Can you name things McCain is older than?

I decided to let people send suggestons of things John McCain is older than.

For starters he is older than the State of Alaska by 23 years. Visit my main site to send your "McCain is older than..." suggestions.

http://www.reelectnoone.com

The Ridge/Lieberman Fake-Out

He is faking us out on more than one count...read why:



A fellow POW who was in Vietnam with McCain says why he won't vote for McCain.



"I can verify that John has an infamous reputation for being a hot head. He has a quick and explosive temper that many have experienced first hand. Folks, quite honestly that is not the finger I want next to that red button. "



http://floridawantsobama.com/butler_article.php
About John McCain
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

I thought this should be distributed far and wide.

As published on AlterNet.com
====================================
I Spent Years as a POW with John McCain, and His Finger Should Not Be Near the Red Button
By Phillip Butler, Military.com

Posted on August 21, 2008, Printed on August 21, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/story/95825/

John McCain is a long-time acquaintance of mine that goes way back to our time together at the U.S. Naval Academy and as Prisoners of War in Vietnam. He is a man I respect and admire in some ways. But there are a number of reasons why I will not vote for him for President of the United States.

When I was a Plebe (4th classman, or freshman) at the Naval Academy in 1957-58, I was assigned to the 17th Company for my four years there. In those days we had about 3,600 midshipmen spread among 24 companies, thus about 150 midshipmen to a company. As fortune would have it, John, a First Classman (senior) and his room mate lived directly across the hall from me and my two room mates. Believe me when I say that back then I would never in a million or more years have dreamed that the crazy guy across the hall would someday be a Senator and candidate for President!

John was a wild man. He was funny, with a quick wit and he was intelligent. But he was intent on breaking every USNA regulation in our 4 inch thick USNA Regulations book. And I believe he must have come as close to his goal as any midshipman who ever attended the Academy. John had me "coming around" to his room frequently during my plebe year. And on one occasion he took me with him to escape "over the wall" in the dead of night. He had a taxi cab waiting for us that took us to a bar some 7 miles away. John had a few beers, but forbid me to drink (watching out for me I guess) and made me drink cokes. I could tell many other midshipman stories about John that year and he unbelievably managed to graduate though he spent the majority of his first class year on restriction for the stuff he did get caught doing. In fact he barely managed to graduate, standing 5th from the bottom of his 800 man graduating class. I and many others have speculated that the main reason he did graduate was because his father was an Admiral, and also his grandfather, both U.S. Naval Academy graduates.

People often ask if I was a Prisoner of War with John McCain. My answer is always "No - John McCain was a POW with me." The reason is I was there for 8 years and John got there 2 1/2 years later, so he was a POW for 5 1/2 years. And we have our own seniority system, based on time as a POW.

John's treatment as a POW:

1) Was he tortured for 5 years? No. He was subjected to torture and maltreatment during his first 2 years, from September of 1967 to September of 1969. After September of 1969 the Vietnamese stopped the torture and gave us increased food and rudimentary health care. Several hundred of us were captured much earlier. I got there April 20, 1965 so my bad treatment period lasted 4 1/2 years. President Ho Chi Minh died on September 9, 1969, and the new regime that replaced him and his policies was more pragmatic. They realized we were worth a lot as bargaining chips if we were alive. And they were right because eventually Americans gave up on the war and agreed to trade our POW's for their country. A damn good trade in my opinion! But my point here is that John allows the media to make him out to be THE hero POW, which he knows is absolutely not true, to further his political goals.

2) John was badly injured when he was shot down. Both arms were broken and he had other wounds from his ejection. Unfortunately this was often the case -- new POW's arriving with broken bones and serious combat injuries. Many died from their wounds. Medical care was non-existent to rudimentary. Relief from pain was almost never given and often the wounds were used as an available way to torture the POW. Because John's father was the Naval Commander in the Pacific theater, he was exploited with TV interviews while wounded. These film clips have now been widely seen. But it must be known that many POW's suffered similarly, not just John. And many were similarly exploited for political propaganda.

