Fwd: I don't know the man --but he makes sense.

Begin forwarded message:

From: $$$$@%%%%net>
Date: August 25, 2008 12:24:01 PM EDT
To:
Subject: Fw: I don't know the man --but he makes sense.

Bob: Thanks for sending this!
----- Original Message -----

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 what ever 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 press.

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 imple-ment 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 in 1981 and elected to the Senate in 1982.

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.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, that e-mail's as close to sense as I've seen from anything posted here. Obama does campaign on a vague "change" ticket, just as McCain campaigns on his war record. Modern elections seem intent on dodging any real issues, so voting for McCain's experience is as reasonable a decision as any.

That said, I'm not sure how being a POW, as honorable as it is, translates into good Presidency more than Senate experience. "Strength of character" is as nebulous as "change" -- give me the reason you like McCain's economic policy or diplomatic caliber. His description of Obama's positions indicates he gets them from Republican descriptions.

The one truly hilarious part is the revelation that we as Americans are the only people who elect a President. I never knew!

SJT said...

I want my country back. So I'm voting for the candidate of the Incumbent party which has wrecked my country instead of the guy who wants to take the nation in a different direction. Spot on logic there.

Is this all they have? That Obama is "vague" about his change? Never mind all the proposals he's made in speeches, debates and appearances. Never mind the power of a 10 second Google search which will yield his entire platform in writing. Its just pathetic that this is still an issue for some people, people who refuse to seek out even the tiniest bit of information for themselves.

Matto the Hun said...

Indeed, that last line "I want my country back." underscores the shear stupidity of the email and the mentality of the fools that buy into it.

Really? You want your country back? Who the hell do you think has it you flaming sack of duh?

The Republican Party!

Now I'll let your sorry excuse for a brain chew on that for a bit.

...

OK, are you ready? Are you sitting down? This may come as a huge shock... but your candidate John McCain.... wait for it

...

wait for it...

is IN the Republican Party.

I know... that is some crazy shit isn't it!

So I guess the Republican Party needs to take this country back... from themselves (?)... so that they continue the policies that have put us in the mess we are in?

joshua said...

My girlfriend was one of those "omg Obama will change what?" type of people. Then I had her listen to Obama's DNC Convention acceptance speech. And yea, now it makes sense.

Sometimes people don't listen. I will say that a lot of people have probably jumped on the Obama bandwagon without fully being able to articulate what it is they like about him. But that doesn't mean nothing is there! If this guy was really so interested I am sure he could find out by going to BarackObama.com, listening to speeches, etc. But he won't, because he is a close minded moron

But, yea, he's not a moron. Because there is approximately a 0% chance this "letter" was not written by some RNC toad in the Beltway. Probably raised by wingnut parents, joined the Young Republicans in college like Bush's BFF Abramoff. And yea, now its all over the internets. Awesome.

Erin said...

The change is mostly for people who make under $500,000 a year.

Did you hear? John McCain was a POW! I think he was even tortured! I didn't really get a clear answer out of last night's speech though, so I guess I could be wrong. Being tortured is a great qualification for being president!

Matto the Hun said...

@ erin

so when you really think about it... by torturing detainees we are really cranking out highly qualified presidential leaders for their countries. So THAT'S how you spread democracy!

Really, McCain's a POW, weird... hadn't heard that. *roll eyes*

Anonymous said...

If John McCain is such a great war hero then why'd he get captured?

Anonymous said...

I love the way this starts:

"I'm 46 years old, a born-again Christian,... a small business owner, a veteran..... I don't consider myself to be either conservative or liberal, and I vote for the person."

Sure. Because there's a bunch of "born again", "small business", "veterans" who are lining up to vote for Obama. Might as well started out with "I'm the stereotypical example of everything the GOP thinks is an ideal person..."

 
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