my God may not be your God – and that’s OK.

"Because I believe it is our duty to stop the poisoning of our air and water and land.

"Because I believe serving in the military should not be dictated by whom one has sex with.

"Because I believe equal work deserves equal pay.

"Because I believe lowering the income tax rate for the wealthiest people and corporations does not benefit the whole.

"Because I believe in stem cell research.

"Because I believe some messes take longer to clean up.

"Because I believe in numbers and facts.

"Because I believe Planned Parenthood [helps women become better parents].

"Because I believe racism still exists and pretending it doesn’t hurts us all.

"Because I believe running the country as a business with the sole goal of making more money is selfish and not beneficial to all its people.

"Because I believe guns DO kill people.

"Because I believe in evolution.

"Because I believe it is our duty as good citizens to lend a helping hand.

"Because I believe the world is large and full of God’s creatures and we are not the center of it.

"Because I believe in progress and that it requires moving forward, not going back.

"Because I believe being of moral character is less about preaching and more about doing.

"Because I believe love always trumps hate.

"Because I believe – I still believe – in hope."

Thank you, Julie.

Oh, and regarding the tax issue, the reason why many people I know say they will (and I should) vote for Mitt Romney, I would happily pay a few hundred or thousand more dollars per year to lower the debt, make sure our infrastructure is adequately maintained, help our children and grandchildren receive a decent education, make sure everyone has healthcare, support agencies like FEMA, and make sure those pesky "government employees," i.e., firefighters, police officers, teachers, who protect us and keep us safe and educate our children (respectively) and help our economy to grow, keep their jobs.