t bob, My thoughts & more

Re: An Open Letter to C Raulston, craulston@nma.org

To: The National Mining Assoc, All other mining owner trade groups and associations, All mine owners in America, The United Mine Workers, George Bush, The Republican Congress, The Good Citizens of America, The Good Citizens of W. Virginia and the families of the deceased miners

To: C Raulston,
National Mining Assoc.

Please do something in memory of the dead miners by staying out of the proposal phase of the forthcoming mine safety hearings and the subsequent legislative phase.

Your Association wants to be involved in the writing of new legislation for mine safety. Don't you think that you are 'the fox in the henhouse' and as such should recuse yourself from being involved in the writing of mine safety legislation. Don't you think that the mine owners, the Republican controlled mine safety agencies and all Republican legislators should do the same. I think this should be so because you all are the people responsible for these mine disasters. As such you cannot be impartial and write legislation on behalf of miners in America. You people have a vested interest in 'watering down' and shaping any forthcoming legislation to your own financial benefit.

My guess, despite what your website suggests, is that you do not represent miners or mine safety. I think you are not dedicated to the idea of 'three bottom lines'. In fact, I think that you are completely blind to such concepts and would pay, at best, only lip service to mine safety and 'the three bottom lines'. My guess is that your association's allegiance is to the top tier of mining company executives, to the mine owners and to the boards of directors of the mining companies. The boards of directors are, as with most american companies, merely the 'hand-maidens' and 'rubber stamps' of the CEO's and as such are equally responsible for the deaths of the coal miners in W. Virginia and all other mine employee deaths.

Your association, as a representative of the mine owners and their CEOs', is really an organization that lobbies congress(Republicans) on behalf of the mine owners and CEOs'. In other words your association's only desire is to see that all things done are to the financial benefit and legal shielding of mining company CEOs' and mining company owners. You really have no interest in protecting the safety of the miners. In addition, you all are highly likely to be Republicans and Bushies which means that you and they will do as little as possible for the safety of american miners and as much as possible to benefit the finances of the CEOs' and mine owners. All the aforementioned statements are quite simple and yet at the same time, profound.

Neither your association nor any Republicans should be involved in the making of new mine safety rules because you both will make new rules and regulations as ineffective and unenforceable as possible. You and your Republican friends in congress and members of the Bush administration should not be involved with new mine safety legislation. However, you all should/must be involved in the investigatory phase of the hearings so that you will be required to explain what the mine owners did and did not do which contributed to the deaths of the miners. Also your members could explain the things that the federal administrators and inspectors did that contributed to the miners deaths.

I know you think that these ideas sound outrageous but that is the way I think, and that is the way you and republicans in congress should think.

You and the mine owners may think that only your/their personal wealth is involved in the deaths of the miners but, in reality your/their very souls are at stake for avoiding the mine safety rules that resulted in the miners deaths.

Were I on the committee that will hold the hearings to investigate the mine safety violations I would not allow the National Mining Assoc. or any other owners groups, or the republican legislators, or the federal administrators to participate in the law making phase of the hearings. I would require that the congressional research office prepare a list of all the legislation and mine safety regulations that you and the mine owners have contributed to. I would further require that your association and all other mine owner groups and lobbyists be dissolved for a period of five years. I would require that all Bush administrators involved with any aspect of mine safety be fired from their jobs and all mine safety inspectors be investigated for misfeasance and malfeasance on their jobs.

I would require that a congressional oversight committee be formed to ensure that all of the aforementioned items are enforced and that violators thereof be heavily fined and put in jail for a period of five years. I would require that the revolving door between mining owners, mine executives and federal government employment be stopped forever.

I would require that the families of the dead miners be compensated for the losses they have suffered. I would require that the mine owners be ordered to erect a monument in memory of the deceased miners and be required to personally attend a yearly memorial ceremoney for the deceased miners. I would require that all American miners have insurance of sufficient value to see that their families have adequate income for all life expenses, including healthcare and education for their children so they may attend college or other professional and trade schools.

I believe all the aforementioned items and strategies, would cause the mine owners and mining company executives to think deeply before putting the lives of other innocent miners in jeopardy for selfish and greedy reasons.

Money is, truely the root of all evil as it drives and shapes all your decisions. I believe that the deaths of those miners is on your souls and you will have to answer to God for what you have done. But that is just my opinion.

I, as an American citizen, must see that this kind of tradegy never happens again so far as is humanly possible. I, as an American citizen must add my voice to the voices of the good people of W. Virginia and the miners families to demand that the mine owners, their CEOs', federal administrators and inspectors be held fully responsible for what they have done to cause this tragedy.

Ohio has some coal mines, will similar tragedies happen here as well. Ohio and W. Virginia are neighboring states and I have family that live in W. Virginia so the deaths of these good and innocent men are near to my heart.

The aforementioned are my commitents and responsibilities to the safety of all American miners, just axactly what are yours? Do you have any at all?

Bob t, Cleveland, Ohio

Dear All,

Reminders: I am a Conservative, especially a Fiscal and Constitutional Conservative, Independant, Swing Voter, Humanist and Catholic.

I am not a Republican, Democrat or Fundamentalist Catholic.

To quote myself, "Republicanism is NOT synonymous with Conservatism". In fact Bush and the Republicans want to change America in very un-conservative and very radical ways. They are RADICALS who use their "Totalitarian Republican Theocracy" form of government to make radical changes in America. They do not use careful conservative thought and strategy to help America and it's citizens, because they have no intentions to help American and American citizens.

It is clear to me that Bush, The Republicans and The Right Wing Religious Fundamentalists want to change America in very radical ways. They keep calling themselves conservatives but they are really not conservative at all. They are only conservative about a very few things, things which serve only their very narrow and specific interests. Example, one analyst put it precisely when he wrote that never has any administration been so involved with a single industry as the Bush administration is with the oil industry. I don't recall his exact statement but that is very close. Among other things, these Bush nazi facists want to force all Americans to believe and behave exactly as they themselves do. They want to take away many of our cherished American freedoms. They want to control our right to free speech or more accurately take it away. The only free speech we will be allowed is that which is in total agreement with exactly what they, the fundamentalist nazi facists think. If it's not, we can't express it. Religious fundamentalism is very corrosive and very dangerous. Merging of church and state is very corrosive and dangerous to both.

