The biggest threat to the United States
Robert Rouse
December 01, 2005
Is George W. Bush the biggest threat to the continued security and vitality of the United States? Wow, I cannot believe I just asked that question. As much as I dislike the President and as much as I am still upset over the 2000 election results, I normally wouldn't think about the leader of the free world as a threat. I have said that Bush has managed to destroy the credibility of the United States in the eyes of most of the world, but it wasn't until early this morning that it occurred to me that he is literally destroying the country before our very eyes and no one is doing anything about it. Lest anyone thinks I'm just talking through my hat, allow me to lay out the evidence.
Let's start with the economy - Our foreign debt has grown significantly since George W. Bush took office. If each person in this country had to pay equal shares of the national debt in order to pay it off, we would each have to come up with over $27,000. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Outstanding public debt as of today, Dec. 1, 2005 is $8,107,795,111,210 and some change. That's trillion, not billion. We are not prepared for the amount of money it would take to sustain another war, even a real defensive one. Especially when you consider we still need money for little things like infrastructure, education, health care, natural disasters, and more. Yet instead of getting the money by raising taxes, Bush would rather borrow it. Why not, he doesn't have to pay it back. That burden will rest on our children and grandchildren. No skin off George's nose. We have oil companies and multi-national conglomerates getting huge tax cuts and no bid contracts from the government, yet Bush is either unwilling or afraid to put the burden of the nation's interests in the hands of those who could best afford it.
And what of our military? Do you honestly believe our kids are going to want to volunteer for an organization that will tell you you have a year left of your obligation and then turn around and tack on another year or two at their own discretion? Our kids are not stupid. They know people are dying in Iraq. So let's say we alleviate this "problem" by reinstating the draft - how will we come up with the money to pay these people, arm them, transport them, and give them the tools and training needed to do their job properly?
Our energy policy sucks. Rather than concentrate on new forms of energy, we are simply trying to stave off the eventual and unavoidable empty tap of oil flow by attempting to find new sources. But not every oil rich country is going to be as "easy" as Iraq and turning the frozen white north into the frozen black north could end up being an ecological nightmare. and speaking of the environment, Bush and his advisors have the worst environmental record in history. Teddy Roosevelt is spinning in his grave.
Our stature in the world has been shredded. We are torturing prisoners while denying we do it. We are using chemical weapons on civilians while denying we even use it on troops. We are trying to go it alone without even attempting to rebuild relations with nations that used to stand by our side. We have lost the moral high ground.
What of our multi-cultural melting pot? Bush and the Christian Right have it in their minds to turn us into a theocracy. Look at the Kansas school system. Intelligent design (the political term for creationism) is being accepted while science is thrown out the window. The only use our government has for science is when it can be used to create new weapons. Don't get me wrong, I believe in intelligent design. I believe God created the evolutionary process. But that's just my side. I openly welcome other ideas.
Sometime in the near future, we will no longer be at the top of the socio-economic food chain. I think China, India and Brazil are destined for those spots. The sole reason other nations are not using our debt to them as leverage is because they respect the spending power of Americans, but when that source has dried up, they'll turn to other nations to pick up the slack and at that point, we'll be susceptible to the whims of those who hold the mortgage on this country.
So what are we to do? That's a question that has to be answered very quickly by people a lot smarter than me. One thing that is certain - the current administration does not have the answer. They're responsible for the question. So the obvious first step would be to remove Bush and his ilk from power.
Let's start with the economy - Our foreign debt has grown significantly since George W. Bush took office. If each person in this country had to pay equal shares of the national debt in order to pay it off, we would each have to come up with over $27,000. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it? Outstanding public debt as of today, Dec. 1, 2005 is $8,107,795,111,210 and some change. That's trillion, not billion. We are not prepared for the amount of money it would take to sustain another war, even a real defensive one. Especially when you consider we still need money for little things like infrastructure, education, health care, natural disasters, and more. Yet instead of getting the money by raising taxes, Bush would rather borrow it. Why not, he doesn't have to pay it back. That burden will rest on our children and grandchildren. No skin off George's nose. We have oil companies and multi-national conglomerates getting huge tax cuts and no bid contracts from the government, yet Bush is either unwilling or afraid to put the burden of the nation's interests in the hands of those who could best afford it.
And what of our military? Do you honestly believe our kids are going to want to volunteer for an organization that will tell you you have a year left of your obligation and then turn around and tack on another year or two at their own discretion? Our kids are not stupid. They know people are dying in Iraq. So let's say we alleviate this "problem" by reinstating the draft - how will we come up with the money to pay these people, arm them, transport them, and give them the tools and training needed to do their job properly?
Our energy policy sucks. Rather than concentrate on new forms of energy, we are simply trying to stave off the eventual and unavoidable empty tap of oil flow by attempting to find new sources. But not every oil rich country is going to be as "easy" as Iraq and turning the frozen white north into the frozen black north could end up being an ecological nightmare. and speaking of the environment, Bush and his advisors have the worst environmental record in history. Teddy Roosevelt is spinning in his grave.
Our stature in the world has been shredded. We are torturing prisoners while denying we do it. We are using chemical weapons on civilians while denying we even use it on troops. We are trying to go it alone without even attempting to rebuild relations with nations that used to stand by our side. We have lost the moral high ground.
What of our multi-cultural melting pot? Bush and the Christian Right have it in their minds to turn us into a theocracy. Look at the Kansas school system. Intelligent design (the political term for creationism) is being accepted while science is thrown out the window. The only use our government has for science is when it can be used to create new weapons. Don't get me wrong, I believe in intelligent design. I believe God created the evolutionary process. But that's just my side. I openly welcome other ideas.
Sometime in the near future, we will no longer be at the top of the socio-economic food chain. I think China, India and Brazil are destined for those spots. The sole reason other nations are not using our debt to them as leverage is because they respect the spending power of Americans, but when that source has dried up, they'll turn to other nations to pick up the slack and at that point, we'll be susceptible to the whims of those who hold the mortgage on this country.
So what are we to do? That's a question that has to be answered very quickly by people a lot smarter than me. One thing that is certain - the current administration does not have the answer. They're responsible for the question. So the obvious first step would be to remove Bush and his ilk from power.
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