I received a forwarded e-mail from a friend of mine (who is obviously a McCain supporter) originally from Bill Brown of The Billy Graham Team. It contained the usual right-wing smears that so many of these e-mails contain but I decided to rebutt each claim line by line.
Once that was accomplished and sent back to my friend, I thought about it and realized that many of us are receiving this same information almost daily in our inboxes so I decided to post my reply (with links where appropriate) so that all of us have access to this information to fight the right-wing smears.
Feel free to copy and paste this reply to any and all you can so that these distortions can die an ugly death and Barack Obama becomes our next President!
VERY INFORMATIVE INTERESTING.......
Subject: Obama by Bill Brown of the Billy Graham Team
By Bill Brown of the Billy Graham Team
Bill Brown, is a highly respected retired member of the Billy Graham team so, I take his assessment of Obama very seriously and for that reason accept his challenge to pass this on. I share his concern about the 'rock star' image Obama has and watch with growing concern at the celebrity status the media has foisted upon him. Here is hope this email informs you in a wise way.
The Obama Tidal Wave
We are witnessing a political phenomenon with Barack Obama of rare magnitude. His speeches have inspired millions and yet most of his followers have no idea of what he stands for except platitudes of 'Change' or that he says he will be a 'Uniter'.
The power of speech from a charismatic person truly can be a powerful thing. Certainly Billy Graham had charisma. Both his manner of speech and particularly the content changed millions.
On the extreme other hand, the charisma of Adolph Hitler, too, inspired millions and the results were catastrophic.
Barack Obama certainly is no Hitler or a Billy Graham, but for many Americans riding on the Obama Tidal Wave it is just like a surfer who might be ecstatic and euphoric while riding a tidal wave, but the reality of the ride is what happens when it hits shore.
Just Some of What Defines Barack Obama:
He voted for partial birth abortion
He voted "Present" which is a political ploy to force a compromise when you are part of the minority party (quite different from a "Yes" vote) Politifact Link
He voted no on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions.
Same as above. He voted "present" instead of "Yes". (Same link)
Supports affirmative action in Colleges and Government (quotas).
What he supports is affirmative action based on individual circumstances, not solely on race (as it is now), which makes much more sense that an affluent black should not get into college over a poor white, which is exactly what he is proposing. Washington Monthly Link
In 2001 he questioned harsh penalties for drug dealing as being too severe.
What he questioned was the fact that someone who committed a rape at knifepoint would receive the same sentence as someone who sold 15 doses of ecstacy (not necessarily the same "heinous" crime). Talk Left Link
Says he will deal with street level drug dealing as minimum wage affair.
Taken wholly out of context. He was referring to the fact that people turn to drug dealing because the only other employment they can obtain is minimum wage jobs. On The Issues Link
Admitted his use of marijuana and cocaine in high school and in college.
So did Bill Clinton (sort of). At least he was honest about it when asked. On The Issues Link
His religious convictions are very murky.
As the right likes to constantly point out, there is a constitutional separation of Church and State. His religion should not be and is not a legitimate issue.
He is willing to meet with Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Kim Jung Il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
And the current administration has done such a bang-up job with diplomacy over the past 7+ years – in fact, THEY are now touting the fact that they are having high-level talks with Iran (Ahmadinejad)....
Has said that one of his first goals after being elected would be to have a conference with all Muslim nations. Why?
Smart move, that’s why...(from American Thinker Link) In an interview on former Senator Bill Bradley's Sirius radio show, Barack Obama let it be known that if elected president, he would organize a meeting between Islamic leaders and Americans:
"I would convene a conference within my first year just gathering together Muslim leaders from all around the world, to describe for them what our values and our interests are, to insist that they need to help us to defeat the terrorist threats that are there, but to also recognize that they are bound up with us and that we have an interest in making sure that their societies can prosper and that we're moving forward with them as partners with dignity and respect."
Opposed the Patriot Act.
