Larry Pressler is a lifelong Republican who did two tours in Vietnam. He served four years in the House and 18 years in the Senate as a Republican from South Dakota. He is supporting President Barack Obama because Obama supports veterans with deeds, not just with words like Mitt Romney.
Like me, he was offended by Romney's contemptuous description of 47 percent of the country as freeloaders he couldn't be bothered with. Mitt was candid with his rich friends when he didn't know he was being recorded. In public, like the chameleon he is, he claims a compassion and support for veterans he does not really have.
Mitt avoided service in Vietnam by doing Mormon missionary work in France, requesting multiple deferments.
The 47 percent are people like me, dependent on Medicare and Social Security. Romney has vowed to cut both. The 47 percent are also veterans, including the injured and those with PTSD, whose benefits will be cut by the Romney-Ryan budget. They also include those with no medical insurance.
Romney has vowed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which now covers millions of people who will be unable to get insurance if it is repealed. Those with pre-existing conditions will not get insurance from private companies without the Affordable Care Act.
The cuts are necessary to increase the George W. Bush tax cuts on the millionaires and billionaires who support Romney.
You can read Pressler's comments at www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-pressler/larry-pressler-obama_b_1948415.html.
Sally Raisbeck
Wailuku
