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Dear Friends:
Do you know which way your favored Candidate voted based on which bill?
Do you know how their feet walk as compared to how their mouth talks?
Because as we all know, people can walk the talk or just plain talk.
And that's what a lot of Politicians do.
OBama can talk all he wants to about change but the fact is that he voted for the Patriot Act (police state) not once, but twice. My eyebrows are raised.
Ditto as regards Clinton.
Edwards voted for it too. When asked by Buzzflash if he regretted his Patriot Act vote, he gave the same canned response as offered by Sen. Barbara Boxer:
"Ohhhh no. The Patriot Act increased police-FBI-CIA communications and is a necessary tool for fighting terrorism".
They both used the same exact words. Who fed them that phrase? Where is their conscience? What do warrantless arrests without probable cause, gag orders, side-stepping the "Check" of the Judiciary, capital punishment in the absence of Congressional oversight, etc...have to do with increasing FBI/police/CIA communications? Lots. They enable the mutual COLLABORATION of all three entities. That's what.
The Republican Candidates: Ditto. Every one of them voted for the rise of the police state (Patriot Act) not once, but twice.
Then there's the torture bill (Military Commissions Act).
This was voted for by solid Republican vote, while the Republicans still had the majority. The Dems just as solidly voted against it, with only a few Repubs and Dems breaking the party lines each way.
How did your favored Candidate vote where FISA broadening is concerned?
What about opening up the purse to fund an illegally declared war based on lies (ie mass murder)?
Does your favored Candidate wage the war OF terror or the war ON terror?
Please note: We are not talking about what each Candidate *says* or *claims* is their position. Because that's all "Hooey". Instead, please let's check out the actual facts : How did they vote for each bill? Are they really good for their word?
Please let's quit this pattern of voting based on rhetoric and all outward appearances. The polls mean nothing. The public image means nothing. Words mean nothing. Promises are empty unless delivered in action. "Ethics" surely have more to do with voting patterns than with anything else.
Please check the Congressional voting patterns before going to the polls. Otherwise we get the America which none of us deserve.
If we vote for a fascist Congressperson then fascism is what we will get. "The lesser of two evils" is still evil. Please don't vote for it as a "last resort". Because that is exactly how we invite evil into our lives. "Just say no" to evil. Period.
Please write letters to the editor asking readers to check the Congressional voting record prior to voting.
Please send emails asking friends to do the same, and to pass the message on.
Please dial in to radio talk shows and urge the public to "check it out" and to pass word along.
Having surfed the web for the Congressional voting record, I got several mis-leads and a lot of confusion. So I don't have a URL link to offer: My apologies.
However, on the ACLU's website you can check their Congressional voting scorecard (the link is at the bottom of the page) while also reading about each piece of legislation.
Reading about the legislation is terribly important to do, since it will shed light on the character of your chosen Candidate, depending on whether or not they voted for it.
To read about each piece of legislation, go to the Search Box and enter "Patriot Act Fact Sheets" or "Military Commissions Act Fact Sheets" or "FISA" etc. The detailed analyses of the ACLU will come up (and the ACLU is very sharp!)
Thank you all for spreading word.
Sincerely, Kathryn Smith
