America's Tomorrow
America’s Tomorrow
Today is a special day in the United States. Every ‘first Tuesday after the first Monday’ is special day designated as the day for electing people to govern our country for the next two or four years. But this day for 2004 has more than usual importance with respect to the election of a President and Vice President because of the persons running for those offices and the record of administration of those offices during the past for years.
Some very bad things have happened during the last four years and one would expect the leaders to deplore their occurrence and assure us that they would not be permitted to happen again. However, instead of receiving such assurances we hear the leaders speaking proudly and assuring us that if reelected they will not change any of the policies they are pursuing. Except for a few office appointments the President vows that he has made no mistakes during his administration.
We realize that the nation is deeply divided with regard to the actions of the administration and may well re-elect the president and vice president on November 2. This division has multiple causes that may be assigned different degrees of importance, depending on the attitude and political leaning of the parties involved. The writer assumes that persons holding different viewpoints do so sincerely and with feelings as strong as those of the writer. In many cases the facts have been reported without refutation while in others it will be necessary to wait for the deciding evidence to be determined and published.
The items are listed without reference to importance or urgency, but none are considered frivolous or of no importance.
1. The president came into office when the nation had a budget surplus of more than 200 billion dollars. During his term we have not had a balanced budget and in 2004 the deficit will be over 400 billion dollars. Government offices declare that these deficits will continue for many years into the future, imposing a huge burden on future generations. His administration has granted huge tax cuts in which the bulk went to the very rich. They granted “ no bid” contracts to the Halliburton Company and its affiliated companies amounting to billions of dollars which company has been caught overcharging the government for their services. The company is currently being investigated for many other contract violations.
2. The president and/or his cabinet officials have altered reports of responsible science groups to justify easing, or eliminating government rulings relating to environmental hazards detrimental to the health and safety of public citizens.
3. The president has eased rules or instituted new rules which seriously harm our National Forests; damage and pollute our streams and wetlands; and eliminate or damage habitat for wildlife in our wilderness areas and in our National parks.
4. The president, relying on his personal observation and feelings has eased rules relating to pollution of the environment by public utility companies, thus adding to Mercury pollution of streams and drinking water sources and contributing to warming of the atmosphere.
5. This administration is the first one since Herbert Hoover to end with a net loss in jobs. The president has stated that it is good for our economy to have businesses export jobs overseas. The government even allows tax advantages to those that do so.
6.The administration is anti-labor. It has revised regulations regarding payment of over-time pay for extra hours above 40 hours per week. It is opposed to increasing the minimum wage, even though a person working 40 hours a week at the present minimum rate can’t earn enough to support his family.
7. Our nation is fighting a war our president started against a nation that posed no immediate threat against us based on charges that were not true. The president claims that his intelligence was faulty but fails to take responsibility for checking its accuracy prior to going to war. The statement that Iraq was attempting to purchase material for making nuclear weapons was proven false prior to the president’s citing it in his State of the Union speech.
8. The administration has permitted cruel treatment of prisoners in violation of the Geneva Conventions. They have hidden prisoners to prevent the Red Cross’s being able to interview them. The result of these actions can’t be fully understood until members of our services become prisoners in a foreign country.
9. This administration, acting like a bully, has wasted much of the goodwill built up in the world during several past administrations. They have made it infinitely more difficult to negotiate trade and other important agreements with other nations. Their belittling statements about the United Nations organization have greatly diminished our influence in that body.
10. The net result of this administration’s actions, attitudes and inactions can’t be known for a long time. Getting our troops and contractors out of Iraq may be a greater problem than we have faced there up to this time. Results of the mistreatment and mismanagement of the environment may not be fully evident for hundreds of years. Finally, the financial burdens the administration is placing on future generations will force them to live at a reduced level of prosperity for generations.
Today is a special day in the United States. Every ‘first Tuesday after the first Monday’ is special day designated as the day for electing people to govern our country for the next two or four years. But this day for 2004 has more than usual importance with respect to the election of a President and Vice President because of the persons running for those offices and the record of administration of those offices during the past for years.
Some very bad things have happened during the last four years and one would expect the leaders to deplore their occurrence and assure us that they would not be permitted to happen again. However, instead of receiving such assurances we hear the leaders speaking proudly and assuring us that if reelected they will not change any of the policies they are pursuing. Except for a few office appointments the President vows that he has made no mistakes during his administration.
We realize that the nation is deeply divided with regard to the actions of the administration and may well re-elect the president and vice president on November 2. This division has multiple causes that may be assigned different degrees of importance, depending on the attitude and political leaning of the parties involved. The writer assumes that persons holding different viewpoints do so sincerely and with feelings as strong as those of the writer. In many cases the facts have been reported without refutation while in others it will be necessary to wait for the deciding evidence to be determined and published.
The items are listed without reference to importance or urgency, but none are considered frivolous or of no importance.
1. The president came into office when the nation had a budget surplus of more than 200 billion dollars. During his term we have not had a balanced budget and in 2004 the deficit will be over 400 billion dollars. Government offices declare that these deficits will continue for many years into the future, imposing a huge burden on future generations. His administration has granted huge tax cuts in which the bulk went to the very rich. They granted “ no bid” contracts to the Halliburton Company and its affiliated companies amounting to billions of dollars which company has been caught overcharging the government for their services. The company is currently being investigated for many other contract violations.
2. The president and/or his cabinet officials have altered reports of responsible science groups to justify easing, or eliminating government rulings relating to environmental hazards detrimental to the health and safety of public citizens.
3. The president has eased rules or instituted new rules which seriously harm our National Forests; damage and pollute our streams and wetlands; and eliminate or damage habitat for wildlife in our wilderness areas and in our National parks.
4. The president, relying on his personal observation and feelings has eased rules relating to pollution of the environment by public utility companies, thus adding to Mercury pollution of streams and drinking water sources and contributing to warming of the atmosphere.
5. This administration is the first one since Herbert Hoover to end with a net loss in jobs. The president has stated that it is good for our economy to have businesses export jobs overseas. The government even allows tax advantages to those that do so.
6.The administration is anti-labor. It has revised regulations regarding payment of over-time pay for extra hours above 40 hours per week. It is opposed to increasing the minimum wage, even though a person working 40 hours a week at the present minimum rate can’t earn enough to support his family.
7. Our nation is fighting a war our president started against a nation that posed no immediate threat against us based on charges that were not true. The president claims that his intelligence was faulty but fails to take responsibility for checking its accuracy prior to going to war. The statement that Iraq was attempting to purchase material for making nuclear weapons was proven false prior to the president’s citing it in his State of the Union speech.
8. The administration has permitted cruel treatment of prisoners in violation of the Geneva Conventions. They have hidden prisoners to prevent the Red Cross’s being able to interview them. The result of these actions can’t be fully understood until members of our services become prisoners in a foreign country.
9. This administration, acting like a bully, has wasted much of the goodwill built up in the world during several past administrations. They have made it infinitely more difficult to negotiate trade and other important agreements with other nations. Their belittling statements about the United Nations organization have greatly diminished our influence in that body.
10. The net result of this administration’s actions, attitudes and inactions can’t be known for a long time. Getting our troops and contractors out of Iraq may be a greater problem than we have faced there up to this time. Results of the mistreatment and mismanagement of the environment may not be fully evident for hundreds of years. Finally, the financial burdens the administration is placing on future generations will force them to live at a reduced level of prosperity for generations.
posted by Jeremiah | 3:19 PM
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