Michelle Obama Focuses On Military Spouses

Politico: Candidate's Wife Often Meets With Military Families In Swing States, Could Be A Prelude To An Agenda As First Lady

(The Politico)  This story was written by Carrie Budoff Brown.

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Once portrayed as unpatriotic, Michelle Obama has quietly carved a niche on the campaign trail as a sounding board for military families, taking up a cause that could define her agenda as first lady.

Every few weeks, Obama meets with military spouses in swing states, where she presents herself as a kindred spirit and Barack Obama as the best choice for their families. She attended the two debates with military family members. And at the Democratic National Convention, she led a day of service on behalf of Blue Star Families for Obama, a two-month old group with the tagline: “Pro-Military, Pro-Obama.”

Obama aides say her work with military families has nothing to do with the controversy created by her February comment suggesting that the presidential campaign made her proud of the United States for the first time. But the effort could be viewed as an exercise in counterprogramming, serving as a rebuttal to criticism from Cindy McCain and others for a comment that Michelle Obama insists was misinterpreted - and the notion that her husband, a Democrat with no military service, cannot peel off voters from John McCain, an ex-Navy pilot and war hero.

“Barack and I know that too often it feels like you are alone, on your own,” Obama told military spouses last month in Santa Fe, N.M. “I know you become everything. In a small way, I have experienced that over the course of this campaign, but in no way does it compare to what you are going through.”

Michelle Obama's focus on military families puts her at the leading edge of the Democratic nominee's campaign to reclaim some of the military vote from Republicans - an effort that brought Barack Obama here Sunday for a rally near Fort Bragg, where a military wife introduced him and he touted his endorsement from Colin Powell, the retired four-star general and President George W. Bush's first Secretary of State.

Since the start of the campaign, Michelle Obama says she has focused on three things: keeping life normal for her young daughters, electing her husband, and discussing the work-life balance with women around the country. The spouses of service members captured her attention during a roundtable with working mothers, and she later hosted her first military-focused event in Fayetteville in May, a day before the North Carolina primary.

She will hold her seventh military spouses meeting Tuesday in Pensacola, Fla., following similar events in recent months in states heavily impacted by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, including Virginia, New Mexico and Pennsylvania.

At each roundtable, she sits on stage with several spouses, delivers prepared remarks and opens a discussion. The roundtables draws local media coverage, and she answers questions about her involvement when asked by national reporters, as she did during an interview with CNN at the Democratic convention.

“Mostly I am here to listen and to do a lot of learning and then to transfer that information into the heart and mind of my husband as he moves forth,” Michelle Obama said in Norfolk, Va., in August. “The commander in chief doesn’t just need to know how to lead the military, he needs to understand what war does to military families.”

Her work in this area offers a hint at what could dominate her time in the White House.

“If she becomes first lady, this will be her cause,” said Amanda McBreen, 47, a Marine wife who participated in the Norfolk roundtable and helps coordinate 24 state chapters of Blue Star Families for Obama.

Michelle Obama pledged to do so in the Oct. 27 issue of U.S. News and World Report, when she explained what she would do if her husband became president: “I would work daily on the issues closest to my heart: helping working women and families, particularly military families. … I'd continue these conversations with working women and military spouses,and I'd take their stories back to Washington to make sure that the people who run our country know how their policies touch their constituents' lives.”

But Kathy Roth-Douquet, a founder of Blue Star Families and a Marine spouse who supported Hillary Rodham Clinton in the primary, said she wishes more voters knew about Michelle Obama’s work.

“She is probably the most motivating figure in the military family community,” Roth-Douquet, 44, said. “We like Obama, but we love her. She gets what we are getting.”

Campaign aides are “very sensitive,” Roth-Douquet said. “They are trying not to exploit the issue. I appreciate their lack of exploitation. I just wish more people knew about it. I wish that when people thought about which candidates were looking out for military families, they didn’t automatically think about John McCain.”

It can be frustrating, she added, because she has never seen a potential first couple pay “this kind of attention to military families.”

