My friend Mary is a former co-worker, who was laid off at the same time I was laid off, from our former employer.
She's an Air Force vet; due to her 20 years of service, she has VA benefits and a pension that are supplementing her unemployment income.
She and I have both been looking for work far longer than either of us thought we'd be unemployed. She and I have been supportive of one another through this difficult period of time.
She is Republican. Getting through the election season was trying, at times - to say the least.
But one day, several months ago, I was out with her, picking up several small parts at a big-box hardware store. She noted that we wouldn't have to wait in line if we went to one of the 'self-checkout' registers.
I explained to her that, yes, sometimes I was tempted to save 5 minutes by going through one of those checkout registers. But I said, "You know, working at a cash register isn't necessarily a great job - but it's a job. And right now, our economy needs all the jobs it can get."
She said she hadn't ever really thought of it that way.
On Monday, when I was out running an errand with her, Mary told me about a recent trip to a Wal-Mart with her sister. Her sister had wanted to check out at the 'self-checkout' register.
Mary gently refused, and said, "You know, a friend of mine pointed out that it may not be a great job, but working at a cash register is a job. Our country needs jobs!"
I smile sometimes... I wonder how differently she may see things in another 8 years or so. I suspect if Obama has his way, concepts such as patriotism, and 'the right thing to do' may become a bit different.