I've made a decision.

[Packo]

First of, I want to say that the Democrats had me this election. I have become an Independent and will continue down that path forever as both sides have just become charactures of themselves. All the Democrats had to do was put up somebody I could honestly believe in and someone who could lead this country in war and peace. They didn't.

I want to digress for a minute back to when I served my country and the aftermath of that service. I challange anybody here to say we got the same care at the VA that my father's generation got after WWII. Who owned the Congress then? Read or see Ron Kovachs book/movie, "Born on the 4th of July" to get an idea of what the VA had turned into. I didn't use it, payed for my own care for 14 years until I could no longer walk and had to beg the VA for help. They were NOT forthcoming and had to fight for years to get them to actually tend to my wounds. Our G.I. Bill was a joke especially compared to my fathers. I didn't see the Majority Party jumping up and screaming about our poor care and the horrid state of the VA Hospitals. They just didn't give a shit. I'm not saying anyone else did but they were in charge and did nothing. If it wasn't for groups like the DAV, VFW, etc. the system would have completely died. I know, I know, they weren't real receptive to us for sure, but they did learn the errors of their ways. Anyway, responsibility is responsibility, and the Democrats dropped the ball even after they got a Democrat President.

After Watergate and Spiro Agnew, I became a confirmed Democrat. Most Southerners were. I voted for a Georgia Governor believing that his compassion and kindness were what we needed. Nothing changed, my friends lost their construction company due to 18% mortgages, and the world took advantage of our weakness. The military was falling apart, and not getting paid crap for their service. I stuck with the party though until I began noticing who was starting to run it. Eventually, the party left me and most other Southerners which has been seen for quite a while now as the South votes solidly in the Republican box.

There was a revolution in this country in 1994 when the people threw out the ruling party after almost 40 years and elected the Republicans to stop the silliness, and it worked, in the beginning until the Republicans decided, for some reason, that to get re-elected they had to become Democrats. Whether or not you believe in the war, we were attacked on 9/11 and I understand the spending on the war's we are fighting. Roosevelt had to spend money we didn't have to fund WWII. My problem was that the Republicans kept spending, and spending, and spending, and until recently President Bush never Vetoed a bill. We are now in debt up to our asses. We did get a tax cut...something promised by Clinton but we never saw. Our taxes actually went up. I am so sick of hearing that this was just a "tax cut for the rich", unless I'm considered rich....which is a real surprise to me.

Anyway....this could go on forever, but I need to end this now. In conclusion, all the hate and vitriol I see in politics and between people has gotten to the point where I can't even watch the news or news programs anymore. The best thing I can do is use my head and try and figure out which candidate, sans all the media bullshit, will be best for me all around. Not just one issue. Obviously Veterans/Active Duty Military issues are a top priority for me as is the security of this country. I've investigated the "McCain votes with Bush 90% of the time" claim and notice that they count all the Senate votes that are unanimous. Something the Senate does all the time. That would place Democrats pretty high up there also. I also know he has voted against quite a few Veterans Spending bills. This bothers me but also remember, and both sides do this, crap like "computers for Africa" and junk like that are added to these bills because they could never pass on their own merit. So, people will vote against the bill because of the crap...not because of the bill, so I'd like to know how many times he's done this. I didn't agree with his vote on the GI Bill, but also understood his side. It wasn't that he was against the new GI bill, he was wanting it to take affect after their 2nd tour to try and give incentive to keep experienced people. I don't see that as mean spirited as it is being reported.

These are trying times in a very very strange world. In my heart of hearts I do not believed the inexperienced Senator from Ill. is what we need. I have many reasons for this decision but will not take the space to express them, just let it be said I have thought this out from the most Independent thought I can think. I see the Senator as another Jimmy Carter. A nice guy....but president, in a world with Iran, Islamofacsism, Russia flexing it's muscle again, China, and N.Korea, I don't think so. Our enemies react to weakness, real or imagined, and they see Obama as weak. Would he be? I don't know but don't want to find out either.

I have never been a big McCain guy. He's pissed me off in more ways than one. I will say this about him, he has constantly, to the consternation of his own party, crossed the aisle more than any other Senator to try and work things out with the other party. Obama, in his short term, has not done it once. It says something about McCain that he will risk pissing off his party, his constituants, and just about anybody else, to do what he believes is right.

