This election will be my first, my first opportunity to exercise my right to vote. I've tried to be fair and do as much research as possible about all candidates, ever since we were still trying to figure out the primaries. A lot has happened lately, I've spent ages going through news reports, websites, video, audio, all sorts of things. And finally, I just can't take it anymore. I'm disgusted. But, I'm not going to rant. Instead, I'm going to post what I've found. Believe it, don't believe it - whatever you feel is right. But I just couldn't keep my mouth shut anymore, I had to put this somewhere. My statements do not mean I'm supporting President Bush. I haven't decided yet. If you can prove to me that any of the statements listed below are false, I will readily retract them. Just email me with solid basis for your claims, and I'll retract as necessary.
I'm just putting up what I've found to be questionable - or in some cases, absolutely enraging. At no time will I bring up his actual service in Vietnam or those darn purple hearts. I think what he's done since then is far more important, even though I do have qualms about some things involving Vietnam. But I can't substantiate that with any hard facts or anything that isn't hearsay, so I'm leaving it out.

Like I said, none of this means I support President Bush, so please don't send me any emails that start out with anything similar to, "Yeah, John Kerry's awful, but President Bush is worse cause he did this, this, this, and this..." I don't want to start a Bush vs. Kerry debate, this is just what I've found about Kerry. I'm still working on Bush on my own, thanks.

So here we go.

Contents:
A Few Straight Facts
Senate Service
Using 9/11 in Advertising
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Taxes
Michael Moore

A Few Straight Facts

The unemployment rate under Bush is now lower at 5.5% than it was when Clinton was seeking reelection in 1996. At that time, the Democrats boasted that the unemployment rate was so low at 6.2%.

Today, the Inflation Rate under Bush is 1.9% lower than it was in 1996 under Clinton. Again, when Clinton was running for reelection, the Democrats were boasting about how wonderful the low inflation rate was at 2.6%.

Mortage rates today are at 5.86%. That's lower than they were in 1996, when Clinton and the Democrats boasted about how outstanding the mortgage rate was at 7.81%.

Jimmy Carter is supporting John Kerry and saying that Bush is burying the Middle Class. Interesting, since in 1980, the inflation rate hit a high of 13.48% and Carter's administration presided over a 10% unemployment rate.

Clinton was responsible for making "regime change" an official US policy and had every intention to pursue Saddam Hussein and Iraq, using force if necessary.

At the convention, Al Gore referred to the Republicans as "Digital Brown Shirts." Hopefully Gore realizes that Hitler's Nazi Party were referred to as Brown Shirts. Anyone remember Godwin's Law?

John Kerry has served as a Senator for 20 years, and yet has not discussed or publicized his service during the campaign. Kerry has the single most liberal voting record in the Senate. As a point of reference, Ted Kennedy is ranked at number 11, and John Edwards is at number 4.

Post Convention Poll Bounces Throughout History:
Jimmy Carter in 1976: 16 points.
Walter Mondale in 1984: 16 points.
Michael Dukakis in 1988: 11 points.
Bill Clinton in 1992: 30 points.
Gore in 2000: 19 points.
John Kerry in 2004: +4 to -5 points.

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Senate Service

Last year, Kerry missed 64 percent of roll call votes in the Senate. So far this year, he has missed 87 percent. While this year, that could be expected due to campaigning and I wouldn't normally consider this an issue, I do consider it an issue that Senator Kerry is being paid for services he did not render. Being paid with tax dollars.

According to section 2 paragraph 39 of the U.S. Code, pay must be deducted for absences. However, Senate Secretary Emily J. Reynolds has never done so, despite Kerry's remarkable absences. What's more, Kerry has continually - for two years - cashed these paychecks, knowing full well he was absent so often and therefore did not earn that pay. Senator Kerry has repeatedly excused his behavior, simply saying that it's "not fair" to try to make him return the money he didn't earn.

Furthermore, the Governor of Massachusetts, Republican Mitt Romney, has requested that Senator Kerry resign due to his exceptional absence from the Senate, so that the Governor could appoint someone who has the time to serve the people. In response, all Kerry said was, "I believe I am serving the citizens of Massachusetts and the country in the proposal I've laid out about health care for all Americans, which George Bush has not, to balance the budget, to be fiscally responsible." Is it fiscally responsible for the tax payers of Massachusetts and this nation to continually pay a man who is not doing the job he was elected to perform? Is it ethical for Senator Kerry to cash those paychecks, when he knows those paychecks are in violation of Senate policies?

