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?
Hmmmmmmmmmmm .. could ya explain this one??
Thats a fihy answer to a simple question but I understand your reticence to answer it. Defending a Libertarian Icon like Harry while he is falling off the continental shelf is a herculean task.
This will be interesting.
He's a statist, just like his daddy is. I'm totally convinced that Bush does not believe in individual Rights or limited government. This is based on his actions, his words, and just as important what he doesn't say or do.
BTW, good to "see" you again.
And just why do you think that is numbnuts? It isn't because the American people have mistreated them or invaded and bombed their countries, you moron! It's because this Country's leaders have dragged us into gazillions of places all across the globe and intervened where we had NO business being and this includes everywhere from Somolia to Israel to Iraq to Kosovo to Vietnam to (pick your war/conflict/country/police action/UN 'peace'-keeping mission). Our Founders TRIED to to warn us about foreign entaglements but, did the masses listen? NO. Big business dictates where and when OUR sons and fathers (and now, daughters and mothers) are sent AWAY FROM OUR SHORES to kill and to be killed while IDIOTS like yourself sit in their armchairs and cheer for the planners and disruptors. THAT's why they hate US all across the globe you ninny. Do you see Switzerland being bombed and threatened by these groups? Of course you don't and you won't. THEY have the good sense to stay the hell out of the asinine conflicts all across the globe. Something this Country was founded to do also until the public indoctrination took hold and people of the last two generations started screaming for whatever those who knew how to utilize the Hegelian Dialectic wanted them to.
Actually, I give thanks to God daily for the wisdom of our Founding Fathers and ask for his guidance and patience in dealing with folks like you who haven't the proverbial CLUE what or how they thought. You must remember, the Founders had studied their world history and had actually learned something from it. Something that would benefit you immensly to follow.
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