Why I Am Voting for Mitt Romney

This is not a political blog. As such, this will be the one and only post on the topic.

I do my best to stay abreast of current affairs. I follow politics very closely, especially during major elections. I am an informed voter and I have chosen to vote for Mitt Romney.

But I still don't think this is okay.

First of all, I am not a Republican. There was a time, long ago, when I called myself a Republican. However, as I have grown and changed I have become increasingly moderate. It is not that I agree with both sides of issues, on some issues I do, but mostly it is because I deeply agree and disagree with both parties on certain issues. I agree with the Republican platform insomuch as I think local governments are better suited to oversee their citizens. The state of Missouri, where I live, should not be governed in the same way as Alaska or Florida or Maine. I believe in a strong military. I believe in individual responsibility. I agree with the Democratic platform insomuch as I don't view taxes as an unnecessary evil (though I do, in breaking with my left-thinking counterparts, think that all people should be taxed equally). I believe that gay couples should be allowed to marry. I have no problem with immigrants - we are a nation of immigrants after all. I do think that we should take care of those who are less fortunate, but I don't think we should be mandated to do so. I dislike guns and unions, though in different ways. I think there are great big problems and wonderful people who can solve them, and I think these people exist in both parties, in third parties, and in no parties at all.

Gov. Jay Nixon got my vote in '08 and he'll get it again in '12

Way back in 1996, when I still considered myself a Republican, I voted for Bob Dole. This was the first presidential election I was able to vote in and it was pretty exciting. I knew Dole wouldn't win but I enjoyed casting my ballot anyway. As Pres. Clinton's second term drew on, I found myself increasingly discouraged with him as a person and with the Republican response to his behavior. By the time the next election came around, I was completely flummoxed by both parties. How could the Republicans choose George W. Bush when they had John McCain? And of course Al Gore was the obvious nominee, though not necessarily the best. I pinched my nose and voted for Gore, largely because I felt that Bush didn't have enough experience and I really, really liked Joe Lieberman. I did vote for Pres. Bush in '04, but when his only competition was John Kerry, how could you blame me?

Forever known as the guy who the nation thought was the poorer alternative to George W. Bush

In 2008, I was very passionate about my vote. Finally, we had a candidate for president who was a moderate. Here was someone who was a true hero, someone who had faced horrific tragedies and come out stronger than ever. The candidate had proven that he was able to work with both parties and had a long track record of doing so. His competition, however, could speak really, really well. You all know how that turned out. I expected the worst and hoped for the best. What I got, what we all got, was something in the middle. President Obama has been adequate. However, the times call for more than adequacy.

The economy is a concern. No. The economy is the concern. Our country will cease to function as we know it if we do not resolve the trillion dollar deficit, if we don't do something to manage the $16 trillion debt. Did Pres. Obama inherit a terrible economy? Of course he did, but instead of resolving the problems he has, in my opinion, made them worse. Furthermore, he has intentionally created more divisiveness in order to gather as many votes in his second term as possible. The President put together the Simpson-Bowles commission in order to find a solution to the economic woes facing our country, then did exactly nothing about it. This was not because, as Paul Ryan said, the plan did not go far enough. It was because, in Obama's estimation, it did too much. Our president's plans include raising taxes on a small percentage of the country and doing precisely nothing else to resolve the national debt. He repeats ad nauseum that Gov. Romney's math "doesn't add up" when his own math doesn't even come close. Meanwhile, Pres. Obama is campaigning on the things he will do if he is elected. Isn't he president right now? I said from the beginning that he could earn my vote if he had just one ad and that ad said, "I'm busy being president. No time to campaign. I approve this message."

Not exactly what I had in mind.

I have no proof that Gov. Romney will do better in office than President Obama has done. However, I do know that Romney is much more moderate than President Obama. He has a history of working with Republicans and Democrats, which President Obama does not. He has placed the economy in the forefront of his candidacy. He named Paul Ryan, the Chairman of the Budget Committee, as his candidate for Vice President. I believe he is honest, for a politician, and moral, for a politician. He is a business man and a money guy. If there were ever anyone who could balance a budget, it is a man who has spent three decades doing just that.

There are plenty of people who do not trust Mitt Romney or the Republican party in general. I am very happy to live in a country where we all have our own voices and our own votes. My vote may well be canceled out by my husband and I am deeply okay with that. I simply feel honored to have my say, even if I don't live in Ohio.