Conversations about Politics

This evening, I attended a Women for Obama event hosted by the UF College Democrats Women’s Caucus. We discussed what our President has done so far for women, with a focus on the Affordable Care Act due to this week’s events.

I have made calls for the campaign many times over, but tonight was different. We weren’t just calling to ask people to volunteer - a group of women was making calls to other women, to talk about issues affecting us and why we support President Obama.

One conversation stands out in particular: Linda T. is a registered Democrat, but she said she doesn’t plan supporting the President in the November election. I asked for her opinion on health care reform, and Linda told me that she doesn’t like the individual mandate, but she thinks everything else in the bill is very important. She said the Affordable Care Act shouldn’t be repealed, because she believes it represents positive change. 

Then, I asked Linda what issues were most important to her in the election. She said that she is “worried Obama hasn’t done enough to create jobs, or to help the economy.” Linda also expressed concern about gas prices. I talked to her about the American Jobs Act, our President’s plan for job creation through infrastructure investments and small business tax assistance. 

Before we hung up, Linda said, “I’m not sure, maybe I will vote for Obama after all.“ 

My conversation with Linda only lasted a few minutes, but it made my evening. This is what the campaign is all about: real people, talking to each other about their hopes and fears for our country.