Should we trust George W. Bush?

World Net Daily ^ | 8/29/02 | Harry Browne

[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:

• that Iraq, which George Bush is dying to invade, still has "weapons of mass destruction" that threaten Americans directly;

• that Osama bin Laden masterminded the 9-11 attacks (the infamous videotape demonstrated his joy at the success of the attacks, not his participation);

• that the people being imprisoned as terrorists really are terrorists – even though they've received no public trial (whether you believe terrorists deserve to be protected by the Bill of Rights is irrelevant. You don't even know that they are terrorists until they receive a fair trial under the Bill of Rights);

• that the Bush administration won't misuse the private information it's acquiring through its massive violations of civil liberties.

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.

• He's willing to give your tax money to foreign dictators who claim they "need" it (meaning they've gone too deeply in debt by spending money on palaces and other forms of self-aggrandizement);

• He wants to escalate the spending of your tax money on farm subsidies, health care, welfare, government schools, the War on Drugs, propaganda and other programs – none of which are authorized in the Constitution;

• He believes we should trust him and his minions when they tell us the unnamed people they've locked up are not entitled to the protections of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.

• He claims he can attack Iraq without a congressional declaration of war – even though the Constitution clearly gives such authority exclusively to Congress.

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?

[nunya bidness]

This may come as a shock to you, but this isn't about oil. Cheers.

I disagree. Just about all human conflict has been over resources. Oil is no different.

[Torie]

Among other things. The chemicals that bother me involve uranium and plutonium.

[Diddle E. Squat]

While my guess doesn't have quite that narrow a window, I pretty much agree with your assessment. Though I still will stick with my original prediction of post-election to early '03.

[Torie]

Well oil is fungible. So that is not a causus belli in my opinion.

[Howlin]

I love it because you two are having a SANE conversation in the middle of all this.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Well, I believe that it would be foolish to say that oil isn't at least a small part of this conflict. Pragmatism is a solid value in America.

I am more concerned about the threat that Hussein poses to America though.

[Diddle E. Squat]

How shaky is much our S. American sources?

[Mo1]

Yep .. I hear when you mix them up it can be very dangerous right??

[max61]

I disagree. Just about all human conflict has been over resources. Oil is no different.

You are correct.

---max

[Fred Mertz]

I have a reason for my prediction which won't make any sense to anyone. If it happens, I'll let you know why I chose that weekend. But, I'm usually wrong.

[nunya bidness]

I'm trying out my "new tone." And this was the only thread with the light on.

[Torie]

No, you are just not drinking with FIJC tonight.

[Diddle E. Squat]

er, make that "more clear".

[Texasforever]

Sure just do a search on oil imports. I am sure that is about right from earlier discussions.
As to oil fields set ablaze, that really is not that big a deal. It is a pretty routine task to cap a burning well and I now understand through contacts with people still actively involved that as a result of the Gulf war, most well heads have been retrofitted with various devices to isolate the well or in some cases explosive charges that would actually seal the well if tampered with. As to Iraq, if you remember the Russians just signed a 40 billion dollar development program with Iraq. It got a lot of folks upset on the forum but it was NOT a stick in our eye. That 40 billion will be spent regardless of who the government is so Russia is actually positioning for a place at the table, in fact they may actually be the prime “nation building” force after Saddam joins his virgins.

[Howlin]

ROFLMAO.

See there, you made ME laugh. You're off to a good start; you can be a good example to us all!

[FreedominJesusChrist]

You should become a NR contributor.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Hey, ya never know. You may even be a winner of the OBL's final day contest, if we ever actually find out.

[Texasforever]

Venezuela is a mess right now but the oil is still flowing. It is a very heavy crude though and is expensive to refine but almost all refineries in the US have been refitted to handle it and the price is competitive with the sweet crude from the Middle East.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Yes he is.

Nunya is a very intelligent person. What's more, he has a GREAT sense of humor, which I appreciate.

Howlin,

How is that butt-kissing for you? FYI, when I do brown-nose, it is only done sincerely.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

"Venezuela is a mess right now but the oil is still flowing. It is a very heavy crude though and is expensive to refine but almost all refineries in the US have been refitted to handle it and the price is competitive with the sweet crude from the Middle East."

*snore*