Dear Undecided Voter
I'm sorry, did I wake you? I know it's been four years since the last time you checked the news to find that a presidential race was in the final weeks, and much has happened since then. I thought it might be a good idea to help you get caught up, since I keep hearing that the fate of the nation rests in the hands of people who can name the winner of American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, but can't name their own Congressman. Please know that I honor your sacrifice in giving up precious time that could be spent watching those human livestock shows, where a group of people scheme, back-stab, connive, and manipulate each other in order to find true love, but this is sort of important. You see, the country is imploding and the world is on fire. We sure could use your help.
Item: The bottom is falling out of American median income. During the recession, it fell from $54,489 in 2007 to $52,195 in 2009, after President Obama spent your grandchildren's inheritance on his much touted "stimulus" plan. Since then, the government has taken in more of your money and left the nation with a median income of $50,054 just last year. So while they take more, you get less. Is that the change you were hoping for? Meanwhile, the poverty rate in America has gone from 12.5 percent in 2007 to 15 percent last year as median household wealth declined 39 percent over the same time span. President Obama keeps saying that all of this is the legacy of Republican policies, as if the laws he signed over the last four years had no impact. In 1981, Ronald Reagan inherited an unemployment rate of 7.5 percent and four years later it was 7.2 percent. Barack Obama inherited an unemployment rate of 7.8 percent, and today it stands at 8.1 percent only because the work force itself is shrinking. As the Washington Post observed, "If the same percentage of adults were in the workforce today as when Barack Obama took office, the unemployment rate would be 11.1 percent."
Item: If you think you're paying more for electricity now, stay tuned. Coal companies are in the President's crosshairs, just as he promised back in 2008 when he said, "If somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can, it's just that it will bankrupt them." Alpha Natural Resources has just announced that it will close eight mines as a direct result of Obama Administration edicts and regulations. Some 400 jobs were terminated on the spot, with a total of 1,200 jobs to be eliminated through 2013. As the supply of fossil fuel shrinks, the price of available supplies will rise on households who, as noted above, are losing income. And chanting, "Yes we can," isn't going to help.
Item: Food Stamp use is on the rise. When Obama took office, 1 in 10 Americans received such assistance. Today it's 1 in 7, as food stamp usage has reached an all time high of nearly 48 million Americans. People who point this out are called racist by the President's friends in the media. But people who ignore it are willfully blinding themselves to a catastrophe that threatens to undo a great nation. Your share of the $16 trillion national debt is currently $142,000. Your spouse and each of your children and grandchildren owe the same amount. Do you think this is sustainable?
Item: Remember the health care law that so many people made such a fuss about? According to the Associated Press, "Nearly 6 million Americans -- significantly more than first estimated -- will face a tax penalty under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul for not getting insurance… Most would be in the middle class." Health care premiums are already increasing as insurance companies try to cope with the additional cost of covering pre-existing conditions, 26 year old adults hanging onto their parents' plans, and handing out birth control like it was Halloween candy. If you think this is going to end well, you might hazard a look to Great Britain, where people who have insurance die while waiting for actual treatment.
Item: While channel surfing, you may have noticed what at first appeared to be world-wide cookouts at American Embassies overseas. Actually, they were Islamic moon bats who over ran our outposts, killed an American Ambassador and three of his staff in Libya, scaled the walls in Egypt and tore down our flag, replacing it with one saying that there is only one god, Allah is his name and Mohammed is his favorite dude, or something like that. What about the Marines who typically guard these places, you ask? They were unarmed, because we wouldn't want to offend the sensibilities of those peace-loving savages. Today we learned that the attack in Libya was planned well in advance, with the assistance of one Sufya Ben Qumu, who we previously released from Guantanamo.
Item: Two United States Marines, including a Squadron Commander, were killed in an attack on their base in Afghanistan just a few days ago. The attack also saw the destruction of at least half a dozen Harrier fighter aircraft. Additionally, the Afghanistan security forces we've been training have taken to murdering the Americans that are training them. The Taliban is making a comeback, and the situation is deteriorating by the hour. This is the sort of thing that can be expected, and was predicted, when President Obama announced our retreat and publicized the time table. Wars are generally lost when one side retreats, ya know. Last time we did this was in Somalia, and the bad guys responded by flying planes into buildings on American soil. I don't think this approach will end well either. You may recall that when Ronald Reagan was inaugurated, the moon bats in Iran got religion and released the American hostages. They feared him. They didn't fear Jimmy Carter, and they don't seem to be worrying about Barack Obama, who keeps telling them that he's really sorry about a movie they don't like. In fact, the authorities have even arrested the guy who made the movie! What's that you ask? The First Amendment? Well, President Obama and his Democratic friends aren't big fans of the Constitution either, if you didn't know.
