EDITORIAL
This is a page for editorial opinions that don't fit the "See the Future" theme of this site. Nevertheless, some of them -- perhaps nearly all of them -- may still have to do with the future of the United States Of America.
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OUR CHOICE IN 2004 (Sept. 2004)
In November 2004 we face one of the clearest choices in generations for America's political future. The current Bush Administration very clearly stands for an America which says, "I've got mine, screw you. We can go it all alone. They're satisfied with the state of the American Economy, and with our status in the world abroad.
We can do better.
Yet, many people in America seem afraid to dump George W. Bush, whose administration is failing on so many fronts. (See the main www.seethefuture.us pages.)
They seem to think that Bush is the only "strong" man in America right now, the only man who can lead us through the current terrorist crisis.
They're wrong. It wasn't George W. Bush who drove his small boat into the jungle to kill the enemy in Vietnam. It wasn't George W. Bush who risked his life to pull a fellow soldier out of a river during a gun battle. George Bush was safe at home while those things were going on.
The hero that did those things was John Kerry.
John Kerry has the strength and wisdom to lead America into the future. A better future than the one planned for us by the Bush administration.
We know what the Bush administration will do for the country:
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Record Deficits
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Jobs Lost
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Rising Healthcare Costs
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Loss of Influence and Prestige in the World
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Falling security both at home and abroad
We've seen them do all that -- despite their promises and claims to the contrary -- for the better part of four years. Yet, despite their record, the Bush administration is telling us to "stay the course," and not to change presidents in war time.*
We can do better.
When someone says to you that George Bush is "strong," and we need him to keep America strong, remember this:
- Strength and wisdom are not opposing values. -- Bill Clinton, August 2004
- Wrong but "strong" is still just wrong. -- Stephen D. Sullivan, September 2004
When George W. Bush tells us that we don't have the money, time, or resources to take care of problems at home (like health care)... When he tells you that our former European Allies will not do more to help us combat terrorism than they're doing now... First remember how much money he spent on a war to find weapons of mass destruction that didn't exist.
Then remember this:
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Just because he can't do it, doesn't mean it can't be done. -- John Kerry, September 2004
We can do better!
Following a "strong" course on a failed idea won't lead to "Mission Accomplished," it will just lead to more of the same. Being able to change your mind and adjust to changing facts and unexpected situations is not a sign of weakness -- but rather a sign of strength and wisdom.
There's a word for people who single-mindedly follow their course, no matter what the consequences. The word is "fanatic." Check out the famous quotes below, and see if they apply to George W. Bush:
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The worst vice of a fanatic is his sincerity -- Samuel Johnson
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A fanatic is a man that does what he thinks the Lord would do if He knew the facts of the case. -- Finley Peter Dunne
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Fanaticism consists of redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten
your aim -- Samuel Johnson
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There is no place in a fanatic's head where reason can enter.
Author: Napoleon Bonaparte
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A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject. -- Sir Winston Churchill
Clearly, these quotes apply to Osama Bin Laden. George W. Bush has said as
much many times. But, if he thought a little bit more, he might see that
the quotes apply to him as well.
"I trust God speaks through me. Without that, I couldn't do my job." -- George W. Bush, Lancaster County, July 2004
"God told me to strike at al Qaeda and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did, and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East." -- George W. Bush
"I believe today that my
conduct is in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator."
- Adolph Hitler, Mein Kampf
Let's get the fanatics who want to run the US according to their personal religious values and vendettas out of Washington.
We can do better!
Stop the Lies and deceit.
Vote Kerry/Edwards in November 2004!
* To me, Bush calling himself a "Wartime President" is a lot like the man who murdered his family calling himself an "orphan." Bush started the War In Iraq, and he started it under false pretenses. So, now we must re-elect him because he's President during a wrong-headed war he started with a lie?** I don't think so.
We can do better.
** The lie, of course, is that there were Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. If we want to talk about "flip-flops," let's talk about Bush's position on this. Check the record: in the beginning, he said there were weapons. Later, he denied ever saying that was the reason for war. Now he says there were WMD whenever it's convenient for him to do so -- like when he's conducting rallies and fund-raisers.
Again, we can do better.
Oust Bush and the rest of his lying compatriots in November, 2004.
Bush vs. Hitler quotes from article believed to be by Kurt Vonnegut.
-- Editorial views expressed on these pages, unless otherwise attributed, belong to Stephen D. Sullivan. © SDS 2004 -- All Right Reserved.