(Note: Column written on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012.) IN two months, the presidential election will again be held in America. Americans will elect the most powerful man on earth. That is why it s burdensome for an American voter to decide. And yet, election in this country has always been carried out peacefully without a single political killing reported. This is what makes American democracy a standout model for the rest of the world. This is the 8th presidential election I am witnessing here in the U.S. In light of the forthcoming polls, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations or NaFFAA, through Region 1 Chair Atty. Merit F. Salud, is calling on all Fil-Am citizens who are 1 / 6
not yet registered voters to register in their respective city or county board of elections offices so they could vote and be counted on Nov. 6. The act will pave the way for political empowerment of Filipino-Americans and Asians in this country. I m writing this column five days after the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida (which I also call The Clint Eastwood Show ) and on opening day this week of the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina. By the time your read this, President Barack Obama would have accepted his nomination for reelection as president. I view this election as an exercise of risk-taking on the part of the electorates. Those who will vote for President Obama will take the risk of continue moving this country forward and finish the work of fixing the economic mess of 2008 and strengthening the middle class or continue with a tepid pace of economic growth. On the other hand, those voting for Gov. Mitt Romney will take the risk of this country going back to the old policies that triggered the economic recession of 2008, hoping they won t happen again this time. As of Sunday, 9/2/2012, President Obama and Gov. Romney were tied at 45 percent among likely voters, according to Reuters/Ipsos latest survey. After the Democratic National Convention, it is anticipated that Mr. Obama s standing in the poll would further improve. 2 / 6
This campaign is quite tough and difficult for the incumbent president. Even if he inherited a serious economic mess left by the Republican administration before he took over in 2008, this is now an Obama economy. Recession ended under President Obama. The double-digit unemployment rate has gone down to single-digit. This President saved the American auto industry. Under Mr. Obama s controversial healthcare reform initiative, 30 million more Americans are able to have health insurance coverage. President Obama ended the war in Iraq and brought home American soldiers. Despite all of the above, economic growth is slow. Unemployment is at 8.3 percent. Early on at the start of the campaign, we said that if the upswing of the economy and job openings were to continue, Mr. Obama would not have a problem getting reelected. But both seem to have stalled. 3 / 6
Unemployment is still high. (Last week, my friend was given a pink slip by the bank he has worked with for more than a decade.) Seventy-six percent of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track and 73 percent have a similar belief about jobs, the Reuters survey showed. On the President s main issue of his first term, healthcare reform, 62 percent believe the healthcare system is on the wrong track. Obama led an overhaul in 2010 of the U.S. healthcare system that Republicans deeply opposed and promised to repeal on day one of a Republican administration. Is it not better if they just amend the unwanted provisions of the law instead of eliminating it altogether? Catholic bishops do not want employees of religious institutions to be guaranteed contraception coverage in their employer-provided health insurance. Official Catholic doctrine bans artificial birth control as opposed to the rhythm method, which relies on menstrual cycles to prevent pregnancy. A mandate from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requires religious organizations with many employees to provide in their insurance plans abortion-inducing drugs, contraceptives and sterilization procedures, which are contrary to Catholic teaching. Despite a nationwide survey last May which said 85 percent of U.S. Catholics found 4 / 6
contraception morally acceptable while only 15 percent found it morally wrong, registered voters who are Catholics are evenly divided at 46 percent between President Obama and Gov. Romney in a latest survey. Furthermore, President Obama seems to have miscalculated the political impact on Catholics of his endorsement of same-sex marriage. A conservative Catholic friend who sensed I was inclined to vote again for Mr. Obama sent me an e-mail the other day that said, I thought you re Catholic. I answered back and said, I thought Romney was Catholic, too. I learned during the Republican National Convention the former governor is a Mormon and used to be a Mormon leader. The religion of a candidate, as long as he or she is a believer, should not be an issue in an election campaign. To me, even the kindness or the goodness of a candidate, though important, should not matter much in an election process. Personal goodness in the private life of a leader may even be irrelevant in Washington, D.C. But, you may have noticed how the Republicans projected and introduced the private personal goodness of their candidate during their convention. *** 5 / 6
It is very important for us to get involved in this election. Again, if you are a citizen and have not registered yet as voter, make sure you register and vote on Nov. 6. mcaball241@aol.com 6 / 6