This is my third post in one night!

No, really, though, are you kidding me that phthalates are also in our baby products?!?!?!?

Great.

Thanks for the heads up, Michael!

**grumbles under breath** gotta go *&#^@&#^ dump out *#^&&@*^&# the Johnson's *#&*(@^&# baby shampoo.

Actually, this last week due to skin irritations, I've just been bathing the girls in baking soda with a quick shampoo tossed in in the end. This may become the new habit. Thank goodness for Costco sized containers of baking soda!

I was perusing one of my "mommy forums", and an active Obama supporter posted the following link:

A side by side comparison of Hillary and Obama on healthcare.

I will have to read it more closely when I've had more than 2.5 hours of sleep, but at first glance, they still look ridiculously similar. Please, anyone who catches the major differences, point them out to me so that I can see the error of my ways.

Well, for starters it would be nice if I spelled her name correctly. I live on a "Hilary", so I tend to go with one "l", but she's two.

I was looking at all the lawn signs today and it suddenly smacked me why we specifically call her "Hillary" rather than "Clinton". She has to distinguish herself from Bill... same reason we called GWBush "W", I guess. Of course in his case it was more like "dubya" - hardly flattering, and probably not his doing.

Alright, here are the issues that matter to me, personally and where both candidates stand.

• Family:
  Obama has a plan for making the workforce more family friendly - expanding the FMLA (of course, it would help if the requirements to qualify for the FMLA were relaxed a tad as well - specific to my circumstance, I'd worked nearly a full year before going out on maternity leave with my second daughter, but because it wasn't a full year - and even working "full time", which in nursing pulling 12 hour shifts, was 36 hours/week, I still didn't qualify), expanding after-school opportunities for kids with dual working parents, expanding the childcare tax credit, and working to get the states to offer paid leaves.
  Hillary talks about rights for parents, children, and an additional bonus, for women. She, too, talks about reforming the FMLA, and also the No Child Left Behind Act, as well as other early intervention programs. She continues to work for the adoption of foster children. She wishes to provide better pay/benefits to teachers, which in turn increases opportunities for children. She also addresses this issues of elder care, or caregiving to other family members.
  Really, in the end, these two issues are similar between the two - no "winner" standing out for me on this issue, slight nod to Hillary for addressing women's rights.
• Education:
  Obama, like myself, has a pretty negative view of the results of the NCLB Act and wishes to reform it.
  Hillary also has a negative view of the NCBLA and actually wants to END it in favor of new programs. She was the initiator of Early Head Start as First Lady, and believes in that program.
  But again, they're too close to call on this issue. Both want major reform for education. One thing Hillary mentions that I DO like is working toward "green" schools. Therefore combining my interest of protecting the environment with improving education. Chalk another one up for Hillary.
• Environment: Okay, since I mentioned the environment, both Hillary and Obama address it.
  Both are looking for alternatives to the oil and fuel that we use now. Both want to cap carbon emissions. Another nod to Hillary, she mentions making being green affordable, while Obama talks about "helping out in the economic transition". Obama has more about alternative fuels, which I like, so a point for him there. In the end, this issue is a wash between them.
• Healthcare - Obama, and Hillary:
  I think these plans are virtually identical, unless I'm missing something. Both talk about making the healthcare plan offered to federal employees available to all. Both about a public plan in conjunction with the Federal plan for those who can't even afford that option. Both talk about providing affordable care for everyone. Obama's goes into a little more detail, which is somewhat reassuring, but in the end, I believe these are the same.
• Iraq:
  Obama always spoke out against entering Iraq. Hillary erroneously voted to enter Iraq in 2002, but has seen the error of those ways. Now both have plans to get out.

All this to say, that I voted for Hillary based on these major issues - and now, listing them again as such, I have reassured myself that I voted they way I would have today. BUT I will still be equally happy with Obama. Hillary, in my mind, is a headtilt further in the direction I would like to go, but that doesn't mean Obama won't get there.

Other issues of importance, but not as pressing importance to me, personally, are, of course, the economy, and our country's international relations.

To look further at the issues as they are laid out by the candidates, you can visit Hillary's website, and Obama's website. Both of these candidates give me hope.