These fundamentalist nazi facists want to take away or greatly restrict a woman's right to choose what she may do with her body(which should be between her and God) our rights to protest and dissent, gays right to a fair life in our society and so many other freedoms. If Samuel Alito, after he is installed on the Supreme Court, rules based on the ways he has in the past America is in big trouble. We now have a Supreme Court controlled by Republican Catholic Fundamentalists. I fear for my country and my fellow citizens. The will of a narrow and radical minority is being forced upon all Americans. Again, these people are not conservatives and have not even been close to the concepts of conservatism since Ronald Reagan took office. In fact they have reached levels of extreme radicalism with George Bush. He would be 'checked and balanced' if we had an operational system of 'checks and balances' and a two party political system, but we do not. We really have a "Totalitarian Republican Theocracy". I believe it was I who said that.

George Bush will not be checked and balanced' because we have a Republican controlled congress(both houses) and a Republican/Catholic Fundamentalist Supreme Court. Just as the jihadists are religious fundamentalists so too is the "Totalitarian Republican Theocracy"in America. There is no one to stop George, Dick Cheney or the Republicans. The Democrats have been totally marginalized, having almost no power. Therefore we no longer have a two party system, only a one party system.

The democrats are so confused and bewildered by Rovian political tactics that they are at an almost complete loss as to what they need to do to deal with the Bush, Republican, Religious fundamentalists. What they need to do is more simple than they think but they keep looking for deep, deep, deep strategies. The democrats have forgotten that they are the party of the people. They have forgotten that the one person one vote rule still exists. They have forgotten that the 'have nots' are ninety percent or more of the population in America and that they can have the support of approximately seventy percent of american voters. There will always be that thirty percent of american voters that are knee jerk lock step republicans that will vote only for republican candidates. Once the Democratic Party remembers what are the real issues of concern to the average, everyday, ordinary 'have nots' in America they will begin moving in the proper directions. Since Rove took office as Bush's brain he, Karl Rove, tells the average, everyday, ordinary 'have not' Americans what he wants them to think the 'real issues' are. Rove and Bush are nothing but sociopaths who have no morals and no character.

JIMMY CARTER HAS GREAT MORALS AND CHARACTER and as such he should be the democrats guide as to what they must do. Actually, Pres. Carter should be the guide for the democrats and the republicans but both parties are totally engrossed, involved and committed to being politicians instead of moral patriotic human beings and americans who are responsible to the people of America. The republicans would never accept Mr. Carter as any kind of guide because they are totally and only committed to their agenda of doing only those things that are good for the super rich and the dominant corporations. In fact, The REPUBLICANS HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO ALLEGIANCE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OR AMERICA OR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. How much plainner can it be? Wake up democrats, wake up America, wake up American voters, wake up average, everyday, ordinary Americans, wake up all you 'HAVE NOTS'. I am a 'have not' and I am awake and vigilant. What has happened to the rest of you? Karl Rove, the nazi, has played a GIANT HOAX on you and you fell for it. Karl the nazi is using simple nzi tactics and those Americans who voted for Bush just can't see it. These americans think Karl has given them power over gays, abortions and terrorists. But just wait until you Bush voters come to understand what he has taken from you.


Now on to the humorous tongue-in-cheek stuff. I have some thoughts about some things that might happen to America based on what I have just written, above. Again, allowing Bush, the Republicans and the Religious Fundamentalists to control and manage our country, occurring since Reagan took office, is not a matter of conservatism it is very much a matter of radicalism. These people are not conservatives they are right wing radicals just as the Republican Party is all right wing radicals. They now control all three branches of government; the Legislative, Executive and Judicial. The right wing radicals have and are making right wing radical changes to our democracy. It became very clear to me when the Supreme Court GAVE the first election to dubya that 'The Court' had become radicalized to right wing thinking. This is a frightening turn of events which began with Ronald Reagan becoming president. I dislike repeating myself but this situation needs to be expressed as often as possible and in as many different ways as possible. The clear light of day (freedom of speech) can illuminate every corner and every aspect of the events that are taking place in America, and which affect all American citizens and in fact many of the citizens of the world. There is absolutely no humor in these events, only tragedy for all human beings.

More humorous and not so humorous stuff---
So, as seems to be the case, Bush wants to privatize many/most functions of our federal government. The beginning of this process is dubya's attempt to privatize the Social Security Administration. The beginning of privatizing the Social Security Admin. is to privatize part of our social security investment accounts, this is being foisted on the American people through the use of the FEAR tactic and the DIVIDE and CONQUER tactic. And they, the Bushies, always use these mislead and misinformation tactics to promote their own secret and private agendas'. Just how far do the Bushies want to carry their idea of privatization of government and government functions and tasks?

Finally some of the humorous and not so humorous stuff---
Do we Americans really want our lives to be dominated by corporations like the texas oil companies, or companies like Enron(a Texas energy company), Worldcom(telecommunications), Diebold(electronic voting machines), giant agribusinesses which seek to dominate our food industry, the prescription drug companies who dominate the drug industry, Rupert Murdoch and News Corp (Bill O'Reilly etc.) a dominant telecommunications and news media company. As Americans must we put our financial security and physical security in the hands of, at best self serving and at worst corrupt and greedy companies. American oil companies have control over Bolivia's oil, gas and water resources is that good for the Bolivian people or the American people, NO, it's only good for the American oil companies.

Would Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay form a corporation that would be given the government tasks done by the Bureau of Indian Affairs; would the US military be taken over by Halliburton which would be run by it's president chickenhawk Cheney and it's vice president chickenhawk Bush so they could wage endless wars of oil dominance all over the world. Would Boeing become the US Air Force, would West Point be closed to be replaced by The Citadel, would we have two american government religions, Baptist Fundalmentism and Catholic Fundamentalism or would they fight amongst each other allowing only one to gain control; would the FCC tasks be assumed by News Corp, Bill O'Reilly, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell; would all the news media become a propaganda outlet for Republicans and Religious Fundamentalists, as PBS is in danger of becoming; would Amy Goodman and The War and Peace Report be forced off the air because she revealed that our dead and maimed troops were being flown in under cover of night and with secrecy as to when the flights arrive and will American citizens become further disconnected from the horrors of war by this tactic. Will Evo Morales( just elected president of Bolivia) be toppled or assassinated by the CIA and Bolivia be controlled or run by Texas oil companies, or would a Texas oil company just spend the 50 million or so dollars and just topple Mr. Morales on their own, without CIA, using mercernaries just as Bush now uses in Iraq.

Would the american national fundamentalist religions have total control over the FCC, and all entertainment, broadcasting, news, information and education? Would our public schools teach creationism and do away with all un-biased science allowing only biased science to be taught in our schools, this occurred in Russia for decades with disastrous results. Would biased science lead to biased doctors and biased pharmacists. Would fundamentalist religions lead to biased fundamentalist doctors and pharmacists, yes and we have that NOW; if fundamentalist religions are taught in our schools which fundamentalist religion would be taught (Catholics would say it must be Catholicism, Baptists would demand that their beliefs must be taught; is any fundamentalist religion being taught in our PUBLIC schools at this very time, YES(in small communities in Texas, Kansas etc.) ? Is this religious fundamentalism generated by Texan religious fundamentalism in cooperation with Kansas religious fundamentalistism, Yes it is.

