I am a retired healthcare worker and a lifelong Republican who supports Barack Obama. I could not support George W. Bush and I became very disillusioned by the handling of the Iraq War. After the swift-boating of John Kerry, I started looking for someone I could support positively rather than vote for the lesser of two evils. I started my blog on my.barackobama.com two days after he declared in Springfield, Illinois on February 10, 2007. I met Barack briefly at a fundraiser in Park City, Utah on August 5, 2007. It was the day after his 46th birthday. A cake was presented to him and we all sang happy birthday. I gave him a birthday card and declared that I was a day late, but not a dollar short. We both laughed.
UA-38550652-1
Please see www.barackobama.com
Though our political views are antipodean, it is wonderful to meet you!
Blessings,
~ Cara
I was born a Republican, weaned on the Chicago Tribune, and usually voted straight GOP until 2000. Then I experienced the dark world of insurance companies that take and don’t want to pay when my van was totaled and I fell and broke a leg two months later. Those experiences opened my eyes wide. Thanks for your comment.
Each and every one of us, respectively, is marred and imbued by the experiences we encounter. Right now, as one with an undiagnosed chronic condition, I know a bit about of what your struggle must have brought you in terms of eye opening experiences. I feel quite blessed to be married to a school district employee with excellent insurance; without it, we would have cleared our bank account by now.
I do hope by now your well and recovered, physically, if not emotionally from the experience. That part, unfortunately, tends to stay with us a lot longer.
Be well,
Cara
Unfortunately,I had just moved from California to Utah and was between jobs. My wife and I paid COBRA $800+/month for about 9 months. I am older, wiser and poorer.
Older, wiser, poorer: two out of three ain’t bad, my friend.
I’m going to expand on this in a post today.
Hi
I nominated you for the Liebster Award. Please go to the link to accept. http://wp.me/p28tjX-zG
Thank you very much. I love your blog.
Hi, I was awarded my second Blog of the year 2012 award and am honor to help someone else on their way of receiving their 6 stars. http://wp.me/p28tjX-yH
Thank you. I appreciate the honor.
Your welcome.
Hi Walt, thanks for the follow. From the comments I see here, you sure take much abuse from the Republican crowd. Maybe you should become an Independent like I am, then you can claim the best of both sides (though that might be slim pickings.) And I dug the political poetry. Very cool site.
PS The Albatross is taking more hits today . . . he is smart, but his time is past.
Breeze
Thanks for your comment. Born a Republican, probably will die one. I thought about changing parties, but I decided I could speak with more authority to Utahns about Obama as one of them than as a Democrat.
I looked around your blog to place this comment in a right page, I know I’m not from Utah and thus not smart as such!
Well, at 1st glance when you visited my blog, I was like , oh hey another conservative found me; Awesome. but as I read, and still reading your posts I came to know your views, regardless of which window they are thrown out of! I Am thankful for your honesty’ I’d switch parties but here in Utah, I believe that I have more credibility as a Republican than a Democrat.’
Even thought I personally would be out of closet. It is commendable to stand for what one believe in. That is the core of what America is all about and founded on. I just wanted to let you know I am thankful that you visited my blog and subscribed to it as I have yours. Also to let you know that your opinion does matter and is welcomed to be shared. America as I know it was, is and always will be build on “US!” Ideas, thoughts and opinions of all breed, different and alike??????
I Do not agree with some if not all of your opinions and thoughts, but if every one agreed with every one’s ideology and thoughts, think how boring life would be.
Continue your stand on what you believe and press on, for We” The American People” have to do that, otherwise there would be No “America”, God forbid.
Thanks for your comment. I believe that we are all shaped by our life experiences. I grew up a conservative and believed. But the Bush administration incompetence in Iraq and Katrina together with my personal experience with insurance companies after a broken leg and a car totaled by a semi caused me to re-evaluate my beliefs. I wanted to vote FOR a candidate rather than against his opponent and some research caused me to support Barack.
wish you the best.
thanks for the like on that ucs article – they give great info
Walt,
I am not sure why you are so strongly hooked on mentioning you were/are a Republican. In fact, it matters little what party you claim to be part of, because you clearly support Barack Obama.
As a conservative, I am relieved that you finally began the trek to the Democratic Party, where you clearly desire to belong. I would love to know what exactly makes you identify with “Republicanism” for decades over the Democratic Party. Particularly, which policies you identified with that has had you remain association with the GOP.
Lifelong habit. I’d switch parties but here in Utah, I believe that I have more credibility as a Republican than a Democrat.
