Intelligence, reason, and the ability to change your mind when the evidence says you're going down the wrong path whether it be Iraq, the economy or the deficit.

By Elizabeth Sanders (pool-70-16-62-99.syr.east.verizon.net - 70.16.62.99) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 3:59 pm: Edit Post

Clearly Bush has damaged international institutions, the reputation of the United States, and American security. He is one of the two worst presidents in American history. He has lied repeatedly, installed a group of hawkish ideologues in top foreign policy positions, killed well over a hundred thousand people, created far more terrorists than he has killed, and refused to acknowledge the disastrous errors of his administration. Further, he has created a very damaging fiscal deficit, undermined regulation of business and environmental processes, and starved health and welfare programs. In another four years, there would be even greater hatred of the US abroad, and who knows how many additional deaths. God help us, and the world, if he is re-elected.

By John Prybot (4.42.151.207) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 7:24 pm: Edit Post

As a Massachusetts resident who has on numerous issues, contacted John Kerry in his capacity of senator and found his reactions less than trust-inspiring, I could hardly feel happy over feeling forced to commit my confidence to him now with the possibility of presidential continuation of what was wanting at the senatorial level....However, in comparison with George W. Bush's record in its massive betrayal of public trust through lies and blatant deception that pushed us into a war born of his own interest, the pursuit of the "War on terrorism" again tailored to his own purposes to the detriment of our nation's freedoms, honor and respect before the rest of the world, the horrific downgrading of our educational, econmomic backbone, environmental concerns, with the result that we are so much the worse for his administration for years after the fraud that seems to have given it its mandate to leave us so patently the worse for his works....Against all this, Kerry's indecisiveness and seeming lack of strong commitment, that were Bill Clinton's great weakness, his fear of standing firm for persoanl convictions can only seem acceptable and the better of two choices.
Looking back over the administrations that I've lived through since leaving Guatemala at the end of my Peace Corps service interim there(1970-1979), I can only feel positive about president Jimmy Carter's good intentions never fully realized. With the election of Ronald Reagan inspiring a grand torchlight procession of military rejoycing over anticipated change in policy unsettling in its forsight for the horrendous collaboration the Reagan administration in its zeal over containing the Sandanista revolution movement's igniting popular sentiment in neighboring Central American nations would enable Guatemala and El Salvador to surpass themselves in unrestrained butchery during the early 1980's all with our country's tacit condenation, the Reagan period for me was a new low point in foreign policy. George H. Bush's purposes in pusuing military involvement in the Kuwait War "Operation Desert Storm" troubled me then and, in retrospect, seems a advance preparation for his son's carrying a continued conflict to a depth of commitment. The Clinton white house years are hardly to be looked back on with pride for wavering concessions and letdowns to expectations. Well, under the somber sky that these past four years steadily darkeded, I can only hope for a partial clearing with renewed hope in the sun that still shines under all the clouds Holding my breath over the results of today's press to the polls...John Prybot, RPCV-Guatemala, C.A. 1970-1978