My Story

I started this journey shortly after the debacle of the 2000 election.  I live in Florida and I like so many Floridians voted for Al Gore.  The Florida recount, the Supreme Court Decision made me acutely aware of how fragile our “democracy” is, actually we have a “republic”, but we call it a democracy.

I strongly disagreed with the Iraq War,  I protested, called Tom Feeney, my representative and both Senator Nelson and Senator Martinez to express my views.

I backed Senators Kerry and Edwards in 2004 election. Any one but W.

So when this primary season came along, I sat back, took a good long listen and made my choice.  I watched the Democratic primary closely, because I was convinced they were the best hope.

I watched as each candidate announced their intent.

Mike Gravel…a little too angry for my taste.

Dennis Kucinich..I like most of his policies, Medicare for all, rebuilding of our unions, rebuilding infrastructure.  But not electable and he was not really running.

Bill Richardson..well qualified, knowledgeable, capable..but not charismatic enough to hold up under the bright lights.

Chis Dodd..great senator from Conn..not quite Presidential.

Joe Biden..what can I say?..he puts his foot in his mouth more than I put food in mine.

John Edwards..I had voted for him in 2004 and he did say a lot I agreed with, but I did not see it show in his eyes.  Did he believe what he was saying????

Hillary Clinton..wow..a woman..a qualified woman running for the nomination…wow.  But I wanted to wait, I wanted to listen to all and make the right decision.

Barack Obama.I was so excited when he announced..I had heard his speech in 2004 at the Dem convention.  Very well done.  So when he made his speech to announce I listened, each time I had a spare minute i watched C-span, or c-span.org for videos.  I went to his website.  i listened, I read.  I came back with nothing.  Nothing except hope.  Change, but what change?  But well I still wanted to wait..I wanted to make the right decision.

As the primary date for Florida quickly approached on January 29th, I had yet to make up my mind.  I had heard that the RBC of the DNC said Florida’s votes would not count, but geez, this was not the Republican party, after all this was the Democratic Party, the party whose belief’s were to count every vote and every vote must be counted, voting rights were important.  No I did not have any doubt that my vote and millions more would be counted.  Ok, so I drank the koolaid.

So on January 29th, i went to my polling place, marked my ballot went on with my business of the day, knowing that I, like so many had done my duty, a privilege to vote.  I had picked one but the other was fine with me.  Either BO or Hillary, at that time, i would be happy to cast my ballot in the general election for either.  I went home and waited.  I was so sure the votes would be counted.  Had we not just been through the horrible 2000 election.  Had we not just been through the Civil Rights movement.  No by God, the DNC would assure that the votes would count, that damned koolaid.

There were protests, letter writing, lawsuits filed, phone calls…and i was not alone.

Hillary heard our cries and spoke out …BO ignored us.  Then BO started making sick jokes about counting the votes in Florida and Michigan.

My cousin was Lawton Chiles, an honorable man, ex Governor of Florida.  Karen Thurman, head of the Florida Democrats, knew my cousin and I had met her through him.  The reason for that little tidbit is to let you know the next part came from not rumor but fact.  Hillary took up the fight with us, count the votes.  She even got the money to have a re-vote .  BO’s camp did all they could to keep a re-vote in Florida and Michigan from happening.  TRUTH!

 

Well up to that point I would have voted Democrat ticket all the way, but, well, I started looking a little closer at BO and all the media hype around him.  The media pushed him like dope dealers pushing drugs.  Hillary in their reports could do nothing right and BO was the second coming.  The sexism and misogyny coming from the media was too much.  Chris Matthews stating he gets a “thrill up his leg”?

So at this point, I am bound and determined to back Hillary.  She is the only one wanting the votes to count.  She is the only one with the real answers.  Honey, what she doesn’t know would fit on the head of a pin.  I watched every single debate..more, because I am and have always have been a political junkee, I taped them, i listed to them..I did not watch the screen..then I watched and listened.  The ears hears more when the eyes are not involved.  Well, my point is, she blow the men out of the water.  WOW!  WOW!  Yep, that was my candidate, my gal, Hillary.

I still had hope.  Hope that the RBC would change their mind (koolaid).  So I drove from Florida to DC for the rally at the RBC meeting on May 31st, still adrinking that koolaid.  I was crushed when they came back with their decision.  I vowed then and there that if BO got the nomination i would not vote for another democrat.  I vowed I would change my party.. I am now a proud “no party affiliated” person, in other words..Proud Independent.

I plan on keeping my word. 

If BO puts Hillary on as VP I will still not vote democrat.

My grandfather believed that keeping your word was the most important thing you could do, and i plan on making him proud of me, may he rest in peace.

So there i stood, no candidate.  I considered Nader but felt that it was more important to elect the right person, and voting for Nader would only be a protest vote.  But, I had watched John McCain for many years.  I liked him.  i respected him.  i agreed with him on some thing and disagreed on others.  So, what was important to me?  I want some one in the President’s office who ain’t wet behind the ears.  I want a strong America.

So that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.  I left some out, but not too much, I didn’t want this post to be too long.  Oh! I should add I stopped adrinking the koolaid.

Oh!  Well, I reckon I better add just one more thing.  Some have asked about my “avatar”,  It is one of the flags of our Revolution, our fight to become independent of Great Britain.  It is now my flag for this revolution.