But she conceded that the job falls to Blue Star Families - the product of poolside kibitzing this spring among a circle of Marine wives in Parris Island, S.C. - to promote the Obamas. The women reached out to the Obama campaign in April, and learned that their interests were coverging with Michelle Obama, who had begun to tune into the burdens facing military spouses. Obama helped launch the project formally in August.

The storyline is a counterweight to the portrayal of Michelle Obama as unpatriotic on some blogs and by Republican critics, an image cemented when she told an audience during the primary that “for the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country.” She later qualified the remark, insisting she meant that she has never been as proud as she is now.

But it hasn't completely gone away. Cindy McCain recently reprised a line she used months ago, telling an audience last week, “I have always been proud of my country.” Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), appearing Friday on MSNBC’s Hardball, said Michelle Obama held “very anti-American views.”

Although her foes continue to hammer her with it, Michelle Obama hasn’t stumbled in a significant way since then.

As part of attempts to soften her image, Obama took well-received turns on ABC’s “The View” and at Democratic National Convention, where she delivered a primetime speech to 17 million viewers that cast her, in the campaign’s parlance, as “one of us.” Each night, cameras featured her tearing up at some speeches and cheering on others.

“Things changed instantly when she had the platform really to introduce herself,” Obama chief strategist David Axelrod said, citing public and internal campaign polls that showed an improvement in her approval ratings after her speech.

Michelle Obama has spent recent months traveling to almost two dozen states, headlining more than 50 events and quietly charting out a potential post-Election Day roadmap.

“She has had a great education into what we do on a regular basis that most people don’t really know,” McBreen said. “I have friends and family members who don’t have any clue what my life is like. My own family and closest friends don’t understand my life like she does now.”

[jonathanw20]

I noticed the burning passion and a brilliant mind in Michelle. Some day people would learn about it and appreciate it. For now we cross a major major bridge in history - we hope and dream of finding the America again which has never left our dreams amidst cloudy days.

[dburfears]

It doesn''t matter, McCain will wave the flag, say "POW"'' over and over again, the GOP will send Robo-calls out saying Obama "hates America", McCain will call Obama a "socialist", the GOP will call for "Senate Hearings" to determine who is "Anti-American" (those not GOP), and America will fall for the GOP SLANDER one more time....

[dburfears]

Clearly Colin Powell gets it too:

The Obamas are more supportive of the soldiers and their families than the GOP (who just uses them to fight their wars of choice).

[noloyalisti]

Yes, vote for the Obamas, a family who actually cares about family values and supporting the troops. Not like the McSame McBush cult that is all talk while their votes and their actions are anti-troop, anti-American and anti-patriotic.

[spain71]

Be careful RAFLIN0001 - there''s an old saying - Be careful what you pray for- you just may get it!

[dburfears]

People "vote with their wallets".

Despite the Far-Right Propaganda machine (Fox "News", and the rabid-right talk radio), American soldiers are contributing to Obama''s campaign by a ratio of 3 to 1.

Soldiers know who really supports them. American Soldiers know the GOP only cares about using American military might to run their wars of choice, based on neocon political ideology.

[pbaird2]

Thomas Jefferson stated that "dissent is the purest form of patriotism". An American has not only the right, but the obligation, to speak out against any perceived injustice or violation of the Constitution. There have been times when I felt not quite so proud of America, but my service to this country in both the military and the government qualify me to speak out without skepticism. The GOP never has had a monopoly on patriotism, and wrapping themselves in the flag is the hypocrisy. It is not "American" or "Patriotic" to cheat on your taxes, conspire to inflate prices, profit from the disadvantaged, torture suspected outlaws, or use religion as a weapon against your adversary. It was not at all American to attempt a smear campaign agaist Obama by calling him a Muslim. We are at war with terrorists, not Muslims. There is a difference; or do you not remember Oklahoma City?

[charlie1000-2009]

"For the first time in my life I am proud to be an American" M.O

Show your real face M.O.

