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A look toward America's future
(As published in the Lake Sun Leader)
In a way I am going to miss President Bush and the Republicans after they are replaced with Democrats.
Everyday over the last eight years, I have followed this administration's ineptness, underachieving, mangling of the English language, total disregard for the Constitution, complete indifference to science, their absolute fiscal irresponsibility and their uncanny ability to carry on regardless of the truth or bothersome facts.
It has been like following a comedy/mystery television series and you never knew what absurdity would unfold next.
Once the Democrats regain the white house and congress I am afraid the pure entertainment value will disappear under the serious work of undoing all the mistakes made during the Bush years. I suppose all fun must come to an end eventually.
Record tornados, wars, ethnic cleansing, religious wars, super hurricanes, raging fires; increased poverty, floods, droughts, rising domestic violence, a health insurance Crisis, failing to educate our children, solar caps melting - no I'm not quoting from the apocalypse in the Book of Revelations, but from the headlines of today's newspapers.
These are serious problems requiring serious leaders in positions that can make important decisions correctly. This country cannot afford to indulge in the same mistakes made over the last eight years.
Now we look to the future and wonder what we can expect from a new president and a new administration.
With a bad taste in our mouths, we eyeball each candidate looking for that sparkle of intelligence, the air of compassion and the ability to inspire us into believing that we Americans can overcome any problem confronting our nation.
Hopefully, we have learned a hard lesson over the last eight years and our expectations of the next president will rise a little higher than, "Gee, I hope the president doesn't embarrass the United States again today."
Hopefully the next president we elect will not run on the tried and proven politics of the Republican party, "Be afraid, be very afraid." If 19 Canadian citizens set off a bomb at the Super Bowl killing 2,000 Americans, hopefully the next president will not decide the appropriate response would be to invade Mexico in retaliation.
The next president must consider that global warming is a reality and not take the stand that, "science is for sissies."
The next president of the United States hopefully will not continue the shameful practice of skirting the Geneva Convention and will simply abolish the torturing of American prisoners in all of its forms.
The next president must be the, "education president" doing away with the No Child Left Behind initiative replacing it with a serious and fully funded program aimed at truly improving education in America.
Healthcare is the single most important issue facing the next administration and the next president must lead this country into providing universal healthcare for every citizen.
The time for rhetoric regarding supporting our troops must be translated into immediate action, returning every soldier home safely and bringing these occupations to a quick conclusion.
The American people need to reclaim their place in the world as partners in science, partners in diplomacy, partners in fair trade and allies in times of crises.
Instead of breeding fear in the world, our new mission must be to gain the respect of our enemies and friends alike. Instead of spending billions destructing other countries, now we must work at home constructing our own damaged America.
America should set high goals for; the next administration and then hold them responsible if they do not deliver.
Fear must be replaced with determination and we must never again allow the rights guaranteed to us in the constitution to be ignored by another sitting president.
We the people can meet any challenge, overcome any obstacle and still live up to that promise, "Freedom and justice for all."
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