Why Oklahomans Should Vote For Obama

The state polls may show John McCain retains a commanding lead in the presidential election here, but there are plenty of reasons for Oklahomans to vote for Barack Obama on November 4.

Obama has recently widened his lead over McCain across the country and in key swing states, but here in Oklahoma, one of the reddest of red states, the polls show it's virtually impossible he can win. Some polls have McCain with a 30 point or more lead. This undoubtedly delights the state’s corporate media, which will shamelessly act as if its right-wing propaganda efforts throughout this election year were nothing more than objective reporting.

But Okies for Obama shouldn’t get discouraged. Regardless of how the election turns out, Barack Obama has electrified and changed American politics at a crucial time in the country’s history.

Bogged down in two gruesome military occupations, the country faces a financial crisis. Our health care system is broken, unemployment is rising and wages are stagnant. Our country, after the Bush follies, has lost respect throughout the world.

Obama, whether he wins or not, has changed the political discourse so these issues, these very important issues, now matter. You matter, not just rich CEO’s who gamble away your retirement money without a second thought. Moreover, Obama’s personal story is a reflection of the American Dream and its diverse culture.

In this sense, Obama has already won because his rise and his message tell us Reaganomics and neoconservativism are dead. Government is not the problem after all. The problem is what it has always been through the ages: Unchecked greed and power mixed with hubris and corruption. Even McCain has to run against the kooky extremists who have hijacked the Republican Party by criticizing his own party’s president and promising change.

Here are three critical reasons Oklahomans, in particular, should vote for Obama:

Financial Security. Oklahoma continues to have a low per capita income rate despite gains in recent years.. This means Oklahomans’ salaries and benefits trail most of the nation. Obama’s plan to cut taxes for anyone who has an income under $250,000 a year and his commitment to create alternative energy sector jobs—and the state is positioned well to get many of these jobs—will boost incomes here and help our overall economy.

Health Care. Report after report shows Oklahoman lags behind the nation in health care access. Even those Oklahomans with health insurance often forgo medical treatments because of skyrocketing co-payments. Oklahoma is a poster child for the broken health care system. Obama’s health care plan will allow you to keep your insurance if you want to. The uninsured will be able to buy the same insurance plan used by federal employees. Oklahomans will be healthier and spend less money on health care if the plan is passed.

Foreign Policy. Oklahoma, with its energy sector, its universities and its technology-driven companies, is increasingly part of a larger global community. The state must make connections with other countries and countries if it wants to flourish. Obama’s sensible foreign policy proposals dealing with the quagmires of Iraq and Afghanistan and the respect he already commands in big European centers show he can restore our country’s beleaguered reputation. This, in turn, opens up opportunities for Oklahomans.

McCain is a decent person and a war hero, but his ties to the old guard in the Republican Party mean he simply can’t bring about the real change we need in this country and in Oklahoma right now. He has now started to run an ugly campaign, even stoking racist rhetoric among some of his supporters at campaign events. His selection of the inexperienced Sarah Palin as his vice president running mate shows he lacks concern for America’s future. His uneven response to the economic crisis was a weird mixture of panic and political bloviating.

In the end, Oklahomans who vote for Obama will be voting in favor of their own financial and health security. They will be voting for a sensible, rational foreign policy. They will be voting for rationality and consistency.

So don’t be discouraged by the state poll numbers. Vote for Obama November 4.