[robert2237]

Alert to all the military families if Obama gets in then expect to be treated like he has stated all you do is bomb and kill civilians. So vote for him if you want but he is so far away from what you beleive in he doesn''t even understand it. And remember Michelle is the one who say this is the first time she had been proud to be a American. Is this the first time you have been proud to be a American, I don''t think so.

[dburfears]

Posted by robert2237 at 03:39 PM : Oct 20, 2008

More Far-Right Fox Propaganda.

The quote about "bombing civilian"s was from a COMPLETE sentence that said, "We need more troops on the ground in Afghanistan so we can reduce the chance of American planes bombing civilians."

All you get from FOX and the foaming-at-the-mouth right-wing talk radio was "American planes bombing civilians".

As usual, it is ALL LIES ALL THE TIME from the far-right. These people will stop at nothing to win, including taking a smippet of a sentence and twisting it around.


McCain has LOST ALL HONOR.

McCain has LOST ALL HONESTY.

McCain has LOST ALL DIGNITY.

[berniew4]

Will someone ask MS OBAMA if she can explain to the wives of MILITAIRY why he did not want tO win AND wHY HE DID NOT WANT TO FUND OUR MILITAIRY ?? did obama EVER SAY "let us all try to be victorious over all terrorists ?? hE NEVER DID !!

[yeswecan09]

Why are so many Black Americans just blindly voting for this man?


Black America thinks Barry will do something for them.
Talk about Uncle Toms and selling out....
Follow Powell''''s lead into the sea!
Sad .....

*****

Why? Do want them to follow the all white GOP?

Take a good look at any McCain rally and try to find a minority any where.

[bigbowler5]

McLame is a right wing nut case...NEOCONS are very Fascists like...Be Careful America!
McLame is a right wing nut case...NEOCONS are very Fascists like...Be Careful America!
McLame is a right wing nut case...NEOCONS are very Fascists like...Be Careful America!
McLame is a right wing nut case...NEOCONS are very Fascists like...Be Careful America!
McLame is a right wing nut case...NEOCONS are very Fascists like...Be Careful America!

[irmcvet97]

Why? Do want them to follow the all white GOP?

Take a good look at any McCain rally and try to find a minority any where.

Posted by yeswecan09 at 03:52 PM : Oct 20, 2008

Oh but it doesn''t stop there! Oh NO! When you start looking into who runs the party in the states, who''s in the party leadership in the Deep South a connection is there that NO ONE could deny, even if they wanted too!

[bigbowler5]

Michelle Obama would be a great First Lady. Cindy "the plastic" McNasty is no comparison. This Robo-chic Cindy looks like a biggest whhooorrreeee ever!

[chicnlittle]

Michelle Obama would be a great First Lady. Cindy "the plastic" McNasty is no comparison. This Robo-chic Cindy looks like a biggest whhooorrreeee ever!


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Posted by Bigbowler5 at 03:56 PM : Oct 20, 2008


Dude, you bowl. shut up.

[irmcvet97]

doorgunner2 you Dems wave the flag only when it works for you just like M.Obama is only proud when it works for her.

SEMPER FI

Posted by vickiesguy at 03:45 PM : Oct 20, 2008

You mean kinda like a disgusting RICH Kid with his pal USING the VAST and wide division between those of us who fought in Vietnam? There has NEVER been a more disgraceful piece of lint on this earth than George Bush but NO ONE has been more willing to run for and wrap himself in the American Flag!! My Pop was a LIBERAL Democrat and he was part of the Greatest Generation... they took down Hitler. I''m also a Liberal Democrat and have all the hardware that shows A Combat Marine of Vietnam. Guess that kinda tears down your stupid remarks huh??

[grouchyjohn]

What If You Reversed Information about Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin--Something to Contemplate



What if....

Obama/Biden vs McCain/Palin, what if things were switched around?.....think about it.

Would the country''s collective point of view be different?

