Why I'm Voting in this Election...

Okay, this is not an attempt to be political or obnoxiously opinionated. Most people who know me know my stance anyways.

Yesterday, one of my clients with whom I have been building a relationship over the past year and who I care for deeply, came into my office and asked if I was going to vote in the election. He correctly guessed which candidate I'd be voting for. When I asked him if he was going to vote, he stated emphatically that yes, he would be voting, because this election could mean the difference between receiving disability and living a productive life, and being on the streets. He has overcome a lot in his life and has worked so hard to be where he is. I took him grocery shopping for the very first time about 9 months ago (he was 52), shortly after he moved into independent housing for the first time in his life. He has met and bravely faced a lot of life battles that most of us never come near. And, to top it all off, he is perhaps the sweetest person I have ever had the joy to be in communion with.

So, the main reason I am voting in the election in November is for people like him. People who never received a "fair shot" at the American dream and who truly need the support of their fellow Americans. I know there are obviously flaws in the Medicaid system, but there are also powerful, meaningful, life-giving stories of success. Not to mention, many of my coworkers & I would be at risk of losing our jobs. And clients like this would be at risk of losing services that help keep them well and, seriously, alive.