please read!!!!!!!!!

[blackpaws]

Dear Friends:

My name is Joe Porter. I live in Champaign , Illinois . I'm 46 years old, a born-again Christian, a husband, a father, a small business owner, a veteran, and a homeowner. I don't consider myself to be either conservative or liberal, and I vote for the person, not Republican or Democrat. I don't believe there are 'two Americas' but that every person in this country can be whomever and whatever they want to be if they'll just work to get there, and nowhere else on earth can they find such opportunities. I believe our government should help those who are legitimately downtrodden, and should always put the interests of America first.

The purpose of this message is that I'm concerned about the future of this great nation. I'm worried that the silent majority of honest, hard-working, tax-paying people in this country have been passive for too long. Most folks I know choose not to involve themselves in politics. They go about their daily lives, paying their bills, raising their kids, and doing what they can to maintain the good life. They vote and consider doing so to be a sacred trust. They shake their heads at the political pundits and so-called 'news', thinking that what they hear is always spun by whomever is reporting it. They can't understand how elected officials can regularly violate the public trust with pork barrel spending. They don't want government handouts. They want the government to protect them, not raise their taxes for more government programs.

We are in the unique position in this country of electing our leaders. It's a privilege to do so. I've never found a candidate in any election with whom I agreed on everything. I'll wager that most of us don't even agree with our families or spouses 100% of the time. So, when I step into that voting booth, I always try to look at the big picture and cast my vote for the man or woman who is best qualified for the job. I've hired a lot of people in my lifetime, and essentially that's what an election is - a hiring process. Who has the credentials? Whom do I want working for me? Whom can I trust to do the job right?

I'm concerned that a growing number of voters in this country simply don't get it. They are caught up in a fervor they can't explain, and calling it 'change'.

'Change what?' I ask.

'Well, we're going to change America ,' they say.

'In what way?' I query.

'We want someone new and fresh in the White House,' they exclaim.

'So, someone who's not a politician?' I say.

'Uh, well, no, we just want a lot of stuff changed, so we're voting for Obama,' they state.


'So the current system, the system of freedom and democracy that has enabled a man to grow up in this great country, get a fine education, raise incredible amounts of money and dominate the news, and win his party's nomination for the White House that system's all wrong?'

'No, no, that part of the system's okay. We just need a lot of change.'

And so it goes. 'Change we can believe in.'

Quite frankly, I don't believe that vague proclamations of change hold any promise for me. In recent months, I've been asking virtually everyone I encounter how they're voting. I live in Illinois , so most folks tell me they're voting for Barack Obama. But no one can really tell me why, only that he's going to change a lot of stuff.

'Change, change, change.' I have yet to find one single person who can tell me distinctly and convincingly why this man is qualified to be President and Commander-in-Chief of the most powerful nation on earth, other than the fact that he claims he's going to implement a lot of change.

We've all seen the emails about Obama's genealogy, his upbringing, his Muslim background, and his church affiliations. Let's ignore this for a moment. Put it all aside. Then ask yourself, 'What qualifies this man to be my president? That he's a brilliant orator and talks about change?'

CHANGE WHAT?

Friends, I'll be forthright with you. I believe the American voters who are supporting Barack Obama don't have a clue what they're doing, as evidenced by the fact that not one of them - NOT ONE of them I've spoken to can spell out his qualifications. Not even the most liberal media can explain why he should be elected. Political experience? Negligible. Foreign relations? Non-existent. Achievements? Name one. Someone who wants to unite the country? If you haven't read his wife's thesis from Princeton , look it up on the web. This is who's lining up to be our next First Lady? The only thing I can glean from Obama's constant harping about change is that we're in for a lot of new taxes.

For me, the choice is clear. I've looked carefully at the two leading applicants for the job, and I've made my choice.

Here's a question - 'Where were you five and a half years ago? Around Christmas, 2002. You've had five or six birthdays in that time. My son has grown from a sixth grade child to a high school graduate. Five and a half years is a good chunk of time. About 2,000 days. 2,000 nights of sleep. 6,000 meals, give or take.'

John McCain spent that amount of time, from 1967 to 1973, in a North Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp.

When offered early release, he refused it. He considered this offer to be a public relations stunt by his captors, and insisted that those held longer than he should be released first. Did you get that part? He was offered his freedom, and he turned it down. A regimen of beatings and torture began.

Do you possess such strength of character? Locked in a filthy cell in a foreign country, would you turn down your own freedom in favor of your fellow man? I submit that's a quality of character that is rarely found, and for me, this singular act defines John McCain.

Unlike several presidential candidates in recent years whose military service is questionable or non-existent, you will not find anyone to denigrate the integrity and moral courage of this man. A graduate of Annapolis, during his Naval service he received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross. His own son is now serving in the Marine Corps in Iraq . Barack Obama is fond of saying 'We honor John McCain's service...BUT...,' which to me is condescending and offensive - because what I hear is, 'Let's forget this man's sacrifice for his country, and his proven leadership abilities, and talk some more about change.'

