During one of the three presidential debates, President George W. Bush abruptly reversed himself in mid-sentence. ?The Constitution says we?re all? it doesn?t say that?? Bush declared. Many wrote off the sentence as a Bush-ism, a typical trademark of an inarticulate bumbler. The probable truth is much more sinister.
I believe Mr. Bush was about to say, ?The Constitution says we?re all equal.? He stopped himself mid-sentence because either:
A. He doesn?t believe that.
B. He was opening himself up to an incredible line of attack for not treating his fellow Americans equally
C. Both
When it comes to treating Americans equally, Mr. Bush has a dismal track record.
ß He has become the first president since the days of legalized slavery to attempt to write discrimination into the Constitution by calling for a constitutional amendment outlawing gay marriage.
ß He seems to refuse to acknowledge gay people exist ? never using the word ?gay? in his speeches or answers to journalist?s questions and only today endorsed civil unions when he?s desperate for Democratic votes ? eight days before the election.
ß His administration has not sought to aid poor minorities in any meaningful way. He boasts of greater homeownership, when most minority families can?t afford a home and must rent ? yet we?re losing affordable housing.
ß His tax cuts disproportionately benefited those in the highest tax bracket to the average tune of $60,000 a year, while those in the lowest tax bracket are redeemed a measly $91.
ß He has recklessly put soldiers from small towns and/or poor communities (who joined the Army to escape drab, hopeless home lives) in harm?s way with a clearly unnecessary war in Iraq.
ß He turns his back on the sick and senior citizens and panders to the drug companies by not taking any action to allow the importation of prescription drugs from Canada.
ß He again turns his back on the sick by severely limiting stem cell research, which has shown promise in fighting cancer, AIDS, Parkinson?s disease and Alzheimer?s disease, among other afflictions.
ß He claims he wants Americans to have more money in their pockets, yet he refuses to endorse a minimum wage increase ? the minimum wage has been $5.15 since 1997. Guess he only wants his corporate pals to have more money.
ß Other companies have lost out on important work in Iraq thanks to $7 billion in no-bid contracts for Halliburton, which recklessly overcharged us as a result.
The list goes on. But you get the idea.
I became a Democrat this year after years of being a registered independent. I have voted for Republican candidates in elections in 1998, 2002 and 2003. I am open-minded and fair.
John Kerry might not possess Clinton-like charisma. But Lord knows, he can do better. That?s why I?m voting for John Forbes Kerry for president of the United States. I hope you do too.
Peter Moore
