Kerry, Veterans, & National Security--a little help with this email please

[Terran]

My co-worker, an older woman who, like everyone else in my office is a Dem and a progressive, relayed me this email and asked me for help to see how much, if any of it, is true. She has family in the military, including a son who just got back from Afghanistan, and she's worried about how stuff like this could affect the election. I lack the wherewithal to research stuff like this, so I'm hoping some of you may have seen this and can debunk or qualify some of it. This is written like your typical internet sham email, so I have little doubt that it's 99% distortion Thanks!
______

Kerry said to check his voting record and we did!

Sen. John Kerry Democrat from Massachusetts says he is strongest Presidential Candidate on National Defense! He said Check the Record. We did! Here is what we learned:

He voted to kill the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
He voted to kill the M-1 Abrams Tank.
He voted to kill every Aircraft Carrier laid down since 1988.
He voted to kill the Aegis Anti-Aircraft system.
He voted to Kill the F-15 Strike Eagle Fighter.
He voted to Kill the Block 60 F-16.
He voted to Kill the P-3 Orion upgrade.
He voted to Kill the B-1.
He voted to Kill the B-2.
He voted to Kill the Patriot anti-missile system.
He voted to Kill the FA-18 Hornet.
He voted to Kill the F117 Stealth Fighter.
He voted to kill every military appropriation for the development and
deployment of every weapons systems since 1988, including a bill for battle armor for our troops.

It is most likely with Sen. John Kerry as President and Commander in Chief of our Armed Services, that they will cease to function. making it impossible for our country to protect itself.

John Kerry voted to kill all anti-terrorism activities of each and every agency of the U.S. Government.

He voted to cut the funding of the FBI by 60%,
He voted to cut the funding for the CIA by 80%,
He voted to cut the funding for the NSA by 80%.

THEN, and this is abhorant to almost every American Voter be you Democrat, Republican or Independent He voted to increase OUR funding for U.N operations by 800% !!

Is THIS a the person you want as President of these United States providing for the Common Defense of the Nation and be the Leader of the Free World ?

[Bush was AWOL]

1. Tell them that Kerry is right in line w/ Cheney on military

voting and what items should be cut. They agree on about everything with military spending. Kerry has always been ideal for what the present time calls for on military and intelligence spending.

[Terran]

3. Yes, I was hoping to avoid comparisons with Bush/Cheney

But thank you. I remeber Cheney was a big military budget cutter way back when. I'd prefer to simply verify if any of these assertions, or which ones, are true. Not easy, I know.

[Bush was AWOL]

4. Here is a good article that should help

http://slate.msn.com/id/2096127

[Bush was AWOL]

5. Here is another article if they try to blame Clinton for all the cuts

http://www.csbaonline.org/4Publications/Archive/H.20000831.Post-Cold_War_Defe/H.20000831.Post-Cold_War_Defe.htm

[Terran]

6. THANK YOU

That is absolutely the answer I was looking for. I knew there was some stupid technicality being perpetrated as something entirely different here. Thanks VERY much!

Dirk

[Bush was AWOL]

8. Your welcome

and don't let them get away with lies on military and intelligence spending. They want dems to be percieved as weak and unable to keep the country safe, but if it is really investigated and facts are put on the table most would realize that democrats are just more ideal on military and intelligence spending. If I thought Kerry was going to gut the military and intelligence spending I wouldn't vote for him.

[Terran]

2. kick

Anybody? Please?

[bobbyboucher]

7. Ask them to document their lies? Don't let them control

the debate. They are the ones that are making shit up. Reply all, and tell the lying motherfuckers to show you where they got their information. And don't forget, reply all.

[Terran]

12. Good point

If I had personally received this email, I would do so, but my co-worker received it, and I think she may have gotten it from a family member...so I don't want to recommend a course of action for her that's going to potentially cause bad feelings. But clearly, the evidence that this all distortion is solid. Thanks for helping out!

[idaholeft]

9. snopes

http://www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/weapons.asp

[newyawker99]

10. Hi idaholeft!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Terran]

11. Excellent!

Thanks so much!