Enough!

Enough already. This is getting ridiculous. Let's face reality here - none of us expect complete honesty from ANY politician. It just isn't the way things go. Even if you like a candidate, even if you support their plans and policy proposals, we all know that they're gonna bend, exaggerate, omit or ignore facts when it suits them. No political figure, especially those at the national level, can tell me they are always 100% forthcoming when they speak to us. Sad, but true.

However, there are certain instances when things go beyond the norm, and when the usual half-truths get replaced by flat-out lies. That is what is happening now, and I am sickened and enraged by it. Just what the hell is McCain's campaign trying to pull lately? Ads stating unequivocally that Sarah Palin opposed the Bridge to Nowhere - WHICH JUST ISN'T TRUE. Ads stating that Obama will raise taxes on most Americans - WHICH IS NOT TRUE. And most recently, an absolutely repulsive ad which claims that Obama supported sex education for kindergarteners. Well guess what? THAT ONE'S NOT TRUE EITHER!

Here is a link to an article which summarizes both the ad and the discrepancies between the ad's claims and the actual facts: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/staff/margaret_talev/story/52169.html

What is wrong with these people? First the Republican convention morphs from being an opportunity to showcase the GOP's platform in a positive way into an Obama-bashing party...based on the fact that he was a community organizer who worked on a grass-roots level in an underprivileged area. Then the entire Republican message goes from being the party of experience to being the party of "change" (gee, where have I heard that theme before?), hijacking Obama's successful strategy and sucking the life out of it once and for all. And now this series of shamelessly untrue ads, design to grab the attention of those who don't usually pay attention, in the hopes that they'll hear something  nasty about Obama and accept it as gospel.

Enough! The cold-hearted smirks of Rudy Guliani and Sarah Palin as they denigrated the importance of community service...the deliberate low-ball campaigning...the claims about both themselves and their opponent that can't be supported by facts...ENOUGH! Forget about how disrespectful this is to Obama on a personal level. He can handle himself. What I'm so furious about is the utter disrespect this sort of crap shows toward all of us. It assumes that we are not paying attention, that we're clueless, that we're willing to fall for anything that's put before us without question. It assumes that we're OK with lies. It assumes that we approve of character assasination and demonization. It assumes that we will ignore issues in favor of image. It is completely blind to its own hypocrisy - the party of "values", the party of "bi-partisanship" and "country first", the party that supposedly represents the moral and political high ground, spewing forth vile lies that cannot be defended by any rational person, in an attempt to win our votes not by showing us that they can govern and protect us effectively, but by trying to scare us away from their opponent.

An Obama spokesman, in response to the kindergarten ad, accused McCain of failing to understand honor. Of course, this is a sore point among McCain's supporters and they have already done the "how dare they" routine, citing McCain's war record - again - as proof that he is indeed an honorable man. But let's all be clear. Lying on a grand scale IS NOT HONORABLE. Trying to win by cheating IS NOT HONORABLE. Treating Americans like fools IS NOT HONORABLE. Choosing to shoot an opponent down instead of trying to win on your own merits IS NOT HONORABLE. Enough! ENOUGH!

McCain is doing this because he genuinely doesn't think we would mind. After all, it's all fair in politics, and we expect low blows from time to time, right? WRONG. Let's let him know we are disgusted and insulted by his recent campaign of false claims and scare tactics. I am demanding an apology from him and from his campaign regarding the kindergarten ad, because it offended me in a way that I cannot even begin to describe. I suggest that, if you feel the way I do, you take a few minutes out of your day to do the same.

Here is a link to a page on the McCain website: http://www.johnmccain.com/Contact/

There you will find out how to contact the McCaign campaign via email, phone or regular mail. Please let them know that you are a registered voter and a concerned American, and that you DO NOT APPROVE of his message.

Enough!