Posted on 08/29/2002 1:00:30 PM PDT by feelin_poorly
Shortly after 9-11, TV talk-show host Sean Hannity said, "Thank God, we have an honest man in the White House!"
And when you think about it, a great deal of what you might believe about the so-called War on Terrorism is based on statements from George W. Bush. You have only his word, or that of someone in his administration:
Since America is endangered by the "you're either with me or against me" tactics of the Bush administration, it becomes vital to know whether we can trust the man in charge of our government.
The record
So does George Bush's record inspire confidence in his honesty?
Unfortunately, this is the same man who has referred to trillions of dollars in budget surpluses – even though the federal government hasn't had a budget surplus since 1956. (The appearance of any "surpluses" was created by taking excess receipts from Social Security and applying them to the general budget, even as the politicians swore they were protecting Social Security.)
Mr. Bush even has the chutzpah to refer with a straight face (well not exactly a straight face, he loves to smirk) to corporate executives "cooking the books." He neglects to mention that many of the corporate bookkeeping methods the politicians are so incensed about today were motivated by rules imposed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
And George Bush is the same man who in 2000 said he believed in "limited government." Most people assumed he meant a government limited by the Constitution. In fact, he took an oath in which he swore to uphold the Constitution.
But he's violated virtually every one of the first 10 Amendments – especially the Ninth and 10th Amendments, which are meant to impose precise limits on his power.
So his belief in "limited government" apparently means government limited to what he wants to do.
George Bush is the same man who in one breath tries to ingratiate himself with you by saying, "It's your money, not the politicians' money" – but in the next breath, he says he's entitled to one third of "your money."
George Bush is the same man who said he has learned more about political philosophy from Jesus of Nazareth than from anyone else. But he's proven by his actions that he doesn't really believe such things as "Blessed are the peacemakers." And "the meek" who Jesus said would inherit the earth are in Mr. Bush's eyes really just "collateral damage" in his plans to tell the world how it must live.
Is honesty important?
In these and in so many other ways, George Bush has proven that he's not an honest man – and that we shouldn't trust him with the safety of America.
In fact, Thomas Jefferson understood that we shouldn't put our trust in any politician. He said we should bind them down from mischief "by the chains of the Constitution." And a truly honest man wouldn't even ask you to trust him.
Contrary to what you might have thought, this isn't an article about George Bush. It's an article about you. Are you going to demean yourself by putting your faith in a man who has done so much to demonstrate the folly of such faith?
Are you going to let politicians stampede you into throwing away the Bill of Rights, based on "evidence" you never see, reassured by politicians who have proven that the truth is secondary to their own ambitions?
Don't you have enough respect for your own mind to make your own decisions, refuse to accept conclusions without evidence, and be something better than a cheerleader for a politician or a political party?
Absolutely correct. These days we let the UN do that for us.
Every man and woman who served and did their duty is just as worthy as any other.
Indeed, I agree.
Most Americans serve for the right reasons - they just aren't aware that their lives are being used as pawns in a global power game.
LOL - well said, Fred :) Glad you showed up.
Ah. I bow before your wisdom, Grasshopper.
Not before you take that silly bandana off your head, you don't.
Sigh... I only posted it, as I said, because one of the local housewives made a snide comment about my "submissive little wife" or somesuch. Made me laugh, actually < g >
Yep, I got much more of a winner in her than I deserve, for certain.
(But if that's really your picture, don't try to tell us how good looking you are.)
ROFL - yep, if it's the one with the Gadsden flag in my teeth, that would be me. That was a fun photo - totally tongue in cheek (and flag in mouth). I thought it was pretty hysterical myself - glad we finally agree on something :)
What did you have in mind?
Plus, I'm ticked you didn't make it up to Vegas. Were you in Area 51 again on reconnaissance?
Nah... I just didn't want to put up with the crap at the airports. I'm not sure I could keep my mouth shut if I saw some 80 year-old veteran getting harrassed by a third-world parasite.
I thought about driving it, which would have been a fun road trip across the county. I still want to take a road trip out there sometime....
Where is the next one going to be held?
If I did that, my third eye would show. Scares a lotta folks, so I better not.
I hereby nominate that for Post of the Day. It's SOOOO multi-applicable < g >
Aha - you caught it too < g >
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