Staunch Republican votes for Democracy with Obama/Gore

I am one of the silent majority. I have always believed in my duty to make an informed vote. It has become too much for me to remain silent any longer. I was going to post this on Senator McCain's website, to give him a head's up as to what previously loyal Republicans might be thinking, but his site kept sending me to an error page. How freudian. I'm sending it to Vice President Gore, as a man with intellect and integrity, so that he knows that at least this person is listening and acting and, I am positive there are millions more out there like me:

I am and have been a staunch registered Republican ever since I could vote. I committed to voting for John McCain before he even declared for President and the undefined "change" that Obama promised did not sway me. After seeing what ARMs did to unwary families without providing any real solution until after they had lost everything, looking forward to being taxed for the 48 billion in personal funds handed out just to provide better "numbers" for the Republicans, watching the Supreme Court limit damages and set a calculable amount for future disasters (and there will be), ruin the lives of the people of Alaska who have had to live through the irreplaceable loss, throw down the handgun ban as a right of a militia to a secure state and disregard the gun violence that just yesterday took the lives of three innocent men in San Francisco by a MS13 gangbanger, that will allow gangs once again without forethought to bring guns to intimidate the poor and helpless, who would NEVER stand a chance of protecting themselves by owning a handgun, deciding that the rape of a child is not a death penalty offense was the last straw. This is a simple comment from a simple constituent. I will be voting for Obama, and so will my husband. Alone I can do nothing, but if these events can sway the loyal Republican I was (believing in the Republic, and personal responsibility, for isn't that the core of the Republican standard?), this election will be a landslide. For President Obama. I still can't agree with his non-specific change, but the latest actions of the Republican Party, including trying to give prime offshore drilling rights to the Oil Companies with their obscene profits rather than making a commitment to change to alternative or bio-fuels, and make a concious effort to save our planet for our children, I don't much care for the specifics, as long as it is a change from Republican party politics. We should be ashamed of ourselves, and I, as one small American intend to do something about it. Vote for Obama.

Thank you for listening; please listen hard, as I think there are more of us out there.

Karen Stevenson
A former Republican