I recently received an email from some one explaining that it is the end of the world because Obama was elected, he listed things about Obama being Muslim, support of Gay Marriage, and how he is ANTI-National Anthem. I did some research and below you will see his emails to me and how I responded. ************* EMAIL TO ME *************** You just can't comprehend how bad Obama will be. His moral's (abortions) are so questionable, his loyalties (muslims) are questionable, what he says vs what he does is bad (Says I'll lower taxes, but then votes yes on bills that increases taxes); it really will be the beginning of the end. Watching the news last night after they had determined he would win, it was so depressing. My wife said she felt like she was watching 9/11 again. I was just quietly upset. My Dad said he felt like he was watching the beginning of the end of this great country. No lie. I'll reserve my I told you says for 6 months from now. Anybody that can support Gay marriages, partial birth abortions (fully developed baby, pulled halfway out of the mother and then lethally injected), government funding of abortion clinics, support human cloning and stem cell research, opposes a federal ban on flag burning (he actually doesn't have a problem with flag burning, and he hates the star spangled banner, the u.s national anthem), opposes making English the official language of the U.S Gov't and supports Death Taxes (sorry your grandmother died, btw, you owe the U.S government several thousands of dollars in taxes) is not ok in my book. And now, he's our Chief and Commander. Yay America! And so it begins. California appears to be supporting Same Sex marriages still. Colorado is now pro-abortion, rejecting the definition of a person to include any human being from the moment of fertilization. South Dakota is allowing Abortions under any circumstances (there was a bill to ban it except in cases of rape or incest or mothers life was at health, but they rejected it ). Michigan will now support Stem Cell Research. And California may decide that the parents of a minor doesn't have to be notified if she tries to get an abortion. Yay America! I think anybody that voted for somebody solely based on their skin color is just stupid. It should be about that persons beliefs and values/policies. I just happened to follow McCains morals, and thus I chose him. Well since Obama doesn't like our national anthem, maaybe he should get it changed. He personally said he likes the song 'Id like to teach the world to sing' but I would better suggest 'Its the end of the world as we know it' ************ END EMAILS ************* My responses : Voted against banning partial birth abortion Obama's record in Illinois represents that of a pragmatic progressive, who pushed for moderate reforms and opposed right-wing legislation. In the IL legislature, voting "present" is the equivalent of voting "no" because a majority of "yes" votes are required for passage. Many IL legislators use the "present" vote as an evasion on an unpopular choice, so that they can avoid being targeted for voting "no." During the 2004 Democratic primary, an opponent mocked Obama's "present" vote on abortion bills with flyers portraying a rubber duck and the words, "He ducked!". In 1997, Obama voted against SB 230, which would have turned doctors into felons by banning so-called partial-birth abortion, & against a 2000 bill banning state funding. Although these bills included an exception to save the life of the mother, they didn't include anything about abortions necessary to protect the health of the mother. The legislation defined a fetus as a person, & could have criminalized virtually all abortion. Obama supports : Barack Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_v._Wade Roe v. Wade centrally held that a mother may abort her pregnancy for any reason, up until the "point at which the fetus becomes ‘viable.'" The Court defined viable as being "potentially able to live outside the mother's womb, albeit with artificial aid. Viability is usually placed at about seven months (28 weeks) but may occur earlier, even at 24 weeks."1 The Court also held that abortion after viability must be available when needed to protect a woman's health, which the Court defined broadly in the companion case of Doe v. Bolton. These rulings affected laws in 46 states.3 http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/16317 Human Cloning While the candidates have both expressed the belief that "surplus" frozen embryos from in vitro fertilization clinics should be made available for federally funded research, McCain and Obama diverge on the issue of so-called "therapeutic cloning," also known as somatic cell nuclear transfer. McCain is a co-sponsor of the human cloning ban introduced by Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., for which the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has voiced its support. "McCain opposes, and Obama supports, legislation to authorize and fund the creation of human embryos by cloning for purposes of research and the production of stem-cell lines," said Robert George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University and member of the President's Council on Bioethics. "If this legislation passes, the number of embryos created and destroyed using taxpayer money would be massive." McCains letter to the President to expand embryonic stem cell research McCain signed a letter from 58 Senators to the President Dear Mr. President: We write to urge you to expand the current federal policy concerning embryonic stem cell research. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to be used to treat and better understand deadly and disabling diseases and conditions that affect more than 100 million Americans, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and many others. We appreciate your words of support for the enormous potential of this research, and we know that you intended your policy to help promote this research to its fullest. As you know, the Administration's policy limits federal funding only to embryonic stem cells that were derived by August 9, 2001. However, scientists have told us that since the policy went into effect more than two years ago, we have learned that the embryonic stem cell lines eligible for federal funding will not be suitable to effectively promote this research. We therefore feel it is essential to relax the restrictions in the current policy for this research to be fully explored. Among the difficult challenges with the current policy are the following: * While it originally appeared that 78 embryonic stem cell lines would be available for research, only 19 are available to researchers. * All available stem cell lines are contaminated with mouse feeder cells, making their therapeutic use for humans uncertain. * It is increasingly difficult to attract new scientists to this area of research because of concerns that funding restrictions will keep this research from being successful. * Despite the fact that U.S. scientists were the first to derive human embryonic stem cells, leadership in this area of research is shifting to other countries. We would very much like to work with you to modify the current embryonic stem cell policy so that it provides this area of research the greatest opportunity to lead to the treatments and cures for which we are all hoping. McCain does not support same marriage (But feels the state should decide on how to handle it) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27285822/ NEW YORK - Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin says she supports a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, a break with John McCain who has said he believes states should be left to define what marriage is. http://pewforum.org/religion08/compare.php?Issue=Gay_Marriage