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Using September 11th in Adversiting

Kerry has repeatedly accused the Bush campaign of inappropriately using a 9/11 backdrop in a campaign. Actually, John Kerry was the first to broach the subject with an ad in Iowa and New Hampshire several months prior to the Bush ad in September of 2003, claiming he had "sounded the alarm on terrorism years before 9/11." His claims were false, but the ad continued to run without mention in the media, or an uproar of any kind. It was widely reported by many major newspapers, including the Boston Globe, throughout 1999 that there were serious security vulnerabilities at Logan Airport. For instance, on July 29, 1999, a Brookline youth stowed away on a British Airways 747 flight after cutting through a fence, walking along the tarmac, and getting into the plane while it was in a hangar. Federal agents reported at least 136 violations at Logan on September 19, 1999.
More importantly, on May 11, 2001, a letter was hand-delivered to Senator Kerry by retired FAA Special Agent Brian Sullivan which illustrated critical lapses in security at Logan airport, from which two planes were hijacked on 9/11 and flown into the World Trade Center. This was only four months prior to the attack. Kerry simply forwarded the letter to The Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General. The problem is, the letter outlined that the DOT OIG had "become an ineffective overseer of the FAA" and was responsible for many of the lapses in security and not taking care of them. On September 15, 2001, Kerry claimed - and still continues to claim - that an investigation was carried out by the organization. Quote, "They began an undercover investigation in response, specifically to our inquiry." (Boston Glove, September 15, 2001.) However, department spokesman Jeff Nelligan says there is no evidence that Kerry requested anything specific with regard to Logan Airport. No investigation was ever carried out, Logan's security issues were never dealt with, despite a resounding warning being issued to Senator Kerry. Furthermore, Kerry never appeared before the 9/11 commission to explain why he dropped the ball regarding the warning he received about Logan Airport's security vulnerabilities.

Now, setting aside claims of letters, security vulnerabilities, what Kerry did or didn't do - although it is alarming, that's all pretty much beside the point. The point is, it's killing me that Kerry is complaining about something he started. His ad featuring backdrops of 9/11 came out first, he started it, he brought it on. It's unfair, deceitful, and just down-right petty to go after President Bush for using the same backdrop after doing it first. If he can't go after Bush on something solid, something factually based, then I don't think he should rant and rave about something he's done too. It's petty and unbecoming a gentleman of the Senate.

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Weapons of Mass Destruction

There's been a lot of fervor among a lot of people about this whole Weapons of Mass Destruction issue and whether or not Bush lied to us about why we needed to go to Iraq. Aside from the fact that if you read through the statements made about why we should go, and how much more complex they were than just, "Hey, he's got weapons," I believe too many people are forgetting that everyone - when granted the same access to the same evidence the President had - all came to the same conclusion independantly of the Bush administration. Furthermore, this conclusion was reached long before Bush was ever elected. The WMD issue stretches back far into Clinton's first term in office. Again, it's another issue of pointing fingers when you were just as responsible as the next guy. To prove my point, here's a list of quotes, from Democrats all, on the issue of Weapons of Mass Destruction. I'm not trying to prove one way or another that Saddam had WMDs, what I'm saying is, if Bush supposedly lied, then all these people did too, including the people crying foul.

Bill Clinton, 1998: "The community of nations may see more and more of the very kind of threat Iraq poses now: a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction, ready to use them or provide them to terrorists. If we fail to respond today, Saddam and all those who would follow in his footsteps will be emboldened tomorrow."

Hillary Clinton, October 10, 2002: "In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missle delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security."

Senator Kerry, January 2, 2003: "Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation. And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real."

Robert Byrd, October 2002: "The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retained some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capability. Intelligence reports also indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons, but has not yet achieved nuclear capability."

Clinton's Secretary of Defense William Cohen, April 2003: "I am absolutely convinced that there are weapons... I saw evidence back in 1998 when we could see the inspectors being barred from gaining entry into a warehouse for three hours with trucks rolling up and then moving those trucks out."

John Kerry, October 2002: "I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force - if necessary - to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security."

Jacques Chirac, October 16, 2002: "What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use such weapons in the past. Today, a number of evidence may lead to think that, over the past four years, in the absence of international inspectors, this country has continued armament programs."

Tom Daschle in 1998: "Iraq is not the only nation in the world to possess weapons of mass destruction, but it is the only nation with a leader who has used them against his own people."