Not a bad thing to oppose; the single-most unpatriotic piece of legislation ever passed by the US Government. The Patriot Act basically steps on almost every aspect of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights (all in the name of "security" of course). As Ben Franklin once said "He who gives up a little liberty for a little security deserves neither".
First bill he signed that was ever passed was campaign finance reform.
And the problem with this (if you’re not John McCain and the Republican Party, is????
Voted to allow law suits against gun manufacturers.
I’ll give you this one....
Supports universal health-care.
As opposed to John McCain’s fantastic health care plan which is drop your employer-based group plan (and he would penalize companies that offered health insurance to their employees) in favor of getting a single-coverage plan on the open market (which, as has been proven in other insurance areas, to drive prices sky-high).
Voted yes on providing habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees.
One of the basic tenets of American rule of law – the right to know what you are being detained for. Denial of this right (under the US Constitution) is a violation of US Law (not to mention, since the current President is the one who pushed this through, it serves as Breach of Contract for violating the Presidential Oath of Office (to uphold the Constitution)).
Supports granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.
Cannot find any legitimate reference to this position. Politifact Link on Immigration Positions
Supports extending welfare to illegal immigrants.
See above.
Voted yes on comprehensive immigration reform.
See above.
Voted yes on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security
See above.
Wants to make the minimum wage a 'living wage'.
And what is wrong with this or should minimum wage be so low that people have to work several jobs just to make ends meet? The minimum wage should not force someone to work 3 jobs just to feed and clothe their family, it should be a living wage.
Voted with Democratic Party 96 percent of 251 votes. (241 votes Demo, 10 votes Republican)
And John McCain voted with Bush 90% of the time last year and 95% of the time this year – BIG WHOOPING DEAL!
Is a big believer in the separation of church and state.
As he should as a Constitutional Law Professor as the Bill of Rights guarantees the separation of Church & State in that the GOVERNMENT can make no laws regarding a preference of religion. It was good enough for the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, et al, its good enough for me!
Opposed to any efforts to Privatize Social Security and instead supports increasing the amount of tax paid into Soc. Sec. Tax Increase.
Privatizing Social Security will jeopardize its continued viability. By raising the cap (for those making over $103,000 – less than 5% of the total working population), it would assure Social Security’s continued viability and availability.
He voted No on repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax which now hits middle income brackets. Tax Increase.
It has nothing to do with Obama (or McCain) rather the fact that the law has not been looked at or revised since its inception in 1969 (under a Republican President) and, with income levels growing, more people are getting caught with AMT.
He voted No on repealing the 'Death' Tax. Tax Increase.
Because repealing it would cost the government $1 trillion. On the Issues Link
He wants to raise the Capital Gains Tax. Tax Increase.
True and for good reason. On the Issues Link
Has repeatedly said the surge in Iraq has not succeeded...which is not true
He has repeatedly said that any increase in US troop presence would automatically have a quieting effect on Iraq however, for those who now claim that all is fine in Iraq, why have we not removed the surge troops if it worked? As soon as we remove those additional troops, the violence levels will most assuredly rise again. The solution is to get the hell out of Iraq (where we shouldn’t have gone into in the first place).
He is ranked as the most liberal Senator in the Senate today and that takes some doing.
Again, what is wrong with that? After 7+ years of political ultra-conservatism, the opposite end of the spectrum is a nice change of pace!
If your political choices are consistent with Barack Obama's and you think that his positions will bring America together or make it a better place, then you will probably enjoy the ride and not forward this Email. If you are like most Americans that after examining what he stands for, are truly not in line with his record, it would be prudent to get off the wave or better yet, never get on, before it comes on shore and undermines the very foundations of this great Country. We have limited time to save America or the Supreme Court as we know it.
Inaction is action.
If you agree this is important, pass it on. The mainstream media will not do it for you!
Bill Brown
Billy Graham Team, Retired