Oh, dear Texas have you forgotten your democratic roots and history, have Tom DeLay and the Texas oil industry led you that far astray? Dear Texans have you completely lost your spirit of independance and your sense that 'these politicians are not going to tell me how to lead every aspect of my life'. Where is that trace of maverick that seemed at one time to be alive and well in the thinking of every Texan.

Would News Corp. dominate the news industry and all the other news media in America because they support only one point of view(Bush/Republican/Fundamentalist) and suppress all other points of view(as screaming Bill O'Reilly does) as they do NOW and have done since before Texas George became president? Would Republican Bill Frist and the Frist family healthcare business dominate the entire healthcare industry which is already dominated by Republicans and is causing explosively upward spiraling healthcare costs? I know that statement is a bit redundant, but it has more impact. Will the upward spiraling healthcare and prescription drug costs be blamed on the workers of America, YES. Are the workers of America responsible for wanting healthcare benefits, YES, are those workers responsible for the HIGH COSTS of their benefits, NO NO NO. Are American corporations burdened by employee healthcare benefits, YES. Do American corporations do anything about the problem, YES, they blame the employees for the costs of those benefits and use every trick (declare bankruptcy) possible to avoid paying those benefits, YES. Again, are the employees responsible for the COSTS of their benefits, NO NO NO. Do American corporations go to the sources which cause those problems, NO NO NO, it's easier to blame the employees. Do American corporate executives want and have expensive healthcare benefits, YES YES YES. Do Republican corporate executives go after the Republican corporations that benefit and get even more wealthy by increasing health care costs, NO NO NO. Why, because they are all owned by Republicans whose only aim in life is to go after ever more money and make themselves even more wealthy. Does excessive greed seem to be involved somewhere in this circle of events, YES YES YES. Does the bible, the teachings of Jesus Christ, say something about greed, YES YES YES. Do the Republicans claim to be christians, YES YES YES. Do they seem to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, NO NO NO. Do the Religious Right Fundamentalists support only the Republicans, YES YES YES YES and YES. Do the Republicans staunchly support Religious Fundamentalism, YES YES YES and YES. Does George Bush claim to be a 'Born Again Christian', YES YES YES. I know he was born again as a 'bonesman'. Does George claim to be 'CHOSEN' by God, and does he further claim that his Republican Party has been 'CHOSEN' by God, YES YES YES. Do George(the 'Chosen One'), all the other Bushies in America, Republican Congressman, and The Radical Religious Right Wing Fundamentalists control and dominate much of America, American life and American citizens, YES YES YES and YES. Does George's claim as having been 'chosen' seem blasphemous or heretical to anyone? My bible says that God chose 'His only begotten...' and I don't think He chose dubya. If I am recalling correctly, George made somewhat similar claims on two other occasions.

Does this claim to have been 'chosen' give anyone pause for thought when it's the president of the United States saying such things. My Catholic learning via my Italian Catholic parents, and via the Urusline nuns, and via my Catholic high school education, and via my learning in philosophy classes via the teachings of the great Catholic philosopher Jacque Maritain, and my Catholic bible raises great alarm in my mind. Why can the religious fundamentalists not see this?
Are they so blinded by their need for power through their association with George Bush that they cannot see this heresy which is starring them in the face. Are they blinded by the promises of a false christ? Bush's claim scares the hell out of me. With George Bush, America has truly entered a 'dark age'. This American dark age is not just spiritual in nature but includes other forms of 'dark age thinking'. In this seeming 'american dark age' the false god of GREED is rampant. Where is our concern for the poor and homeless in the USA, where is our concern for the elderly and the retired, where is our concern for the worker, where is our concern for fair wages; where is our concern for families, women, children, education(remember, education equals enlightenment which ends dark age thinking), where are the concepts of christian business ethics and standards, where are the concepts of ethical accounting standards; WHERE WHERE WHERE? Greed is truly rampant in American business and among the American wealthy and powerful.

More humor, maybe---
Would private corporations , especially southern and texan corporations dominate every aspect of life in America? Look at Sandia National Labs, Bush has taken it from a California university, which managed it so well, so efficiently and for so long for 8 million dollars per year, and given it to a Texas university and a Republican corporation which gets over 60 million dollars a year and which amount will rapidly escalate. So much for American corporate efficiency . . . Would the US Department of Energy be taken over and run by a Texas oil company, will all Americans be required to own a gas guzzling GM pickup truck with a gun rack in the rear window while wearing a dirty baseball cap that says 'Bush for President' on it, will all federal income taxes be sent directly to the Texas State Treasury at Austin or will the money just be sent to the office of Tom DeLay in Sugar Land, Texas. Will Tom DeLay run the Internal Revenue service? Will the military salute that we all know be changed to that satanic like 'hook em horns' salute that Bush and his fellow Texans love so well. Will Richard Pombo(R. Cal.) and Ted Stevens(R. Ak.) run the US Department of The Interior in coordination with US oil companies and the Mine owners so they can promote further degradation of our lands, ever increasing oil well drilling and complete removal of all mine safety standards so our miners can work under ever worsening mine safety standards.

Will all Americans be required to wear cowboy hats(I love them but look so bad wearing one) will americans be required to drive those old and huge Cadillacs with longhorns attached to the front hood, will each of us have to own at least one pair of cowboy boots, especially when entering the White House or the State of Texas. Now this is the humorous stuff that I promised my readers. Will whatever is left of the federal government be moved from Washington, DC to the Alamo or to Sugar land, Texas. Will the Department of Homeland Security become entirely managed by 'good old boys' and staffed by red-necks and crackers wearing those baseball hats and cowboy hats. Will the national dance of America become the 'texas two step' and the national game become texas 'hold em' poker. I guess thats enough fun for now.

Enough humor---
I know the average, everyday, ordinary American citizen is apathetic and disgusted about what goes on in the halls of government. We citizens must force ourselves to throw off this apathy and educate ourselves as to what is going on in government. I realize that this has become extremely difficult wth the ever so secretive Bush administration that hides everything behind the guise of 'national security'. If we have to throw every Republican and half the Democrats out of congress then the next time we vote that is exactly what we must do. I am equally guilty of being apathetic.

