I could write the ads in my sleep...

...and I'm sure the Republican media weasels are sharpening their pens with glee.

This is the kind of stuff that turns into "Joe Democrat voted against our troops!" ads all across the country. The DCCC blog, The Stakeholder, reports that "Not a single Democrat voted for the GOP Budget resolution which was pretty close to Bush's request." The Republicans would like you to stop right there. But wait, there's more!

"A big part of the reason why we stood against it is that the GOP budget funds Veteran's Affairs by $1.3 billion LESS than what the House Veteran's Affairs Committee requested and $2 billion less than what groups like the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and the American Legion have pressed for."

That's right. It was a vote against shortchanging our veterans. The Republican ad copy won't say so, though, and they're counting on the ignorance of the American people. That's why it's important to be informed, and important to engage your friends and neighbors in discussion of who's really doing what in the government.

This kind of thing is the source of the ads running against Kerry, claiming he doesn't support a strong defense, or advocates some irrational tax. It's not true, but it doesn't matter. Our opponents are liars. They're lying about Kerry, they're going to lie about every Democratic candidate for every office, and it's up to us to stop them with the only weapon that can beat them.

The truth.