Many of you will vote for Obama because you want “change,” because he is young and speaks well to a crowd, or because for some reason you see it as a vote against Bush. Don’t be sheep. Actually listen to what the man does and doesn’t say. Pay attention to what we will get if he becomes president.

Thirty eight percent of Americans don’t pay income taxes. Obama plans to raise that number to 50 percent. That goes against my belief that all should pay their fair share. Those who don’t pay any income taxes will also see refunded tax credits for education, mortgage payments, heating costs, and other items.

You can’t pass that burden onto those that Obama classifies as “wealthy” – those who own the businesses that drive our economy. His tax and health care plans will drive us toward economic ruin. Obama will slash military spending to help cover his new welfare programs; this will put us at risk of a terrorist attack as it did immediately after the Clinton years.

Obama wants a windfall tax on “Big Oil.” ExxonMobil’s profits last quarter were reported to be $1,400 per second. It also paid $4,000 per second in taxes. The government already gets more than its fair share. His plan for oil is to drill less, consume less, and tax more.

Don’t be sheep. Look at what this candidate stands for, to what he says, and realize what he will do to our country. Jimmy Carter was a terrible president – Obama will be disastrous.

Alice M. Herrick

Blue Hill