I have, for the last thirty years utilized a different kind of voting strategy. My voting strategy includes being an independant, swing voter; and declaring allegiance to neither political party. Each and every politician must earn my vote. I treat every single issue as a separate issue. In my voting I lean toward voting for women, minorities, people of color, politicians who espouse christian and family values, not those like dubya who CLAIM to adhere to these values. I vote for those politicians who adhere to ALL the values of christianity including those of humility, respect for all people all over the world, who exercise great restraint in many things especially killing, war, conservation of our planet and adherence to many more values. My favorite president is Jimmy Carter who was without a doubt America's most moral president. He and Lyndon Johnson did so many things for the average, everyday, ordinary Americans in voting rights, civil rights etc. etc. etc.

All voters must remember that as long as the one person/one vote rule is still in effect we the people still have a chance to turn our government back to the principles of democracy upon which America was founded and which most Americans still believe in. American citizens may lose their vote under Samuel Alito. I don't think there is any chance of stopping Alito from being appointed to the Supreme Court. If his rulings on the court continue to be the same as they have been in his entire career as a lawyer and a judge we will lose many/most of our rights as citizens of America. I am ashamed to say that Alito is an Italian and a Catholic, and a Republican and an elitist. What has happened to him, what has happened in his life that causes him to think the way he does. Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and John Roberts are a really dangerous combination on the supreme court. But George could make it even more dangerous to the average, everyday, ordinary American Citizen by appointing the likes of Condi Rice(oil industry) and finally some vicious and extremely radical right wingers such as Ann Coulter, who could poison some other judges so that Lynn Cheney, Janice Rogers Brown and that other woman judge whose name I can't remember.

Amazingly enough, Guido Calabresi, a Yale law professor, seems to be able to see through this situation, maybe; if I am understanding him correctly. What does worry me about Prof. Calabresi is that he says that he is a patriot of America AND Yale. I didn't know an American citizen could claim patriotism toward a university. Maybe he belongs to 'Skull and Bones', which would explain that statement and which means that he has divided loyalties which further means that he is not a patriotic American. Three Bushs' are 'bonesman' which tells me where their allegiances really lay.

I know this seems insensitive but Mrs. Alito will really cry when she sees what her husband does that will result in the loss of democratic rights and freedoms to her children and grandchildren and especially those of the female persuasion. The freedom of reproductive choice is but one issue in the overall situation of women's lives as second class citizens in this world. But possibly due to her upbringing as a catholic woman Mrs. Alito really believes that women are really second to men and that women must be subservient to the male dominant religions fundamentalists like her husband and the Catholic Church hierarchy in Rome.

Throughout human history there have always been evils that go hand in hand with the second class citizenship of women's lives such as the many violence's committed against women and which continue. Look at what the Republicans have done to reverse and gut a bill already in existence which offered additional protections to women and children.

I am absolutely convinced that until the status of women is equal to that of men their safety and the safety of children will always be something less than it should be. Women and children are a minority lacking any real power. Bush, Cheney, Republicans and right wing religious fundamentalists do very little to protect minorities who have little power. Mrs. Alito, women and all average, everyday, ordinary Americans will just have to face that fact. Some day the aforementioned must decide to deal with that fact. The longer we citizens in this country avoid dealing with that fact the more our freedoms and liberties will errode and the more difficult it will be to reverse the damage that is being done to us. Once we lose our right to vote only civil violence will get it back.

Just look at nazis did in Germany. The citizens of Germany could do nothing to stop the nazis once they gained power. It took the great violence and all the deaths in WW II to stop the nazis That very thing is happening in America at this very moment. How long will Mrs. Alito, all women and all Americans wait before putting a stop to the demogogery of George Bush and his minions. Bush, Cheney, the Republican Party and the religious fundamentalists all wish to dominate and control life in America and life in the entire world. Their greed and hunger for power knows no bounds. They will not be satisfied until they control all the oil, gas, water and other natural resources in the world. Then will not be satisfied until they control all the money so that key corporations will control every aspect of life in America. Then only they will decide which Americans will get what health benefits, financial security, physical security, education and access to information. Our society which will no longer be our society but instead it will be their society.

Spying and information gathering on all Americans is just the beginning. Spying on it's citizens is what all totalitarian regimes have done and they are doing it at this very moment. Your husband, Mrs. Alito will help them to continue doing that. So you would be wise to keep your crying towel handy because you will need it in the very near future. Even if you become one of the elite you will have to watch as your husband's rulings on the Supreme Court take away the rights of the rest of us. Also even as one of the arrogant elite you will not be able to protect all of your children and all members of your family.

Bob t, Cleveland, Ohio

Dear All,

Reminder: I am a Conservative, Independant, Swing voter, Humanist and Catholic. I am not a Republican, a Democrat or a Fundamentalist Catholic.

dubya wants to privatize many/most tasks now done by our federal government. He, the Republican Congress, the Republican Party, the Radical Religious Right Wing Fundamentalists and nearly all US corporations, which are owned by wealthy Republicans, have everything to gain by these events. These people want to protect their wealth and be even more wealthy and they don't much care how they do it or who suffers in the process. Of course those who suffer in the process are the average, everyday, ordinary citizens of America. These people claim to be christians but they really follow many false god's especially those of avarice, greed and power. Christ made it abundantly clear in his teachings, as revealed in the bible, what he thought of avarice and greed, and the scribes, pharisees, money lenders etc. etc.

In modern times, our best presidents have been, in chronological order, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter and Clinton. Carter and Clinton were the most intelligent, while Kennedy and Clinton were the most charismatic. Lyndon Johnson, with all the laws he enacted, truly created a better society. Johnson and Carter did more for the average, everyday, ordinary Americans and their families and children than any presidents in the history of America. Bush just 'takes away' from the average, everyday, ordinary American citizen.

America's worst presidents were/are Nixon and George Bush. The damage done to our psyches, by Nixon, will not be erased until those of us who experienced it first hand are dead. The tragedy of Nixon will go on forever in the history of America and will be revisited far into the future by many historians. President Jimmy Carter, with his personal dignity and his moral values did much to lessen the terrible impact that Nixon had on all Americans. Now, Bush is doing the same things all over again and to a far worse extent.

Pres. Carter is an evangelical but not an evangelical fundamentalist. He did not evangelize his beliefs in ways that hurt or diminished others in America. Mr. Carter did not force his beliefs on others, he led by example not by bludgeoning other citizens over the head with his beliefs. Mr. and Mrs. Carter to this very day follow their path to God in a quiet, dignified and reserved way. They do good deeds and do them with humility, love, respect and charity toward all of God's children. When I think of Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter I see that their path to God is one that enhances the lives of all human beings.