That was my guess… Spoken as a true liberal would…
An unwillingness to admit who one is shows a strong lack of conviction and personal belief. You cannot have credibility, except with those who show the same lack of conviction.
Call me a RINO if you wish, I doubt that I am the last moderate Republican. I refuse to join the rush to the extreme right that will be the death of the Republican Party.
I wouldn’t call you a RINO. Never seen a Yankee fan cheer for the Red Sox’s…
thank you for that great story about President Obama
You are not a Republican. You are a RINO and a brain-dead liberal.
I was a Republican before you were born. I still am a Republican, but I am wise enough to Know that Barack is better for the country than anyone currently in a leadership position in the moribund GOP.
So walt, that hope and change and 5 wars is working out for ya. Your a strange bird. Hate Bush like 300 yrs after cause he’s a warmonger, yet skippy has us in 5, oh Syria, Iran. Let’s just go for 7.
I’m really looking forward to the next four years if the Dems take control of Congress and support Barack. Blue dogs must go.
You need some serious brain scanning. To be hung up on President George W. Bush who hasn’t been in office for quite some time is laughable. The fool you voted for has caused more illegal wars, more loss of esteem for America among world leaders, and has no economic policy capable of doing anything more than leading us to the economic abyss. When you first started pestering me I though you were just some poorly kid, I note your lack of education, but dementia appears to be rotting the place where one stores his brain, NO? J.C.
I posted a picture of him on my blog. And I forgot, he DOES wear glasses. Forget I am not the only one getting old and needing glasses.
WOW! Was your picture there when I was here before? I can’t believe I missed it if it was. When I saw it today I actually thought the blog belonged to my brother! I almost croaked. Was gonna call him and kick his butt for not telling me who he was. The rendering of the photo reminds me very, very much of him. Then your words reminded me, you were in healthcare! Weird, I will have to find a picture and scan it for you to see. The hairline, shape of the face, even the way you hold your head! WOWOWOWOWOWO. He doesn’t wear glasses.
Anyway, I came here to say MERRY CHRISTMAS and Happy New Year to you and your family.
Swiftboating: – Exposing the lies, deceit and fraud of self-glorifying public officials or candidates for public office who exaggerate their military service by lying about their feats of heroism and combat wounds.
I’ve also thought when ‘W’ took office, we, as a country, made a turn for the worse. Him being handed the election by the Florida Supreme Court does make you wonder if destiny isn’t at work here. Maybe all the corruption will force us Americans to make changes in the way we are governed.
I sure hope so, I just wish it hadn’t taken so long, so much harm has been done.
I was also a Republican, and George Bush changed me, because, as a Veteran I could not support torture of any kind. Ever. Very disenchanting. Our “light”, as a country, can never, ever pierce that kind of darkness, except to expose it, never as a participant. IMHO.
I could not vote for George W. Bush and I was disappointed in his father, particularly the Willie Horton ad. Fly Boys by James Bradley is an excellent account of GHW Bush’s role in WW2. He was nearly captured and killed by the Japanese. Hard thing to say, but the world would have been, I hope, a much better place if George W had never been born.
I hate to say it, I do not recall the Willie Horton ad???
The book was good? I will have to add it to my reading list then!
Added the book to my wish list on kindle!
fourbluehills, No one likes torture, but if your child was sitting next to a bomb, would you ask nicely or choke someone to get the didconnect.
Just a thought.
I must admit that it is unusual to find a Republican supporting our President. I was so moved when he spoke before the 2008 election and had hope again for our government and our future. I no longer look at government as a source of positive answers for the people–I look higher than that.
Pam B
Cain 999 plan very regressive, but don’t vilify the VAT, which as a replacement for the CorpIncTax would make the U.S. more competitive by making exports less expensive and imports more costly (transferring the tax burden).
The VAT, fairly balanced by a flat income tax above a high threshold (above the median, making it progressive) would solve a host of ills. Without deductions (tax preferences), gone would be the corrupting lobbying for loopholes.
This concept has the backing of Gov. Mitch Daniels, who once served as head of OMB. It was also the core plank of Gov. Jerry Brown’s 1992 campaign for president.
The VAT is now supported by other leaders in politics, business, labor, economics: Pres. Clinton, Sen. Fritz Hollings, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Jeff Immelt, Wilbur Ross, David Stockman, Andy Stern, Richard Trumka, Jeffrey Sachs, Michael Graetz, Ezekiel Emanuel, others. See: http://www.vatinfo.org