A letter from Eunice Kennedy Shriver published in the May 8, 1990, edition of the New York Times (google "JFK and abortion") shows that you are wrong when you claim that JFK "challenged us to listen to our mothers, sisters and daughters on the issue of choice."

Shriver, Kennedy's sister, says that Kennedy did not favor choice. Indeed, no one did in the early 1960s. An organized "pro-choice" movement did not begin until later.

You claim that the Bay of Pigs invasion was a crisis that Kennedy faced and dealt with. Well, not quite. It would be more accurate to say that it was a disastrous mistake by his administration.

And you omit to mention that he was the first president to increase our troop presence in Vietnam from a few hundred advisers to thousands of U.S. soldiers.

He was a hawk, a strong anti-Communist, and a tax-cutter not a tax-raiser.

Comparing JFK as a Democrat to the typical Democrat of today is absurd.

His legacy is a mixed bag -- Vietnam, the Kennedy administration-supported coup against South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem (something that would shock liberals today), etc.

But, because of Kennedy's undeniable charm, the Democrats love to compare themselves to him anyway, hoping that people will forget how little he would support their current policies if he were alive today.

The yearly $130 billion cost of the War in Iraq has been less than 1% of our $14.5 trillion yearly gross domestic product and less than 5% of our yearly $2.9 trillion federal budget.

Your suggestion that we are paying too much money for the war is therefore absurd.

What Democrats call "Bush's war" -- even though they voted for it, and Democrats Kerry, Kennedy, and both Clintons swore up and down in speeches that Saddam Hussein had WMDs that threatened the U.S. -- has removed a dictator who oppressed 80% of his own people and attacked other countries, including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Europe is heavily dependent on Saudi oil, as is the world economy as a whole.

And the U.S. is dependent on a healthy world economy, just as the world is dependent on a healthy U.S. economy.

Oh, but Democrats will tell us that the War in Iraq has been a terrible misuse of American resources.

Nonsense!

As for your complaints about "privacy and human rights violations" by the Bush administration, Democrats voted for the Patriot Act.

And it might be news to you, but the U.S. government -- with good reason -- has been spying on American citizens since at least the beginning of the Cold War.

Americans who were traitors gave the Soviet Union the secret of the atomic bomb.

What makes you think that no U.S. citizen would ever betray his or her own country?

This is just another example of Democrats living in la-la-land: "The world is the way I want it to be, not the way it actually is."

Obama a big supporter of gay rights?

Huh?

He's against gay marriage.

He said in an interview published in the GLT that he would not use his presidential pen to go behind Congress's back and get rid of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" the way Harry Truman used his pen to go behind Congress's back and integrate blacks into the U.S. military.

Republican John McCain tried to get Fannie-Mae to stop backing home loans made to people who couldn't afford to pay them back.

Democrat Barney Frank, head of the House Finance and Banking Committee, brushed McCain off.

The rest is history.

Now the taxpayer has to pay for those toxic loans, and the world economy has been on the verge of collapse because of them for the last two weeks.

If you want to vote for Obama and the Democrats, fine.

But don't kid yourself while doing so.

Would you like to educate us on where you got your info on JFK? Its very apparent you were not alive at that time and know little of his administration and actions as president!

The statement by JFK "ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU, BUT ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY" Is a conservative view of government! Unlike Obama a Socialist leftist! His answer to all america's problems today is "GOVERNMENT" unlike that of Kennedy. JFK was more conservative then most of the Rep party today! Belive me Obama is no JFK!

You mention a president obama being the one to lay the groundwork for the greatest civil rights movement in the 21 century, GLT rights? WHAT? When did he say that?? Did you not listen or even watch the 2nd to the last debate? Obama said on national TV he will stand to defend the law of marriage between a man and a woman!

I could go on, but as Andrew states in his comments above, there is more to the truth of what is going on in todays economy and government, then you are aware of!

With the way things are today around the world, the gay agenda is the least of my concerns in this or any election!

Excellent editorial and, I agree, its time for a change, and, Obama is that voice of change, McCain does not give me the shivers that Bush did and Cheney still does, but, Palin is beyond scary, along with being clueless and, with McCain being so old, almost feeble and frail, she would be running the show, and, that as McCain says " my friends" is indeed scary.

That is wrong to compare JFK to obama. People need to wake up, obama is not for gay marriage or for gay rights. He has no business running for President of the US. Security is the most important issue that we have to deal with and obama can,t protect us. John McCain is the choice and change we need. He is a American Hero and has always fault for his country. He is a American not a muslim? Be smart and vote for John McCain. Cathy

Wow,

Anyone Gay who would vote Republican after the attacks on Gay marriage from Bush Administration is a fool.

Hey Cathy,

John McCain has always "fault" for his country???

You really are an idiot, aren't you?

First of all I,m not a Idiot and John McCain did fight and suffer for his Country!! Obama is totally against Gay and Lesbian relationships, and same sex marriage! Next time before you act Immature, know your facts, before you open your mouth! Don,t be fooled, Vote for John McCain!!!! Thanks, Cathy

Well, Cathy, I live in Arizona, and, John McCain is for the anti-gay marriage initiative and has appeared on flyers saying so, twice in a row. He is against, gay marriage gay adoption, hate crimes bills to stop the violence against gays and lesbians, so, while you have every right to vote for him, don't tell me who is a constituent about how pro gay he is, because, he isn't. And, as far as fighting for his country, he is not the only one and more died than he can even count, he did a great job and every month he is reminded of it with his pension check, and if that was the only qualification, you could find a homeless vet for the job.

But, then again, it is a waste of time with any GOP voter, they have issues with Obama that have nothing to do with gay rights or so called "qualifications."

Obama '08!