Bush, in contrast, claims to be 'The Christ', chosen by God and sent on missions by God. He uses his office as president to control the lives and destiny of others. dubya forces his beliefs down the throats of all Americans even though most of us do not want, support or believe in the things that he does. He, The Republicans, Alito and the Catholic driven Supreme Court are about to change our lives in ways that we did not elect them to do. This small number of men and the small number of Americans who voted for them are responsible for that which has befallen and is about to befall all Americans. I do not see anything good coming from all of this. The hierarchy of the Catholic Church will not refuse Alito the Blessed Sacraments nor will they threaten to excommunicate him as they have done with other politicians in America. Remember dear reader that I am a Catholic but not a radical right wing fundamentalist Catholic. I did not support Pope John Paul II aligning the Catholic Church with Reagan and the Republicans and I do not support the continuing alighnment of The Church, by the current pope, with Bush and the Republicans. I believe it is dangerous for America and for The Church.

George Bush is without a doubt the worst president in American history to date. I pray to God that the citizens of America and the citizens of the world never have to experience another president like Bush. I believe that the damage he has done and is doing to America will not be undone for 40 years or more and only if there is not another president like him. America may never recover from the damage to our democracy or to our collective psyches. Bush has damaged the collective psyches of every citizen in the world. George is without a doubt our most immoral and unpatriotic president. He cares not for America, it's democracy or it's average, everyday, ordinary citizens. He and the Republicans care only for themselves. They follow the false gods of greed and power.

President Carter was/is a very intelligent, very moral, and very patriotic president. He is, in my estimation, the most moral of all American presidents. He is the benchmark by which all American presidents can be compared and judged as to their moral standards and their patriotism. Where will America ever find another president who is truly moral and will adhere to those moral standards without hurting others. I believe he who is truly moral helps others by all that he does. Enhancing the lives of others gives praise and prayer to God.

We are all God's children, created in his image and likeness, and deserving of love, respect, charity and fairness. Adherence to these attributes, I believe, are among the tasks God has set before us during our earthly existence. Furthermore, I believe we must do these things every day and with humility, kindness, respect for all and with no loud bragging or excessive zealotry. There is an admonition in Islam to that effect.

Though I am a Catholic, I have been reading 'The Daily Muslim Wisdom" for the last five years. I knew nothing about Islam, but as a result of the first gulf war, I wanted to learn. I was amazed by what I read each day and within a brief period of time developed a great respect for the teachings embodied in Islam. I learned many things that added much to my own spirituality. Islam is a beautiful religion and very similar to my own religion, Catholicism. Because of President Jimmy Carter and my readings of Islam I have become a better and more spiritual person. I now have a far better understanding of what God requires of me. These understandings of how I should behave give me a sense of how we all should behave.

G.W. does not in any way behave as a true and humble christian should behave. He will have to answer for not only the damage he has caused to America and it's citizens but to all citizens of the world. I further believe that the religious fundamentalist zealots who support Bush will have much to answer for in the hereafter. Catholics who have aligned themselves with and support Bush really have to examine their beliefs and values. These Fundamentalist Catholics are just as guilty as Bush since they helped put him in office and continue to support all that he does. They should not support Bush instead they should protest all that he does.

I am not an evangelical christian except in this blog and in some 'letters to the editor' that I have written. I am most certainly not a 'fundamentalist' christian nor do I agree with their very over-bearing, very disrepectful and completely un-humble way of behaving. I am amazed by what these religious fundamentalists including the Catholics, say and do. As a Catholic I was not taught by the good Ursuline Sisters to be or think in fundamentalist ways. My aunt, a Dominican nun, never spoke or behaved in these fundamentalist ways. She lived her life in humility and prayer while treating others with diginity and respect. The members of our family are Catholics of Italian heritage. The Catholics on the Supreme Court including those of Italian descent would do well to adhere to the teachings of the true 'Christ', not to George Bush who is not the christ.

Bob t, Cleve, Ohio

Hello All,

Some reminders before I begin:

I am a Conservative, Independant, Swing Voter, Humanist and a Catholic.
I am not a Republican, Democrat or Religious Fundamentalist Catholic.

Republicanism is NOT synonymous with conservatism.

Glossary of Terms: "Totalitarian Republican Theocracy", "Near-lies", "Master-liar", "Propaganda Minister Rove", Fuhrers and Nazis.


Explanations, Definitions, Examples:

"Totalitarian Republican Theocracy", is my own term coined by me to describe the US federal government since the first election of George W. Bush which was done with the collusion of the US Supreme Court with it's Religious Fundamentalist Catholics, I am ashamed to say.

"Near-lies", is my own term coined by me which refers to spin that is so close to a lie that the average, ordinary, everyday person cannot tell, discern or perceive the difference. This can be equated with false advertising and PR. Examples would include Bush's comments about WMD, comments by dubya and others about his military record, comments by dubya and others about Kerry's military record, Condi Rice's briefings to all regarding national security, Condi Rice's comments about most things in her job as Secretary of State especially including Bush's ( not America's) torture policies and all Karen Hughes's comments about everything.

"Master-Liar", also "master-liar" also 'master-liar' is my own term coined by me to describe The President of The United States, George W. Bush, aka The Master Liar of The United States.

I wish the aforementioned terms would become part of the popular lexicon, like 'axis of evil' because they posses the qualities of succinctness, clarity, appropriateness, face validity, instant recognition and instant understanding.

Fuhrers and Nazis, there is a line of them extending from Hitler to Nixon to G.W. Bush.

Propaganda Minister Rove, is a term coined by me and is self explanatory. There is a line of Propaganda Ministers extending from Joseph Goebbels to Newt Gingrich to Karl Rove.

I paraphrase Winston Churchill, "Never have so many been lied too, by so few".


Recently the Comptroller of the United States aka the Comptroller of the United States of Bush began using FEAR to sell what dubya couldn't push onto the American people in his efforts to begin the privitization of The Social Security System. Mr. Walker claims America is in dire financial condition. If the US is in dire financial condition this would most certainly be due to the endless and reckless spending by Bush and the Republican Party. This refers to their spending of our tax dollars which far surpasses even Lyndon Johnson's 'great society' spending which was done for good, noble and altruistic reasons. Being a true conservative I feel that Bush, his cronies and the Republican Party are really squandering our tax dollars. This has tremendously increased the debt load that our citizens and corporations must carry.

Bush and his lock step Republicans divert money from Levees, Mine Safety, Education, and support for people and families to waste it on matters such as questionable wars with questionable outcomes, tax cuts (which are really welfare and subsidies) for the rich and super rich, farm subsidies that do not benefit the average and small farmers only huge agribusinesses, monstrous pork barrel projects from a Republican dominated congress, trading/selling military weapons to India to get them to stop manufacturing prescription drugs, which they do and very inexpensivly, in order to protect American prescription drug company monoplies. This is a travesty of biblical proportions, also see comments from 'Doctors Without Borders' for more details.

