Political Rant: An Explanation of my Views

I made it to the day before election day to spout off! That is a huge deal! Be proud of me world! Today, I reached boiling point and would just like to make a few points. First and foremost, both my husband and I are registered democrats. I believe that it is not the role of the government to determine what is and is not legal for people to do in their own lives. It is not the business of the government to tell a woman that she cannot have an abortion, that gay marriage is illegal, or that the death sentence should be imposed. I even support many aspects of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
I believe that every individual should be allowed to use their right to choose, rather than the government choosing for us. While I may not personally feel that certain social policies are right, it is not my place to make my beliefs law. For instance, I do not think I would ever choose to have an abortion, because it is taking the life of an unborn child. However, I have no right to tell another woman that she cannot have an abortion because I believe it is wrong. It is the choice of the woman, not mine, and she will live with whatever consequences it might bring.
I hate when people say things like "Take away congressional pay and see if things change." If you really understand where our representatives make their money, you would understand that the money that they make from the government is very minimal compared to the money they make from outside sources, or the money that they had before they were representatives. And this salary is certainly minimal when compared to the perks that many politicians receive from lobbyists.
I hate when people vote straight ballot, whether it is republican or democrat. I hate that straight ballot voting is even an option. I wish people would take voting more seriously than that. In this election, I have found that there are several shady democrats, and just as many republicans. If  more people took the time to study out the candidates, I think they would be  surprised to find that they people they are voting for are not always they people they think they are voting for because of the R or the D next to their name. It is important to study out the issues and to gain an individual opinion. It is important to read up on the issues, from both points of view. Educated voting is the best kind of voting.
I hate living in a state that is so red. I can understand that conservative economics are important in the middle of a recession. But I cannot understand how Utah can continuously vote for people like Gary Herbert or how they are about to vote John Swallow in to office. Governor Herbert has done some seriously shady things while in office. Look at the 1-15 core project, or what is going on in the West Desert. These scandals have not been publicized nearly as much it should be because we live in such a conservative state.
I am tired of people questioning my religious beliefs, my integrity, and my intelligence because I can fathom the idea of voting for a democrat. I am tired of being equated as a clueless entitled citizen who doesn't understand the way government should work. I am annoyed that I get classified as a citizen who just takes advantage of entitlement programs and is probably on food stamps and welfare. To clarify, no I am not on food stamps nor welfare. I did make it through college with the help of Federal and State Aid and I even had a job too. My minor in college was Family and Consumer Science. As part of this, a major focus was socioeconomic status (SES) and that one of the defining factors of political beliefs is education. The more education a person has, (i.e. the more college education) the more likely they are to vote democratic. Many would argue that this is because the education people are receiving in colleges and universities is liberal. I would argue that higher learning tends to teach that we can think outside of the box. Based on the education I received (which was from a public institution in a very conservative state) it is safe to say that I can only recall one professor who let his politics into the classroom (he was from Chicago of course he loves Obama).
The fact that I am a democrat has absolutely nothing to do with my religious beliefs or my integrity. My personal religious beliefs are very conservative, and relate very little if at all to the way I vote. Yes I believe in God. Yes I believe that there is an afterlife. No, I do not believe that God will punish me for being pro-choice. Nowhere in my religious doctrines does it say "VOTE REPUBLICAN OR BE SENT TO HELL YE FOLLOWER OF SATAN." Rather, my religion encourages individuals to vote as they find appropriate. My church chooses not to affiliate itself with a party. They do ask that our political views fall in line with church doctrine. Last time I checked, allowing free agency and the right to choose as you believe is not a violation of any doctrine.
In general, I tend to avoid political conversations with close friends and family,because my views are different. People tend to think less of me if my views differ from theirs. I think it is sad how the way I vote can upset people so much. I think that different views are important in any democracy. They are what makes our government work. By all means, vote the way that you feel is best! Voting is an important right, and a way to express ourselves.
I find it important to vote for so many reasons. Not only do I want my voice to be heard, but I want other voices to be heard as well. We have the capacity to decide the future of our communities based on one ballot!As a woman, I find it my duty to pay homage to those women who fought so hard for decades for Women's Suffrage! How can anyone say that voting is not important? It is our chance to make a difference!!
I know that this whole post seems to be about why democrats are better. That is not really the point I am trying to make. First and foremost, I wanted to explain my point of view and my personal beliefs. Second, I want people to understand that being a democrat does not make you and idiot, it does not mean that you have no religious beliefs, that you lack a moral compass, or that you have no integrity. I certainly do not think republicans are uneducated bigots . It is important for us to respect different views. No one party has all of the right answers. No one party can solve all of America's problems. No one president can fix the economy. To put America on track, it takes respect for others, reaching across party lines, and people working together.