All,

Please take a look at the email posted below in red that was sent to me by several people.  Here is a good example of a completely false email meant to cloud your judgment come Tuesday at the polls.

Here is the actual statement that the email below was originally addressing about the senator...

http://obama.senate.gov/press/060627-obama_statement_29/  ....

and here is another website that does fact checking on chain emails like this one, which is by far one of the more famous lies being spread by the conservative right...

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/823/  ...

I don't like absolutely everything Obama or McCain stands for, but, I will put up with the things I do not like if either of them can save the middle class from the rich in this country, and McCain has proven he will not.  He is going to continue the tax plan of Bush.  Many (rich or right-wing) people want to call a tax increase for the wealthy coupled with a tax decrease for the middle class a redistribution of wealth or socialism.  Their right, it is; a redistribution of wealth, but it's not socialism.

Socialism is defined as- An economic system in which the basic means of production are primarily owned and controlled collectively, usually by government under some system ... sounds more like the plan we just enacted to bail out Wall Street.  The government buys up bad debt from banks, essentially owning a piece of the bank.  Now, that's the path to socialism brought to you by the trickle-down de-regulate everything economic plan.  By the way, both candidates voted for this and I would have too.  It was the only thing we could do to temporarily stop the financial melt down.   

Back to the redistribution of wealth thingy, the last 8 years of tax cuts and incentives for the rich while letting the middle class carry more than their fair share of the tax burden of this country could also be considered a redistribution of wealth.  That is what taxes are, a redistribution of money.  The only difference between this and what Obama proposes is the direction the money flows; and I feel it is high time that the folks making more than $250,000.00/annum (I left all the zeroes because most of us don't get to see this many zeroes ever)to start covering their fair share of the tax burden.  It is not fair when a person making $250K pays the same or similar taxes than someone making $95K simply because the person making $250K runs a business where he or she can deduct most, if not all of the income they bring in using loop holes and tax incentives set up to make the rich richer in the hopes they will trickle down.      

Trickle down economics becomes broken and does not work when the people running the businesses in our country are greedy and don't trickle down.  Instead of making new jobs, they take the money and run.  I think we can all agree that after the $700 Billion, that's B.. B.. B.. BILLION, dollar bail-out package we all just had to pay for, that the rich are not interested in sharing the wealth or trickling anything down other than to piss on us middle class and poor folks while laughing all the way to the bank. Oh, I am wrong again; we charged that $700B, so me and my generation can pay for it the rest of our lives at a tune of what some analysts say will be about $1.75 Trillion dollars at the going interest rate... I think I see the blue and white in our flag turning redder as I write this; does anyone know the Chinese national anthem?

I sincerely hope that before anyone votes, no matter who you vote for on Tuesday, that you pay close attention to what you are voting for.  Do me a favor, check your 401k balance before you go; that should help put things in perspective.  Because I for one could care less about 20-30 or even 100-200 flags being burned around this country each year, (that might actually produce a job or two) when my 401k and job might be at risk because of Washington's deregulations and tax loop holes allowing the rich to get richer all on the middle class dime. 

Oh, and by the way I have the right to say what I just said about the flag burning.  I served my time in the military and I am a VETERAN, TWICE decorated with the National Defense Ribbon for my military service.  If you ban burning the flag, people will just find something else to burn/destroy to get you people riled up.  Remember, that's how this nation was born.  A bunch of rebellious settlers in the new world overthrew big old England.  The long story short, people are always going to speak out and some may even burn flags, but you know what, that's what I fought for and that's what all the people in the military are fighting for right now; to keep the democracy and freedoms that we have here in America.  Burning our flag, believe it or not, is still a freedom protected by the constitution. 

My name is Brian Smith, and I am not running for any office, I just want people to use their heads before they go to the poles, fact check their infectious email, and worry about issues that really matter... oh, and I approve this message!  Now get your head in the game, do a little research, and GO VOTE!

If you want to forward this, be my guest!  But read the subject line first!

-B

Subject: Fw: WOW!!! MUST READ OBAMA'S BELIEFS ON FLAG

 MY God! I hope every one is listening, before it is to late.                                                                                         

Subject: Wow                                                              

 Perhaps there are SOME out there who are beginning to get 'the picture'.  

 The following is a narrative taken from Sunday Morning's televised "Meet  

 The Press'. and the author is employed by none other than the Washington  

 Post!!  Yeah......the Washington Post of New York and Los Angeles Times   

 fame!!  Must say that I'm dually impressed..................              

 From Sunday's Televised "Meet the Press" Senator Obama was asked about his

 stance on the American Flag.  Obama Explains National Anthem Stance       

 Sun, 07 Sept. 2008 11:48:04 EST, General Bill Ginn' USAF (ret.) asked     

 Obama to explain why he doesn't  follow protocol when the National Anthem 

 is played.                                                                

 The General also stated to the Senator that according to the United States

 Code,                                                                     

 Title 36, Chapter 10, Sec. 171... During rendition of the national anthem 

 when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform are       

 expected to stand at attention                                            

 facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. At the very least,    

 "Stand and Face It"                                                        

 Senator Obama Live on Sunday states, "As I've said about the flag pin, I  

 don't want to be perceived as taking sides, Obama said. 'There are a lot  

 of people in the world                                                    

 to whom the American flag is a symbol of oppression. And the anthem itself

 conveys a war-like message. You know, the bombs bursting in air and all.  

 It should be swapped for something less parochial and less bellicose. I   

 like the song 'I'd Like To Teach the World To Sing.' If that were our     

 anthem, then I might salute it."We should consider to reinvent our        

 National Anthem as well as to redesign our Flag to better offer our       

 enemies hope and love. It's my intention, if elected, to disarm America to

 the level of acceptance to our Middle East Brethren. If we as a Nation of 

 warring people, should conduct ourselves as the nations of Islam, whereas 

 peace prevails. Perhaps a state or period of mutual concord between our   

 governments. When I become President, I will seek a pact or agreement to   

 end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of       

 enmity, and a freedom from disquieting oppressive thoughts. We as a Nation

 have placed upon the nations of Islam an unfair injustice. My wife        

 disrespects the Flag for many personal reasons. Together she and I have   

 attended several flag burning ceremonies in the past, many years ago. She 

 has her views and I have mine". Of course now, I have found myself about  

 to become the President of the United States and I have put aside my      

 hatred. I will use my power to bring CHANGE to this Nation, and offer the 

 people a new path of hope. My wife and I look forward to becoming our     

 Country's First Family. Indeed, CHANGE is about to overwhelm the United    

 States of America.                                                        

 WHAAAAAAAT the Hell !!!                                                   

 Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you heard it right. This could possibly be our 

 next President.                                                           

  I, for one, am speechless.                                               

  Dale Lindsborg,