The Top Ten Reasons
Most
of us don't have the time to read 1,000 reasons, so this summary of the
major categories will give you an overview. All the details and support
are in the complete list, available here:
The List - Honesty
Bill
Clinton was impeached for lying about his sex life. George Bush is
applauded for overthrowing two governments (three, if you count Haiti)
based on deception. He lied about the threat of Iraq, he lied about the
cost, and he lied about the expected outcome. He lied about the purpose
of his tax cuts, he lied about education, the environment, energy, and
his own past. He lied about the cost of Medicare. Everything he says is
choreographed to achieve political gain without consideration for the
truth. In Bush's administration, truth takes a back seat to power every
time.
- War
History
will not be kind to George Bush. In two years he overthrew two
governments, and has his eyes on several others. He has ignored the UN,
the US public, and 90% of the rest of the world, including millions who
protested in the streets. He has violated the US Constitution and
international law by attacking Iraq when it was not a threat to anyone.
In his empire-building march across the Middle East, he has wasted the
lives of thousands. History will wonder why no one stopped him.
- Economy
As
soon as people saw that Bush might get elected in 2000, the economy
started to fall, helped by Bush's talk of recession. He, of course,
tried to blame Clinton. Since then, the economy has dipped in and out
of recession, a million jobs have evaporated, deficits are soaring, and
Bush's only response is to cut taxes for the wealthy. Every few months
he promises that jobs are just around the corner -- if Congress will only approve my tax cuts
-- but month after month job statistics give substance to the lie. Bush
seems bent on destroying the very institution he heads.
- Liberties
Yes,
we need to catch terrorists, but we don't need a police state to do it.
John Ashcroft has shown no concern for personal liberties, only for
catching the "bad guys." Is it really necessary for the government to
know what books you read? Is it necessary to read your e-mail? Must
librarians be gagged? This slide toward Fascism is as scary as anything
else Bush does. And rather than scale back the most egregious aspects
of the act, Bush wants to make it even more intrusive.
- Taxes
No
one likes taxes, but we all pay them in hopes that the government will
provide the services we need and want: schools, highways, bridges, and
security. Bush, like Reagan before him, intends to choke the government
down to size. By cutting taxes, primarily for the wealthy, deficits
soar and nothing is left for education, the environment, social
programs (including Social Security) or necessary regulation of
corporations. After spending $800 billion a year (by independent
estimates) on a bloated military, there is no money for books, no money
for highways, not even money for the soldiers who must fight his wars.
There is no money. But schools must remain open, roads must be
repaired, and the sick must find treatment; all this is left to the
state and local governments, which are now raising taxes, firing
teachers, and cutting services.
- Environment
One
of his first acts as president was to raise the allowable level of
arsenic in drinking water. Since then, we have seen a continuous
assault on the forests, the air, the water, and the land. Global
warming threatens to wreak havoc on our economy, our food supply, and
our social fabric, but Bush only listens to the scientists on the
political right, and they see no reason to panic. Don't worry, be happy.
- International Relations
When
you're the strongest nation by a factor of ten, you don't need to play
nice. You can be a bully, and if other countries don't like it, too
bad. Under Bush, we've seen this arrogant attitude regularly. He walked
away from Kyoto, from the land mine treaty, from the international
women's rights treaty, and the international criminal court. He ignored
the pleas of long-time allies to avoid war, insulting them childishly.
It will be decades before we can regain the respect of the world.
- Secrecy
This
is the most secret administration in memory. Decisions are clearly
being made by corporations and far-right interest groups, but Bush
refuses to admit it or to say who is behind such important policies as
energy. Government can only be trusted in the sunlight, and this
government hides at undisclosed locations.
- Military
We
spend more on our military than the rest of the world combined. While
most of us appreciate the sense of security a strong military brings,
we also question the wisdom of such spending when we have no clear
enemy. Iraq was overthrown for about $100 billion. We spend four times
that every year on the military. And now Bush wants to build a magical
missile shield that no one believes will actually work. Oh, it will
cost many billions, and a few select corporations will get rich, but
meanwhile we have other needs, desperate needs, that are not being met.
We don't even have health care for all our children. We can't even
provide breakfast for all our children, or books, or decent schools.
But we can kill bad guys better than anyone. And if Bush has his way,
we will soon be dropping tactical nuclear bombs on them.
- Corruption
The
line between corporations and the government has disappeared during the
Bush administration. Corporations give money to elect Bush, then Bush
forms policies and rules that favor those same corporations. This is
nowhere more evident than in the energy industry, which has sent
millions to Bush in the form of campaign contributions, then received
billions in return. Think Bush, Cheney, Bechtel, Halliburton, Schultz.
One Thousand Reasons http://www.thousandreasons.org/