Bush Is No Jefferson

To the Editor:

Mr Gottmeier’s revisionist history, poor analogies, and partial understandings worry me.

Thomas Jefferson wished to be remembered for three achievements in his public life. He listed them on his tombstone as follows; “author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statue of Virginia for religious freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia” and, as he requested, “not a word more.” His distinction as an architect, naturalist, linguist and statesman were not mentioned.

George W. Bush is no Thomas Jefferson! They are not in the same league or party. When President Jefferson sent a naval squadron to destroy the Barbary Pirates of Tripoli in 1801 it was because the pasha of Tripoli declared war on the United States for refusing to pay tribute. Yes, the world became a safer place, but the world is not a safer place due to President Bush’s unilateral invasion of Iraq! Just the opposite has occurred. The root cause of these two historical events is not in the least similar. President Jefferson responded to a declaration of war against the United States. President Bush did not respond to a declaration of war, he declared it, putting our country in the position of world policeman or worse.

True, Mr Gottmeier, the military is overtaxed in the current global environment, but that is directly related to President Bush’s national building (something he swore as a candidate he would not do). President Clinton gave us a balanced budget, a surplus, and no need for a vast military complex. We were the only superpower left and we maintained the respect and admiration of this interdependent world. What do we have now? We have a gigantic deficit, a guerilla war in Iraq costing billions of taxpayer dollars and thousands of lives, climbing daily, and our allies are disenchanted with us. But the extremists who are usually fighting each other have joined efforts to attack us on all sides. Two of the major extremists, Saddam and Osama were not united, but President Bush has done the impossible and united the extremists against us.

“Mr Kerry flips and flops on every issue.” Shod in the finest of boots, President Bush says what he means and won’t yield. How can that be when you look at his statements?

6-15-00 The Nation: “Bush says he favors leaving up to a woman and her doctor the abortion question.”

10-3-00 “I am pro-life” proclaimed Governor Bush!

1-26-00 Bush promises to force OPEC to lower prices. “What I think the president ought to do when gas prices spike is to get on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say we expect you to open your spigots. And the President of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the price.”

Miami Herald 4-1-04 Bush refuses to lobby OPEC leaders

President Bush 3-3-01 “We’re going to keep the promise of Social Security and keep the government from raiding the Social Security surplus.”

2-6-02 NY Times, “Bush spends Social Security surplus. The president’s new budget uses social security surpluses to pay for other programs every year through 2013, ultimately diverting more than 1.4 trillion dollars.”

3-19-02 Bush opposes the Department of Homeland Security.

6-6-02 Bush supports the Department of Homeland Security in his address to the nation.

3-9-04 Bush says Rice won’t testify as “A matter of principle” there is a separation or power issue involved here.

3-30-04 Bush orders Rice to testify

It appears that President Bush uses his wind gauge more than his compass. The line from the old song, “One of these days, these boots are gong to walk all over you!” poses the real concern.

Sincerely,

Terence J. O’Grady

54 Great Ring Road, Sandy Hook                       September 17, 2004