Who I Voted For In 2012

One of the many things I like about Canada (having equal rights and health care among the top) is that people here focus more on issues than personalities when it comes to who they elect for government. So with that in mind, I want to tell you who I voted for without mentioning any specific candidate.

1. I voted for WOMEN. Women I know and love are sassy and smart. They are not a focus group to market to. They can make health decisions without the government. They work just as hard as I do and should be paid equally.

2. I voted for the POOR and MIDDLE CLASS. Trickle-down economics is a worn-out, tired idea that we have already tried before. Investing in the infrastructure has proven effective many times over. We are only as strong as our weakest link. Rich should be taxed at the same rate. It pains me when I see all the effort some rich people go to avoid paying taxes to our great nation. You should be ashamed of your off-shore accounts in the Cayman Islands and Switzerland. Not proud.

3. I voted for BIG BIRD. And Oscar the Grouch. And Kermit. Cutting PBS or NPR won't create any jobs or cut the deficit.

4. I voted for COLLEGE STUDENTS. We benefit as a country when our work-force is educated. Not everyone can afford to go to university though and student loans make the impossible, possible.

4. I voted for my GRANDMA. And your grandma. Social security and Medicare should be dependable and not played with on the stock market. Was anyone watching the stock market the last couple of years? And do you think those insurance corporations suffered? At all?

5. I voted for VETS. And our men and women currently serving in the armed forces. They deserve far better.

6. I voted for OUR WORLD. Big oil and gas corporations don't care about anything than profits. That's not wrong. It's what they're designed to do. We, on the other hand, need clean water, air and food to survive. We can do it. We just need the resolve.

7. I voted for the SICK. Health care is not a privilege. At least it shouldn't be in a country like the US. I don't think "Let 'em die," is a viable answer.

8. I voted for IMMIGRANTS. We seem to have forgotten that we are a country of immigrants. Something simple like the Dream Act shouldn't even be a matter of debate. Immigrants are not a problem but an opportunity. To think otherwise is short-sighted and bordering on bigotry. Check out countries like Japan. Their future is pretty bleak. But hey! At least they curbed that immigration!

9. I voted for ME and people like me. As a minority, I have to constantly deal with the majority who think my rights and freedoms should be up for a vote. "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" aren't in the Bible. But these words are in other documents that are far more relevant to our country. Please read those documents and then tell me why being a second-class citizen is acceptable in the "land of the free and home of the brave."

10. Finally I voted for YOU. And us. Because we're not disposable or just people that can be told different positions on different days depending on what demographic they think happens to be listening. While I didn't agree with Kansans Sam Brownback or Bob Dole, I did admire their integrity and backbone. I knew what their positions were because they didn't flip-flop or outright lie.

And that's who I voted for in the 2012 US elections. The fact that you already guessed the candidate without me telling you speaks volumes. Who did you vote for?