Life101: Democrat or Republican?

Another presidential election is upon us, and I've been feeling pretty conflicted. No, I'm not talking about the candidates (that decision pretty much made itself). But rather, what to do about the select individuals in my life who are betting the farm that Mitt Romney will save this country. Since I'm currently working on being more forthright about asking people for help when I need it, I want to let those select individuals know that I need their help this year. I need them to vote for me.

The stakes feel higher. Whether it's gay rights, abortion, welfare, Medicare, taxes, or any of the other hot-button issues, they all seem to be up for debate. One issue in particular is the clause that Mitt Romney and the Republican Party included in their official 2012 Platform stating, "[W]e believe that marriage, the union of one man and one woman, must be upheld as the national standard, a goal to promote through laws governing marriage." In layman's terms, they effectively support a constitutional amendment permanently banning equality for gay Americans. Yes, I said "permanently."

Some may think this country is in such dire straights that we have bigger fish to fry than gay people being able to visit their sick partners in the hospital, or being able to protect their financial interests. Others may think that they're gonna strike it rich with a Republican in the White House, and the whole "gay rights thing" can be addressed when they are all living the high life.

The problem with that logic is that at the end of the day there are no guarantees that Mitt Romney or Barack Obama will be able to create more jobs or wealth in this country. We can speculate all day, but there are simply no guarantees that either of their economic policies will help anyone or anything. What is guaranteed is that Mitt Romney, along with the Republican party, seek to pass legislation denying equal rights to every American... and I am one of those Americans.

As we all look ahead to November 6, I am encouraging everyone to take a moment and reflect on any gay person they know, whether it's a son or daughter, brother or sister, cousin, friend or the neighbor down the street. For me, if you know me, and you love me, then I would expect you to stand up for me the same way that I wouldn't hesitate to stand up for you. I ask you to set aside being angry about taxes and healthcare and cast the votes that mean you are doing the right thing for someone you love.

It's been my experience that things turn out a lot better when we're doing them for the right reasons. And "love" is the rightest reason I can think of.

So I ask those people out there important to me to please vote for me in 2012.

John Kalinowski is an NYU-Certified Life Coach based in New York City. Follow him on Twitter.com/JohnKalinowski or visit his website: www.visionmethod.com.