This presidential election has been a long time coming! Eight years of the Bush administration’s failed and discredited policies have devastated our economy and left working families struggling to make ends meet. We are at a historic moment: come November 4th, we have the opportunity to fundamentally change the direction of our country. We have the chance to reclaim the idea that if you work hard enough, you and your family ought to live a better life. We can do this if we vote for Democratic Presidential candidate and Senator Barack Obama, as endorsed by our national union, United American Nurses (UAN)  and supported by HNA.

Obama’s record clearly shows he has been on the side of working families and has been a consistent supporter of America’s nurses. He has a proven record in the state and U.S. senate of sponsoring and supporting legislation that improves working conditions by limiting mandatory overtime, improving nurse-to-patient ratios, providing additional support to training and incentive programs, and continuing to recognize and support nurses’ right to come together in unions.

Every day when we go to work, we see the catastrophic state of our health care system. Obama’s health care plan offers the best hope of improving quality, controlling health care costs and guaranteeing health security for all Americans. Electing Obama as president will help our patients live longer and healthier lives, make health care affordable for all Americans, and help us deliver safer and higher quality care to our patients.
In stark contrast, Republican Presidential nominee John McCain wants to address the health care crisis by working to eliminate employer-provided health care and leaving working families on their own to buy coverage. He wants to require union members and other workers who receive employer-paid health benefits to pay taxes on the value of those benefits.

Both Obama and his Vice Presidential running mate Joe Biden have fought to protect and strengthen workers’ rights throughout their entire careers. They have consistently championed equal pay for equal work, supported increasing the federal minimum wage, and fought to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act. In the senate, they have co-sponsored the Employee Free Choice Act, important legislation that would make it easier for workers to join unions without interference or intimidation from employers.

We are hearing a lot of talk about change this election—from both parties. However, it’s clear that, while Obama is truly offering a change in policies, McCain offers more of the same. No matter what “change” McCain now promises, he has freely admitted to voting with Bush more than 90 percent of the time and that he wants to continue key Bush policies.

On November 4, our vote has the opportunity to bring about real change, the kind of change that can improve our lives and our patients’ lives. A vote for Obama is a vote for change that can turn this country around.