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The campaign has asked that we do not directly contact superdelegates, unless we have prior connections to them. However, they did add a submission form where we can contribute our stories.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/superdelstory
Here is mine:
In the past, I looked at issues, mostly with a Republican bias and spin... or the spin of various groups mostly conservative. Yet, in the back of my mind, often times things seemed off, but I couldn't put a finger on it as to why. For the most part I was apathetic, excluding the times I'd get a mailer from a PAC or other org to write to congress etc.
Then I watched Barack Obama's 2004 speech at the DNC, and I thought wow, too bad this guy isn't running.
As time went on, my cynicism and apathy continued... and then I saw Obama again, and things clicked. He sees the potential for a positive future, not the dismal one I had resigned myself to where kids are left in a much worse state than their parents, or even grandparents. Yet, a view of the future and rah rah is a short term thing, it doesn't get one very far, and likely would end up in disappointment, and more cynicism and apathy. I thus had research to do to see where he was coming from. And from an initial read of his platform where I disagreed with most things, I changed my views significantly. In fact, at this point, I'm convinced that supply side economics has failed miserably, as well as a multitude of foreign and domestic policies I previous agreed with.
Thus, the next step was to look in depth at the policies of both candidates, as well as their legislative records. For the most part, I find myself very much in agreement. They are indeed 90% or more the same, although the remaining 10% is a huge difference, and is a significant part why I can not support her.
Ultimately though I support Barack, not because of Hillary's policy positions, but more so as a function of two very simple words. I and WE.
Hillary takes a stance of I, and that she will make things happen. And while divide and conquer is a somewhat proven strategy, it is a slow one, and even then... so much gets cut, what started out as something pretty amazing, ends up being a small fraction of what might have been possible. Secondly in going it alone, the potential for huge mistakes and missteps is just too great.
Barack on the other hand, uses the word WE. It doesn't matter which party holds the house and or senate, as even though the legislature will likely swing Democratic, a wide variety of opinions are held by special interests and lobbyists, and that is where the power ultimately resides. (I've seen it, and have been in the midst of it...) when the calls for letters occur, things do happen, in part due to direct lobbying, in part due to many thousands of letters, phone calls, and faxes). To accomplish whats laid out in the plans of either Hillary or Barack, active constituents must rally around an issue, and apply heat as needed to the legislative branch. I'm afraid without active constituent participation, our country likely will continue with the ways of the past until really serious damage occurs, or the secondary consequences of inaction come back to haunt us in a huge way. The subprime mortgage mess is just one of many. The current deadlock over updating FISA is another.
Therefore, unless we want to continue down the same path of old, and repeat the errors history tells us will occur, there really is only one candidate, and that is Senator Barack Obama.
Respectfully
Ron Amundson