Reasons why I am voting for Obama

Despite the subtitle in this blog's title, I rarely talk politics on my blog. Why? I know this is an open blog that is only a google search away from being read by whoever. Politics is a sensitive subject, and I didn't want to offend anyone. It is much easier sharing updates on buying a house or what I think about the NBA draft. Still with the upcoming election, I wanted to write down the few reasons why I will be voting  for Obama.

1) Gay Marriage - Obama is for it. Romney is not. I support gay marriage because the arguments against it seem to be irrational at best and hateful at worst. In no ways do denying the option of marriage to anybody help strengthen my marriage. It is the same way that Kim Kardashian divorcing Kris Humphries after 72 days does anything to weaken my marriage. The reason is that my marriage to M is between the two of us, and I really don't care what other people decide to do with that decision in their life. If Romney or other Republicans think that the are on the right side of public opinion then they have no clue how this world is changing. In 10 years it is likely that their opposition to gay marriage will come across as very strange to the general public. The world is becoming a more accepting place, and I would rather have a President who embraced that world.

2) Taxes - I'm a big fan of Miami University, and because of that I love talking about any Miami alum. One exception to that is Representative Paul Ryan from Wisconsin. His tax plan is crazy. In a time where taxes on the rich are at a near low, it makes zero sense to try and lower them more. I think cutting spending on things like "education, training, employment and social services", while cutting tax rates on the rich is a terrible reverse Robin Hood idea. Romney has supported this plan, instead of something more sane as the Bowles-Simpson plan. Now if Romney would have said that he would have supported Bowles-Simpson, then we might have an actual debate on who is better candidate on this issue.

Personally, I would rather have more taxes if those taxes meant things like great public schools, national health care and bridges that don't collapse. Now will Obama do that? Will he be able to cut the deficit?  It is unlikely with the cliched gridlock in DC. There needs to be a compromise on both sides, and when I look at the debate in DC I see one side willing to compromise and one side that isn't. It appalled me that every single Republican said that they would walk away from a 10 to 1 spending cuts to tax increase deal. That shows that none of the Republicans candidates (Romney included) are willing to compromise. I would love for President Obama to do the following:

• Convey to the public the need for taxes. Also, try to point out that taxes historically right now are very low. Basically do what no politician will do and tell his voting public to stop complaining.
• Let the Bush tax cuts expire. If the Republicans are going to play chicken on that issue (Obama wanted the Bush tax cuts to be permanent just for people making less than $250k. Republicans wanted everyone included.) then call their bluff. The Bush tax cuts on capital gains and dividends have helped investors out (like me) and helped rich people out in general. How President Bush was able to propose a budget with massive tax cuts AND an increase in spending through the war in Iraq and Afghanistan is beyond me. It is like LBJ all over again with Vietnam and his Great Society. If you want to increase spending then there should be a subsequent increase in taxes. Maybe more people would have cared about the war in Iraq if they knew they were going to have to pay for it.
• Keep pushing the Buffett tax. It is fair and makes sense. Someday I hope to make enough money to pay the top marginal tax rate, and if I ever do get to that point then I won't mind having my capital gains/dividends tax at my ordinary income rate.
• Support Bowles-Simpson.

I have more confidence in Obama doing any or all of the above than Romney. Obama might get a C in the way he has handled, but that is a much higher grade that I would give a Romney presidencey.

3) Life changes - While, I don't think there is much President Obama has done that has directly affected my life, I do know that in the past 3.5 years things have gotten much better for me. I think the economy's recovery has been primarily because of things outside Obama's control, but I do give him credit on the stimulus bill and for bailing out the auto industry. And while Republicans like to blame him for the poor economy, it actually has been a very good economy for me. Since he took office, I have found no shortage of good jobs and the stock market is up 50% since he became President. Again, I don't think there is much that he actually did to affect the stock market, but it isn't like I can fault him for what he has done to an economy that has been very good to me.

There are other reasons to vote for Obama, and if you want to talk about other issues then just let me know. The three big ones for me are above, and unfortunately for Mitt Romney this Ohio vote is going to President Obama.