McCain or Obama ? You decide!

[randyoitker1]

I received this in an e-mail from a friend and I thought that I would share it with you.

One Man's Opinion

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 letter 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

its called '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 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 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, their credentials, and which one I would want

working for me.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. A bout 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 A merica ..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.

At this point, I want to add that I don't want a First Lady that has

to be shown how to really love America . I want a First Lady who thinks

more about people beyond herself and takes on tasks like Cindy McCain

does. Have you read about her trip to Rwanda and Zaire ? Look it up. She thinks

far beyond herself and 'her' people.

[stevebeilgard]

good post. i can't believe obama will get any votes, but i'm sure he will. we live in saaaaad times

[Lead Poison]

barack smoking

I absolutely can't stand Barack Obama he's a socialist liberal!

I'm voting for John McCain!

[crazylegz70]

I'm not even going to lie, I like the idea of Socialistic health care...Maybe its just that I am young and I have been through 4 Times more in hospitals than most people my age. I know what it has costed me in $$$$.

[cgilbert08]

wow!!! I dont think anyone could've said that any better. I agree that if a man has the integrity of mccain and is willing to put others in front of himself to do what is right he is a good candidate to run our country. I dont believe many people in america have that quality anymore. I think if more men would stand up and be men of integrity and honesty it would change our country in a miraculous way. thank god for men who still possess these qualities. I only pray that god will put them in a position to lead us back to god and the foundation that we were built on!

[OJR]

I'm not even going to lie, I like the idea of Socialistic health care...Maybe its just that I am young and I have been through 4 Times more in hospitals than most people my age. I know what it has costed me in $$$$.

Since 1963, I have laid out of my own pocket over $200K because of the democrats and their wonderful programs!:mad:

No THANK YOU, when it comes to socialized medicine or federal health insurance!:eek:

You can't be naive or can you??:confused::rolleyes:

[Hoosierbuck]

"You can't be naive or can you??:confused::roll eyes:"

Bad news, sir. He is not alone. There are lots of them out there.

HB

[crazylegz70]

I really hope that all of you get to enjoy 8 years of Mr. Obama

[nativetexan]

I'm not even going to lie, I like the idea of Socialistic health care...Maybe its just that I am young and I have been through 4 Times more in hospitals than most people my age. I know what it has costed me in $$$$.

Soooo the truth comes out. Let me get this right, because you have 4 times more health problems than the rest of us, and it has cost you more out of your own pocket, somehow you are angry about that and feel that the rest of us should have to pay your medical care? Sounds childish, immature, jealous, and whatever other description I could think of along those lines.

Nobody is telling you to NOT vote for Obama, what I am telling you is that you are voting for him for all the wrong reasons, and that the others here are educating you from their viewpoint. We already know about Obama. I would say that most of us are well schooled on the negative concerning him. If I were you, I would educate yourself a little more on socialized medicine and the countries in which socialism is and was practiced.

[crazylegz70]

I am not jealous, immature, childish....I just care about how I am going to pay for my healthcare. If you feel like I am a burden on society I have a few choice words for you that I am going to refrain from saying on here.

I am voting for him for reasons that matter to me and that is my RIGHT as an american...

[Mach1]

Why should the rest of us have to pay for someone else's healthcare costs? That's not our problem (and I mean no ill intent to those who've had many medical problems). There is no need to redistribute the wealth to penalize those who have the most of it or to socialize health care or anything else.

It's already bad enough that we're paying for the welfare people when many of them could easily go out and get a job and make money to support themselves.

[nativetexan]

I am not jealous, immature, childish....I just care about how I am going to pay for my healthcare. If you feel like I am a burden on society I have a few choice words for you that I am going to refrain from saying on here.

I am voting for him for reasons that matter to me and that is my RIGHT as an american...

Well, it pretty much sounds like you made up your mind on how you are going to pay for your healthcare...as I already said previously.

You are absolutely right it is your right to vote for him. All I am telling you in a nutshell is:

1. Your hunting days are numbered

2. Your gun ownership rights are in jeopardy

3. Socialized healthcare is a burden on our society. If that puts you in that category, then so be it. Sorry, but my theory stands, and the voting records of the democrats is my proof.

4. Your taxes are going to go up, and go up big to pay for all of these programs. Ain't nothing free in this world. I would expect to get the same response I was typing if I were on here saying "hey guys, i'm going to vote your taxes up!" Now those people who are scraping by are now giving more to pay for your healthcare. That my friend, is taking food out of a babies mouth, a tank of gas away from someone, or whether the lights will stay on. But it's all about you and how you are going to pay your medical bills right?

[wtnhunt]

This is a pretty good read, Mr. Porter put in words what many of us have probably been saying for some time.