Posted on 10/21/2008 8:30:17 AM PDT by COUNTrecount
THIS LETTER MAKES MORE SENSE THAN ANYTHING I HAVE SEEN, HEARD, OR READ, CONCERNING THE UPCOMING ELECTION...
IT'S A LETTER FROM A U.S. CITIZEN... WHO LIVES IN ILLINOIS... AND OBVIOUSLY IS A 'SELF-THINKER'... NOT JUST A 'FOLLOWER'!!!
IF YOU ONLY READ ONE THING, REGARDING THIS ELECTION... LET THIS BE THE ONE THING!! AFTER READING IT, YOU WILL PROBABLY WANT TO FORWARD IT TO OTHER AMERICANS WHO ARE 'SELF THINKERS'!!
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 whoever is reporting it. They can't understand how elected officials can regularly violate the public trust20with 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 'changes'.
'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 I llinois, 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 t ime, 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.
Pe rhaps 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.
I live in Chicago. If folks are worried about election fraud we are having a class for poll watchers this weekend. Freep mail me!
P.S. I dislike John Mc Cain, but as Obama has been revealed, I am voting for John Mc Cain because I fear the alternative!!
Pass it to Rush, Hannity, Levin, Malkin, Coulter, and RNC, McCain HQ and your entire address book. Why aren’t these people in national TV ads in every state?
Hope is not a plan, and change is not goal.
I quibble, but for accuracy sake - McCain did retire from the Navy in 1981, but he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982, served one term and then was elected to the Senate in 1984 when Barry Goldwater retired.
A U.S. citizen in Illinois — nowadays I think that’s called “foreigner.”
Well, Joe — you’re a right-thinking American in a sea of liberal blue out there. Best to move across the line to Indiana.
Well, then there's two of us "foreigners". Oh, and I know more...
Excelleht e-mail. Thanks for sharing this.
Ditto from the occupied state.
Did you hear King Richard’s new plan to fleece more of the sheep in his kingdom? Now he is empowering municipal workers to write parking tickets. Not just cops anymore. Bus drivers, city workers, etc. A little band of parking meter shearers to put wool on the table of the great manager of the city of Chicago.
You’ve just given me more reason to stay out of Chicago (as if I needed another). The last time I was there was about 5 years ago.
I love the boonies & the boonies love me... :)
“You’ve just given me more reason to stay out of Chicago (as if I needed another). The last time I was there was about 5 years ago.”
I don’t even go through Chicago when I visit my mom and sister in Wisconsin.It’s a straight shot up Rt. 47 anyway.
Ah, yes, hwy 47. We used to use it a lot when living in Sycamore and going to visit my Mom in Twin Lakes, WI. But we only took hwy 47 up to Woodstock, then back roads from there.
Now when we go to that area (she's no longer with us) it's easier to take I-39 to hwy 43 @ Beloit and follow it up to hwy 12 where we head back South. It's longer, but a lot shorter in time because of the divided highways & speed limits.
“Now when we go to that area (she’s no longer with us) it’s easier to take I-39 to hwy 43 @ Beloit and follow it up to hwy 12 where we head back South. It’s longer, but a lot shorter in time because of the divided highways & speed limits.”
That’s cool but I dislike the interstates, everything’s the same.Unless I’m in a big hurry, I like the state or back roads.I like to see America.
Well, from where we're at (Rochelle) it'd take almost twice as long to go the back roads and state highways. I like rural America but I'm not that patient...
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