As an American what kind of life do you want? Most Americans expert freedom to be a constant part of their daily life. The freedom to make basic choices about one's life. To choose what you do and where you go. Sure, we all (or most of us) have to work, and you give your employer your time and hard work, but your own time is yours, right? YOU decide how you'll vote or whether you'll have kids, where you'll go, what you'll think. That's what you do and should expect. But freedom rarely is truly free and it is under an insidious attack in this election. You can be free, if you fight to keep your freedom.
Today President Barack Obama talked about two different visions for Ameirca:
In nineteen days, you’re going to step into a voting booth, and you’ve got a big choice to make. It’s not just a choice between two candidates or parties -- it’s about two different visions for this country that we love.
President Obama's remarks at Manchester, NH, campaign event+
I want to talk about two big issues that exemplify that choice, those two differing visions. Yesterday on the Chris Mathews show, someone said the American people have to choose between a president and a boss. Very true, but there's more. It goes to the precise nature of the lives many of us lead.
Will you be free to make really important decisions or will you live as a serf in which your boss coerces you to act as he or she directs?
Two examples bring this into a clear view:
First, Romney has encouraged employees to intimidate their employees to vote as the employer wishes:
Newly-discovered audio from a conference call in June captures Mitt Romney asking business owners to urge their employees to vote for him.
Think Progress: Leaked Audio Captures Romney Asking Employers To Tell Their Employees How To Vote
And the employers have heard and are rolling out the intimidation:
There have already been some reports of employers suggesting how their employees should cast their ballots. A CEO of a Florida resort company threatened to fire his employees if Obama won. The CEO of a timeshare company did the same. And the famous right-wing Koch brothers warned of “consequences” of not voting for Romney.
Think Progress: Leaked Audio Captures Romney Asking Employers To Tell Their Employees How To Vote
Remember the coal company owner who required miners to show up at a Romney rally and stand behind Romney (without pay). They were afraid for their jobs. It isn't right and it's not American. It's why we have a secret ballot and why people fought for it in the 19th century.
Second, Romney wants to let your employer determine whether YOUR insurance can cover contraception.
THE PRESIDENT: All right, you guys are getting it. You guys are getting it. (Laughter.)
We made sure that insurance companies are providing women with contraception. He supported legislation that would turn those decisions over to a woman's employer. Think about that. Do you think, like, your boss, or your insurance company, or some politician in Concord or Washington should get control of your health care choices?
AUDIENCE: No!
THE PRESIDENT: The health care law we passed puts those choices in your hands where they belong. That’s where they're going to stay as long as I'm President of the United States, as long -- (applause) -- as long as you vote.
AUDIENCE: Vote! Vote! Vote!
President Obama's remarks at Manchester, NH, campaign event+
This is about two different visions for this nation. President Obama's vision is one of freedom to choose who you vote for without your boss threatening your job and where YOU make decisions about contraception instead of your boss doing it for you.
Romney's world is different. The Boss is King He'll put your boss into every decision you make. That's just not America.
When you sell your labor to a company you owe your boss a full day's work for a full day's pay. No more; no less. The Boss does not own your free time and does not get to make your personal decisions outside the job.
You're an employee, not a serf or a servant.
That's the choice in this election and why we must re-elect the president.
Fired Up and Ready to Go!
Some fitting music:
It's time for the People to show Mr. Romney and his billionaires that this is America and we won't have any aristocracy!!!!!
VOTE OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!