I love this nation, I have ever since I knew what it meant to be an American. I enlisted in our nations Army in 1973, when it was NOT a normal thing to do, most people prayed they wouldn't be drafted. I grew up in a family where military service was expected, it was a family tradition going back centuries. The first Bailey's came to the US on a ship called the Angel Gabriel in 1635, so they served in militia's, they enlisted in the Revolutionary Army in 1775, served at places like Valley Forge. They served during the Mexican wars, the Civil War, my own father served from 1914-1916 and went into Mexico during General Pershings Mexican Punitative March after Pancho Villa. My step father served in the Army Air Corp during WW2 on B-17s from England bombing Germany little did we know that 50 years later I would marry a German born lady named Dori, who's parents and family survived the bombings during the war, and whose mother married a GI and came to the US in 1956 after he returned from the Korean War and she was 4 years old.
She came into New York on a troop ship and came thru Ellis Island with her mother and father. She is as American as anyone and she takes her right to vote very serious, she is a lot more conservative than I am, which leads to some pretty loud disagreements about who to vote for and support, let's just say she was not happy with my vote for President Obama and I was NOT happy with her support for John McCain but even she is not supportive of Sarah Palin (that might lead to a divorce) but other than that she is my best friend. She has taken care of me despite my physical disabilities from my military service and my cardiac issues which worsened after we met in Nov 2000.
We had about 2 good years before my heart worsened to the point of no more surgical options and I was placed on a medicate only list. No surgery, no transplant etc, medicate only and the VA doctors told me to file for SSD and VA disability I was totally disabled, that was October 2002.
I have tried to show her that we are the perfect example of why democratic policies are best for people like us, that the safety nets were created by the democratic Party and a President named Roosevelt in the 1940s, Social Security and a President named Johnson with Medicare, if we had to depend on conservatives we would be under a bridge somewhere. Or I would be trying to work at some type of low paying job to put a roof over our head and feed us and she would be working rather than being able to stay home and care for me and drive me to my VA appointments and other outings.
My care from the VA and our SSD is a perfect example on why she should vote democratic and why other people should vote democratic, because they provide the safety net for people like us, the disabled, the needy. If we had to depend on conservatives we would be in trouble, none of us are old enough to remember when grand parents HAD to live with a son or daughter because there was no social security or medicare paid nursing homes.
I remember them, my mom's mother and father ran one of those homes before Medicare was created and only the wealthier people could afford to put their parents there.
I believe in our safety nets, when I was in the Army I lived in the perfect society, we had everything anyone wanted, shops to work on cars, wood working shops with all the tools, day care centers, all the recreational facilities you could think of, dental care, doctors, housing, swimming pools if you could think of it military bases had it available, about as socialistic as it gets. But of course we called it "benefits" for serving, courtesy of a grateful nation.
We will have the nation we want via the ballot box, and eligible voters getting out on election days to express their preference, I don't care who you vote for, I would prefer it was a progressive candidate, but vote it is free all it takes is time, and for people that don't take the time to vote then you deserve whatever happens, because you have not earned a right to complain about it. Vote and if it doesn't turn out right then complain, write and explain why this nation is messed up and who should replace them and why and then in 2 years get out and work to make it happen, write letters to the editors, phone bank for a progressive candidate, if you have a few bucks donate to your candidate.
There are going to be a lot of people elected today that I will really regret people like Marco Rubio in Florida, Jim Demint in SC and many others. But rest assured I will spend the next 6 years working to replace them and in the in between years I will be working for progressive candidates in other races. Why, it's because I believe in democrats, I even like Bernie Sanders in Vermont, if I can't find democrats then I will support independents like Bernie other indies like Joe Lieberman I will work AGAINST but I can work from my computer to work towards these agenda's.
I might be old and disabled physically, but mentally I can and will work to make my nation the one I do love a better place for all of us, why? Because I can and I care I hope the rest of you do as well I think that is why we are here at Daily Kos if I am wrong I apologize but I don't think so, I know tonight is going to be ugly, but there is 2012, then 2014 and 2016 and many more years ahead.
Three generations in my family go from Nov 1833 thru the present I know this is abnormal men in my family had children late in life, my son Kevin just graduated from Army Basic training and is now at his AIT station and just starting his life, I want this nation to be just as great for him 50 years from now, as it has been for me.
Help me make it happen go vote and vote progressive thank you