Conversations with Roger, part II

Roger: What are the real key issues for you in voting Democrat?

Erika: The long version or the short version? Lol. As it is getting late, here is the short version. I will expand for clarification if needed.

• Foreign policy - If living abroad and being married to a man who reads international news daily has taught me anything, it has taught me that America has an awful reputation overseas. We seriously need to remedy this. I remember in Ghana (2002) hearing how the people were so touched that Clinton came for a visit but that they were disappointed with the relationship in the Bush administration. I commend Obama for wanting to have a conversation without pre-conditions. Christ came to people where they were; he didn't demand they be perfect before they could hear the gospel. I am NOT at all saying that Obama is Jesus or anything close. What I am saying is that I appreciate Obama's humility in conversation and in forging relationships with historic enemies and think that his approach is a much more Biblically-based model.

• Iraq - I think we need to develop an exit strategy, we have been there far too long already. Obama's proposed phased withdrawal takes place over a year and a half. I think that is adequate time to slowly draw out US troops and to encourage Iraqi troops to uphold their own justice.

• Health care - Seriously? It is appalling to me that this is even an issue. To me this is a human rights issue. When we count on private health care, we are putting the people with pre-existing medical conditions at a great risk of not being able to get care. Spring quarter, my husband changed jobs and we lost our health care. For the lapse of coverage between his last day and the start of Summer quarter, we sought private insurance. I was turned down because my doctor hadn't yet given me a diagnosis...I didn't even have a pre-existing condition, but the possibility of one was enough for them to deny me coverage. What about the people who critically need care and cannot get it?

• Abortion - I realize that for many people, myself included, this is also a human rights issue. Morally, I am pro-life (for myself), but legally, I am pro-choice. Just as I would not want someone else to make the decision for me, I do not want to make it for someone else. It is a challenging debate wherein people take many different stances. I was reading for a paper I wrote over the summer that in condoms are against Jewish law because it prevents the intended contact between a man and a woman, sexually, (and does not give the sperm a chance to swim - in effect wasting the life producing cells). Should we outlaw condoms? Many say that life begins when the sperm fertilizes the egg. Others say that life begins when brain waves can be detected (~24-27 weeks). And I could go on. Ultimately, I think that this is a question that we should each wrestle with. But not one that should be legally mandated. Further, I think that the harm that comes when abortion is illegal is far, far more dangerous, as we saw last century.

• The Economy - The economic policies of the Bush administration have moved our country into great debt. McCain's policies are very close to these. We cannot keep moving in this direction. The trickle down effect is just not working.

Roger and others, what are your reasons for voting the way you plan to vote?

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Erika