John McCain

McCain says marriage should be between a man and a woman and should be regulated by the states. He opposed a federal constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage because "it usurps from the states a fundamental authority they have always possessed." McCain endorsed a 2006 Arizona ballot initiative to limit marriage to be between a man and a woman and said, "I'm proud to have led an effort in my home state to change our state constitution and to protect the sanctity of marriage as between a man and woman." He also supported the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which banned federal recognition of gay marriage and domestic partnerships. He supports the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy and says that to "even reopen the issue" would be a "terrific mistake."

Barack Obama

Obama says that he personally believes that "marriage is between a man and a woman" but also says that "equality is a moral imperative" for gay and lesbian Americans. He advocates the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) because "federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does." He supports granting civil unions for gay couples, and in 2006 he opposed a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. In March 2007, Obama initially avoided answering questions about a controversial statement by a U.S. general that "homosexual acts" are "immoral," but Obama later told CNN's Larry King, "I don't think that homosexuals are immoral any more than I think heterosexuals are immoral."

Obama does not support same sex marriage but DOES support civil union to give gay people similar rights. Obama is not Muslim http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22767392/ COLUMBIA, S.C. - Barack Obama is stepping up his effort to correct the misconception that he's a Muslim now that the presidential campaign has hit the Bible Belt. At a rally to kick off a weeklong campaign for the South Carolina primary, Obama tried to set the record straight from an attack circulating widely on the Internet that is designed to play into prejudices against Muslims and fears of terrorism. "I've been to the same church _ the same Christian church _ for almost 20 years," Obama said, stressing the word Christian and drawing cheers from the faithful in reply. "I was sworn in with my hand on the family Bible. Whenever I'm in the United States Senate, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. So if you get some silly e-mail ... send it back to whoever sent it and tell them this is all crazy. Educate." Some facts, some misstatements There are some truths in the e-mail's details. Obama's middle name is Hussein. His father and stepfather were Muslim. And he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, a largely Muslim country. But he attended secular and Catholic schools, not a radical madrassa. His campaign has been pushing back against the false rumors all year. His aides decried an incorrect news report that Obama was educated in a Muslim madrassa and a section of his Web site is devoted to correct that and other false rumors circulating on the Internet. But they are stepping up the effort now that the campaign has hit South Carolina and soon turns to other southern states where religion is so important to voters. The campaign distributed an open letter from seven Jewish senators this weekend condemning the attacks; aides are planning an event this week to respond directly to the e-mails; and campaign representatives blanketed South Carolina churches Sunday with literature that touted Obama's Christian faith. One piece features photos of Obama praying with the words "COMMITTED CHRISTIAN" in large letters across the middle. It says Obama will be a president "guided by his Christian faith" and includes a quote from him saying, "I believe in the power of prayer." A second piece, which like the first doesn't mention the Muslim rumor, includes photos of Obama with his family and a caption that says they are active members of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. It explains how as a young man Obama "felt a beckoning of the spirit and accepted Jesus Christ into his life." Obama on Flag Desecration: http://www.ontheissues.org/domestic/Barack_Obama_Civil_Rights.htm Voted NO on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration. The Senate voted on a resolution which would recommend a Constitutional Amendment banning flag desecration (not a vote on the Amendment itself). The resolution states: * 1. the flag of the US is a unique symbol of national unity... * 2. the Bill of Rights should not be amended in a manner that could be interpreted to restrict freedom... * 3. abuse of the flag causes more than pain and distress... and may amount to fighting words... * 4. destruction of the flag of the US can be intended to incite a violent response rather than make a political statement and such conduct is outside the protections afforded by the first amendment to the Constitution. Proponents of the Resolution say: * Fifty State legislatures have called on us to pass this amendment. This amendment simply says that "Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." * In other words, in passing this amendment, we would give to Congress the power that the Supreme Court took away in 1989. * 48 States had anti-desecration measures on the books before 1989. It was then that five unelected judges told those 48 sovereign entities that they were wrong. Opponents of the Resolution say: * I am deeply offended when people burn or otherwise abuse this precious national symbol. * I also believe that the values and beliefs that the American flag represents are more important than the cloth from which this symbol was created. * Prominent among these beliefs are the right to voice views that are unpopular, and the right to protest. * I oppose this amendment not because I condone desecration of our flag, but because I celebrate the values our flag represents. Flag burning is despicable. However, the issue is whether we should amend our great charter document, the Constitution, to proscribe it. * Is this a problem needing such strong medicine? Are we facing an epidemic of flag burnings? "I'll reserve my I told you says for 6 months from now." -Based on your views you probably voted on Bush... Good Job he did. OBAMA On the National Anthem ( THIS WAS A FAKE FYI) http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/anthem.asp During the Democratic candidates' debate on 15 January 2008, Senator Obama directly refuted the three primary rumors about him that are circulating via email: that he is a Muslim, the he was sworn in to Congress on the Quran, and that he refuses to say the Pledge of Allegiance http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/459/

