Voices for Change: Mary Pat in Boise, Idaho

Gas prices are going through the roof in Idaho these days. “But maybe that’s just a good way to get us all to ride our bikes to work more,” says Mary Pat, 52, of Boise, Idaho, as she got off her bike to answer a phone call from the campaign.

But the gas prices aren’t the only sign that the economy in Boise is having trouble. Mary Pat says the whole economy in Boise is sinking. “It’s all going downhill. Downtown just tanked. A nice restaurant down the street just closed. Stores are closing and people are hurting; it’s hard everywhere.”

Mary Pat and her husband have felt the impact of the economic downturn first-hand. They owned a retail business for 20 years and recently lost it to the receding economy. "It was just taking every dime that we had, so last year we closed our doors. It was such a sad thing because we had put so much energy into it.  It was like a child."

It was pretty devastating. We both worked in the store, so it was our only income. When it closed, we had no retirement, no nest egg. So I went out and got a job, and my husband is looking for a job as well. But at least it made me get involved in other things. I’ve never been involve in politics before, but now I am.

I’ve done calls – I called Oregon before their primary. And I give Obama my $5 whenever I can to keep him going.

The economy is Mary Pat’s “number one issue,” but she’s also concerned about healthcare.

My husband and I are in good health, but we spend over $700 a month on healthcare for the two of us. We have health insurance, but we need to make it more affordable.

At 52 years old, Mary Pat, who has three grown children and six grandchildren, is glad to finally be involved in the political process.

I always avoided politics before, but I started getting interested in Barack early on. When he came to Boise, I was just won over by him. I’ve been proud of him in the campaign. He gives us hope.

If you can spare $5 this month, join Mary Pat and our millions of supporters across the United States and help bring hope to your community.

Voices for Change is a series featuring profiles of Barack Obama’s grassroots supporters from across the nation. The people who make up this movement come from all different backgrounds, but they share a common goal of helping bring about fundamental change in Washington.