I'm ready for my Obama button!

I admit, I wanted it to happen. Tonight, Barack Obama convinced me that he is going to be a great President, if only we can give him the chance. I trust him. He wants what I want. I want health care. I want a trade policy which respects human rights over the rights of capitol. I want a President who will admit that the trade deals we have now are linked to human rights abuses,to forced migration, and to a loss of jobs here in the United States. I want a President who has a plan to address the injustices and the inequalities that exist in this country and in the world. I cried at the end of tonight's debate (for those of you oversees and totally disconnected from the Obamania and the election....the last Presidential debate before the big one, November 4th elections day.)

I am not a Democrat and I have serious doubts about the efficacy of the political system that we have right now. I think I'm registered in the Green party, I'm not even sure (cause what does it matter?) I know that I want our elected officials to make sure that we have quality education for everyone in this country. Barack talked about the need for early childhood education for all of our little toddlers and preschoolers. He wants to make sure our teachers are educated, that everyone can afford to go to college. I'm not really sure how he's gonna do it. But he wants to make it happen. And he admits it's going to be hard. But we can do it. Because we all want better schools. And if in 4 years, our schools aren't better, our kids aren't reading, we still can't afford to go to college or pay our loans. Or get jobs. Well, then we can vote for somebody else. And if the people in the city of Syracuse vote Maffei or Howie Hawkins into office, and they don't go to Washington and get us the Health Care they promised, or at least try, then in two years, we can vote for someone else.

You want Health Care,for all Americans NOW? Barack just gave us a plan tonight. It's not about the government telling you where to go to the doctor, it's about making sure that no one is denied access to the help they need. And he wants to give us the same quality of care that him and John McCain and other government employees have. Hell ya! I can go to work tomorrow at Citizen Action, and I can go to our event this weekend and get my volunteers pumped about voting, because we are going to choose candidates that are pledging to fight for the basic changes that we want, that will positively impact the lives of all Americans.

Obama came straight out and made the connection between Free Trade, human rights in Latin Amerca, job loss in the US and the forced migration of displaced workers from Latin America to the US. He acknowledged the need to renegotiate trade agreements. Maffei and Hawkins both oppose NAFTA. And if we want Barack to be successful in helping us fulfill the dreams that he has promised to work towards, he needs Congress to have his back.

I was really moved by tonights debate. I am scared of what our future will look like is McCain wins this elections but I'm motivated by the hope of what good can come of people coming together, and figuring out how they can get what they want. And I believe that Obama is doing that. Obama is bringing us together. And what do they say about people coming together to get what they want?

The people united will never be defeated!

So, vote on Nov 4th! And talk about the election, talk about what you want to see happen. To everyone.

And call me if you want to get down with election fever in Syracuse cause Citizen Action needs your help.

Or if you're going to the School of the Americas protest, cause we gotta keep talking strategy on how we are going to make sure the Obama and the new Congress take a new direction on trade policy in the Americas, so that our relationships with other countries reflect a respect for human rights, labor rights, the environment, and local indigenous cultures.

Amen! Now what?