John Edwards, Oct 10, 2002: "Saddam Hussein's regime represents a grave threat to America and our allies, including our vital ally, Israel. For more than two decades, Saddam Hussein has sought weapons of mass destruction through every available means. We know that he has chemical and biological weapons. He has already used them against his neighbors and his own people, and is trying to build more. We know that he is doing everything he can to build nuclear weapons, and we know that each day he gets closer to achieving that goal."

Henry Waxman, Oct 10, 2002: "Whether one agrees or disagrees with the Administration's policy towards Iraq, I don't think there can be any question about Saddam's conduct. He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do. He lies and cheats; he snubs the mandate and authority of international weapons inspectors; and he games the system to keep buying time again enforcement of the just and legitimate demands of the United Nations, the Security Council, the United States, and our allies. Those are simply the facts."

Clinton's Secretary of State, Madeline Albright, 1998: "Saddam's goal... is to achieve the lifting of UN Sanctions while retaining and enhancing Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs. We cannot, we must not and we will not let him succeed."

Barbara Boxer, November 8, 2002: "Iraq made commitments after the Gulf War to completely dismantle all weapons of mass destruction, and unfortunately, Iraq has not lived up to its agreement."

Wesley Clark, September 26, 2002: "There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat... Yes, he has chemical and biological weapons. He's had those for a long time. But the United States right now is on a very much different defensive posture than we were before September 11th of 2001... He is, as far as we know, actively pursuing nuclear capabilities, though he doesn't have nuclear warheads yet. If he were to acquire nuclear weapons, I think our friends in the region would face greatly increased risks, asw would we."

Dick Gephardt, September of 2002: "I share the administration's goals in dealing with Iraw and its weapons of mass destruction."

Al Gore, 2002: "Iraq does pose a serious threat to the stability of the Persian Gulf and we should organize an international coalition to eliminate his access to weapons of mass destruction. Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to completely deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power."

Representative Nancy Pelosi, December 16, 1998: "Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."

Madeline Albright, November 10, 1999: "Hussein has... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."

Letter to President Bush, signed by Senator Bob Graham of Florida and others, December 5, 2001: "There is no doubt that... Saddam Hussein has invigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical, and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of allicit missle programs to develop longer-range missles that will threaten the United States and our allies."

Senator Carl Levin (MI), September 19, 2002: "We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them."

Senator Ted Kennedy (MA), September 27, 2002: "We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction."

Al Gore, September 23, 2002: "We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."

Senator Jay Rockefeller (WV), October 10, 2002: "There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years... We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."

Senator Bob Graham (FL), December 8, 2002: "We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction."

Excerpt from a joint resolution submitted by Democrat Tom Harkin on July 18, 2002: "Whereas Iraq has consistently breached its cease-fire agreement between Iraq and the United States, entered into on March 3, 1991, by failing to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction program, and refusing to permit monitoring and verification of United States inspections; Whereas Iraq has developed weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and biological capabilities, and has made positive progress toward developing nuclear weapons capabilities."

Democrat National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, February 18, 1998: "(Saddam) will rebuild his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction and some day, some way, I am certain he will use that arsenal again, as he has 10 times since 1983."

John Edwards, October 10, 2002: "The debate over Iraq is not about politics. It is about national security. It should be clear that our national security requires Congress to send a clear message to Iraq and the world: America is united in its determination to eliminate forever the threat of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction."

Ted Kennedy, September 27, 2002: "There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein's regime is a serious danger, that he is a tyrant, and that his pursuit of lethal weapons of mass destruction cannot be tolerated. He must be disarmed."

John Kerry, October 9, 2002: "The threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real, but as I said, it is not new. It has been with us since the end of that war, and particularly in the last four years we know after Operation Desert Fox failed to force him to reaccept them, that he has continued to build those weapons. He has had a free hand for four years to reconstitute those weapons, allowing the world, during the interval, to lose the focus we had on weapons of mass destruction and the issue of proliferation."

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Taxes

Kerry has voted to raise taxes 350 times in the Senate.

Both Ted Kennedy and John Kerry voted against President Bush's tax relief in 2001 and 2003. Whereas both Kennedy and Kerry voted for Bill Clinton's 1993 tax increase - the largest tax increase in history.

Kerry repeatedly tells supporters that the Bush tax cuts only help the rich. Did you know that the top 50% of wage earners pay 96.03% of all income taxes? He claims the rich dodge taxes, and yet, the majority of "rich americans" pay closer to 55% of their income in taxes, as compared to the average American who pays one third their income.

