After reading my 5,342,719th article bashing either Kerry or Bush on their VietNam service, or lack thereof, I am fed up. Truth be told, both played a very serious part in my decision to not vote for either of them. Instead of saying "I should be president because"; each is saying "he should not be president because"..., and both are ignoring the issues.
The truth of the matter is, what you did or did not do 30 years ago doesn't qualify you to be president NOW.
The truth of the matter is, we are in a nation faced with continuing unemployment, economic instability, and fear, among other things. What we want, nay, NEED to know is: how will your election insure the peace and tranquility we have largely enjoyed in this country? How will your election address the outsourcing of jobs that has left a large number of citizens un- or underemployed? How will your election help to address the issues of the economy, education, the environment, terror threats, international diplomacy?
These questions remain unanswered. The reasons why, in my opinion, are clear. George W. Bush has not addressed these questions to the satisfaction of many voters, and the ideas that Kerry brings to the table are not new, they're not fresh, they're not unique. They're the standard pithy phrases and feel good rhetoric that is put out by the pulp writing Democratic speechwriters. To say that both candidates are out of touch with their constituents is an understatement; Bush has never BEEN in touch with the constituents, and Kerry relies too heavily on his advisors.
Both men should be ashamed of themselves for aspiring to the highest office in the land with such an intense disregard for the people charged with getting them there.
signing off,
Gideon MacLeish