Dear Friend,

I have received a number of emails from you criticizing President Obama’s birth certificate and spending on family vacations.

I am sure you remember from classes in Logic and Philosophy the Ad Hominem argument. In Latin it means to the man or in today’s term an argument criticizing a person rather than the issues under discussion. 

For instance I might say,

I won’t vote for Mitt Romney because:

1. He is a Mormon.

2. He is very rich.

3. He won’t reveal his taxes.

4. He is white.

5. He straight.

These are Ad Hominem arguments. They have nothing to do with the issues facing our country.

Logical and sensible arguments on why I won’t vote for him are these issues. They are taken from what he has said:

He is a Republican and favors free market capitalism.

He will dismantle Obamacare.

He will not raise taxes on the wealthy.

He is inexperienced in foreign affairs.

He is opposed to LGBT marriage.

Democrats and Republicans resort to the Ad Hominem argument regularly.  They are irrelevant.  The issues are what count.

Regards,

Robert