I have posted the following on my blog and submitted it to the Strib as a letter to the editor. I am posting it here since we seem to be a regular stop on the campaign train of W and company and therefore relevant to local issues.
George W. Bush is a coward. That fact alone should give all voters pause. I am not talking about his service record-or lack thereof. Nor am I talking about his actions in waging war on terrorists or Saddam Hussein-although he did seem a little bit afraid of seeking international support for his Iraq war. In retrospect I guess he was afraid the international community wouldn't buy the gobbledygook about WMD and Al Quaida ties and he would loose the opportunity to secure American oil corporations the right to exploit the 4th largest oil reserves in the world. Maybe it wasn't fear of criticism from the international community on that one but just the fact that all he had to do was hoodwink the American public to accomplish his goal. Now that the contracts are signed we can ask all the questions we want. The problem with hoodwinking is that the hood always comes off in the end. What makes George W Bush a coward is his fear of the average American. The only way to ensure his reelection is for him to get the average American to forget the loss of good paying jobs with benefits, the death of 1000 Americans for the interests of the oil conglomerates, the skyrocketing cost of health care and Bush's giveaway of Medicare to the pharmaceutical industry at a cost of $500 billion instead of the $300 to $400 billion advertised during the bill's debates. Not to mention the mortgaging of our children's future to pay for the growth of government he has quietly promoted but refused to fund and now warns us to fear from Kerry. And the PROOF of his cowardice is visible everyday all over the country at every election appearance George W. Bush makes. Not in the fact that he is afraid of our intelligence and continues to spew forth his canned b---s--- that we are in an economic recovery or that he has flip-flopped all over the place on the reason for attacking Iraq or claims that No Child Left Behind has been a huge success while our schools our worse off than ever under the underfunded mandate that the law truly is. The PROOF is in the fact that he refuses to meet the American People. Everyday he makes appearances on his campaign in front of carefully screened cheerleaders while the First Amendment Rights of those who would protest his actions and policies-Rights granted under the very Constitution George W. Bush swore an oath to protect and uphold-are infringed upon as they are forced into designated protest areas. "Out of sight, out of mind," seems to be the operating philosophy of his campaign. Unless, of course, you support his actions and policies. In that case, you are free to hold up your signs anywhere you wish. And so I once again submit that George W. Bush is a coward. To prove me wrong, all he has to do is drop this practice of only admitting supporters to his rallies and making them open to all Americans on a first come, first served basis and treat all who would demonstrate-pro or con-equally. Until then, I urge all in the media to boycott these events as newsworthy or as representative of the President meeting with the American People. Sports reporters know enough to report on coverage of the game and not the Pep Rally. So let's start covering George W. Bush when he decides to start campaigning in front of ALL Americans and stops holding Pep Rallies. Until then, George W. Bush is a coward. Steven M Nelson Willard Hay http://citizenshipchronicles.blogspot.com/ Get UP! Get OUT! & GET INVOLVED!!! _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
