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• Friday, September 12, 2008 10:24 AM

  @lotus

  What a stinging criticism.

  All I'm advocating for is an electorate that knows the issues.

  If you're an abortion-hating, pre-emptive strike loving, tax-cuts-for the-wealthy kind of guy and you can identify how the respective candidates view the issues, more power to you. America is Red and Blue - no getting around that.

  A person's true values, however, don't have any pull in an election if said person doesn't actually know what they're voting for.

  For example: many Republicans lend support to the McCain campaign because of his stance on taxes. And we're not just talking the wealthy here - there are plenty of struggling folks in this country who think McCain is their man on taxes - and that's because McCain himself has repeated the mantra that "Democrats will raise your taxes". Obama, meanwhile, has outlined a platform that would see tax cuts extended to lower- and middle-class Americans, while the Bush tax cuts (for the wealthiest among us and yes, businesses) would be allowed to expire. These voters, in spite of the facts, are swayed by campaign rhetoric. You can delve all you want into the supply-side tax argument, but the simple fact remains that Obama's tax cuts are far more inclusive than McCain/Bush's. Voters should, but don't know that. And of course this stuff goes both ways.

  If you're a fan of obfuscation and misinformation, I'm sorry to ruffle your feathers. If you want an electorate that's swayed by meaningless appeals to personal similiarity with a candidate, sorry again. If you want our country's future placed in the hands of the uninformed election after election, I've just got to disagree with you.

  Moscow? Really?

  —NewLeft Read NewLeft's other letters
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