Thoughts While I Call Nevada

(I know I originally posted this here on Sunday, but I'm bringing it back in light of the cross-posts at MyDD & Clark Community Network.)

Sometimes, I don't know why I do so many crazy political activities. I'm having "fun" calling voters in Nevada. So far, I've been leaving a whole lot of messages today. There just never seems to be a perfect time for catching everyone at home. I guess I should know, as I'm hardly ever home!

But anyways, I have caught some Independents at home. Most seem open to voting Obama, as well as downticket Democrats. I spoke with one woman who hadn't yet made up her mind. I spoke with another lovely woman who was pouring her heart out to me, as she's being crippled by her arthritis to the point where she can't leave her home. I almost wanted to cry as I was telling her about voting by mail while also venting about my own family's health care woes. She wanted to vote Obama, but she wasn't sure if she could do it until I told her about voting by mail.

You know, it's really stories like this that keep me going. When I hear about this lady and her health care woes, or another person in Nevada who's concerned about our troops in Iraq, or another Nevada voter who's afraid of losing her job, I feel even more motivated to keep going. John McCain and the GOP may try to distract everyone with photo ops in the Gulf Coast or folksy tales from Sarah Palin, but it's our job to keep the focus on the issues that really matter.

That's what I remind myself as I make more of these calls to Nevada. That's also what I remind myself as I walk neighborhoods. Ultimately, that's why people vote.

That's why a young man in Reno will be voting for Democrats. He lays carpet for the casinos, so he's just another working class person who's concerned about the economy. He knows many folks who are one paycheck away from losing their homes, so the foreclosure crisis is really hitting him close to home. He's voting for Obama and for Democrats because he wants real action on the economy.

That's why an older man in Pahrump will be voting for Obama and Congressional candidate Jill Derby as well. Even though he was originally a Hillary Clinton supporter like many of us, he also now sees that the I my way Hillary's and our progressive agenda get passed is with a President Obama and a more Democratic Congress.

I just hope that all if us working do hard for Democrats this year don't forget these real voters and the real issues they're facing. We're counting on them to vote. They're counting on us to make real change happen.