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?

[FreedominJesusChrist]

I don't know.

[Mo1]

Go ahead - scream for war - just don't come whinning when it's your father, brothers, cousins, son, daughters and others that hold dear wind up being sacrificed on the alter of the nanny-state.

Give me a break .. My brothers served for this country .. my father fought in WWII .. my grandfather fought in WWI .. heck members of my family have served this country all the way back to the Revolutionary War

War ain't pretty .. but sometimes we need to fight if we want to live in peace and keep our freedoms

[MJY1288]

"Why do you think GWB II told the FBI to back off investigating the Al Quida/Taliban in the period preceeding 9/11?"Would you mind backing this statement up with some proof, or did you reciecve this info via the tinfoil you must be wearing

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Actually, I do.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

it is up to you who to believe.

I doubt I will buy it from a pathological liar.

[rintense]

Even Rush has challenged listeners to tell him what freedoms they have lost since 9-11. No takers to my knowledge. True, the US did fund the Afghanis in the war with Russia. And yes, Osama was a part of that. But we certainly didn't make him into the monster he is. That sounds like the standard liberal 'oh blame society for his actions' crap. I blame Osama, and Osama alone for his actions.

[justshe]

Sad. Really, really sad.

I've known a LOT of liberals in my day......YOU take the cake. You are an American apologist. WWII wasn't necessary?

You honestly disgust me. And I say that to very few.

[Mo1]

It's ok .. A good rant is healthy

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Where have you been?

On the earth, which has to be a strange place for someone who uses Peter Jennings, or The History Channel as a source. While the HC has some interesting material, it also puts on tin-foil nonsense like The Men Who Killed Kennedy. As a result, it is useless to cite it as an authority.

[dixiechick2000]

Out of town marking for reading tomorrow...

hopefully.;o)

[MJY1288]

"Thanks for the entertaining (if somewhat depressing) evening. Now I remember why Anne Robinson thinks Americans are stupid. For a large part, they are."

Don't be depressed, you can always get some education and then you won't be offended by what Anne Robinson says

[ravingnutter]

BTW, I agree with you about children in the "system"...that is one thing we apparently have in common, but we'll have to discuss that on a different day, but for now I know I am vindicated on this issue. Well, gotta go to bed, it is now past 11:00 PM here. Y'all have a good fight...ummmmm...I mean a good night. "See" you all tommorrow, gotta go say my prayers...sweet dreams...

[lonestar]

Maybe Saddam will pray for you

Mecca deal with her?

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Well, in all fairness, if you are going to make claims about me, please post it here.

I would like to avoid flame-wars with you, so please stop.

If there was ever any questions about me having two screenames last school year, my roomate does have a FR screename, and we posted from the same computer in our room.

She didn't post much though, and I don't know if she even posts at all anymore.

[Mo1]

They can get my roomate's name correct, which is a Serbian name with the whole alphabet in it, but not even get my first name spelled correctly.

Well the common spelling is with a "y"

I guess this makes you different??

[biffalobull]

feelin_poorly signed up 2002-08-27. This account has been banned.

Red; you have any idea why. I am curious.Regards

[justshe]

JimRob really should be reading this. Seriously.

[oldvike]

That's an interesting little theory of yours. I wonder what the war in Iraq will really do to the SA monarchy internally? Your answer might be right. However, I tend to think it will only unite the Saudi people (even more than now) against us. Guess we'll find out in a few months. Either way, the Saudis will not (well, at least they "should not") be our "friends" anymore.

[Wondervixen]

Why don't you see a specialist for that delusion of evil you see in your own homeland...If that doesnt fix it, see a ticket agent at Air France & go join those of like mind!

[FreedominJesusChrist]

No, it doesn't make me different. The prononeciation is still the same.