Over the last few weeks the voters of Tennessee have been subjected to attack after attack in Corker's and Ford's ads. Yesterday when I was on Steve Hilton's show, he asked me about these attack ads. I stated that while I do think it's important to know about a candidate's character to a degree, I think there are some real issues that could be discussed. I have yet to see an ad where Ford or Corker lay out a plan for illegal immigration. I have yet to see an ad where either of them mention the NAIS or the SPP. I also have yet to see an ad from either of them where they mention anything about governing by the limits the Constitution has given Congress. Instead, money is being blown on ads that are nothing but "he said this" and "he did that". This isn't going unnoticed by voters either. I have been receiving more and more email giving me support because people are completely disgusted by these attack ads which are NEVER followed up with a candidate's plan on the issues. And this isn't just from Republicans, I'm even hearing from people who have voted Democrat in the past. In fact, today I received an email that I think summarizes all of this very well. The email said that one individual and his wife were so disgusted by the recent ads that they decided to vote independent. The email never states if they voted Republican or Democrat in the past, just that they were disgusted by the ads that we are being bombarded with.

On a smaller scale, I have read many blogs and message boards where I have been called a bigot, a racist, and one even said I was "total scum". Did I feel the need to reply to try and set the record straight? No...and it's because I know the truth and I know what I stand for. I know I have been very critical at time of Ford and Corker in my blog because of what they have said, and I only think that's fair as long as I can show WHY and back it up with my position. I don't want to call either of them out on anything without giving my true opinion on whatever issue it is. When I call Harold Ford "Harold Fraud", is that a personal attack? I don't think it is because I show why I think he's a fraud. When I say Corker doesn't have any original ideas outside of the Republican Party platform, is that a personal attack? I don't think it is as long as I can offer a solution or different view. Voters deserve to hear about ISSUES that impact them, not all this garbage about who lied about this or who had dealings with this group. Sure, those things can matter to a degree, but what really matters is the vision each candidate has to offer, and for those of us voting to know EXACTLY where they stand on the issues.

I feel I have made it very clear where I stand on a variety of issues, either in the "issues" section of this site or in my blog. And yes, I do criticize other candidates' points of view, but I do want to explain exactly why and what my position is. When any of us vote, we deserve to know exactly where a candidate stands, and if there are contradictions to their stated position, we deserve to know that as well. That isn't an attack.

If anything, these attack ads only prove that both of the party candidates have questionable ties to various groups. It proves that it's time to break out from under the thumb of the two party system. It's time for real change, and it's up to us...the voters...to make that happen.