Single Moms: A Struggle Every Day

Before Halloween displays were erected, you could go into any major store – be it Walmart or Macys – and find yourself walking through their “Winter Wonderland.” As soon as the summer selling season ended, the Spirit of Christmas barrage began. Retail stores and their TV ads began applying the pressure of the Season of Giving, giving us all reason to be stressed about the holidays even earlier than last year and the year before that.

“My son is already giving me lists of what he wants for Christmas,” Shannon, a single mother, told me. “I don’t even know if I’ll still have my job come Christmas. I can’t be thinking about who’s going to be President next year. I got other worries right now.”

I was a single mom, too, so I know first-hand the struggles Shannon and other single moms face every day. But I did not have to contend with the pressure of Christmas in October, and I did not live in fear of losing my job during a bad economy when chances of getting another job would be next to none.

Shannon’s comments are typical of what I hear from many people I have talked to in my community. They are tired and worried, and they feel defeated and frustrated. Any “extra” energy they have after all their daily and weekly responsibilities are satisfied is NOT going to be used to support a campaign for an election that’s more than a year away. I know how that feels! There are times when I wonder if I’ll have the inner resources to help. So far, I’ve been able to dredge it up from my inner reserves. Why do I push myself? Because I know what is at stake for Shannon, for our communities and our country; I know what is at stake for me and for you. I know that our history of providing opportunity and support for all Americans is at stake and I know that I – we – have to fight with everything we have to make sure our citizens have every possible opportunity to achieve the “American Dream.”

Maybe you feel like you have so much going on that you can’t begin to think about who’s going to be elected President in 2012. But, the fact of the matter is that President Obama is the President of the United States TODAY and will continue to be President until at least January 2013. And OUR President needs our help RIGHT NOW to overcome the obstructions created by Republican members of congress. President Obama wants to champion for the single moms, for the working poor and the middle class, but the GOP keeps holding OUR Country hostage by blocking every attempt get legislation passed that would benefit the majority of people living in the United States of America.

We are at an important pivotal place in our Country’s history and whether you are a single mom or not, what is going on right now in our political system affects you today and will continue to affect you for years to come. But you can do something to help protect your personal interests: You can get involved by volunteering for one of your local candidates or for President Obama’s team. And don’t say you don’t have the time. You can do as much or as little as your schedule allows. If you have two hours, you can make phone calls to people in your community. Or you can help sign in people at an campaign event (and have some fun in the bargain!). We as individuals need to understand what is at stack not only for our country but for ourselves. We can no longer afford not to think about it. I’m in. How about you? Our democracy depends on you. Will you get involved?