It completely eludes me how any middle class American could support a Republican--in any race. That being said, one of my good friends here on MyBloggers recently posted a blog explaining why Obama should never be elected President.

Now, I respect her right to support her candidate so long as the facts she uses are accurate. Unfortunately, most of hers are not. So, I feel compelled to set the record straight as to what the facts actually are.

Before I point out the errors, there is one point she makes with which I do agree. Senator Obama is a liberal. So was FDR, Harry S. Truman, JFK, LBJ, and every other Democratic president we ever had.

FDR pulled America out of the depression with programs many said were socialistic. To that I reply--it is better than starving to death. Truman had the courage to end World War II with a victory; JFK had the courage to back down Khruschev, LBJ gave us Medicare and integrated the South. I have no problem with a liberal President.

Now to the errors--She states that Obama is a terrorist sympathizer. I will let McCain respond in his own words to that charge.

At a Republican rally in Minnesota, A man in the audience stood up and told McCain he's "scared" of an Obama presidency and who he'd select for the Supreme Court.

"I have to tell you. Sen. Obama is a decent person and a person you don't have to be scared of as president of the United States," McCain said as the crowd booed and shouted "Come on, John!"

A woman at the town hall asks softly: "I've heard that Sen. Obama is an Arab."

McCain quickly cuts the woman off.

"No, ma'am. He's a decent family man and citizen," McCain says. "He's not. Thank you."

At one point he responded to a lady, "That's just how politics are." In other words, it's all right to lie to the American public in the name of politics. Well, it is not all right with me.

McCain was forced to make these remarks after his ads implied otherwise and people became incensed. Palin was also out there making remarks like this: "Obama pals around with terrorists. That is just an out and out lie."

Yes, Bill Ayers belonged to a group that vehemently opposed the Vietnam war. His was one of the more radical groups; but to say that he is still a terrorist is ridiculous. Bill Ayers and his wife turned themselves in. If we are going to label every person in the 60's and 70's who openly opposed the war and did some really stupid things, we'd have to include half the people of my generation. Guess what! They are now bankers, insurance agents, professors (as is Bill Ayers)plumbers, doctors, lawyers, landscapers, etc., etc., etc.

Yes, Bill Ayers said in 1991 that he wished he could have done more. He also has repeatedly said he was referring to the Vietnam War. So did a lot of other people who tried to get the carnage in Vietnam stopped long before it was. Let's keep things in perspective, please.

As for Obama's endorsement by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakham, let me remind everyone that we have a huge population of legal immigrants in this country who are Muslim and who practice the faith of Islam. I am sure many of us do business with them and live in neighborhoods with them. These are law-abiding people, and many are now United States citizens. Are we going to condemn all Muslims as terrorists? Again, this is good political propaganda, but the facts do not support the allegations.

She stated: "He wants to almost double the capital gains tax."

Currently the capital gains tax is 15%. Obama has proposed raising that to 25% only for those with an adjusted gross of $250,000 or more. That's about five percent of the total population. Right now, people would just like to be taxed on their capital gains. They have taken a 3 trillion dollar hit on their stock market investments. For the average citizen who has money in retirement savings programs through their company, the tax is deferred until they start withdrawing it anyway. And I would be very surprised if anyone would withdraw $250,000 or more in one big sum.

She stated: "He wants to strip the FICA cap off anyone making more than $97,500."

There are two mistakes here. First the FICA cap is now $101,000. That was signed into law about two weeks ago. Secondly, early in his campaign, Obama offered this as one possible solution to saving Medicare. But he rejected that in favor of everyone paying FICA tax by law up to $101,000. Then no one will be taxed further unless his income exceeds $250,000. Those people will pay an additional 2 to 4% combined (employer and employee)FICA tax ONLY on that amount that exceeds the 250,000. Obama is trying to save Medicare for the next generation. As things stand now, Medicare will be broke in less than ten years.

She stated: "He wants to increase the dividends tax."

Again, this only applies to those whose income exceeds a quarter million dollars and the increase is quite minimal.

She stated: "He wants to let the Bush tax cuts expire — giving almost every American family an automatic tax increase."

This is so completely wrong. Obama has said he will keep those tax cuts that apply to the Middle Class and allow those that benefit the wealthy to expire. Again, unless your adjusted gross exceeds a quarter million, you will not have your taxes increased one cent.

I don't want this blog to go on and on. My point is this. When Republicans cry, Obama will raise taxes, they are referring to the wealthy who currently pay six times less dollar for dollar tax than the Middle Class. Senator Obama wants to even out the tax burden so that the wealthy pay their fair share.

That makes sense to me.