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I created this site to describe why I am voting for Barack Obama and to encourage others to educate themselves on the issues and get involved. Currently, I am a Precinct Captain in Venice Beach, CA for the Obama campaign. (for those of you in Venice, Obama's headquarters is on Abbott Kinney across from Abbott's Pizza)

My name is Greg Quinn and I am a registered Independent. A long time ago, I was a Republican. That was back when I thought being a Republican meant you believed in cutting taxes, balancing budgets, and adhering to the belief in a smaller government. My first job was for Tom Ridge, a moderate Republican, as his campaign office manager during his Congressional campaign. Tom later became the first Secretary of Homeland Defense. I am essentially an Independent moderate and still like the old Republican view on fiscal responsibility and smaller government but side with the Democrats mostly on social issues. I consider myself in the middle as a moderate which I believe the vast majority of Americans are and the following are my reasons for backing Barack Obama as I believe other moderates should too:

1. Bringing our nation together to achieve what is best for America. (no more divisive politics.)

"We are not the Red States, we are not the Blue States, we are the United States of America." - Obama. His speech in Iowa made me jump out of my seat. I had previously read a book titled, "Fight Club Politics" which details the silly battles between the Republicans and Democrats over the last 20 years. It is funny and sad. The Republicans and Democrats argue like 3rd graders during a kickball game at recess, only these 3rd graders are in charge of a $13 trillion budget. We had a chance to bring America together right after 9/11 but the moment was ruined by bad choices of the fear administration of Bush and Cheney. Now our parties are back at each others throats. This causes lack of action that was so prevalent during the eight years of the Do-Nothing Congress. We need to break this political divide. Otherwise, we will have Congress still talking baseball instead of really solving difficult issues such as healthcare, social security and our distressed economy. The person that can bring these parties together to work on the issues is Barack Obama who has been able to capture Republican votes as well as Democrats and has openly discussed uniting the parties in a meaningful way to achieve what is best for the American people. Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, is a wedge, and a politician still steaming from the tired, old, divisive politics of the last 20 years. When Obama talks of "change," this is one area I think he really differs from Hillary Clinton. In order to get anything done on the environment, healthcare, the economy and social security, you will need to bring the parties and the American people together and I believe Obama can do that.

2. Voting against going to war in Iraq equals strong vision as a leader.

No other candidate voted against going to war with Iraq originally other than Obama. I listen to Hillary's campaign accuse Obama of lack of experience but he has something more important and that is vision. He has been in the Senate long enough to have the experience to know how Washington operates. That is all you need. What I am looking for is a leader with vision. A great example of vision is voting against something stupid when everyone is pressuring you to vote for it. "I don't oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war." - Obama. That is the type of decision making that trumps experience. I demonstrated against the Iraq war. I am not a pacifist. What I wanted was to see was Osama Bin Laden brought to justice and had we sent all the troops that went to Iraq into Afghanistan we would have Bin Laden right now. Obama was intelligent enough to know that the Iraq War was not the correct war and for this I give him credit over every other candidate.

3. Obama can beat any Republican.

I am a registered Independent, but believe that - because of the terrible Bush debacle and performance of the Republican Congress - they should not win the White House no matter who runs on their ticket. And later if the Democrats prove they can't do anything they should be booted too! I believe McCain will win the Republican nomination and if that happens he can beat Hillary Clinton. McCain is very popular among Independents and moderates and there is a section of the population which includes moderates that not only will not vote for Hillary Clinton but actually detest the very idea of her being president. Just ask around. Even if Romney wins, he is the same type of candidate and can beat Clinton. It is not because she is a woman but a Clinton and that carries the baggage of past battles. Nothing could be more stagnant then just Bushes and Clintons in the White House for twenty years straight. The politics as usual will rear its ugly head again, and the Republicans will win. Obama can rise above this, capture the moderates in the middle and bring meaningful change to Washington.

4. Not since Kennedy...

For the last eight years we have had a bafoon (for lack of a better word) as our president. The "Axis of Evil" and "Shock and Awe" should be terms used by WWF wrestlers, not American presidents. There are families and children living in those countries who do not deserve to be called evil or watch as their loved ones die with "Shock and Awe." George W. Bush was so ridiculous that comedians stopped making jokes and actually just showed live footage because he behaved so ludicrously on his own. We now need someone to restore respectability and honor to the prestigious position of President of the United States. We tried the "I want a president that talks like the guy I drink beer with." Now let's get back to the Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy style of leaders. Integrity and honesty are not words that most Americans attribute to politicians today, but I believe that Obama is the first candidate in a long time for whom these words apply. I also believe that Obama will restore the rest of the world's faith in America and our ability to elect leaders. (Recently, it was good to hear that three members of the Kennedy family, including Ted, endorsed Obama and compared him to J.F.K.)

I believe that the hope and inspiration that Obama stirs inside those of us that have heard him speak is for real and his positive spirit can be compared to the likes of Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy. If you feel the same way, I urge you to volunteer or if you have not heard him speak yet please take a little time to watch his speech in Iowa. If you would like to email me, please go ahead and do so.