McKAY: Why I will vote for Obama

April 29, 2008 05:30 pm

— I have been a devout Republican from the first days in the late 1970s, when I was able to vote. As the years went by, the mindset of the Republican Party continued to fit what I believed was the best avenue for Americans. The Reagan era especially fit the bill because of his tax programs and his dedication to his country.
When the years of American pride and Reaganomics left us, news from our capital seemed to be filled with scandal and corrupt politics. Stories of this type of behavior became the top stories out of Washington. It also sparked my interest in stepping up to the plate to say enough is enough. I made a commitment to stop complaining and to get involved in the political scene on a local level. I wanted to get involved because the American people seemed to be taking a back seat to the political machines of both parties.
In this election year we need to make a choice for our next leader of the free world, the president of the United States. I have watched as the Clinton machine attempts to roll over Barack Obama by changing the rules after each primary. Each time Sen. Obama seems to be sealing up the nomination, the Clintons try to change the rules. This is typical of the last few decades of politics in this country.
Barack Obama will be the force behind the change from the embedded corrupt politics of Washington. John McCain, and surely the Clintons, can’t claim the same. Both have records of taking money from lobbyists and special interest groups that do not have the American people at heart, but only the profits or some type of favor they need from the federal government.
Sen. Obama brings a new fresh political face to Washington that takes into account and considers the needs of the American people. His modest upbringing has anchored him in what is the right thing to do to help the people of our country be successful and our communities to grow and prosper with new jobs and new opportunity.
Washington is in need of sweeping reforms and our country is in need of change. We pay four bucks a gallon for gas and milk with no end in sight. Truckers can’t work because they can’t afford the gas. Our senior citizens have to make a choice of whether to eat or buy medication to keep them alive. Property taxes have run hard-working people out of their homes because they can’t afford them. Single moms struggle to work and take care of their kids because of soaring prices on all consumer goods.
Sens. Clinton and McCain have been part of the problem for many years on Capitol Hill and have not sought solutions, though both claim they have. They have in many cases voted to protect those who have invested in their political careers.
Our young people are much wiser than we give them credit. They see Sen. Obama as the answer to the American dream of building a future for their families and future generations of Americans. Many disgruntled Americans of both parties are also looking for a new direction and are listening and heeding the words of Barack Obama.
Indiana has a chance to write history and change the way our country does business. Vote for change. Cast your ballot for Barack Obama on May 6.
Gary L. McKay is a Kokomo police officer.