Greetings from Kansas.
This is my first time posting here.
I am currently living in Kansas, with October 15th voter registration deadline. Will be moving to Missouri 50 miles away--will tell you why in a minute--on October 15th. Now, Missouri registration deadline is October 10th.
My question is to which state should I register? With each state requiring state ID, I cannot go and register in Missouri without MO drivers license. I cannot apply for MO DL without showing the rental contract for proof of residence. I will not get that until October 15th. By that time, the deadline is over. If I register in Kansas, then, won't I need to drive back there to vote on November 6th?
So confusing. Though I've been in the States for 20 years, I always thought voting is a simple going to the poll, show US passport or birth certificate there and vote. Didn't know it is THIS tedious.
Can anybody help give me suggestion or tip? How to do it properly? Thank you.
If you are interested in what my thoughts are about this election, please read my long opinion and personal experience below.
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I actually thought about not voting due to my above problem. But, I'm thinking at least one vote count and I felt like I owe Obama that. I'll tell you why.
Not being born here but naturalized, I have to admit that I probably don't know or care a lot of the issues you guys do. And I'm a very practical kind of guy. Had a college professor that told me to always question everything even when seemingly researched articles or coming from major news media. It kind of stuck with me. Now, I'm only going to talk about my personal experience; what I know and experienced to be true.
Just recently, I got separated with my wife of 8 years who finally became a specialist physician. I'm an IT guy who always like to freelance and consult. Was doing great consulting in Kansas around 2000 for 2 years. Got married. Wife needed to move to New York. 8 years of residency! I dropped everything, moved with her there to support. Now done, she is not coming back with me and wanting to fly somewhere else instead. So, I said, fine. Time to get back to KS and do what I wanted since her journey is complete and I have done my job. Appreciated or not, I did my part.
First help from Obama
I needed a car to move back to Kansas from NYC. My 15 year-old car disintegrated in New York. Wife claimed the new car is completely hers. What do I do? Credit card, of course.
Some of you might not know this. Let's say you have $10K limit on your credit card with $0 balance. Then, you get a 0% APR offer for a year. So, you borrow $8K. Then, the next month, you are still short and need to pay gas or groceries with that card. Say $500. With old rules, everything you pay monthly, regardless of the amount, is going towards the 0% APR. That 20+% APR on $500 will be stuck there charging you interest "until" you can pay the whole thing off. Obama changed that. Now, any amount you pay over the minimum, $15, $20 or whatever, will pay towards the higher interest $500. Now, I got my car and all the balance left is 0% APR for another year. Awesome.
Second help from Obama
8 years of hellish marriage + genetic brought me type 2 diabetes before I was 40. Now, no longer on the wife's plan, I have applied at 3 insurance companies and all denied. Blah blah blah. Fine.
Mind you, I'm not on insulin. Just lowest dose of oral med and exercise. No other big issues. Well controlled sugar. Heck, I'm only 40. With ACA, no problem. I'll be fine in 6 months.
KS only has state PCIP coverage at $500-ish per month. MO has federal coverage at $250-ish per month. Bye bye Kansas, say what you want about better everything. I simply need this. Now, I do what I love; freelancing, without being forced to take a full-time job or stayed in a nightmare marriage just for the health insurance.
Also some facts here.
1. I'm highly qualified IT person. Numerous certifications. 12+ years of experience. Multiple fields, graphic design, web development, networks, servers, cabling, a little telephony etc. My combination is a little rare and can afford me opportunities in multiple fields. Clients have always been small to medium businesses, 1-300 PCs.
2. Never had any problem finding job. Never been fired. Never been laid off in the 20 years I have been in the State. Always been me who left, wanting to start my own consulting firm again and again. I'm stubborn that way.
3. Never taken a single dime of federal or state support, including medicaid (or was it medicare, the ones for low income) or even unemployment benefits since I set foot on this soil. So, what is the crap about lazy bums wanting government handouts? I'm self-employed by "choice" and with the courage to go against the grain.
Must a person be "healthy" and free from any disease, be it genetic or fate, to be an entrepreneur? The simple fact is that, without ACA, I now would have to fold and go back to full time (fortunate enough to have an indefinitely open offer) work just for the sake of health insurance. I'm an entrepreneur at heart. Without ACA, my heart won't matter since my body will die first trying.
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Why I don't like Romney?
1. I listened to all their speeches. Romney's speech sounded like preachy. I'm Buddhist. Not applicable to me. Obama talks straight, like a normal person, not like a preacher.
2. He reminds me of Bush = nightmare. Katrina alone seems horrible enough.
3. As a bald guy, I crinch when a man spent ridiculous amount of time making hair look that good rather than doing something productive. Must be hair envy!
4. I dislike Romney's shouting on how he is going to be tough on China. I think it's hard to be diplomatic and issue-focused between states when one party always insists on bringing a gun to the table. Obama is more civilized in world affairs. Period.
Thanks for reading. Excuse the spelling and grammar. It's late.