Should anyone believe Comptroller Walker? Why would anyone believe this man who works for George Bush? dubya himself lies about almost everything including WMD, Saddam's intentions, his own military record, Kerry's military record etc. etc. etc. The things Bush does not lie about he spins beyond belief into 'near-lies'. An aside; I coined the term 'near-lies' but I didn't coin 'truthiness'. I would like to see 'near-lies' become part of the popular lexicon because it describes the Bush Rove spin phenomenon that is so close to a lie and which is intentionally and powerfully misleading. Well back to my main point, which is that I don't believe Comptroller Walker's assertions because I don't believe any of Bush's assertions, who is his boss and the 'master-liar' (I coined that).

This message from Comptroller Walker sounds remarkably like the 'bill of goods' that GW tried to sell/force upon the American people last spring as he tried to begin the privatization of our Social Security system. This is the same thing all over again, using fear to threaten the American people so we will succumb and surrender to Bush's wants and the wants of the Republican Party.

I learned Linguistics, Sociology Psychology, Philosophy and Economics as an undergrad. nearly forty years ago and in grad. school I learned even more Psychology. I learned, in these courses, things such as the effects of linguistcs on group dynamics. From Hyakawa, Chomsky et.al. it is easy to understand how fear can be used to manipulate human behavior. Fear is used to cloud our thinking. Fear for ones economic security and fear for ones physical security can be used to get us to do many things and do them even before really thinking about what we are doing and why we are doing the things that we do. Fear for our physical security can be used to get people to deny and/or ignore Intelligence items from multiple sources that says there are no WMD. Fear for our economic security can be used to cause people to change our system of retirement security to one which is even less secure, namely that of placing our future economic security in the hands of at best, self serving corporations and at worst, potentially corrupt corporations. All of this can be done just by language containing threats and statements of doom which evoke fear.

The strategy of fear did not work for the President of the United States George Bush who is supposed to look out for our welfare above all else. So what is George W. doing now? He is using another potent tactic, that of planting the seeds of fear, via another source 'seemingly' not himself. And what else is George W. doing? He is employing another tactic via this 'other' source namely, that of using language which contains the concept of immediacy, which is to suggest that this event which is about to befall us is imminent. It's going to happen and very soon. There are some other tactics that George might use on the American people to get his way, but I will not mention them now because I don't want to give him and his minions any more ideas than they already have.

What does dubya really want? One must remember that Bush and his Republicans are really fearful, frightened and scared people. Their greatest fear is that they won't get exactly what they want, which is even more of what they already have so much of. There is no bravery among these people, nor is there any patriotism. The bravest people in America are and always have been the average, ordinary, everyday American citizen who rarely gets what he/she wants and has to live with little or no security in his/her life every single day of their time on this earth and specifically in this country. Further, these are the true patriots because they/we go about our daily lives with so little security of any kind and we even go out to fight for our country. Do Bush or Cheney fight for their country, not even a little bit. They have so much, they want more and they give so little. Chickenhawk Cheney avoided military service five times. dubya's military service is obscured, hidden and buried in 'smoke and mirrors'.

David Brooks, a writer employed by The New York Times, is a right wing Republican by his own admission and he is open and honest about his beliefs. Sometimes I even agree with him, and I always like him as a person. He recently commented on 'The Charlie Rose Show' something to the affect that lately he has been wondering about the ordinary people that live in Ohio and Michigan. Well, David here we all are, talk to us and at the same time realize that your friends at the very top of the Bush administration are not like we Ohioans. We, who live our daily lives with almost no security at all are far braver and far more important than Bush and the Republicans who are selling out America every single day in every thing that they do. And David, they do this in a completely and totally calculated way, with full knowledge of what they are doing. I like you David and feel that you are a good person but I really question your values, and more importantly, I wonder if you ever question your own beliefs and values.

Bush/Republicans/Religious Fundamentalists WANT to turn many/most of the functions of our federal government over to private corporations. There are a variety of reasons for them to push this course of action onto the American people. I won't go into those reasons at this time for the sake of brevity. However, suffice it to say that undergirding this variety of reasons are the two simple and yet powerful foundation stones of GREED and POWER. Actually the keystone which supports and holds up the entire structure of Bush/Republican 'WANTS' is GREED FOR MONEY. Money gives them power which in turn allows the Bush/Republican/Religious Fundamentalists to push their single minded agenda onto all American citizens.

Corporations have the freedom to do whatever they want any time they want and to do these things without control of congress and therefore outside of the control of 'we the people' which we have by our use of the ballot box and our vote. That is why so many corporations are so directly involved in the Iraq war. Where do these corporations get their money from now, they get it from our federal government, the Bush government. But they have to do something for this money, they have to earn it. They want a lot of money without having to answer to the American taxpayer, via congress, and the way to get it is to have our tax dollars turned directly over to them by having corporations take over the tasks that we now pay our federal government to do.

Bush and the corporations say they will do these tasks more efficiently and therefore for less cost than government. Has Halliburton with it's no bid contracts done things more efficiently in Iraq, clearly the answer is NO. There are, in fact, many things that they have not done at all. Ask the same questions about Halliburton and Hurricane Katerina. Ask these same questions about Bechtel or any of the dozens/hundreds of other companies involved in Iraq and Katrina.

Do we really want companies such as Halliburton, Bechtel,Enron, Worldcom, Diebold(electronic voting machines) the Texas oil companies, giant agribusinesses, the prescription drug industry and News Corp.(Fox News and Bill O'Reilly) to have unfettered and unlimited control over tasks that our federal government does. So you ask what tasks would Religious fundamentalists and Rupert Murdoch (News Corp, Fox, O'Reilly etc.) take over from the federal government? They would take over the functions of the FCC. That would give them control over all the media in America, including but not limited to, news, entertainment and ALL information. Gone are the single most powerful tools the average, ordinary, everyday American uses to learn and gain access to information and this includes the internet. INFORMATION IS POWER. EDUCATION IS KNOWLEDGE and KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Control of all information would have allowed President Nixon (a Republican) to get away with 'Watergate and all his other 'Dirty Deeds' without public or congressional knowledge. As it turned out Nixon got away with his 'Dirty Deeds' anyway thanks to none other than President Gerald Ford (another Republican). If President Reagan(another Republican) had control of all information he and Ollie North would have gotten away with the Iran-Contra Scandal (Reagan armed Iran in order to get money from them to topple a foreign government (without congressional knowledge) which would never have come to public or congressional attention. As it turned out Reagan got away with Iran-Contra anyway do to the efforts of none other than President George H. W. Bush(another Republican).

