It is a long but worthy read :]


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"!!



Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 3:19 PM
Subject: FW: A letter from Ilinois

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.


E-mail: ronald.hess@alumni.purdue.edu

thanks for sharing

well iread it til i got to this line

"""We are in the unique position in this country of electing our leaders. It's a privilege to do so.""""

it is not a privilege

it is a responsibility and a right

I don't like McCain for President. Keating 5. Girlfriend while married. Voted with Bush over 90% of the time. Flip flops. And more....

I'm voting for Obama.

I was already with you for McCain but this convinces me even more. There is just something evil about Obama and I don't trust him. Maternal Instinct?????

mm, same here.

He scares the crap out of me to be honest...and NO it has nothing to do with him being black. I'm getting sick and tired of people using that as a supposed "excuse".

Evil? Really?

interesting very interesting (in best artie johnson voice)

I agree, it isn't his skin color. It is something about the way he carries himself. His reactions and mannerisms. He never answers any questions. At least to my satisfaction anyway. Did you ever just see someone and they made your skin crawl?

Evil... OMG. People throw that Evil card way to much.

that gets thrown even more than the Race card...

Being a patsy for the Democratic Party does not make the man Evil.

What utter nonsense.

My feelings have NOTHING to do with his political association. I vote on the person not the party. There are plenty of Democrats out there that are very qualified and do a good job. My feelings are based on him personally.

Yeah. McCain is creepy to me when I'm watching the debates. My mom said that he reminded her of a troll.

All joking aside...I look at the words that they are saying.

I like the way Obama handles himself. He appears calm and confident to me. McCain get irate so easily and sneers a lot.

Oh then I reckon you see horns when he speaks.

Evil he is not.

I will not vote for him cause I don't think he is qualified.

That said he is a man with dreams and ambitions that I can respect.

If he does not win in this election I would be curious to see how he works through it.

I may be willing to vote for him in a future election after he has shown me his words are backed by his deeds.

Yes well... I agree...McCain IS more qualified.

OBAMA can't tell the truth...

If anyone is a racist just look at his wife & her comments???? Can you imagine what she would be like with her racist attitudes? LOL

Can you explain to us why you are scared of him?

Theres something evil and untrustworthy about us all.Thats what I read in the bible

*cough*write-in canidate*/cough*

Seriously, look up your politics, be informed...we do not need to choose between two evils, I'm hoping that Ron Paul registers as a write-in...even if he doesn't, he still gets my vote.

I'm notwasting my vote on someone who I know won't win.

Every vote is important in THIS election to play politics with. A third party vote is a wasted vote. Especially for one candidate. Change really needs to come into congress & the senate.

It's just the way he carries himself...I don't trust him, and if he gets voted I will only expect the worst from him.