3) John was offered, and refused, "early release." Many of us were given this offer. It meant speaking out against your country and lying about your treatment to the press. You had to "admit" that the U.S. was criminal and that our treatment was "lenient and humane." So I, like numerous others, refused the offer. This was obviously something none of us could accept. Besides, we were bound by our service regulations, Geneva Conventions and loyalties to refuse early release until all the POW's were released, with the sick and wounded going first.

4) John was awarded a Silver Star and Purple Heart for heroism and wounds in combat. This heroism has been played up in the press and in his various political campaigns. But it should be known that there were approximately 600 military POW's in Vietnam. Among all of us, decorations awarded have recently been totaled to the following: Medals of Honor -- 8, Service Crosses -- 42, Silver Stars -- 590, Bronze Stars -- 958 and Purple Hearts -- 1,249. John certainly performed courageously and well. But it must be remembered that he was one hero among many -- not uniquely so as his campaigns would have people believe.

John McCain served his time as a POW with great courage, loyalty and tenacity. More that 600 of us did the same. After our repatriation a census showed that 95% of us had been tortured at least once. The Vietnamese were quite democratic about it. There were many heroes in North Vietnam. I saw heroism every day there. And we motivated each other to endure and succeed far beyond what any of us thought we had in ourselves. Succeeding as a POW is a group sport, not an individual one. We all supported and encouraged each other to survive and succeed. John knows that. He was not an individual POW hero. He was a POW who surmounted the odds with the help of many comrades, as all of us did.

I furthermore believe that having been a POW is no special qualification for being President of the United States. The two jobs are not the same, and POW experience is not, in my opinion, something I would look for in a presidential candidate.

Most of us who survived that experience are now in our late 60's and 70's. Sadly, we have died and are dying off at a greater rate than our non-POW contemporaries. We experienced injuries and malnutrition that are coming home to roost. So I believe John's age (73) and survival expectation are not good for being elected to serve as our President for 4 or more years.

I can verify that John has an infamous reputation for being a hot head. He has a quick and explosive temper that many have experienced first hand. Folks, quite honestly that is not the finger I want next to that red button.

It is also disappointing to see him take on and support Bush's war in Iraq, even stating we might be there for another 100 years. For me John represents the entrenched and bankrupt policies of Washington-as-usual. The past 7 years have proven to be disastrous for our country. And I believe John's views on war, foreign policy, economics, environment, health care, education, national infrastructure and other important areas are much the same as those of the Bush administration.

I'm disappointed to see John represent himself politically in ways that are not accurate. He is not a moderate Republican. On some issues he is a maverick. But his voting record is far to the right. I fear for his nominations to our Supreme Court, and the consequent continuing loss of individual freedoms, especially regarding moral and religious issues. John is not a religious person, but he has taken every opportunity to ally himself with some really obnoxious and crazy fundamentalist ministers lately. I was also disappointed to see him cozy up to Bush because I know he hates that man. He disingenuously and famously put his arm around the guy, even after Bush had intensely disrespected him with lies and slander. So on these and many other instances, I don't see that John is the "straight talk express" he markets himself to be.

Senator John Sidney McCain, III is a remarkable man who has made enormous personal achievements. And he is a man that I am proud to call a fellow POW who "Returned With Honor." That's our POW motto. But since many of you keep asking what I think of him, I've decided to write it out. In short, I think John Sidney McCain, III is a good man, but not someone I will vote for in the upcoming election to be our President of the United States.

--------- Credits ------------
Doctor Phillip Butler is a 1961 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a former light-attack carrier pilot. In 1965 he was shot down over North Vietnam where he spent eight years as a prisoner of war. He is a highly decorated combat veteran who was awarded two Silver Stars, two Legion of Merits, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Heart medals. After his repatriation in 1973 he earned a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at San Diego and became a Navy Organizational Effectiveness consultant. He completed his Navy career in 1981 as a professor of management at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He is now a peace and justice activist with Veterans for Peace.

Deployed Troops Donate to Obama 6-1 Over McCain

Photocopy your ballot and send a copy home ! Send a copy to any organization in your home town that monitors elections. Create your own paper trail and compare !
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Brain Dead Bureaucrat Watch: VA Blocks Voter Registration at Vets' Hospitals

Not sure what it will do but I just logged in to the VA website and sent an online complaint to them about this issue. I requested their response via US Mail so I have a hard copy.



