Election Talk from Great Uncle Harry
Great Uncle Harry turned 93 yesterday and boy do I want to be just like him when I grow up!
The stories this man can tell, what he's seen and lived through, and to be his age in excellent health (he takes NO prescription meds), still living in his home, driving and working on his hobbies is amazing. His wife passed long ago and he's been on his own every since. Seems perfectly happy and content being by himself.
I called to wish him a happy birthday, and we started talking about the election; I wanted to know his thoughts and he had me cracking up. I wish I could have hugged him through the phone.
Great Uncle Harry said "You know, I haven't voted for a very long time, I stopped voting when Reagan was elected. As far as I'm concerned the only president who actually accomplished anything and made things better for Americans was Roosevelt. I've never seen anyone since that's been as effective as president."
He then went on to say that this year he's making an exception. He WILL go out and vote, because Romney "scares the livin' daylights out of me".
He believes that if Romney becomes president, this country is in serious trouble; the entire world is in serious trouble. He thinks Obama is a good president, but was limited by the constant obstruction from Republicans, and he wants him to have a second term because he'll get more accomplished. Republicans will no longer be focused on the common goal of keeping him from being re-elected; they will splinter and that will change the dynamic.
I asked him if Obama's ethnicity has every been a problem for him, he chuckled and said "Hell no. Skin color has nothing to do with what's inside a man; there are good and bad people of every color". He also said he doesn't care what god a person believes in, as long as they keep it private and work for the good of everyone.
He also said this about Romney:
"There's no way that Romney, who created his fortune at the expense of the middle class and has always led a very privileged life, has any idea how to lead this country into the future. I don't think it's even crossed his mind. He doesn't want to lead, he wants to continue to take everything from us for himself and his friends, just on a much grander scale than Bain. That's why he scares me, we don't matter, the country doesn't matter."
And, Great Uncle Harry thinks the US TV news media is a joke. He reads what he wants to know.
Edited to add: he lives in PA.
= new reply since forum marked as read
He is awesome...it was a great talk! 
He's done his homework and is excited to vote, things certainly have changed in the past 30 years.
They had a bullshit meter that was untamperable. Sadly, they're all gone.
A tiny point of contention (and a common error): if Harry is your grandparent's brother, he is your "granduncle". 
Wish you Granduncle Harry my best - he sounds like my uncles (almost all were WW2 vets).
that he's in excellent health and doesn't take any medications. Good for him.
I'm some thirty years younger than he is, and I'm practically the only woman my age I know who doesn't take some kind of meds.
If I lived within a hundred miles of PA I'd ask you to introduce me to him.