Ponder the following:

What if the Obamas had paraded five children across the stage, including a three month old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?

What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?

What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

What if McCain had only married once, and Obama was a divorcee?

What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severe disfiguring car accident, when she no longer measured up to his standards?

What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?

What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted to pain killers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?

What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five?
(The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)

[grouchyjohn]

What If You Reversed Information about Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin--Something to Contemplate



What if....

(cont.)

What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?

What if Obama couldn''t read from a teleprompter?

What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes? And was never given a command position.

What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many occasions, a serious anger management problem?

What if Michelle Obama''s family had made their money from beer distribution?

What if the Obamas had adopted a white child?

You could easily add to this list. If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

Educational Background:

Barack Obama:
Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in International Relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna *** Laude

vs.

John McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899

[wntrpls]

Michelle "Proud of America for the first Time" Obama

Michelle "Blacks will rise" Obama

Michelle "Black Militant Essay at Princeton" Obama

Michelle "Americans Are Mean in 2008" Obama

Michelle " 20 years of Rev Wright Racist Church" Obama


If Senator Obama is elected and Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid are in charge of Congress, there will be nothing stopping them from raising your taxes, immediately pulling out of Iraq and placing your healthcare decisions in the hands of government bureaucrats.

[berniew4]

i LOVE THE POST BY alien-view . Finally someone who has good common sense and AMERICAN VALUES

[grouchyjohn]

Will someone ask MS OBAMA if she can explain to the wives of MILITAIRY why he did not want tO win AND wHY HE DID NOT WANT TO FUND OUR MILITAIRY ?? did obama EVER SAY "let us all try to be victorious over all terrorists ?? hE NEVER DID !!

Posted by berniew4 at 03:51 PM : Oct 20, 2008





When did he say that he DID NOT want to win the war on terror?

I DEFY you to post anything to that effect.



And why aren''t you questioning McCain''s vote AGAINST the war funding bill? Yes Obama did vote against it ONE TIME, but McCain ALSO voted against the EXACT SAME spending request.

[irmcvet97]

Nice language jerry kid. Your big fat mommy is probably real proud of you if she reads your post. You are about as low life as a person can get. Not go back to typing more of your dirty lies.

Posted by archibunker2 at 03:56 PM : Oct 20, 2008

Sorry Sparky but I agree with him 100%!!

[grouchyjohn]

If Senator Obama is elected and Speaker Pelosi and Senator Reid are in charge of Congress, there will be nothing stopping them from raising your taxes, immediately pulling out of Iraq and placing your healthcare decisions in the hands of government bureaucrats.

Posted by wntrpls at 04:00 PM : Oct 20, 2008





We NEED to immediately pull out of Iraq, your taxes will only rise IF you make more that $250,000 / year, and your health care is ALREADY in the hands of big businessmen that MAKE MONEY by denying your benefits - how could government make it worse than that?!?!

[irmcvet97]

Bigbowler5 the retarded black kid on here today. He really is not old enough to be on here. His mommy need to change his diaper and wash his mouth out with soap. Low class Los class kid.

Posted by archibunker2 at 04:02 PM : Oct 20, 2008


LOL This from a 6th grade drop out!! LOL Folks READ some of the post or Talking Points this joke puts up and he has the nerve to try to paint others as not being educated!! LOL

[grouchyjohn]

No need to reverse grouchy John. McCain may not properly use a computer, but I guarantee you Obama couln''''t land a fighter plane on a carrier at night.
Kiss my AZZ!

Posted by chicnlittle at 04:06 PM : Oct 20, 2008





Apparently from the MILLIONS of dollars in planes that McCain crashed, neither can he!!!

[chicnlittle]

No need to reverse grouchy John. McCain may not properly use a computer, but I guarantee you Obama couln''''''''t land a fighter plane on a carrier at night.
Kiss my AZZ!

Posted by chicnlittle at 04:06 PM : Oct 20, 2008





Apparently from the MILLIONS of dollars in planes that McCain crashed, neither can he!!!

