President Obama’s wrote, “At our core, what makes us great is our character, and our belief that we are all in this together. Those are the values that inspire Democrats and the values we need leading our country.”

Democrats have always been underdogs in the fight for our freedoms. The only easy election I can remember was Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 re-election against Barry Goldwater. Regardless of the political power structure, Democrats work to get things done by advocating for what we believe in, by working hard and starting businesses to support our families, and by discussing issues with our friends, family and neighbors. Life is not about politics as much as it about living. That means getting things done to benefit our community, regardless of who is in power.

When I consider my life, it has been better with President Obama. Two tax credits in two years, substantial changes to my health insurance policy while keeping costs in line and improving coverage, and the idea that the government is working to preserve a safety net should I become disabled or need help as I age.

Like most people, I don’t want any government handout. I have turned down unemployment benefits when eligible because it is important to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. It makes me mad that many Iowans won’t give up subsidies, tax breaks and import tariffs and let the market dictate what we should do as a state and country. A discussion about nuclear power would be gone. We would see whether row crops are viable. We would see whether there would be a fair price for a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread. We would see if ethanol was a viable fuel for automobiles. Truth is the market has been rigged against regular people like me and it may always be so.

So I’m in for Obama-Biden and the Democrats. As I leave Blog for Iowa with next Friday’s post, I’ll be out there working and I hope you will be too.