There is so much more to tell you about, but I don't want to overburden you with information. I just wanted to let you know a few items that you may not have seen in the news. Odds are that you heard Mitt Romney's comments about how 47 percent of the people are dependent on the government, and how he doesn't worry about them, right? The point he appeared to be driving at was that a certain portion of the country is going to vote for Obama no matter what, and that many of them think they are entitled to the fruits of your labor. He knows he's not going to get their vote unless he repudiates individual liberty and starts sounding like Fidel Castro, so he's going to focus his efforts on you instead.
Now, what you probably didn't hear was the recording of Barack Obama, back in 1998 I believe, saying that, "…the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution -- because I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody's got a shot." A few weeks ago he assured people that if they have a successful business, it's because someone else built it, and now we hear him talking about redistributing someone else's earnings. Call it Fundamental Transformation, or Hope and Change, or plain and simple plunder. Call it what you will, but make no mistake, you have a choice to make in November. You can choose the American dream of liberty and excellence as intended by the authors of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, or you can choose American weakness abroad and an endless welfare state that is quickly collapsing at home. It's up to you. By the way, have you ever tried to watch Dancing With The Stars with no electricity?
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Comments:
Jul '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
Did you mention that Obama is a pathological liar and afflicted with narcissistic personality disorder?
Dave, I feel strongly Romney will win this race. I still believe in this country's greatness and am working locally for congressmen, our good senator Heller and Mr Romney.
Apr '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
Dave, well said!
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
DocJay: Did you mention that Obama is a pathological liar and afflicted with narcissistic personality disorder?
Dave, I feel strongly Romney will win this race. I still believe in this country's greatness and am working locally for congressmen, our good senator Heller and Mr Romney. · 1 minute ago
I suspect you're right, Doc. But I didn't want to overlook the much vaunted undecided voter who, we are told, will decide our fate.
Oct '10
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
If you read the article on the embassy attack, you see this gem:
The chutzpah of the Obama administration is just astounding.
Jun '10
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
I don't know, Mr. Carter. You seem to be using a lot of that free speech stuff up there. The UN person, Mr. Ban the-Moon (is that it?) said:
“When some people use this freedom of expression to provoke or humiliate some others’ values and beliefs, then this cannot be protected in such a way.”
You said "Islamic moon bats". Are you insulting the UN Moon man, too?
This is too much to handle, so I don't know if I can vote. Uh-oh. Gotta go - Simon Cowell's going to say some cool mean things. Bye, now.
Edited on September 20, 2012 at 5:55amApr '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
I will just post this without commentary:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/157502/democrats-continue-boost-economic-confidence.aspx
May '12
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
Dave-
Did you make a typo in your first item? If I recall, unemployment went to 4.something when Reagan finished his second term ?????
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
John, I was comparing first terms only, since Obama has been in for one term only. Yes, the economy skyrocketed during Reagan's second term, but it wouldn't be fair to do a side by side comparison of an eight year term verus a four year term.
Jul '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
Wmartin, unless you live in a stimulus/bribed area then all one needs to do is take a drive around to realize how bad things are. The lost and stolen dreams of American small business owners litter the countryside like refuse from a bygone era of capitalist success. Our country is dying before our very eyes and lies from media/Gallup are pablum for the entitled and their lefty masters to consume with grins of foolishness and malice respectively. The rest of the country can see ghosts of greatness past rattling their chains and begging us to change the future. Change it we will.
Edited on September 20, 2012 at 6:24amJun '10
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
The undecided voter is interested in contests. Just not political contests:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU_dBDccruI
Apr '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
Great post as usual. Somehow, I think someone needs to exploit the assertion that Obama had al-Qaida on the run. If so, how can they be responsible for Libya? This is foreign policy determined by asking the magic 8 ball questions about how to deal with international affairs and then overlooking the "I don't think so" responses.
The One:
“We can see the light of a new day,” he said on the anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death and in the midst of his own re-election campaign. “Our goal is to destroy al-Qaida, and we are on a path to do exactly that,” Obama said in an unusual speech to America broadcast from an air base halfway around the world.
From Afghanistan, Bagram Air base, May 1. 2012 via The Blaze.
May '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
Nice post Dave, though perhaps somewhat premature as I keep hearing that these undecided voters make up their minds about two weeks before the election.
P.S. Love the recent View from the Cab on coffee!
Mar '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
Dave, a very well written post and nice collection of the main points of Obama.
