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After Bush's victory was confirmed, I was deeply disheartened. I did take some solace in knowing that our state came up blue in favor of Sen. John Kerry. That was soon dashed once I learned that the majority of our beloved Nevada County voted in favor of Bush. However, it wasn't until I read Joe Vielbig's views in The Union on Nov. 4 that I became angry, and felt compelled to respond.
To say that Kerry can't relate to people simply because he happens to be well-off is absurd. While it is true he married into a rich family, Bush was born into a life of not only riches, but also power. When your father is the head of the CIA and later president, all of life's little problems (getting into Yale, getting out of Vietnam, etc.) seem to fall right into place.
Mr. Vielbig and anyone else who dares undermine Senator Kerry's military service should be ashamed of themselves. As a current serviceman myself, I take particular offense to this. For his bravery, Kerry was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. Contrary to popular (conservative) belief, these awards are not merely handed out.
To say that Kerry can't relate to people simply because he happens to be well-off is absurd. While it is true he married into a rich family, Bush was born into a life of not only riches, but also power. When your father is the head of the CIA and later president, all of life's little problems (getting into Yale, getting out of Vietnam, etc.) seem to fall right into place.
Mr. Vielbig and anyone else who dares undermine Senator Kerry's military service should be ashamed of themselves. As a current serviceman myself, I take particular offense to this. For his bravery, Kerry was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. Contrary to popular (conservative) belief, these awards are not merely handed out.
Regarding his anti-war protests, there is a huge difference between protesting the war and protesting those who serve. Protesting an unnecessary war is supporting those who serve so they can return home alive, just as Sen. Kerry was fortunate to. Yes, he did only serve four months in the war - which happens to be four months longer than Bush spent there. Bush joined the National Guard to avoid the war, and later went AWOL. His military records, along with his poor college records, were locked in the family library.
In Mr. Vielbig's column, he stated that Senator Kerry never gave specifics for his plans, but that Bush was "forthright and spoke with conviction." We must have been watching different debates. Kerry repeatedly outlined his plans, urging viewers to visit his Web site for more complete information. Bush could hardly form a complete sentence without his speechwriters, let alone outline a plan. As for Senator Kerry voting to raise taxes, yes, he did. For the rich, himself included.
It amazes me that Bush was re-elected. His priority isn't us, but rather to line his friends' pockets in big corporations. We were led into an unnecessary war over a personal feud, oil, and money - liberating Iraq was merely a front for Bush's true aspirations.
He has yet to follow through on his promise to bring Osama bin Laden to justice; meanwhile, there are more policemen in Manhattan than troops in Afghanistan. Our economy is in shambles as he surpassed the prior low set by his father. He became the first president to lose jobs in 72 years!
In Mr. Vielbig's column, he stated that Senator Kerry never gave specifics for his plans, but that Bush was "forthright and spoke with conviction." We must have been watching different debates. Kerry repeatedly outlined his plans, urging viewers to visit his Web site for more complete information. Bush could hardly form a complete sentence without his speechwriters, let alone outline a plan. As for Senator Kerry voting to raise taxes, yes, he did. For the rich, himself included.
It amazes me that Bush was re-elected. His priority isn't us, but rather to line his friends' pockets in big corporations. We were led into an unnecessary war over a personal feud, oil, and money - liberating Iraq was merely a front for Bush's true aspirations.
He has yet to follow through on his promise to bring Osama bin Laden to justice; meanwhile, there are more policemen in Manhattan than troops in Afghanistan. Our economy is in shambles as he surpassed the prior low set by his father. He became the first president to lose jobs in 72 years!
Mr. Vielbig says that moral values prevailed. I see no moral values in an administration that supports businesses like Enron, gives Halliburton nearly all the contracts in Iraq (so Cheney can get even more rich), gives the majority of tax cuts to the wealthiest 2 percent of our nation, tries to cut combat pay during the war he started while lessening the benefits of veterans and soldiers families back home, and perhaps most importantly, blatantly lies to us about WMDs and al-Qaida ties to Iraq so we'd support sending our loved ones to die in an unnecessary war.
The same administration may be in place, but we are a nation divided; 49 percent of us did not vote for Bush - 49 percent! I can't help but feel that the bad guys won - the liars and cheaters prevailed once again.
How can this be? One word: fear. The Republicans based their campaign on fear of another attack so we'd forget about the war and the economy. Ironically, in the two states actually hit on 9/11, Senator Kerry won by a landslide - 58 percent in N.Y. and 90 percent in D.C.
The fact is John Kerry is the right man for the job - some of us we were just too afraid to notice.
The same administration may be in place, but we are a nation divided; 49 percent of us did not vote for Bush - 49 percent! I can't help but feel that the bad guys won - the liars and cheaters prevailed once again.
How can this be? One word: fear. The Republicans based their campaign on fear of another attack so we'd forget about the war and the economy. Ironically, in the two states actually hit on 9/11, Senator Kerry won by a landslide - 58 percent in N.Y. and 90 percent in D.C.
The fact is John Kerry is the right man for the job - some of us we were just too afraid to notice.
To Mr. Vielbig and other Bush supporters - open your eyes. Turn off Fox News (run by a member of the Bush family) and look deeper. This has been the most corrupt administration in our history - don't let your fear mask their true intentions.
To those of us who voted for Senator Kerry: Brace yourself for four more years of deceit and war, but know that better days lie ahead. We lost this one, but we will prevail.
ooo
Eric Schweizer is a former resident of Grass Valley who currently resides in Virginia Beach, Va., while serving in the Navy.
To those of us who voted for Senator Kerry: Brace yourself for four more years of deceit and war, but know that better days lie ahead. We lost this one, but we will prevail.
ooo
Eric Schweizer is a former resident of Grass Valley who currently resides in Virginia Beach, Va., while serving in the Navy.
