Discussion with Undecided Step-mom in TX tonight! NEED HELP

[lcdnumber6]

My Step-mom HATES the Iraq War and W*, but she is STILL undecided about who to vote for because she is mainly worried about:

- Obama raising taxes (particularly inheritance tax)
- The "trustworthiness" of Obama (ie, she doesn't like his "Muslim" background)

Here were my responses (and I'd like some DU help for future discussions):

- Does the tax that will be levied on your children for your inheritance even compare to the taxes that have been taken from our paychecks over the last 5 years of our LIFE for an illegal war????

- Although Obama's faith has been thoroughly vetted, my stepmom and I agreed that the issue is about extremist Islam terrorists who attacked our country. I asked, what definitive link has been proven between Obama and Al Qaeda or any other Islam extremist group? Furthermore, how did Bush OR McCain, who at the time had the POWER to do something about it, address the big fat elephant in the room that mostly Saudi Arabians perpetrated 9-11? THEY DIDN'T. The both of them are so in bed financially with the House of Saud that they have no financial interest in justice for 9-11.

I don't know if I convinced her, I just know she doesn't hear this stuff in Duncanville, TX. We bitched heartily with each other about Palin but I was trying to keep it to the Presidential issues. I recommended she vote for Paul or Barr, or (gasp) McKinney if she was so inclined. She's waiting for the debates but I told her to research some of each candidate's issues on her own, as their actions will speak much louder than their words.

I guess I'm asking for help in dealing with other family undecideds - in states like COLORADO or MISSOURI - about good talking points.

Lisa

[rwheeler31]

1. How rich are those people.

[mikiturner]

2. Yes

Unless she is making $600k plus per year, she'll see no tax increase.

[lcdnumber6]

4. they're NOT rich and they bought into the scam!

I told them that I thought there was a threshold on the inheritance tax but I didn't have it at my fingertips. does anyone have a reliable source?

[mikiturner]

9. Inheritance Tax Rates

http://beginnersinvest.about.com/od/estatetax/f/estatetaxrate.htm

Basically, they'd have to have a HUGE estate to even be close to being taxed. Starting in 09, the first $3.5 million is exempt from the tax (though the law sunsets in a few years). I happen to do some estate planning law, so I know of what I speak.

[woolldog]

10. It's a couple million I believe.

[lcdnumber6]

5. thanks miki! where is this from?

just so I can back it up with timeliness and "legitimacy"

[mikiturner]

7. Here you go

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/06/09/ST2008060900950.html

Glad to help!

:hi:

[lcdnumber6]

12. merci miki! n/t

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Tax info

Plans compared: http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/obama-vs-mccain-tax-plans-obama-saves-you-more.html

Obama tax savings calculator: http://www.obamataxcut.com/

[FrenchieCat]

6. Ask her if she really that stupid.

Cause it kind of sounds like it.

Tell her that the terrorist have already taken over the government via a stolen election, then 9/11 happened under their watch. They borrowed from our children's future from the Bank of China, gave the money to Haliburton, watch as an entire state drown, and took away our rights. They sent our brave soldiers into battle without the right equipment or a strategy, and OKed torture. They killed hundreds of thousands who didn't have anything to do with 9/11 via dropping bombs, still haven't got Osama Bin Laden, and Americans everywhere are now losing their homes, while oil companies make record breaking profits. Tell her that the terrorists are also known as Republicans.....and the nightmare she is "afraid" of has already happened....it's just that the terrorist have White skin.

Tell her that the only thing that a vote for McCain does is insures another 4 years of terror in the United Corporations of America....which is what we have become.

Tell her that Obama is the Anti-Bush, and lord knows we need him.

[jberryhill]

8. Do not call undecideds stupid. Ever. Period.

The goal is to attract, not insult or repel.

And the first step is LISTENING to what they are thinking.

[lcdnumber6]

11. FTC I'm dealing with short-term memory Mom here.

Frenchie - I love your posts and wholeheartedly agree with you, I've done the research on my own.

However, my stepmom has not done the type of research that many DU'ers have done, and I think she'd be intimidated and turned off by a speech like the one you provided (I tried a similar speech on my mom a few yrs ago to no avail). Listen, my stepmom was in "awe" that I had called the Iraq war a mistake 6+ years ago (ummm, Google!).

I'm dealing with a textbook case of cognitive dissonance and low information, and I need a way to get through to her to get her to go to the voting booth, to get her to pull the curtain and to pull the lever for Obama. I need to connect with her on a selfish level.

Why should my stepmother, a retired 60+-year-old, with two children, one grandchild and one on the way, vote for Obama? And no way will I ask a feisty Texan lady if she's that stupid. That will guarantee no getting through to her.

Lisa

[yellowdogintexas]

15. oh yeah, she would vote the opposite just to spite you if you did that

but there are some good points in Frenchie's post

here is the calculator

have fun http://alchemytoday.com/obamataxcut/

[Sunnyshine]

13. He has two little girls that are growing up in Chicago and could not lie to his own kids to cover.

He and Michelle are raising their girls on Christian based beliefs and have always been Christians. Tell her that when Barack was a small boy he once traveled with his mother who was in the Peace Corp. and his step father was from a country with those beliefs, but that marriage was short lived and Barack was mostly raised by his American grandparents in Hawaii where he went to high school and played basketball like most other American kids. Show her this: Obama Bio

I think if she see's it from a parent and child perspective, she would relate much easier.

Use their actual names, Barack and Michelle, Sasha is 6 and Malia is 10, and every person in the Obama family grew up in middle class America with Christian influence being ever present throughout their entire lives. After graduating law school, he went to work as an advocate for failing communities. 20 years of helping everyday average people, even though he could have taken a high paying corporate job instead. That is very Christian thing to do, and so unlike almost EVERY politician that has ever served. His genuine compassion is a rare thing in politicians. It's time to support the good guys who have sacrificed personal wealth, to work for people.

Good luck and tell her I said thanks for taking the time to talk about it and for getting out to vote no matter what.

[texas1928]

14. Show her this on her concern on the tax issue.

It helped me change a mind.

[chiefofclarinet]

16. About the second point

I think the others have really done a good job with the taxes. What I want to add is a simple message about trust.

18 MILLION voters have vetted him and approved him during the five months of the primary season. (If you can find the exact number, use that. I can't anymore.) People from everywhere in this country have debated and/or attacked his record, his history, his religion (both his supposed "Muslim" background and his UCC minister), and his message. Not only did he survive, he beat a former first lady (H. Clinton), the 2004 vice president candidate (Edwards), a popular southwest governor (Richardson), and the sixth (Biden) and 14th (Dodd) most experienced senators in the nation, and became the 2008 Democratic nominee for president. You should trust 18 million fellow Americans.

I think keeping it short and sweet, but completely factual, is the way to swing votes. I may not have given a "soundbite," but it takes more than a soundbite to completely convince someone. I hope I help.

[lcdnumber6]

17. excelletnt. thank you for a rebuttal to the "trust" issue. nt