Guide for Forwarding Political E-mail

Recently, a friend of mine was berated for forwarding an email criticizing the President for his apparently lack of respect to the flag. The berater cited TruthOrFiction.com to delineate the falsehood.

My friend was chagrined. He stated: "Sorry! I realize I'm often too gullible, and I'm not prone to check authenticity. Best I just stop forwarding anything derogatory about anyone, or even praising anyone, unless I know first hand it is true."

This a problem we all face: what to do with all the e-mail we receive, some of which resonates so strongly that we want to send it on RIGHT NOW!!!

Here's an easy guide that I try to follow re forwarding politically oriented e-mail:

If the message is about me, and it's laudatory, I forward it to everyone I know.

If it is about Joe Biden, and it seems ridiculous, I always forward to Sarah Palin so she will be cheered. E.g.: Did you hear that Iraq will be considered one of the great achievements of this Administration?

If it is about Nancy Pelosi, I forward it to Harry Reid and Joe Biden so they will feel better about themselves.

If it is about President Obama, I weep quietly for a few minutes, then check the calendar to gauge the time until the next national election cycle.

I find that I am beginning to understand the hard-over positions of the "Bush-haters" from just a year or two ago. Immediately following the election, I was hopeful for the country. Now when I hear Obama say, "I am not an Ideologue" it resonates in my head with Nixon saying "I am not a Crook."

Now I find myself grateful that the Democrats hold a strong majority in both Houses plus hold the Presidency to clarify the source of the actual achievements - i.e., the abject failures and deficits of this administration. I am so grateful that this President inherited Pelosi and Reid - I shudder to consider how much farther down this path we would be if Obama had competent leaders in the House and Senate, e.g., a Steny Hoyer and a Tom Daschle.

If not grateful for, I am at least amazed at the cold partisanship of Pelosi ("We won, we write the bill") and the divisiveness of someone elected to be President of all the people ("...waving their little teabags...").

Excuse me, I'm going to go check my calendar again. Every day it looks better.