The Time to Act is NOW

My father was a World War II disabled veteran. It was by his example that I became a strong Democrat. It was his sacrifice, along with millions of others that fought, and some paying the ultimate sacrifice, that helps preserve our freedoms in this country. We owe it to all of them to do what ever we can to see to it that John Edwards is elected as our next president.

When I was growing up in the center part of this great nation, I was reminded daily what war can do by watching my father struggle with his disability from the injuries he received. In a small way, I know how war can affect a family. My father never complained about his disability.

My father was a strong Democrat. He always told me that the Democratic Party was the party of the people. I never knew what he really meant until very late in his life. In the 1980s my father was dying of cancer in a veteran’s hospital. One weekend as I approached my father’s room, walking down the hallway I noticed something was very strange; men were crying out in pain room after room after room. Then it hit me. I did not see any medical personnel, no nurses, doctors, or even nurses’ aids. It took me about ten minutes - I finally found a nurse, and I asked her, “Where is everyone?” At first she was reluctant to answer me and finally told me that they were short-staffed because of the Reagan budget cuts. There were only two nurses for every floor and one doctor, she told me. I did a little research, and it was true. There were some cuts in funding, and the money was diverted to some weapon system.

The more I thought about these neglected men and women dying in the Veteran's Hospital, the angrier I became. Here we have these brave men and women who were asked to fight, and they did, and won. Now in the twilight of their lives the very government that they fought for has turned their back on them. I promised myself that I would never vote for another Republican ever again. My father died over 20 years ago. I know the situation for the veterans is even worse today.

Our government is corrupted. We need a president that is willing to stand up for those who have stood up for our nation. We need a president that is willing to stand up against powerful lobbyist and for what is right for the American people.

This is a call to action. We need to do everything we can, knock on doors, call friends, relatives, and contribute money to help John Edwards get elected. We need a president that will stand up for what is right and to fight the greed in our government. John Edwards has the courage and the strength to fight. I will fight to restore the country that my father fought for. I will fight with John Edwards. The question is - will you?