Editor,
I have no clue what James Yerian is talking about, in all due respect. Bush had his chance and has screwed it up. We've had three years where the media hasn't questioned his motives and this leak needs to treated as guilty until proven innocent because Bush hasn't had to justify anything since Sept. 11.
With his endless wars, tax giveaways, budget deficits and destruction of the remaining environment - we're not only seeing horrible politics from the Bush Administration, but we're also seeing a whole new set of rules.
So what are some of the new rules? We have seen huge additional tax cuts in the face of record deficits in the middle of war. I'm not sure what economics Bush got a C in at Yale, but give me a break. Explain that!
In his doctoral dissertation, A World Restored, the Harvard scholar Henry Kissinger wrote about the reconstruction of Europe after the battle of Waterloo. He describes the problems confronting a stable diplomatic system when it is faced with a revolutionary power - a power that does not accept that system's legitimacy. He had in the mind of the France of Robespierre and Napoleon, but it seems clear to me that one should regard the current administration as the Revolution of the Right. So the 'old guard' of the semi-liberal democrats who were led by Clinton was displaced in the name of a blowjob and 'family values.' Why this hatred though? Call me a teleologist, but the last social system worked pretty good despite one questionable act that Republicans will harp on from here to next Tuesday.
Corporations have flourished in the '90s, why this urge to strip away modest environmental regulation? Churches of all denominations have prospered, why this attack on the separation of church and state? American power and influence have never been greater, why this drive to destroy our alliances and embark on military adventures? The right makes it increasingly clear that it wants all these things and it is a far better liar than Clinton saying depends on what your definition of 'is' is.
Who can we blame? The Media? The lack of Democrats? We can start with ourselves and asking, Have I called anyone un-American? How open-minded am I? Did I buy into the will of the administration at some point?
I'd like to think that the public isn't stupid, but we're getting there. We were at an all-time lowest voter turnout and apathy towards politics. We are to blame for this little rat getting the office and screwing up our entire system. We have a lot to rebuild after this. With the current voting drive on campus, the outlook is very positive in this respect.
-Luke Lindon
Athens, OH
17 Archives