My vote is secret but I just feel that I have to share this with my brothers and sisters on the patriot files. As with the news media, I cannot stand coming to the political forum on this site, and many other's agree with me, due to the vitriol we see here. It's just the same old that I see on TV. It bothers me. Nobody is going to change the way I feel now no matter what I read or hear. I know that both of these candidates are honorable men and to hear each side tearing each other apart is upsetting. I also believe that most people on here have made up their minds who their going to vote for. So why all the hate? I can respect anybody's right to vote for who ever the hell they want to. The thing about this site is that 99% have "fought for the right for anyone to vote for whoever the hell they want to". The very guys who've done the fighting, name call and write media lies about all the candidates. I think y'all ought to be ashamed of each other.

So here it is....I've made my decision, and I won't be back on the political forum until everyone can act like friggin' adults. I respect anyones decision to vote for who ever the hell they want....and both sides...stop the vitriol and take a step back and look how silly y'all look.

Pack

[SEATJERKER]

...

...Very well stated,...

...

[SuperScout]

Your comments are right on target, and I concur 150%.

[Seascamp]

Agreed, well stated. You got a top dead center hit on the nail. Actually it’s embarrassing to see a US Senator get sent into a childish counter productive dither do-loop by a Governor from Alaska. Yum yum, thinks Al Qaeda.


Scamp

[Stick]

Personally I can't think of anything that would qualify a Commander and Chief than to have been held captive by an enemy so I make no bones about who'll I'll vote for but in defense of the VA today maybe there's a bias.
Friday I had three appointments at the Atlanta VA, x-ray for a bone scan, lab blood test, and then on to meet my new primary care doctor. None of those appointments were solicited by me, just scheduled by my "primary care" team as status quo. The new doctor heard something a little abnormal through her stethascope and sent me back to x-ray which finished my day.
Wednesday morning I get a call from the VA asking me if I can get to the pulminary clinic ASAP and so yesterday morning at 7:30 a.m. I'm back at the hospital for breath test which I passed with flying colors.
Months ago I get an e-mail from a VA.Gov address giving me a link to a site where I find Ray Carol Banks, I dead troop that I kicked out of a guard tower fourty years ago 'cause he was dead and in my way dodging 7.62's. I wanted to know who that was for over 40 years and it took a doctor from the VA to go over and above and find him.
In the Cleveland, Ohio VA hospital the disabled vet is a job, work and low life looking for a kiss on the a...s, someone that they want to go away so they can relax but the VA here in Atlanta is a whole different ball game and they care. It wasn't the DAV, Legion, or VFW that got my rating. I never ask for it to be raised but the day after my last day of work at the car company it was a doctor at the VA that put in for the T&P rating which was awarded retroactive to the day of my first appointment with that doctor.
The VA that we have today is 1,000% better than the one that we had in 1969.

[reconeil]

Your stated feelings and beliefs about America's overall plight despicable politics (both past & present), are some of the finest & most honest of such that I've ever heard or read. You do your country and all here on patriotfiles.com A GREAT SERVICE. Thank You Very Much and would be honored your considering me a friend.

Also, your: "Use my head (not typically herdlike) and figure out which candidate sans all the media bullshit,...", was/is truly quite profound. Apparently you too must've wisely concluded that: "There is no other more trouble-causing & people-dividing entity ever devised by mankind, than politics"? Quoting myself.

If thinking about "It", this would no doubt or unarguably be a much better world WITHOUT POLITICS.
If further think about "It", wouldn' even religions be much better and certainly a lot fewer of them,...IF IT WEREN'T for POLITICS?

Unfortunately, and since quite realistically longtime being governed by intrenched politics and/or: "A Government Of The (politician & media), By The (politician & media) and For The (politician & media)",...that just the way it is. Logically must believe there would be a great multitude of non-productive or societally worthless pompous types out of work, if weren't for politics.

Still, I must totally disagree with your: "I know that BOTH(?) are honorable men..." bit.
FIRST on The Democrat Ticket Barack Hussein Obama II or Junior's HALF-A-LIFETIME of Muslim upbringing & Muslim Madrassa School background hasn't received near the rightfully warranted scrutiny, as SECOND on The Republican Ticket and/or quite open book Sarah Palin. Why is that? Never mind: "Where's The Beef". Where's The Honor?

Then too and while at war having been declared on America & West by Radical Islam, how come Barack's Kenyan Muslim (now supposed athiest?) father & family and later at age 2 Indonesian WAHABI Muslim stepfather Lolo Soetoro & family,...are pretty-much politically-correctly (an actual oxymoron) kept-under-the-rug?

