Talking to your parents about the risks of John McCain isn’t as hard as you think…

h/t: Partnership for a McCain-Free White House.

Thanks to the Partnership - here are some easy steps:

OK. So you’ve decided to talk to your parents about the consequences of John McCain. Now, how do you do it?

1. Find the right time. Pick a moment when your parents aren’t in a rush and don’t have any friends over. It’s best to have ‘The Talk’ in person, but phone can also work if you’re far away.
2. Speak from your heart. It may be awkward to discuss unpleasant issues like John McCain with your parents. But doing so shows you care. Explain why you think John McCain is dangerous to our future, and then lay out the fun, healthy alternative: Barack Obama. Tell them, in your own words, why you are supporting Barack Obama. They’ll listen.
3. Be a good listener yourself. Even though your parents are potentially engaging in very risky behavior, it’s important to keep the conversation substantive and upbeat. Show them you understand the pressures they feel, then calmly give them the facts. Shouting matches don’t convince people. But steady pressure does.
4. …and then keep having it. For adults, John McCain’s so-called maverick image is intoxicating and addictive. It may take a few weeks to wean them off of it. But as their withdrawal stabilizes, your parents will see a world they’d given up on years ago—a world with an intelligent, visionary leader.

What To Say

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As we said, speaking from your heart about why you’re supporting Obama is the best way to start. But what about your parents’ concerns? Here are the top three issues—and how to talk about ‘em:

1. They say: Obama will raise my taxes.
   You say: Actually, that’s probably not true. According to the nonpartisan Center for Something Something, 95% of American families, Obama’s plan lowers taxes. It’s true, he pays for that by raising taxes on the very rich—but bottom line, our family will pay less under Obama than under Bush—and our tax money will go toward rebuilding the economy here, not more wars. (Even if you’re very rich, Obama has said that you’ll pay roughly what you did throughout the 1990s and less than you would have under Ronald Reagan.) Check out: http://taxcut.barackobama.com/
2. They say: Obama just isn’t ready to be president.
   You say: It’s true, he doesn’t have much Washington experience. But I don’t think more Washington experience is what we need right now. And on issue after issue—from Iraq to the financial crisis—Obama’s judgment has been right, and McCain’s judgment has been questionable. Just think about how McCain has run his campaign: it’s reckless and erratic. I don’t think we can risk another president like that for another four years.
3. They say: Obama’s a Muslim/terrorist/Muslim terrorist.
   You say: Moooooommmmm (or perhaps: Daaadddd). That rumor has been debunked by countless major newspaper outlets and nonpartisan observers. Barack Obama is a Christian. He’s an American. If you want to vote for McCain because you think his policies are better, fine. But please, please, please don’t vote for him because you think Obama’s a Muslim. Check out this video about Obama and his family: http://my.barackobama.com/4days