Nice try loser, try again.

[grouchyjohn]

Posted by skuareoff at 04:07 PM : Oct 20, 2008




*** are you talking about?!?

This post makes no sense what so ever.

[irmcvet97]

Read my earlier posting s*** head, I love it when guys get on these blogs claiming to be VETs.........

Posted by vickiesguy at 04:03 PM : Oct 20, 2008

What do you mean CLAIMING you jerk!? I don''t have to claim do be ANYTHING! SIEG HEIL!!

[grouchyjohn]

Did michell give the military wives the same one-finger salute she gave to America: "For the FIRST TIME in my life I am proud of my country."

/

Posted by DcratLosers at 04:07 PM : Oct 20, 2008





Did Michelle''s husband vote AGAINST the veterans that returned home with HORRIFIC, life altering injuries, the way that John McCain did?

There''s a reason the Disabled American Vets gave mcCain a "D", and iava.org gave him a "20% positive" voting record on veterans issues!

[grouchyjohn]

Apparently from the MILLIONS of dollars in planes that McCain crashed, neither can he!!!

Nice try loser, try again.

Posted by chicnlittle at 04:08 PM : Oct 20, 2008





But I guess that''s the best we can expect from someone that would have been KICKED OUT of navy flight school, if "daddy" didn''t intervene, huh?

[irmcvet97]

You both have the same amount of brains. NONE. Just a couple of black kids that are lying about their age. You both are useless.

Posted by archibunker2 at 04:10 PM : Oct 20, 2008

Sure sure! I''ll bet you are really big in your Trailer Park aren''t you Sparky!! LOL 6th grade folks... can''t be more than that!! LOL

[chicnlittle]

Did michell give the military wives the same one-finger salute she gave to America: "For the FIRST TIME in my life I am proud of my country."

/

Posted by DcratLosers at 04:07 PM : Oct 20, 2008


She ain''t nuthin but a Chi town street ho.

[mommyof3rook]

The only reason she''s meeting with millitary spouses is to get the military vote. Military families overwhelmingly vote Republican because Democrats do not value our military historically speaking. Obama has pledged to slow our development of combat systems, BAD FOR MILITARY FAMILIES!!!! Obama will not give military pay raises that we''ve seen under Bush which still doesn''t pay the same as the private sector but was getting better under a Republican. Obama, BAD FOR MILITARY FAMILIES!!!! He doesn''t know the first thing about the military and his wife is just trying to save face after her atrocious remark about her "patriotism" and yes I do question her "patriotism".

[grouchyjohn]

Speaking of "republicans" and "surrender":

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2008/10/20/mi-republicans-admit-to-illegal-foreclosure-scheme-surrender-to-democrats/

[pensacola98]

Blacks aren''t the only people voting for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Many educated white people, asians, and latinos are also supporting and voting for them.

Obama and Biden have a large audience of those with open minds and strong patriotic values. They are families, military people, business owners, high technology industrialists and many whom are not the stereotypical democrats.

I went to the early voting polls to cast my vote and saw hundreds of voters standing in lines. The interest in this election prompting participation that I have never seen. I have voted in every election since 1980 and never seen more than 15-20 people in the polls at any time.

You will get back whatever you put in. If you just put in hatred into this election, you will get that back. If you put in support to this election, you will get that back, too. The question is what do you want to see coming back to you in this election? Most are looking for change, confidence, fairness, and security. That''s what I see most people putting in to this election.

[chicnlittle]

Blacks aren''''t the only people voting for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Many educated white people, asians, and latinos are also supporting and voting for them.

You are in for a big shock.

Obama and Biden have a large audience of those with open minds and strong patriotic values. They are families, military people, business owners, high technology industrialists and many whom are not the stereotypical democrats.

They are all un American, misguided dirt bags.

[chicnlittle]

I''''m a racist. I just thought I would save all you dummy liberals all the trouble.