Obama e-mail: It's not The Real Thing

(Published April 30, 2008) Opponents of Barack Obama seem to have found a new reason to dislike him: he wants the national anthem to be an old Coca-Cola jingle. Well, not really, but that's the rumor that's going around. Although it seems ridiculous on its face, we heard from enough PolitFact readers who wondered if it was true that we decided to do a little digging. What we found was another example of satire being mistaken for the truth. A widely circulated chain e-mail attributes the following quote to Barack Obama: "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." (You can read the full text of the e-mail here.) But Obama never said it. It's satire written by syndicated columnist John Semmens, whose columns are posted on the Web site The Arizona Conservative. The above quote was part of a short item Semmens wrote in October 2007, imagining a rationale for the oft-emailed photo of Obama not having his hand over his heart during the national anthem . (We wrote about the anthem issue previously here, which was part of a chain email falsely claiming Obama refused to say the pledge of allegiance.) The song "I'd like to teach the world to sing," ought to be a tip-off that the email isn't for real, but credibility can get pretty elastic in the Internet age. The song actually started as a TV jingle for Coca-Cola commercials during the 1970s. Obama on English being the National Language Voted NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government. Voting YES would declare English as the national language of the Government of the US. Unless specifically provided by statute, no person would have an entitlement to have the Government of the US communicate or provide materials in any language other than English. If an exception is made with respect to the use of a language other than English, the exception does not create a legal entitlement to additional services in that language. If any form is issued by the Federal Government in a language other than English, the English language version of the form is the sole authority for all legal purposes. Nothing in this amendment shall prohibit the use of a language other than English. Proponents recommend voting YES because: Right now, the polling shows that 91% of the people in America want English as an official language, and 76% of Hispanics believe English should be an official language. Opponents recommend voting NO because: I believe the American people understand in order to succeed in our society, immigrants need to learn English. But the amendment would do a number of things that are problematical. The first is that it is contrary to the provisions of law that exist in many States. For example, in New Mexico, you have in their State Constitution, a provision that says that many of the documents within that State have to be provided in both English and Spanish. The same thing is true for the State of Hawaii. I believe this is a States rights issue, and those constitutions of those States ought to be respected. I do not believe it is a matter we ought to be imposing here from Washington DC. Also, this amendment would undo an executive order conceived by President Bill Clinton and implemented by President George Bush. Both recognized it is important that people who have limited English proficiency receive the kinds of services so they can understand what is going on in terms of the interface between the Government and themselves. OBAMA on the Estate Tax http://money.cnn.com/2008/08/06/smallbusiness/estate_tax.fsb/ Obama proposes freezing the estate tax at 2009 levels: a 45% tax rate on estates valued at more than $3.5 million. Married couples can combine their exemptions for a total of $7 million. "By exempting all estates under $7 million, Obama's plan will shield all but about 100 estates with small business income from any estate taxation," said Obama campaign spokesman Nick Shapiro, citing the Congressional Budget Office's 2005 study on the estate tax and further analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. "Senator Obama's plan would completely exempt 99.7% of estates from taxation." McCain's plan would be a more dramatic departure from current policy. The Arizona Senator favors a 15% tax rate, equal to the capital-gains tax rate, and an individual exemption of $5 million ($10 million for married couples). "The goal is to allow small business to grow and expand," said Doug Holtz-Eakin, a senior policy advisor for McCain's campaign who also served as director of the CBO when its last comprehensive estate-tax study was done. To pay for it, "there's ample room in the spending side to undo the explosion of spending seen in the past eight years," he said. Holtz-Eakin attacked Obama's plan: "His package is one that is simply unappealing to anyone making a payroll and selling a product." Obama spokesman Shapiro fired back, calling McCain's approach a "fiscally irresponsible promise" that would mostly benefit the wealthiest estate owners "without offering any credible way to pay for it." NOTE: From what I have read there is a compromise of about 3.5 million dollars, if some one inherits less then 3.5 million dollars they will NOT be taxed, but if it is OVER that it will be heavily taxed. HOWEVER if the person living is constantly gifting money to family then the tax may not be as bad Here is a Tax Plan from barackobama.com which gives all details about LIVING TAXES http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/taxes/Factsheet_Tax_Plan_FINAL.pdf Estate Tax: The estate tax would be effectively repealed for 99.7 percent of estates. For the remaining 0.3% of estates over $7 million per couple, Obama will retain a rate of 45%. This policy would cut the number of estates covered by the tax by 84 percent relative to 2000.ix