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Michael Moore

When 'Farenheit 9/11' came out, a lot of people told me I should go see it. At first, I refused because of religious reasons - religiously, I do not allow myself to see R rated movies. I've only ever seen one in my life - 'Schindler's List' - because I was doing research before going to the Dachau concentration camp in Germany. That has been and will be my only exception to the rule, and I don't believe in fairness anyone should fault me for that.
I did, however, do a lot of research because people kept telling me it was important, that Farenheit 9/11 was made with the purpose of educating the American voting public, to show us all these horrible scandals and crimes that President Bush and his administration were responsible for. So, I researched. All I found was an immense distaste for everything related to Michael Moore. I'm not going to elaborate - this isn't about Michael Moore himself. This isn't about why I don't like him. This is about Michael Moore's affect on the nation and the Democratic party. This is about my anger over how readily the Democrats have embraced Michael Moore and everything he stands for. He was given prominent, VIP seating at the Democratic National Convention. Quotes about from the upper eschelon of Democratic leadership about how much they love Moore. I just can't take it anymore. Here's Moore, in his own words. Decide for yourself.

"The Iraqis who have risen up against the occupation are not 'insurgents' or 'terrorists' or 'The Enemy.' They are the REVOLUTION, the Minutemen, and their numbers will grow -- and they will win."

"I would like to apologize for referring to George W. Bush as a 'deserter.' What I meant to say is that George W. Bush is a deserter, an election thief, a drunk driver, a WMD liar, and a functional illiterate. And he poops his pants."

"(Americans) are possibly the dumbest people on the planet... in thrall to conniving, thieving, smug pricks. We Americans suffer from an enforced ignorance. We don't know about anything that's happening outside our country. Our stupidity is embarrassing."

"Do you feel like you live in a nation of idiots? I used to console myself about the state of stupidity in this country by repeating this to myself: Even if there are two hundred million stone-cold idiots in this country, that leaves at least eighty million who will get what I'm saying..." - Pg. 85 of Moore's book, "Stupid White Men."

"Should such an ignorant people (Americans) lead the world?"
- in an open letter to the people of Germany.

"There's a gullible side to the American people. They can be easily misled. Religion is the best device used to mislead them."

"You know in my town the small business that everyone wanted to protect? They were the people that supported all the right-wing groups. They were the Republicans in town, they were the Kiwanas, the Chamber of Commerce - people that kept the town all white. The small hardware salesman, the small clothing store salespersons, Jesse the Barber who signed his name three different times on three different petitions to recall me from the school board. F*ck all these small businesses - f*ck 'mem all! Bring in the chains. The small businesspeople are the rednecks that run the town and suppress the people. F*ck 'em all. That's how I feel."

"The dumbest Brit here is smarter than the smartest American."
- at London's Roundhouse Theater

"The dumbest Canadian in attendance could surely outwit the smartest American."
- on his North American tour in Canada

"You're stuck with being connected to this country of mine, which is known for bringing sadness and misery to places around the globe."

"We, the United States of America, are culpable in committing so many acts of terror and bloodshed that we had better get a clue about the culture of violence in which we have been active participants."
- September 14, 2001

"Don't go the American way when it comes to economics, jobs and services for the poor and immigrants. It is the wrong way."
- During a speech in Berlin

"The motivation for war is simple. The U.S. government started the war with Iraq in order to make it easy for U.S. corporations to do business in other countries. They intend to use cheap labor in those countries, which will make Americans rich."
- Interview with Japanese newspaper, 2002

"Just for my own mental health, I need to watch this movie and sit in a room with 600 Canadians and watch this movie with them."

Said on September 12th: "Am I being asked to believe that this guy who sleeps in a tent in a desert has been training pilots to fly our most modern, sophisticated jumbo jets? We (USA) abhor terrorism -- unless we're the ones doing the terrorizing. Maybe it's because the Ay-rabs are much better foils. A key ingredient in getting Americans whipped into a frenzy against a new enemy is the all-important race card."

"There is no terrorist threat in this country. This is a lie. This is the biggest lie we've been told."
- October 2003

"I think anyone who sees this movie (Farenheit 9/11) will come out in masse to make sure John Kerry is elected president this Novermber."
- Terry McAuliffe, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

The Washington premiere of Farenheit 9/11 was packed at the Uptown Theater with about 800 people, including South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle, Florida Senator Bob Graham, and Democratic National Committee Chariman Terry McAuliffe. Indeed, a Senate vote was delayed because so many Democrats wanted to attend the premiere. Everyone applauded throughout and gave Moore a standing ovation when it was over.

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