When I originally decided to write this article, I thought I would begin it very differently than the way that I am.
I will begin with the challenge of simply having the title, “Why I am voting for Mitt Romney.”
When statistically one knows that 90 percent of African-Americans voted for our current president and many of my friends and family are supporting our president, it’s difficult to take a public position and say that I support the other guy, but I do.
I wrote last week’s article on why President Obama is still a beacon of hope to many, because I wanted to express, as best as I could, why many people support the president.
It was my hope that citizens would gain an understanding of such a perspective in order to approach those who would disagree with their political point of view with greater respect and dignity.
I also thought if I shared this point of view with my friends they would see that I understood where their heart was and they would at least give an ear to why I can’t support President Obama’s re-election.
To my chagrin, at least at this point, it seems neither goal was accomplished.
Nevertheless, I have started on this path of discussing the presidential candidates, so I will finish it by sharing the three main reasons why I am voting for Mitt Romney.
The first reason is, “It’s the economy, stu-d!”
I personally know of at least half a dozen families who have either lost their jobs or homes within the past few years and are struggling.
My mother and mother-in-law are approaching retirement and have lost virtually all of their retirement savings because it was tied up in the equity of their homes.
I, myself, am working harder than ever in support of my family.
I see people all around me truly working hard for economic survival, and I honestly don’t see this level of intensity coming from our president.
He is working very hard towards reelection, but I honestly don’t see or feel like he has worked with as much intensity during his first three years to help our economy.
Alternatively, Mitt Romney’s presentation of his 25-plus years of experience saving businesses in financial distress, and his executive experience of successfully governing Massachusetts and balancing budgets are all compelling arguments to me.
Between President Obama and Mitt Romney, I simply believe that Romney will do a better job for the overall economic condition of our country.
The second reason why I plan on voting for Mitt Romney concerns the issue of bipartisanship.
One of the bright spots for me of then-Senator Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign was his voice for a unified America. After the intense partisanship under President Bush, our country needed to come together.
I still recall then-Sen. Obama’s powerful words, “we are not a blue America or a red America. We are the United States of America.”
However, since President Obama has been in office, all I seem to see and hear is divisiveness and partisanship on both sides.
Say what you will about President Bush, I don’t recall him ever saying anything disparaging towards Democrats. However, I continually hear President Obama blame Republicans for various challenges our country is facing.
Whether they are true or not, I expect more from our president. I expect him not to participate in the hyper-partisan tit-for-tat.
In contrast, when I learned that, as governor, Mitt Romney had to work with a legislature that was over 80 percent Democrat , I was impressed. I was also impressed to learn that Paul Ryan, his VP pick, has served in the House of Representatives for over 12 years representing a Democrat district that voted for President Obama in 2008.
Together, Romney and Ryan’s record indicate to me that we are more likely to actually see bipartisanship under their administration than we are in the current one.
The third and final reason why I will be voting for Mitt Romney is simply my gut impression of the man.
I asked myself the question, what does a man who seems to have everything have to gain by going through political hell to become the President of the United States?
The obvious answer is power. And if I believed the partisan commercials against Romney, I would think he is just another rich, cold-hearted, businessman who doesn’t care about our nation’s most vulnerable and needy, and is only interested in wielding that power.
However, when I hear him speak in debates, interviews, and listen to his speeches on YouTube, I hear someone different.
Let me say, I’ve seen people try to ingratiate themselves in order to get into positions of influence and power many times. I know what that looks like. Mitt Romney just doesn’t strike me as such a person.
I get the impression that he is a humble, self-disciplined, wholesome, intelligent, and respectful person who is not intimidated to challenge the words and actions of a president he disagrees with.
So why does someone like Mitt Romney run for president? Only he truly knows, but the more I learn of him the more inclined I am to believe that he is sincere when he says it’s his desire to help families like mine, heal the divisiveness plaguing our country, and help America regain its confidence and pride as the strongest and most prosperous nation on earth.
[Bonnie B. Willis is co-founder of The Willis Group, LLC, a Learning, Development, and Life Coaching company here in Fayette County and lives in Fayetteville along with her husband and their five children.]
