By: Joelle Sloane
On November 2, 2016, former President Barack Obama talked to the sold-out crowd at Forbes Arena at Morehouse College. He came to campaign for Stacey Abrams and other Georgia Democratic nominees and also to encourage Georgians to vote this midterm election.
Obama was introduced by Stacey Abrams to come on stage. Abrams stated, “He has made a life of speaking truth to power, and using power to give light to the truth. He has defied conventional wisdom with an unconventional grace and a vision that lifted us all. Because when others dare to say no he told us all ‘Yes we can!’ And when our darkest days seemed endless and America wanted to know if they can find our way again he showed us all ‘Yes we can!’”
Obama began his speech about the things he loves about Georgia. Obama said, “Georgia, I love this state. I love the people. I love the fried chicken and greens they served me for dinner. I love the arts and culture.” He eventually explained the main reason why he was at Morehouse. “I’m here for one simple reason, I’m here to ask you to vote.”
Obama talked about that this may be one of the most important elections in our history. He believed too much is at stake for people just to sit at home during election day. “The healthcare for millions of people is on the ballot. Making sure working families get a fair shake is on the ballot. Most of all the character of our country is on the ballot,” said Obama.
Obama continued to explain how in the last couple of weeks of the election, that people who have power and privilege are scared that their control is slipping away from them. Obama claimed that they played one of the oldest tricks in the playbook by dividing the country in half, pinning each other against each other, and feeding voters lies. The reason was so they could still have control over the country.
Obama believed in order to make change and for all citizens to have their rights in this country, we must fight for the change. He argued that people cannot just sit down and hope for change to come. He used a civil rights leader, John Lewis, as an example of someone who fought for change. Obama said, “John Lewis didn’t sit back and say, ‘Man I hope things get better.’ It happened because some people marched, some people mobilized, some people organized, and when they won the right to vote, people voted.”
Obama called out Stacey Abrams’ opponent, Brian Kemp, for trying to block people’s rights to vote. “If you are an inspiring the highest office in the state, in which you pledge to look out for the people of your state, then how can you actively try to prevent the citizens of your state from exercising the most basic right?”
He also called out the Republican Party for breaking their promises and only looking out for the wealthy people. He claimed Republicans made promises to fight corruption, and to look out for the little guy. He said that Republicans recently just made a $1.5 trillion tax cut for wealthy people. This tax cut caused a deficit in the country, and the Republican leader in Congress said in order to bring them down that they will have to make cuts in Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Obama said, “Cutting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security for a billionaire’s tax cut does not sound like fighting for the little guy to me.”
Obama went on to talk about how healthcare changed when he was in office. Obama said, “Eight years ago the Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act. The law helped cover 581,000 folks right here in Georgia. The law made it illegal for the first time for insurance to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions.” He told the crowd that insurance companies use to charge women more money, and the Affordable Care Act stopped insurance companies from doing that. He claimed that not one Republican voted to stop insurance companies charging women more for their insurance, and Brian Kemp does not want to spread Medicare.
Obama explained if you want one thing out of your leader it should be core and integrity. “Stacey was raised with core values like honesty and honoring her commitments and keeping her word,” said Obama.
He believed Abrams is more than qualified to become Georgia governor. “Stacey Abrams will fight for living wage for Georgia workers, for good public schools for our kids, for better transportation in rural and low income communities,” said Obama.
Stacey Abrams’ supporter Janet Lee said, “This is probably for me the second most important election. The first one for me was when President Obama ran. In actuality, this to me is more important than when President Obama ran, because our country is in such a turmoil. On a social level it’s not good, economy might be okay it’s not the greatest it’s okay at least it’s going in the right direction, but socially we are going years backwards.”
Lee also went on to talk about the things that will change for Georgia citizens if Stacey Abrams is elected. Lee said, “I believe we will have better healthcare options. She will have better policies for education, so our young people can be properly educated without having a huge financial burden. Also create a culture where everybody is embraced, no matter what your status is, your ethnicity is.”