A Rant On Politics. Reader beware.

A few days ago a friend in Chicago sent me a link to the Obama YES WE CAN video.

I in turn sent him a link to the same group of people singing the words of John McCain.

So scary.

Anyway, there were about thirty-nine people on the email list, and one of the people, someone I don't know, followed up by sending the entire list the stupid nonsense on the web that Obama is a muslim, that he was sworn in on a Koran, that he eats white babies for breakfast, blah, blah, blah, the same old crap. So I let that person have it for not thinking on his own and for being a pawn of the Rovians.

That was followed by another comment from another person I don't know attacking Obama but in a more intelligent way.

My post tonight is my reply to that letter. Do me a favor people, do what you think is right, but don't be afraid to open your ears and listen to all sides. Don't be afraid to talk to your friends and neighbors about the issues that deeply affect us all. And don't be afraid to admit when something you believe turns out to be false, or something you thought was false turns out to be true.


Dear XXXXXXXXX,

Thank you for your reply.

"I'll agree with everyone, that Mr. S------'s information is not all that credible and is pretty much a scare tactic."

Not all that credible?

"And I really don't like to talk politics..."

I wish Americans were not so reticent about talking about politics. Why is American Idol easier to talk about than who will be the next American President?

In any event, if we are ever going to grow as a nation, we need to be able to talk to each other about the difficult issues. Not fight, not insult, and not tell lies, but just talk. In the end, we all go into that little private booth and do what we feel is best. So thank you for entering this discussion. And for those who don't want to participate, no problem, that's what the DELETE button is for.

The voting record of all Senators are public record. Here is a link to a Washington Post data base of all the votes by US Senators in the 110th Congress.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/senate/members/

You are right, people should know the voting record of the candidates. That is a sure way to know the past. But sometimes people change their minds, and reverse their votes later. Clinton has. McCain has. That is fair, and shows the ability of a person to grow and change.

But while we should hold up voting records to scrutiny, members of Congress vote how for their constituents back home. When running for President, the rules are different. And those who run for President do miss many votes out on the campaign trail.

Obama was not in the senate when the vote to go to war was taken, but Clinton was, and she voted for it. And she continued to vote YES every time Bush asked for more money or power to fund his illegal war or continue his illegal occupation. That is the number one reason I will not vote for Clinton. She will not acknowledge the war is a travesty, and will not even say she will get our troops out of Iraq before 2013. Unacceptable.

McCain wants to keep us in Iraq for 100 years. How do you feel about that?

But Barack is not just a great, inspiring, speaker, he is against the war, he is for health care for all (his plan and Clinton's are virtually the same - which is too bad, neither go far enough towards single payer health care like every other developed nation on the planet), and his record in the Illinois Senate shows he votes for justice. Because of Barack, the Chicago Police now video tape interrogations. I want a President who will fight for all Americans.

And since you brought up Reagan, perhaps you are a Republican, so let me ask you are, are Republicans for tax increases? Because Reagan increased taxes 11 times. Are Republicans for granting amnesty to illegal aliens? Oh, because Reagan did that. Are Republicans for spending billions of dollars on a cockamamy defense project called Star Wars? Oh, yeah, they are. You got that one.

Now let's look at some other great Reagan accomplishments. Let's see, he broke the air traffic controllers union, which caused the beginning of the loss of good jobs in America and the decline of union membership in America. In 1980 25% of Americans were part of a union, today, it is 7%. Think about that next time you try to make a payment on your ballooning mortgage.

But to be fair, while Reagan started us down the slippery slope of deregulation and privatization, it was a Democrat by the name of Clinton who signed NAFTA into law, the worst thing he ever did, and I can't excuse that horrendous decision. And I'll never vote for a Clinton again. Ever.

But this all started because one person tried to spread a fun video, and another tried to spread nasty lies.

So now I'll stop, step down off my box, and wish you all a good night.

Noel Olken
Los Angeles, Ca