The Epoch Times talked to five Ohioans to find out how their values align with President Trump’s and the issues that are close to their hearts. The interviews occurred from to July 28 to Aug. 5. Read the whole series HERE
Even before the primaries last year, Amy Blazitz, 62, had a feeling Trump would become president.
“I knew in my heart he was going to win,” she said from her home in Gahanna, Ohio, on Aug. 5. “Just his promises, what he stood for. I believe he can get the job done. That’s why I voted for him.”
Blazitz, a hair designer, returned to Ohio to be close to her family last year after a stint in South Carolina selling real estate. She lives with her daughter and shares responsibility for her three grandsons during the times her daughter has custody.
Blazitz’s sciatica makes it difficult to work full time, but she packs in as many hours as she can handle at a local salon.
“My family and my friends are my most important value. Doing the right thing by people, always being honest—[and] I expect that from everybody else, too,” Blazitz said, summing up her values as “God, family, country.”
But life is not easy—money is tight, retirement is looming, and health is always a concern.
Health Care
“I can’t afford health care right now. Mine [insurance premium] went from $200-and-something a month to almost $700. So based on my income, I had to go on Medicaid. I could not afford the health care. And they’ve done it to a lot of my friends. I mean, if I had to pay $700 a month, I wouldn’t be able to—I'd be living in my car!”
Blazitz said Trump is trying to fix health care, but gets obstructed. “They just don’t want him to succeed, period. It’s almost like they want our country to be really bad,” she said.
Forty years ago, Blazitz’s dreams were based on having lots of money, a big house, and travel plans. “Now it’s just survival. I just try to get through the day, go to work, do what I’m supposed to do, and have a roof over my head and be able to feed my family,” she said.
“I could probably go get food stamps. And I don’t; I won’t. I mean, I don’t believe in it. I’ve had friends that helped me and that’s okay, but I’m not taking from the government.”
Media Bias
Blazitz believes Trump “absolutely” has the best interests of Americans at heart and says media bias is a big threat to the country.
“We need more honesty. I don’t care which way people believe ... but I want them to at least be fed the correct information and then make [their] decision,” she said.
“I think he’s doing as well as could be expected. He doesn’t get a whole lot of help from anybody else, so he’s trying. Of course, we don’t hear anything about the good he does.
“Make people work, get off the [welfare] system, close the borders, take the trade, bring jobs back to America, [build a] stronger military. I believe Trump stands for all that. And he says it. I see on one channel that he’s doing it, and on the other channel, I don’t.
“I think we need to have respect for our president. I think we need to stand behind our president.”
Moral Standards
The divisions in today’s society are scary and can be traced back to a decline in morals, says Blazitz.
“It’s almost like right is wrong and wrong is right now,” she said. “Maybe we are getting ready for a civil war or something. I don’t know. It’s a scary thought, but I see that. I see it with the division.
“Honestly, I think with Obama ... a lot of faith-stuff failed. I mean, our country was built on Christianity, not on somebody else’s religion that they are trying to force on our people. America stands for a lot, [including] different religions.
“People who come here don’t respect our beliefs in our country, and want to force [their beliefs] on us. If we went to their country, we would probably be beheaded. I mean, we don’t have freedom to walk in their country like they do in ours, and [they] want to takeover.”
Blazitz has faith that Trump will build a stronger military. “Our country used to be strong. It’s one of the things I thought our former president was out to destroy. It’s like we are not safe.
“I would love to live in peace. But I don’t know if that’s possible anymore.”
World Government
Blazitz supports Trump pulling out of the Paris climate accord and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal because they represent taking a step closer toward having a one-world government.
“We cannot be a one-world government, especially when it’s against everything I’ve ever been taught and what our country stands for. So that’s a really big fear to me. In my head, this is the devil,” she said.
“I think that’s what Trump is trying to prevent. I really do.
“Why I feel this way and why I back Trump is, first of all, my beliefs, basically. It’s all about the big picture, about my faith, and what I believe is happening in our country right now, in the world.”
Republican Versus Conservative
A Republican always stood for a government for the people, says Blazitz, and Democrats stood for a government for the government. But she sees a demarcation between a Republican and a true conservative.
“The government for the people—the Republicans have kind of lost that a little bit, the conservatives not so much,” she said.
“I don’t know if Republicans think so much or care so much about our rights, either. Both parties ... if somebody would give them enough power or money to switch, they would, whereas most of my conservative friends would not. I mean, they could torture us and we’re probably not going to. You can’t be bought. You either feel the way you do, or you don’t.
“I believe that the government in the last 40 years has ... I think they’re all about themselves. They don’t want to give up their salaries or their health care to help the Americans. They’re supposed to make better choices for us and pick things that work for their country, but it doesn’t seem like they do.
“They’re in somebody’s pocket. It’s all about money and power. So as long as they can stay in office and they’re paid or they’ve taken a bribe, I don’t know, I do believe that that’s what it’s about now. And maybe it was then, but we just didn’t hear about it like we do now.”