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Posted by SUCKIT123 at 04:25 PM : Oct 20, 2008

Well suckit, you''re in good company with C. Powell and 95% of black Americans.

[grouchyjohn]

Knowz what I''''z be saaaaaaaayinz????

Posted by SUCKIT123 at 04:17 PM : Oct 20, 2008





Yeah - you''re a racist scummbag that considers himself "blessed for the bounty of food" that he finds laying dead on the side of the road.

At least under Obama, you''ll be able to go to the dentist and get your tooth cleaned on a regular basis.

[specialty8]

I am glad Michelle is finaly glad to be an American. I guess that loan from Tony to buy that mansion and Obama bringing in over a half billion opened her eyes.Now lets talk about this half billion,do you think it came from the poor people he said he is going to share the wealth with? Or did it come from the rich,oil men or big business? I for one know I did not attend any of those $2000 plate dinners,did you? If so you don''t need his handouts. I do not know where it came from,but one thing I can assure you of it''s got a big price tag on it.

[charlie1000-2009]

%u201CFor the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country" M.O.
This lady,as Obama, has no love for this country.

[shortestfuse]

Maybe Michelle can get Bill Ayers to ghost author her autobiography for her just like Ayers did for her husband.

[chicnlittle]

Yeah - you''''re a racist scummbag that considers himself "blessed for the bounty of food" that he finds laying dead on the side of the road.

At least under Obama, you''''ll be able to go to the dentist and get your tooth cleaned on a regular basis.

Wow, that''s comforting. And who will be paying for that?

[rudy654-2009]

Wow, that''''s comforting. And who will be paying for that?


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Posted by chicnlittle at 04:32 PM

Maybe big oil, maybe Halliburton, maybe Blackwater, maybe anyone of the creeps who enjoyed big fat government contracts, squandered our money, received tax cuts so they didn''t have to pay their fair share, or simply decided to screeew the American public through some other deceptive practice. I would say any of them would be a candidate for paying for health care and numerous other things.

[chicnlittle]

Maybe big oil, maybe Halliburton, maybe Blackwater, maybe anyone of the creeps who enjoyed big fat government contracts, squandered our money, received tax cuts so they didn''''t have to pay their fair share, or simply decided to screeew the American public through some other deceptive practice. I would say any of them would be a candidate for paying for health care and numerous other things.


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Posted by rudy654 at 04:35 PM : Oct 20, 2008

Gee Rudy, I pay for my own dental care. It''s called a job. Get out of the wagon and try pulling for once!

[specialty8]

Yea,at least with Obama you can get you teeth cleaned regulary, with some one elses money. Spread the wealth, Not that far to the mail box to pick up that food stamp check,free health care,and of course that big one signed by Obama just to spend,all paid for by your next door neighbor.

[rudy654-2009]

I read where Nader is gaining a lot of liberal votes. That will hurt Hussain.


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Posted by archibunker2 at 04:36 PM

Nader? Who is Nader? Oh well, if wishes were horses, you would be riding.

[berniew4]

grouchy john .. Did you ever hear OBAMA use the word "VICTORY" about IRAQ . Of course not,.. Y
He voted not to fund the troops and doesn''t deny it. McCain voted against a time table to surrender and bring troops home. He was proven to be CORRECT But DEMOS cannot admit this . Ijdoes not serve their cowardly cause. Oh well Obama will be in the white house soon and you will all be happy. as he says DUUUUH what do we do now???/

[grouchyjohn]

Gee Rudy, I pay for my own dental care. It''''s called a job. Get out of the wagon and try pulling for once!

Posted by chicnlittle at 04:37 PM : Oct 20, 2008




"You" pay or "your employer" pays, and if so, how much?

[rudy654-2009]

Gee Rudy, I pay for my own dental care. It''''s called a job. Get out of the wagon and try pulling for once!


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Posted by chicnlittle at 04:37 PM

Since 40% of my taxes go to pay for, among other things, McCain''s cancer treatments, I would say I have done enough pulling of that wagon for you creeps who live off of our taxes.