I suggest everyone, vet or not, to bombard them with a complaint requesting a response via US Mail. You will receive a complaint tracking number so you can keep on them until a response is received.



Instead of waiting for some movement to collect petitions or something, put the burden of response directly on the VA.



Here is the on line form:

https://iris.va.gov/Scripts/iris.cfg/php.exe/enduser/cci/ask_1.php



Pass it on in an email to everyone you know and ask them to do the same. Our vets deserve better than this from the VA.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Will the Real Pro-life Party Please Stand Up?

There are as many liberals out helping children if not more. Certainly when it comes to politics it is the liberals who want to help the poor, provide for health care etc. Republicans almost always vote against anything except tax breaks for those who hold most of the wealth.



There is nothing wrong with being religious right. There is something wrong when you say you have an exclusive on wanting to help children. Denying contraception as some right wing people advocate is just a disaster waiting to happen in the form of unwanted children who will then need your help somewhere.



When the church asks government to legislate it's particular views on everyone that is a sign the church is weak and cannot teach it's own flock. Why else ask someone outside in the form of the "devil politician" to help do what you cannot. Politicians always have an ulterior motive, typically greed. A preacher that beds with politicians is also suspect by association.



There are many churches...each with good work done and more to do. They don't all agree on the same things so must agree to disagree and continue with what each things best fits their teaching. It is impossible to expect government to satisfy each religion as well as each person who chooses not to follow any particular belief. All are equal in America, not just the religious right.
About Democratic Convention
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Deployed Troops Donate to Obama 6-1 Over McCain

Bless the troops. I always support them even if they have a criminal tyrant as a commander-in-chief.



Those on the front lines know we are wasting human lives and destroying a country that was not and certainly is not now a threat to the US.



With the expose of the string of Bush lies, troops have realized now that Bush and Cheney have willingly sacrificed their lives, limbs and futures to support oil profits for the wealthy families who own those companies. It was never about terrorists.



When McCain says it is OK to remain there for perhaps 100 years they can easily imagine their own sons and daughters, and grand children being killed and maimed for Bush's Oil Barons. They want no part of it.



Soldiers signed on to protect American and its Constitution. Bush took a similar oath but has been trampling the same Constitution at home even as our soldiers die to protect it.



They are right to kick McCain's butt by donating to the one person who seems to have understood the truth long ago. Obama.
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Will the Real Pro-life Party Please Stand Up?

You cannot speak of abortions without speaking of unwanted pregnancies.



It is narrow minded to take the issue of abortion rights out of context as if those abortions can exist without a pregnancy.



Many of the same people who want to ban abortions also want to block sex education and contraception. This is totally at odds with reducing unwanted pregnancies which are the ONLY cause leading to abortions.



No where is this more critical than teens and lower social-economic communities. To reduce pregnancies, thus abortions, requires that those at risk understand the options and the risks. Then those options must actually be available.



It is not the government's job to regulate sex or education or morals. Those who have an audience in their churches who want their government to just ban what they don't like are foolish. Families and churches have their own obligation separate from the state to educate their members about the facts and alternatives. Teaching "no to contraception ) while also saying "no" to abortions is a useless tactic doomed to fail.



To Church Leaders...don't wine to Congress to do your job for you. Teach your flock well and with reason that understands human nature.
About Democratic Convention
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

McCain: "In The 21st Century Nations Don't Invade Other Nations"

Bush basically said the same thing. Any wonder now if McCain is just a Bush clone? They even spout the same lies and absurd statements.



What they should have both said is that ,



" ..other countries don't invade...but we do because we are Special and the rules don't apply to us!"
About John McCain
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Oil: Supply vs. Demand

Taxing corporations is pointless. They just include that in the price of goods and we pay them in the end. Only people pay taxes.



You have to tax the owners of the corporations and make sure they pay their fair share on their personal incomes. The more the corporation makes the more the taxes collected from those who actually receive the profits.



