For this Undecided Voter, Social Security and Health Care Top Priority List

With three months to go before the election, Yahoo! News asked a handful of undecided voters how they're leaning in the presidential race. Here's a perspective from one voter.

COMMENTARY |

I remember the first time I voted. Excited about what I viewed as a responsibility and a privilege, I confess I spent so long in the voting booth that a volunteer stopped by and whispered through the curtain, "Are you all right, dear?"

That was then, this is now. And although I continue to view voting in the same way, I've learned to use certain criteria in making my decision before it's time to mark up that ballot.

The challenge in the current race: Both President Obama and Mitt Romney have earned my respect in many ways. Consequently, this time around, I'm considering three specific factors:

1. Social Security and health care. Now that I'm in my mid-50s, I'm concerned about Social Security and what each candidate has to offer older Americans. As a Baby Boomer born in 1957, I am one of many who now find myself in the role of playing parent to my own parent. In my case, my mother has Alzheimer's, and I am responsible for managing her health and financial affairs. As such, I know just how expensive health care for seniors can be -- and the shortfalls that already exist when it comes to what Medicare will cover.

Romney's approach means big cuts -- and that concerns me, particularly because I reside in San Luis Obispo, Calif., which is known for its high cost of living. It's become a pivotal issue. Because I am a freelance writer, I pay for my own health insurance to the tune of almost $500 a month. Yet will Obamacare work? I want to see more details emerging from the president on that issue.

2. Transparency. President Obama has failed to follow through with his promise to have a transparent government. When he took office, he promised a new era of openness. In many ways, President Obama has disappointed me. For example, the Justice Department asked a federal appeals court to force a New York Times reporter to testify about his confidential sources at the trial of a CIA officer, in October 2011. I consider that a serious black mark against President Obama's administration with regard to the First Amendment.

3. Attitude toward women. I grew up in an era where women's rights were a volatile issue. I have great respect for President Obama's relationship with his wife and his support of her independence. First Lady Michelle Obama has set her own initiatives, battling obesity by calling for healthier school lunches, for example. In contrast, Mitt Romney's wife Ann has maintained more of a traditional role in the campaign, smiling in the background at the mandatory campaign appearances.

My vote matters. And at this point, President Obama's track record compared to Romney's sometimes hazy views is persuading me to cast that vote for the president.

Joanne Eglash, 55, is a freelance writer in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/undecided-voter-social-security-health-care-top-priority-161600411.html

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