Don't all under daily threat of attack Americans and especially our largest minority and/or The Electorate have at minimum some-sort-of SURVIVAL RIGHT, to know such things?

Shouldn't ALL Americans also be publicly advised of slick & smooth (has good good rhythm also) Obama's very own words from his book: "The Audacity of Hope"? If words like: "I will stand with Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction" don't blow his cover and make you cringe & toes curl,...what-hell-ever-will?

Plus, why is that world's most notable & best know defector, turncoat, insulter or Denier of Islam or Barack Hussein Obama Jr. isn't automatically on some Radical Muslim Mullah's Fatwah and/or quite lethal: "Hit List"? Hell,...even relatively unknown cartoonists making the very slightest of insults to Islam must stay in hiding, for QUITE SENSIBLY fearing loss of their very lives.

Such alone exposes much for me, and also that: "I pray to Jesus every night" is a typical show-biz repeat and/or solely repeated for political expediency. Mullahs must also believe similarly, since not even ONE Fatwah on earth has been declared on Obama. What do you think, Pack?

Think me overly-"Dissen" America's supposed: "Second Coming"?
"Second Coming" OF WHAT(?),...yet to be exposed.

Neil

[Gimpy]

Originally Posted by Packo

First of, I want to say that the Democrats had me this election. I have become an Independent and will continue down that path forever as both sides have just become charactures of themselves. All the Democrats had to do was put up somebody I could honestly believe in and someone who could lead this country in war and peace. They didn't.

I want to digress for a minute back to when I served my country and the aftermath of that service. I challange anybody here to say we got the same care at the VA that my father's generation got after WWII. Who owned the Congress then? Read or see Ron Kovachs book/movie, "Born on the 4th of July" to get an idea of what the VA had turned into. I didn't use it, payed for my own care for 14 years until I could no longer walk and had to beg the VA for help. They were NOT forthcoming and had to fight for years to get them to actually tend to my wounds. Our G.I. Bill was a joke especially compared to my fathers. I didn't see the Majority Party jumping up and screaming about our poor care and the horrid state of the VA Hospitals. They just didn't give a shit. I'm not saying anyone else did but they were in charge and did nothing. If it wasn't for groups like the DAV, VFW, etc. the system would have completely died. I know, I know, they weren't real receptive to us for sure, but they did learn the errors of their ways. Anyway, responsibility is responsibility, and the Democrats dropped the ball even after they got a Democrat President.

After Watergate and Spiro Agnew, I became a confirmed Democrat. Most Southerners were. I voted for a Georgia Governor believing that his compassion and kindness were what we needed. Nothing changed, my friends lost their construction company due to 18% mortgages, and the world took advantage of our weakness. The military was falling apart, and not getting paid crap for their service. I stuck with the party though until I began noticing who was starting to run it. Eventually, the party left me and most other Southerners which has been seen for quite a while now as the South votes solidly in the Republican box.

There was a revolution in this country in 1994 when the people threw out the ruling party after almost 40 years and elected the Republicans to stop the silliness, and it worked, in the beginning until the Republicans decided, for some reason, that to get re-elected they had to become Democrats. Whether or not you believe in the war, we were attacked on 9/11 and I understand the spending on the war's we are fighting. Roosevelt had to spend money we didn't have to fund WWII. My problem was that the Republicans kept spending, and spending, and spending, and until recently President Bush never Vetoed a bill. We are now in debt up to our asses. We did get a tax cut...something promised by Clinton but we never saw. Our taxes actually went up. I am so sick of hearing that this was just a "tax cut for the rich", unless I'm considered rich....which is a real surprise to me.

Anyway....this could go on forever, but I need to end this now. In conclusion, all the hate and vitriol I see in politics and between people has gotten to the point where I can't even watch the news or news programs anymore. The best thing I can do is use my head and try and figure out which candidate, sans all the media bullshit, will be best for me all around. Not just one issue. Obviously Veterans/Active Duty Military issues are a top priority for me as is the security of this country. I've investigated the "McCain votes with Bush 90% of the time" claim and notice that they count all the Senate votes that are unanimous. Something the Senate does all the time. That would place Democrats pretty high up there also. I also know he has voted against quite a few Veterans Spending bills. This bothers me but also remember, and both sides do this, crap like "computers for Africa" and junk like that are added to these bills because they could never pass on their own merit. So, people will vote against the bill because of the crap...not because of the bill, so I'd like to know how many times he's done this. I didn't agree with his vote on the GI Bill, but also understood his side. It wasn't that he was against the new GI bill, he was wanting it to take affect after their 2nd tour to try and give incentive to keep experienced people. I don't see that as mean spirited as it is being reported.