Control of all information would have allowed Clinton(Dem.) to get away with the sex scandals in his private life as it would not have come to the attention of the people or congress. Although in reality the sex scandals in Clinton's private life were really not the business of the people or the congress. Clinton's scandals were really between him, the women involved, his family and God. In Clinton's case the nation would have been better off not knowing about it and it probably should never have been so intensively investigated in the public eye as we would all have been better off not knowing about it in such lurid detail.

Control of all information would have allowed President George W. Bush(another Republican) from getting away with all his many lies and copius scandals without public or congressional knowledge. However, in Bush's case he probably will get away with all his, Cheney's, Bolton's, Rice's, Powell's, Rumsfeld's, Ashcroft's, Gonzale's, Supreme Court's(election scandal) 'Dirty Deeds' (all Republicans) due to a Republican congress. dubya's 'Dirty Deeds' seem to be the worst of all and yet because ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS, ABSOLUTELY he and Cheney will not be impeached or put in jail because he and the Republican Party are so corrupted by their almost complete control and power over all three branches of government.

I can't begin to imagine what will happen to America and the world if another Republican gets elected president, or congress gets another Republican in office. It is already too late for any checks and balances to exist in the Supreme Court which now is dominated by Republicans and Religious Fundamentalists (Catholics). Our current government system of no checks and no balances means there is no Democracy in America. If Jeb Bush, another Republican and Religious Fundamentalist gets into any federal office, much less the presidency or vice presidency, the American Democracy is doomed. Another disastrous scenario would be Jeb Bush as president and Condi Rice as vice president or vice versa. What would happen to our democracy if Pat Robertson got elected president and Jerry Falwell got elected vice president or vice versa. Newt Gingrich, Dennis Hastert, Lindsay Graham, Lynn Cheney, Laura Bush, Condi Rice or Richard Pombo getting elected would result in a disaster for the citizens of America and the world. Also the damage done to the eco-system of planet earth would be even more cataclysmic than already exists.

I quote myself, "Republicanism is not synonymous with conservatism".

Bob, Cleve, Oh.

Hello All,

dubya showed a different approach during the last four weeks, that of admitting to some errors on his part regarding the Iraq war and some other situations. He further admitted that there are others in America and in the congress who have a different points of view on a variety of issues. Bush even admitted that they were 'allowed' to have their points of view. My first reaction was that he finally is beginning to see the light, my immediate second thought was is this real or more Rovian (Karl) spin to 'soften up' the American people in preparation for the 2006 elections. I said in a 'letter to the editor' that we will know the answer after the 2006 elections at which time Bush will continue his more open attitude or he will revert to his behavior and rhetoric of the last five years.

Well, we do not have to wait until after the 2006 elections to find out if the leopard has changed his spots or not. His latest attack and threats to others, specifically Democrats but including all who dissent, allow us to clearly see that Bush, the leopard, has not changed his spots or his views on anything. He still uses his Karl Rove nazi propaganda tactics to vilify others and reinforce the constant spectre of fear he has created to threaten and mislead the American people. Anyone who does not adhere exactly to the Bush/Cheney/Republican Party line is by (his) definition wrong, unpatriotic, encouraging to the enemy (the insurgents) and demonstrating lack of support for our troops, etc. etc. etc. Despite the fact that Bush continues to spew out this Rovian spin rhetoric I would say that 99.9% of Americans worry about our courageous troops.

I have an aside to interject at this point. I hope that the Iraqis realize that the great majority of the American people do not want to be in Iraq. Iraqis' do not want us to be in there country or on their land and we do not want to be there. However, we are stuck there at this time because of the "Totalitarian Republican Theocracy" that controls and dominates America and it's politics. The Iraqi insurgents must realize that the sooner they lessen their activities the sooner the Bushies will pull our troops out of their country. Americans would not want Iraqis' occupying our country or on our land and Iraqis must understand that we realize this fact.

I hope the Iraqis' realize that America, at this time, has a government that is driven largely by the biblical evils of greed and power. The average, everyday, ordinary Americans are not driven by an agenda of greed for money and hunger for power. Americans are really a people who believe in the philosophy of 'live and let live'. It's just that at this time America is caught in the throes of our own religious fundamentalists views. Iraqis' must realize that just as they have radical right wing religious fundamentalists in their country we in America also have radical right wing religious fundamentalists. The only difference is that we Americans have for a long time, since the end of WWII, lost sight of the virtue of humility and as a result have become so arrogant that we cannot see that our religious fundamentalists are really not much different from Iraqi religious fundamentalists.

Beginning in the 1950's the Europeans have exclaimed repeatedly that we Americans are arrogant. The phrase 'the ugly American' became popular in that era. Now the more apt phrase is, 'the arrogant American'. We Americans will regain our humility, I just don't know how soon that will occur. We Americans must re-dedicate ourselves to the teachings contained in the bible. America is currently dominated by Bush who has publicly proclaimed that he has been "chosen by God" and our American religious fundamentalists have 'chosen' to believe and follow him. Our American religious fundamentalists are blinded by their own arrogance and lack of humility just as all religious fundamentalists are thusly blinded.

My own religion, Catholicism, is a fundamentalist religion and I have only recently realized this fact. I hate to have to admit this but it is true. Religious fundamentalists have some things in common. They dominate and suppress women, they vilify those who do not rigidly adhere to their rigid beliefs, they threaten (Sen. Kerry, abortionists and gays) they are self centered, they are arrogant, elitist and lacking in humility, they are greedy and power hungry, they are narrow minded, they seek to merge religion and politics etc. etc. etc.

America is truly engaged in a mission of re-discovery, just as we should be. When we have gotten far enough along on this journey we will throw off the claims and tyranny of this false 'christ', George Bush, and find the true 'Christ' once again. This American journey must be totally internal and no amount of external force by Iraqi religious fundamentalists can make this happen. In fact pressure or force coming from external religious fundamentalists will only slow and delay our internal struggle to rid ourselves of the greed and power driven religious fundamentalists in our own country. So Iraq, I say, you must get your own house in order and allow we Americans to get our house in order. You Iraqi's must rid yourselves of your religious fundamentalists and we Americans must rid ourselves of our religious fundamentalists.

Wow, that was a long aside, now back to the main point of this blog entry.