I don't agree with John McCain on everything - but I am utterly convinced that he is qualified to be our next President, and I trust him to do what's right. I know in my heart that he has the best interests of our country in mind. He doesn't simply want to be President - he wants to lead America , and there's a huge difference. Factually, there is simply no comparison between the two candidates. A man of questionable background and motives who prattles on about change, can't hold a candle to a man who has devoted his life in public service to this nation, retiring from the Navy in1981 and elected to the Senate in1982.

Perhaps Obama's supporters are taking a stance between old and new. Maybe they don't care about McCain's service or his strength of character, or his unblemished qualifications to be President. Maybe 'likeability' is a higher priority for them than 'trust'. Being a prisoner of war is not what qualifies John McCain to be President of the United States of America - but his demonstrated leadership certainly DOES.

Dear friends, it is time for us to stand. It is time for thinking Americans to say, 'Enough.' It is time for people of all parties to stop following the party line. It is time for anyone who wants to keep America first, who wants the right man leading their nation, to start a dialogue with all their friends and neighbors and ask who they're voting for, and why.

There's a lot of evil in this world. That should be readily apparent to all of us by now. And when faced with that evil as we are now, I want a man who knows the cost of war on his troops and on his citizens. I want a man who puts my family's interests before any foreign country.

I want a President who's qualified to lead.

I want my country back, and I'm voting for John McCain.
Phone: 760.434.1395
E-mail: ronald.hess@alumni.purdue.edu

[ken]

black paws,

nice post i agree with alot that you say...I know for one that being born again really brings theology back into perspective and having a christian point of view (conservative) really suggest that McCain is the better choice,.,. and I agree of the two he is of the lesser evil.,, yes I said evil,. one thing I suggest is that since you have begun to dig,. as per your post on obama's wife...i think you should dig somemore.., but I warn you the rabbit hole runs deep and the red pill is hard to swallow....,. a few topics to wiki are .,., web of debt, money masters, the federal reserve,. and go from there,,, we are in trouble.,,good luck

[blackpaws]

this was an e-mail sent to me so i thought i would share.

[Morgan Richard]

if I was old enough to vote I would vote for McCain

[ken]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsb2w886xSg

[Spanky]

You know I have tried to stay away from all the hoopla with this joke of an election. The people of this country are gonna get exactly what they deserve, and its the younger generation that has got sucked right into it. Spoiled brats....exactly. If you recently just went through college under your parents expense you better re-think what you plan on doing come tuesday.

I can only talk about my families financial status and if I were to compare the last 8 to the previous 8 there is no comparison. Thank goodness my daughter decided to go to college under Bushs watch because it would have never happened under Clinton. After high School my son spent 6 years in the Air Force under Bush's watch and is now going to college on the GI bill at no expense to him or myself, not bad, 2 kids in the same house hold going to college from a parent who could not afford to go to college when he was old enough Instead I wnet into the army without the same opportunity as my son when I got out. Oh and Jimmy Carter was president at the time I graduated high school....a Democrat!

Is the country in trouble ...yes. Do we need change....we need tweaking but as for all this dramatic change that will only effect our wallets, I would rather not have that type of change.

Common sence should be the rule and if this Obama momma gets in we will see it regardless of his BS he is spuing on all the air waves out there. Plan and simple common sence, no tax increase for anyone making under $250,000 BULLCHIT. Bills have to be paid plan and simple and someone has to pay them and it will not be the top 5% of the countries economy.

In the end the family man pays the bills weather through tax or through loss of jobs but it is us that pays the bills. Why is it the politicians make more money then the blue collar worker, does he deserve more...NO. They are the one's that created this mess and we are the fools that put them in office. And lets no forget it was Clinton who deregual;ted the market that caused all this bailout mess and its Obama Momma that is benefiting from it.

So Obama momma your gonna raise taxes on the top 5%, the factory owners and the companies that pay our wage...I wonder how they plan to re-act, maybe more layoffs and less production. Maybe more products being made over seas where they can pay for cheaper labor to offset there higher taxes Oh thats right Obamam Momma wants to raise taxes for those companies that use labor outside the USA so what do they do now....hmmmm how about raise the price on goods and services....who pays....WE DO!!!!

God Help us if that fool gets in, this country will be bankrupt and the blame game will start even when he is in office so he can get another 4

[Cathunter10]

Well said gentelmen
Bill

[Big Horn Posse]

I just hope on Tuesday when we all walk into the voting booth that everyone will vote not like a bunch of sheep and follow the herd, but think long and hard and vote with their gut instinct. If American's vote for what is right and not what is popular our man McCain will get it. I just hope people are smart enough to do just that. I pray it is so as I do not want to see what will happen if Obama gets in.

[Tom White]

Oboma seems to have cast a spell over a lot of people. There is NOT one reason to vote for him. This is so obvious , its scarey. I already voted for Mc Cain.