OK, if you haven't already voted, now is the time to focus and make sure you make it to the polls by Tuesday, Nov. 6.
There is a lot at stake. President Barack Obama is seeking a second term against challenger Massachusetts Governor and businessman Mitt Romney. It is a clear-choice election. As my mother said, "We just can't elect Mitt Romney president."
President Barack Obama made history four years ago with his election as the first Black president of the United States. As soon as he took office, he has been swimming upstream: against the greatest recession in modern times; against recalcitrant GOP opposition; against a 24/7 cable media animal that wanted to keep the contest going to keep their record high ratings and finally against the chattering classes that were waiting for him to be the president of Black people only.
I'm sure you've all seen the many lists of Obama's accomplishments, achieved in spite of his critics and committed opposition in the Congress. His biggest was health care reform, an effort that's been underway for 50 years by both Democrats and Republicans. For me, health care reform was also my biggest disappointment. I was hoping for a "Medicare for All" plan, a public health plan along the lines of public education. Still there are many good things in the current law as it is: children covered to age 26, coverage for pre-existing conditions and no lifetime limit on dollar amount of coverage.
And finally, we need to support the president's re-election because it's good for Atlanta. I had a chance to sit with Mayor Kasim Reed and some other journalists this week and he continued to champion the president's re-election bid and predicted his win.
"Atlanta will continue to have cooperation," Reed said, pointing out the benefits of his relationship with President Obama. He pointed to the federal dollars that have poured into the region during the last three years, including $47 million for the downtown street car project, money that made it possible to hire new police officers and funds for widening the Savannah Port which will mean more jobs for the state and metro region.
Despite the closeness of the race as shown in the polls, Reed said the odds are in Obama's favor. He likened the election to a prizefight.
"If the goal is 270 (electoral votes), Reed said Wednesday. "One sits at 246 and one is at 206. Who'd you like to be? I want to be the one at 246...In a 12-round competition, we're at seven rounds (already) won with five rounds to go," Reed said. "At the end of the fight, we win."
Reed left the briefing on his way to Jacksonville, FL to campaign some more. On election night, he said he'll start out in DC and end up in Chicago to celebrate.
So my peeps in Atlanta, based on the last three years, we have a lot to gain from re-electing President Obama. And on the other hand, we have much to lose if Romney is elected. If Romney wins the race, it will be a great blow to the millions of people who have donated and worked for Obama in contrast to the relatively few monied-interests who have supported the Romney's campaign.
It's time to make history again. If you haven't done so already, vote for President Obama again, and make him the first black president of the United States ever to be re-elected.