Will Bush's anti democratic, anti free speech, anti right to have and express other opinions, anti American Democracy ever cease? I had a small glimmer of hope for a very brief period of time but I should have been more sceptical, now I have been slapped back to reality and once again clearly see dubya for what he truly is, an arrogant, elitist, autocratic despot. Bush is back to his previous tactics, as evidenced in his VFW speech, and he is back in full force. His apparent moment of sanity was just that, only apparent and only lasting a moment. Reality is anathema to Bush and Cheney and the Republican Party that keeps him in office and in control.

How much longer will Americans tolerate and allow this to go on?

In America we still have, to quote myself, a: "Totalitarian Republican Theocracy"


I remain; a conservative, independant, swing voter, humanist and a Catholic

Hello to All,

Re: Some inconsistencies and incongruencies in life---

Since you may remember or not, I will reiterate: I am a conservative and an independant swing voter, a humanist and a Catholic. I am not a Republican nor a Democrat. I believe that we humans are all God's children and as such we must strive to learn the true meaning of love, and then we must love one another.

Fundamentalist religions all over the world and their fundamentalist followers really do give me pause for concern and strike great fear in me. Their zealotry is about to consume us in the fires of . . . Fundamentalist religions have embodied in them many things, but some aspects strike me as being of overriding importance and danger.

1. Fundamentalist religions seem to be male dominated, and to control and suppress women.

2. They resist, suppress, twist, distort, ignore or attack any beliefs that are different.

3. They are very inconsistent in their beliefs.


Although I personally am uncomfortable with the idea of abortion I also realize that as a male I have no right to tell women they must not learn about abortion and must not seek an abortion. It seems to me that throughout the entire history of the human race men have forced women into a second class status in life. In fact women are relegated to second class status in almost every aspect of life. This is the same for women all over the world.

As I have gotten older I have through much study, by reading at least four hours a day for the last eight years, learned much about the wonderfulness of women which is embodied in their very nature and essence. For the aforementioned reasons I firmly believe that their is a great imbalance in the world and in America. Women should make up half of the Supreme Court, half of Congress, we need a woman president(Not Condi Rice or Laura Bush,both fundamentalists) we need more TV programming such as "Commander in Chief", we need more women in corporate leadership and ownership. Probably our soonest hope for a woman president would be Hillary Clinton. I know and agree that she has said some dumb things recently.

Women and children are at a higher level of humanity than we males, because they give and seek love. Love is at the core of their essence and nature, more so than it is for us males. I know the survival of the human race made it necessary for males to be dominant and exert there testosterone driven behavior in the past. But many things have changed in the last forty years. While religion especially fundamentalist religions, such as my religion, Catholicism, seem to want to maintain control and domination over women. That fact strikes me as one of the many incongruencies and inconsistencies about fundamentalist religions.

Another inconsistency is the passionate concern fundamentalist religions have for the unborn fetus while at the same time being largely unconcerned for children once they are born. In other words, why are these religions almost not at all concerned about the huge number of children living in poverty in the USA. Why are these religions so very concerned about the fetus but almost completely unconcerned about the prenatal and postnatal health of mother and child. Why are these religions so willing to support spending billions upon billions of dollars for war and nothing for the care and safety of women and children. Why are these religions so willing to spend billions for the promotion and safety of democracy in other parts of the world while restricting and reducing Democracy and safety in America. Why do these religions support those in government who take millions of dollars away from promoting the safety of miners and the building/maintenance of levees in America. I could go on with this line of reasoning for hours but I need to make my point about of the aforementioned.

As a result of these inconsistencies and incongruencies within fundamentalist religions I have become very concerned about the lives and welfare of all women and children. The lives and safety of women and children are completely intertwined. This is, as God made it. There are reasons The Creator made it this way and most males especially in fundamentalist religions do not even come close to understanding or respecting the most basic aspects of this situation. Why are these fundamentalist males, who control our government, gutting laws related to the safety of women and children. Why are these religious fundamentalists so passionately concerned for the life of the unborn fetus yet care very little for the life, well being and safety of our elderly.

Why do these fundamentalists, who claim to be religious, so passionatley vilify gays(also children of God) women seeking abortions, abortionists and others in the world who strongly resent having their land taken over and occupied just as we would equally strongly resent such affairs occurring in our country.

War is nothing more than a failure of diplomacy and yet fundamentalists in religion and government are willing to spend billions and billions of dollars for war when it has been said that by spending only ten billion dollars a year America could provide food, clothing, medical care and basic education for most or all of the poverty stricken children of the world. This would leave untold and almost countless billions of dollars available for the poor in our own country. Let's not forget the poor in America.

These billions of dollars could be used to reduce/eliminate the debt load(taxes) on all Americans and American corporations. Another huge debt load is that created by our foreign policy. How many hundreds of billions of dollars would be saved by stopping the Iraq war and by reducing foreign policy related spending by 70%. A major portion of foreign policy spending is to support countries our government likes and another major portion is spent to threaten, coerce and undermine foreign governments that our government does not like. So the debt burden we Americans carry is crushing us. Those are the very reasons I am a conservative, a fiscal conservative. To qoute myself "Conservatism is not synonymous with Republicanism". Republicans are radicals not conservatives.

The Bush government forced India into an agreement to stop making medications so inexpensively, WHY? Do american prescription drug companies need total and complete monopoly over the worldwide prescription drug market as they already have in America which results in millions of our citizens having to go without necessary medications. This monopoly also results in drugs being unavailable for the millions of people dying in Africa. That wonderful organization, Doctors Without Borders has said the direct result of Bush pressuring India to stop making inexpensive drugs has raised the cost of drugs in Africa and greatly reduced their availability and affordability. Charitable organizations now have to pay much more for these medications. Do Bush's friends in the American drug companies have to get richer than they already are. Greed drives every aspect of the Bush government and Bush foreign policy. The Bushies claim they are the true religious in America when in fact they worship the false gods of money and power. Why are fundamentalist religions supporting Bush so fervently.

If American senior citizens realized that surgery in India cost one tenth of what the same surgery costs in America and has the same rate of success while prescription drugs are equally inexpensive there millions of our seniors would move to India. Many thousands of our senior citizens already live in Mexico and Costa Rica because the cost of living is so much lower as is the cost of health care. Our senior citizen's dollars go much, much farther in Mexico, Costa Rica and India than they do in the USA. And in addition, what a wonderfully democratizing influence our seniors would have by their living in other parts of the world. Wars would no longer be needed by the Bushies and the Republicans.

Fundamentalist religions, including Catholicism, have really lost their way. Samuel Alito and the other fundamentalists Catholics on the Supreme Court are on the verge of doing great damage to almost all American citizens. Therein lies the enormous danger in the merging of church and state. The assualt on our American Constitution and our American Democracy is moving into full swing and it is occurring because of fundamentalist religions in America. Truly America will be destroyed from within and very likely by fundamentalists.