Should Obama Get My Vote?

"Are you going to vote for Obama?" my 14-year-old daughter, Misgav, asked me the other day.

"I don't vote in American elections," I replied, "because I'm Israeli."

"But you could vote, right?"

"I could," I acknowledged. "I'm also an American citizen. But the last time I voted was in 1980. Once I decided to make my life here and began voting in Israeli elections, I didn't think it would be right to vote in American ones, too."

"You should vote for Obama," Misgav said.

"Maybe I should," I acknowledged.

It's a dilemma. I retain my American passport and file a tax return with the IRS every year, but I don't maintain a residence in the U.S. I have served in a foreign army and have no intention of ever returning to the country I grew up in.

On the other hand, the results of American elections undoubtedly affect my life as much as do the results of Israeli elections. As my South Jerusalem blogging partner Gershom Gorenberg pointed out yesterday, my family is less physically safe because of the Bush administration's misguided invasion of Iraq and its failure to pursue a vigorous diplomatic initiative between Israel and the Palestinians. My income, largely dollar-based, has declined by more than a quarter over the past year because of the Bush administration's insane economic policies. And I'm involved in the discourse over American issues and policy through my work as a journalist, writer, and blogger.
Gershom tells me that he once agreed with my position but began to vote when George W. Bush acceded to the presidency after loosing an election. The fiasco of 2000 showed us that every vote counts.

This coming U.S. election will in large measure set the course of my children's lives. So maybe Misgav is right. Maybe I should set my principles aside and cast that vote for Obama.

(Crossposted at South Jerusalem)

Comments

[randyjet]

If you don't have a US residence you will have a hard time getting a ballot and voting. Unless of course, you lie about it and use a bogus address. I am against dual citizenship as is Mexico and many other countries.

[batgirl71]

As an Obama supporter who wants all the votes he can get, I'm very uncomfortable with you voting in the US elections. How will you pick your preferred candidate? What is best for Israel? What is best for the United States? Are these the same? What if they are different? As others pointed out you have every legal right to vote in the upcoming election, but it does raise some interesting questions about dual-citizenship.

[WASanford]

If the outcome of this election is going to affect you, then it's fair that you vote in it. Please vote for the Democrat, we're going to need all the help we can get. I've seen some really badly run elections before, but this Democratic nomination process takes the prize.

[Susanfrom29]

As long as you are an American citizen you should vote. If you remember your grade school history, this nation was founded in order to avoid "taxation without representation." You pay taxes, you are entitled to representation.

I wish more resident American citizens cared enough to consider whether or not they should vote.

[jhNY]

If you 'have no intention of returning', why should you vote in our elections? I have no intention of ever going to Israel. Can I vote there?

[XME]

Because as an American citizen, it's his right.

[ThirdSection]

What state would you vote in? You are talking about November, right?

[citadelgrrl05]

Listen to your daughter, like the bible in Isaiah says:" AND A SHALL SHAL LEAD THEM!!!!" hER INTENTIONS SEEM PURE AND WORTHY!!!

[WASanford]

Isn't that "And a child shall lead them"?

[WarriorLemming]

A wonderful verse, WASanford and I find Mr. Watzman's daughter very intelligent, possessing much wisdom and insight.

[davedave]

if you don't, you cast half a vote for mccain.

bad idea.......

d

[Gma11]

Please, please do!!