1. I believe that every American is entitled to the same rights; that no person, based on skin color, sex, sexual orientation, or religion is better than anyone else.
  2. I believe that women are just as capable as men- no more, no less- and are entitled to the same salary and job opportunities as men.
  3. I believe that companies make better decisions when the decision makers are diverse.
  4. I believe that if you are doing well, you should want to help others who aren’t. I believe that you should not sit comfortably on your wealth knowing that others are suffering.
  5. I believe that a CEO should be rewarded for his/her hard work and education. I do NOT believe he/she should earn 380x what the average worker earns.
  6. I believe that insurance companies should be not-for-profit. I believe that no insurance company should make money by denying someone treatment. Ever.
  7. I believe that every $1 you spend on prevention saves $3 on treatment. (Not to mention saves lives)
  8. I believe that you have the right to be catholic, christian, jewish, mormon, muslim, atheist, etc.
  9. I also believe that you should never impose your religious beliefs on others. Do not tell others that they should follow the rules of your religion.
  10. I believe that a woman’s body is hers and hers alone to do with what she believes is best.
  11. I believe that there is no such thing as legitimate rape, and I believe that asking any woman to submit to an unnecessary, invasive medical test is ludicrous.
  12. I believe that the best way to avoid abortion is through contraception, education, preventing violence against women, and promoting healthy lifestyles and behaviors in young women.
  13. I believe in the separation of church and state and that no politician should let their religion dictate policy. Period.
  14. I believe that running a country is nothing like running a business. To run a country, you have to make bad ‘business’ decisions every day for the betterment of the citizens and the world they live in.
  15. I believe that global warming is real and that it is bad. I believe that special interest groups are putting out information that they know is false to sway the easily swayed.
  16. I believe that we should focus less on gas prices and more on getting-off-gas! If we started truly investing in alternative fuel and energy 20 years ago, this would be a non-issue. They make cars that run with little to no gas. They are cheaper to run and are better for the environment. Why do we still make the other kind?
  17. I believe that Americans have the right to bear arms. I also believe that when this was written, the world and the guns within it were very different. I don’t believe you have the right to bear automatic weapons, AK 47s, etc. (I don’t know the names of guns). There is no legitimate, non-violent reason to need that type of weapon.
  18. I believe that corporations are corporations.
  19. I believe the 1%-ers should pay their share. Just because they can afford the best lawyers and accountants to find every loop-hole, deduction, and off-shore account, doesn’t mean we should let them.
  20. I believe that birth control should be covered by every single insurance company no matter who the employer. There are legitimate health issues where birth control is prescribed that have nothing to do with preventing pro-creation. I also believe that it is a slap in the face to every single woman in the country that Viagra is covered and birth control is not. Also, see #7, #9, #10, #12, and #13.
  21. I believe that you should be able to marry who ever the hell you want. You are a human being and therefore should have the same rights as me- another human being.
  22. I believe that everyone has a right to health insurance they can afford, that you should not be denied for a pre-existing condition, and that we are all in this together. I believe that the more people who have health insurance with preventative care, the better our health care system will be overall. I believe this is the best and only option for our country. What is the alternative?
  23. I believe that living in a society requires sacrifice. What happened to the attitude of ‘Ask not what your country can do for you….” It is not always going to be easy for everyone. Give and take.
  24. I believe in the idea of ‘invest and grow’. We need to put money into job training, alternative energy, roads/bridges, etc. This costs money in the short-term but grows the economy in the long-term.
  25. I believe that no person is truly a self-made man. There is always a teacher, mentor, parent, or opportunity that helped you along the way. Read Outliers.
  26. I believe that it is incredibly unfair to spend 8 years creating a big giant mess, committing from day 1 that you will do what it takes to make sure this president fails (ignoring what is best for the country), and then criticizing him for not fixing it fast enough.

This is what I believe, and this is why I am voting for Barack Obama.