A fair taxation would not tax a business at all because those are always passed along to us, hidden in the cost of goods...so we pay them anyway. Tax the incomes of the owners only, but tax them so they have to actually pay them.



Same goes for trucking...don't tax their fuel. Don't charge road taxes. We pay those for them when we buy the goods. Tax the incomes only as that is the only way to tax profits of wealthy big business.
About Oil
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Oil: Supply vs. Demand

Could it also be part of Big Oils reaction to the new demands for off-shore drilling? Something to tease us into thinking that if they get to take public property ( oil under public land ) and sell it back to us for huge profits, suddenly our gas prices will drop even more?



Big Oil bought McCain for a cool million recently, not because McCain is a "nice guy" but because they see it as an investment in future profits. The expect McCain to tell us what the oil companies want us to hear.



So far no one has suggested that the Oil Companies should pay citizens a royalty check for taking their oil for personal and corporate profits . Alaskans receive a royalty check for oil...shouldn't anyone who's state sits on public owned oil receive a check each year?
About Oil
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Clintons Still Want To Kill Caucuses: The Latest Round

I'm not happy with the system either. But now is not the time to try to muddle things up because it appears that the Clinton's are bitter and non-supportive of their party's candidate.



Hillary may have to ride this one out. She put up a fight and lost. That is what it is about. Only one can win and it wasn't her this time.



I believe there should never be anything other than a popular vote...period. What is the purpose of all this game-playing and conventions anyway...other than an excuse for a party.



Let the people pick their candidates then let them campaign until the election...put away the party hats and get to work.
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Why Voters Say they Don't Really Know Barack Obama (and Why They Don't Really Know Much about John McCain, Either)

Never start a fight...but when the other guy throws the first punch...go back swinging.



McCain has plenty of dirty laundry to air without resorting to lies. It would not be a dirty campaign to promote McCain's lies and his past record in Congress etc.



I wonder what McCain's idea of a "patriot" is? There is a whole generation that did not have to fight a war to "prove" themselves a patriot because prior to Bush we have not had a war since Viet Nam. The military of recent years was mostly a good place for poor youth to get a leg up...until they found out their own military did not support their futures.
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Senator McCain, Troops and Security Are No Joke

We all know McCain him self IS a joke. We can only hope most smart people know this and won't vote for him. Pass this around. Post a link to this article on your blogs as well.
About John McCain
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

The Not-So-Great Energy Debate

Let them lease...but with strings attached.

1) Time limits. Produce withing x months or lose the lease.

2) Pay Royalties to citizens in the states where oil is pumped as they do in Alaska. After all it is under public domain so why should private oil companies be allowed to take public property for private profite without paying us for the oil? They have to pay OPEC for oil don't they? Are we equally entitled ?

3) Require that fuel prices will factor in local cost per barrel, not the OPEC price.

4) Establish a fixed "profit margin" over cost for the fuel they sell.
About Oil
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Obama Delivers a Real Energy Plan for America: Efficiency Now, 10% Renewables by 2012, One Million Plug-ins by 2015

We also need 100% electric cars. Most daily driving can be done with today's electric vehicle technology and batteries. Detroit made them once then quit when the pressure was off..destroying all the demo vehicles they had on the road in California.



I have more info here: http://www.reelectnoone.com/electric_car.php



In any case, while it is great to provide incentives to auto makers, if people can't afford to buy them there is a road block. For instance, with the rising cost of gas, how much trade in can someone expect when trading for an electric? Can people even get back what they may owe on their current vehicle? Will people start "walking away" from car loans the way they are being forced to do with mortgages today?



There needs to be incentives to allow people to obtain new vehicles, not just for Detroit to build them, and I am NOT talking tax credit, because many people's incomes are so low that a tax credit is useless to them. There needs to be, instead of a "credit" an actual government trade allowance that can be taken at dealers at time of purchase.
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Make McCain Disavow His Dishonest Obama Ad

Senator McCain,The Washington Post, The New York Times and your friend, Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, agree that your latest ad was a distortion of fact.We demand that you disavow your dishonest ad and pledge never to run it again.

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