Hey buddy. I got your most recently forwarded e-mail earlier. It's a 13 minute embedded video, a screed once again attacking Barack Obama. Telling me that Obama is not "American enough", not "like us". Over the months there have been numerous e-mails and videos you have forwarded to me attacking Obama. And each time you have asked me, as an Obama supporter, to respond, to debunk the lies, to educate you, if I can. Why? Because you, as a lifelong Republican, are sick to death of the last eight years. You want a reason to vote Democratic this year, but the constant barrage of anti-Obama crap you are receiving makes you think you can't vote for him. Each time I have responded: logically, calmly, rationally, pointing out lie after lie, distortion after distortion, smear after smear. Well, no more old friend, and here's why.
I know why you asked me to respond. You know I am a lifelong Democrat, heavily involved in campaigns. Studying issues, walking districts, stuffing envelopes, phonebanking. Volunteering my time, efforts and what money I can afford to contribute. You are a lifelong Republican, you pay little or no attention to campaigns and usually, by your own admission, go into the voting both on election day and vote Republican down the line. You've repeatedly told me you pay little attention to the issues, you just feel more comfortable voting republican. Until this year. You realize that the Bush/Cheney administration has been dishonest, corrupt, incompetent and almost assurdely criminal. You want a reason to vote for Obama, but you're uncomfortable with him.
The Republicans have done a superb job of brainwashing you. Yes, brainwashing, you and millions of other voters. Starting with Lee Atwater who worked for both Reagan and Bush I, Republicans run ads that make you feel that their candidate is all man, strong on defense and will stand up for America. The Democrat by comparison is always portrayed as weak, someone who won't stand up to our adversaries. From Michael Dukakis looking ridiculous in the tank, to Willie Horton, to the swiftboating of Vietnam veteran John Kerry the Republicans have done a superb job of drawing this distinction between the parties.
Already this year I have told you the truth about Obama. About the "radical Islamic madrassa" in Indonesia; about his middle name and "Muslim religion"; about Rev. Wright, Tony Rezko and William Ayers. About how he "never had a real job"; about how he managed to attend top colleges even though his family was not rich; about how he and Michelle afforded their house. The innuendo and belittling have been continuous. And now the Republicans are attacking the very notion that he is "not American enough", he is "too different", he is "not like you". And if he is "not like you", you will be uncomfortable with him because he is "the other".
You've asked me to respond to this latest attack, but I'm sorry, I won't. Because even if I can show where, how and why the most recent attack is specious, there will be another next week, and the week after, right up until election day.
So here's the bottom line. Forget about flag lapel pins, the Pledge of Allengiance, bittergate, Wright, Rezko, Ayers and all the rest of the crap the Republicans are throwing at the Democrats this year. If the bullshit I've outline above is what you want to base your vote on, then please do so. If not, please continue reading.
If you want to stay in Iraq for 100 years, vote for McCain. He says he will stay in Iraq until victory, so our soldiers are no longer be killed. But he is willing to fight until victory, no matter how many more dead Americans (and Iraqi's).
If you want abortions to be performed in alleys, vote for McCain because he has promised to appoint people to the Supreme Court who will vote to overturn Roe v. Wade.
If you want a tax policy that gives 60% of the tax breaks to the wealthiest 1% of Americans, and 80% to the wealthiest 10% of Americans, vote for McCain because he has promised to make Bush's tax breaks permanent.
If you want to make America's national debt even worse than Bush has made it, vote for McCain, because he has said he not only wants to make Bush's tax breaks permanent, he wants to double them.
If you want 47 million Americans to remain without healthcare, vote for McCain because his health care plan does nothing to address any issue that would make a difference to the ininsured or underinsured. Did you know that under McCain's health care plan, he wouldn't qualify for health insurance due to a pre-existing condition?
If you want a misogynist in the White House, vote for McCain because he once called his own wife a cunt in public for teasing him about losing his hair; and when asked "How do we beat the bitch?" (referring to a fellow US Senator), he laughed and said "That's a good question".
If you want continued and repeated attacks on Social Security, vote for McCain, because he has said he's wants 'Private Accounts' to be part of Social Security's future.
If you want a president who doesn't understand economics, vote for McCain, because he has said on at least four occasion that economics is not something he has paid much attention to (but he does have Greenspan's book).
If you want someone how doesn't understand the difference between Sunni and Shi'a in the middle east, vote for McCain, because he said on at least four occasions that Iran (a primarily Shi'a country) was training and arming Al Quaeda (a totally Sunni organization). He continued saying this until Joe Lieberman stepped forward and whispered a correction to him, during a public speech.
If you want someone who's idea of diplomacy is the use of force and bluster first, vote for McCain, because when asked how to deal with the Iranian nuclear issue, he broke into song: singing "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb Iran" to the tune of the Beach Boy's 'Barbara Ann' and he also once said he would solve the Sunni/Shi'a conflict in Iraq by sitting them down and telling them to "stop the shit".
If you want millions of Americans to continue to lose their home to foreclosure, vote for McCain, because his housing plan (his third), does nothing to address the issue.
If you want America to continue to torture prisoners, vote for McCain, because he was against torture before he was for it.
If you want hundreds of thousands, or even millions of Americans, to be stripped of their voting rights, vote for McCain, because he has no plans to address the issue of disenfranchising Americans. Most of the Americans who have already lost their voting rights are minorities, the elderly and the poor.
If you want someone with a violent, explosive temper as president, vote for McCain, because, here is what some of his fellow Republicans have said about him.
"The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and he worries me."
Thad Cochran, R-MS
"His temper would place this country at risk in international affairs, and the world perhaps in danger. In my mind, that should disqualify him."
Bop Smith, R-NH
"No dissent, no opinion to the contrary - however reasonable - will be entertained. Hardheaded is one way to say it. Arrogant is another way to say it. Hubristic is another way to say it. Too proud for his own good is another way to say it. It's a quality about him that disturbs me." Col Larry Wilkinson, US Army, retired
"I decided I didn't want this guy anywhere near a trigger." Pete Domenici, R-NM
So there it is. If you want to vote this November based on the old politics of division, fear and innuendo, do so. If you want to vote on the issues, read the above comments, decide where you stand, and vote accordingly.
And in the future, if you want to discuss any issue in the upcoming campaign, I will be happy to respond. But if you want me to respond to the bullshit being thrown at Obama by the Republicans in the hope that some of it will stick, don't plan on hearing back.