But I fear that people who can't be bothered to watch five minutes of nightly news after Dancing with the Stars will be even less motivated to read 1,400 words of text, however beautifully written.
How can we condense this argument onto an index card and still keep it persuasive?
Jul '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
One index card eh? How about this:
Under Obama you are measurably poorer...
Under Obama you have measurably less freedom...
Under Obama you are measurably less secure (Just ask the ambassador)...
Under Obama you are paying measurably more for energy (by design)...
Under Obama your yet-to-be grandkids already owe $X...
How's that? 3x5 index card might be a stretch, but you could use the back to cite sources! So that's something.
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
This post is a shame.
Don't get me wrong: I agree with every word. But I happen to be married to an undecided —I know...inconceivable!!!—and I would never dream of sending him such a post to read. In tone, it's rude, condescending, and does nothing but preach to the choir. And for all I know, that was your intention.
But I've got a real dilemma on my hands. How do you get through to someone who's been in the grip of liberalism (of the Christian bleeding heart variety) his whole life, and is now trying to think fairly and clearly and weigh each and every issue objectively? (And who doesn't yet fully see the bias of the media, I might add)
I think he needs to see the case laid out by a former liberal who has seen the light. Because I can get through on certain issues —we're both pro-life to the extreme, for instance— but I've been a conservative all my life, and don't know how to lay out the case in a way that really connects.
Anyhow, insulting people like him does no good.
Jul '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
When whatever you are doing has not worked yet with an undecided, especially in such a partisan world, change tactics. The wet fish of reality across the face may well be what is needed. I do talk to undecideds just like this and I've talked to women who weren't sure if they would keep or kill their baby just as bluntly. I like results and sometimes it's the subtle approach but often the hammer is called for. Thick skinned folks can handle tough talk and shrug it off if they disagree. Show your man Dave's post and report on his reactions. I bet you'd be surprised when he reads a dedicated conservative unashamed of his beliefs and love of a country he sees in danger. His youthful idealism may well disagree but he'll darn well remember it when everything written is realized to be true later on.
Jul '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
I'm a thirty-nine year old man who's engaged to be married next year. I've been in two other long-term relationships (never married). One thing I've learned the hard way is that it's better to preserve the peace in the household than it is to win an argument with your lady over politics. I don't mean you should lie and tell her you believe something you don't. I mean only that it's better not to talk about some things when there's a danger of hitting a sore spot. If she presses you on something in particular that you know you disagree with her about, it's probably better to gently change the subject. For example, you might tell her you're "undecided."
Mar '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
Diane: But I've got a real dilemma on my hands. How do you get through to someone who's been in the grip of liberalism (of the Christian bleeding heart variety) his whole life, and is now trying to think fairly and clearly and weigh each and every issue objectively? (And who doesn't yet fully see the bias of the media, I might add)
While there are some undecided voters (most, maybe) out there who fit Dave's description to the letter, I think there are not a few out there like your husband, Diane.
You are unlikely to convince someone in this position to renounce everything they've believed their entire life all at once and expect to get results. Human nature and habit react against this strongly. A change on this scale takes time.
If a person is genuinely undecided and not, as grotiushug suggests, just trying to keep the peace, I think the first step would have to be to ask why? Why are they undecided--what is it about the opposite side they find compelling, and why is it that they find your own side unconvincing on the subject?
Mar '11
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
The virtue of an approach like this is it lets them talk and you get to find out how they make decisions--what do they find persuasive? That allows you to tailor your own argument to meet them where they are, without losing sight of where you'd like them to end up.
Obama has failed to seal the deal for these undecideds. He's had four years to do so. Why?
DocJay also makes a point worth considering--perhaps this post is not the best material to show your husband, but how aware is he of a fully articulated view of the 'other side'? Has he read any of the large body of Christian conservative writing produced in the last 100 years?
I don't think conversions happen overnight. Yet, I do think a confrontation with a truly difficult and challenging thinker can jar a person out of their present state of mind and point them in a different direction. Thinkers of a certain breadth and depth are the one's who tend to stick with you.
You have to work the long and short term fronts at once.
Apr '12
Re: Dear Undecided Voter
J.Voss
One index card eh? How about this:
Under Obama you are measurably poorer...
Under Obama you have measurably less freedom...
Under Obama you are measurably less secure (Just ask the ambassador)...
Under Obama you are paying measurably more for energy (by design)...
Under Obama your yet-to-be grandkids already owe $X...
How's that? 3x5 index card might be a stretch, but you could use the back to cite sources! So that's something. · 4 hours ago
here's one line:
Your economy is driving off the cliff and if you want to save it, vote Romney.