These are trying times in a very very strange world. In my heart of hearts I do not believed the inexperienced Senator from Ill. is what we need. I have many reasons for this decision but will not take the space to express them, just let it be said I have thought this out from the most Independent thought I can think. I see the Senator as another Jimmy Carter. A nice guy....but president, in a world with Iran, Islamofacsism, Russia flexing it's muscle again, China, and N.Korea, I don't think so. Our enemies react to weakness, real or imagined, and they see Obama as weak. Would he be? I don't know but don't want to find out either.

I have never been a big McCain guy. He's pissed me off in more ways than one. I will say this about him, he has constantly, to the consternation of his own party, crossed the aisle more than any other Senator to try and work things out with the other party. Obama, in his short term, has not done it once. It says something about McCain that he will risk pissing off his party, his constituants, and just about anybody else, to do what he believes is right.

My vote is secret but I just feel that I have to share this with my brothers and sisters on the patriot files. As with the news media, I cannot stand coming to the political forum on this site, and many other's agree with me, due to the vitriol we see here. It's just the same old that I see on TV. It bothers me. Nobody is going to change the way I feel now no matter what I read or hear. I know that both of these candidates are honorable men and to hear each side tearing each other apart is upsetting. I also believe that most people on here have made up their minds who their going to vote for. So why all the hate? I can respect anybody's right to vote for who ever the hell they want to. The thing about this site is that 99% have "fought for the right for anyone to vote for whoever the hell they want to". The very guys who've done the fighting, name call and write media lies about all the candidates. I think y'all ought to be ashamed of each other.

So here it is....I've made my decision, and I won't be back on the political forum until everyone can act like friggin' adults. I respect anyones decision to vote for who ever the hell they want....and both sides...stop the vitriol and take a step back and look how silly y'all look.

Pack

My Dear Southern Brother,

You are an exceptional man amongst all men.

I DO "respect" your decision to vote for whomever you choose, even though I truthfully and wholeheartedly believe you're making one of the biggest mistakes you may ever make.

John McCain is NOT what this nation needs at this time, his "record" speaks for itself........and I've posted NOTHING but the absolute FACTS about his "record" in Congress. I have never written "media lies" about him, and don't plan on doing it in the future.

Everything I've posted about him, his "record", his policies, his association and concurence with ninety percent (90%) of GW Bushs' "agenda" in Congress is in the PUBLIC RECORD for all to see.

I am NOT "ashamed" of anything I've posted about him, or his "record"..............as for the "name calling" and "vitrol", I agree with YOU.........it IS uncalled for......and, if you go back and check, you'll find that probably 99% of the time when I used "language" like that, it was in RESPONSE to another poster who began the "exchange" of "
vitrol".

I suppose I may get too upset and angry at times by HOW someone else responds along with the "names" and "accusations" against ones personal character that comes into play.

Yea, I've been guilty of it also, BUT ONLY in "response" to another posters viciousness.

I know that dosen't "excuse" it, but I suppose when my old Daddy taught me NEVER to "run from a fight"......it stuck in my mind and I've never, ever stepped back when confronted with a challenge to my beliefs......ESPECIALLY when the "debate" or "arguement" turned to "name calling".

I do my damndest to NOT put out any "$hit".......but, I DAMN sure don't sit back and TAKE ANY either!

I have NO PROBLEM whatsoever trying to "tone down" the rhetoric, name calling and character assasination.

You and those "other folks" you mentioned who don't like the way things are being discussed over here on the Political Forum just get those folks on the "right" comply with your wishes and I'll be MORE than glad to reciprocate.

Otherwise, I'm gonna give as good as they do.

You know I love ya Brother,

Gimp

[phuloi]

Presicely why I love you, Brother..

[reconeil]

Yeah, sure? You're as slick-tongued a phony as Obama,...Gimpy?

Neil

[Gimpy]

see what I'm talkin about Packo?

See if YOU can get through to this guy, cause it seems NOBODY else can!

Gimp