October 7, 2004

EDITORIAL

New leadership in White House

The 2004 presidential election is a referendum on George W. Bush’s presidency. On Nov. 2 voters have an critical question to answer: does President Bush deserve to be re-elected?

The answer here could not be made clearer: no.

President Bush had four years in the White House. He does not deserve four more. Voters should support the president’s Democratic rival, Senator John Kerry.

When he ran for president four years ago, George Bush said he would be a “uniter not a divider.” He has broken that pledge. Indeed, after Vice President Dick Cheney, there may be no larger divider in Washington D.C. than the president. Four years ago, the president ran as a moderate with the mantra of “compassionate conservatism.” But since taking office, President Bush has pursued a radical and conservative agenda.

He has rolled back environmental regulations. He turned a surplus into a record deficit. He pushed through Congress huge tax cuts that have disproportionately benefited the rich. He passed a major education bill, No Child Left Behind, without providing adequate funding to implement the legislation’s mandates. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the president began eroding civil liberties and basic rights granted by the U.S. Constitution through the U.S. Patriot Act.

Then there’s the ill-conceived war in Iraq and the mismanaged occupation. President Bush misled this country as he campaigned for support for the war, using bad intelligence, exaggerating links between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida and using an ever-shifting rationale to justify the war. His almost unilateral pursuit of Saddam has left the U.S. isolated around the world. Since Saddam’s fall, it has become clear that the president and the Pentagon failed to adequately plan to stabilize Iraq, leading to the chaos we now see in that country.

Senator Kerry offers a new start in Iraq and a chance to rebuild alliances around the world. The Democratic candidate got it right in last Thursday’s presidential debate when he said that President Bush is out of touch with what is happening on the ground in Iraq, and that four more years of a Bush presidency will bring four more years of the same arrogant policies. A new president offers America a chance to convince more partners to help the U.S. rebuild Iraq — and repair America’s reputation — and get our troops out of Iraq as soon as the country is stabilized.

At home, Senator Kerry has the better plan to provide health care to more people who are uninsured and to lower soaring insurance premiums. He pledges to do more to increase homeland security. He wants to rescind some of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, those who needed the tax cuts the least, and close corporate tax loopholes. He promises to reduce the national deficit. He has more credibility than the president when he calls for investing in new technologies aimed at finding energy alternatives. While not the perfect candidate, John Kerry offers a stark contrast to the policies and plans of President Bush.

After four years of a Bush presidency, America needs a change. The nation would be better served with a fresh start, a new leader and a new direction. Americans would be better served with Senator Kerry in the White House.

—Robert Mihalek