Republicans Drove The Country Off A Cliff

To the Republican faithful, I'd like to say "Thanks for the memories." Eight long years ago, you were entrusted with the keys to the country. You had a GOP Congress, a GOP White House, and a GOP majority in the Supreme Court. Rather than use that power to eradicate abortion, of which you so rightfully oppose, or balance our budget, which has stood for years as the supreme goal of the GOP, or give us less government, you proceeded to drive this wonderful country off a cliff.

Thanks to you, the United States of America is weaker, more isolated on the world stage, in debt up to our eyeballs, and our economy is at the mercy of foreign banks. We have endured a government of, by, and for the rich; full of corruption and cronyism. Halliburton, Enron, World Com, Big Pharmaceuticals, and Big Oil, have plundered billions from our treasury. Iraq alone has squandered more than a trillion dollars of our treasure.
Thanks for the memories of Iraq. We were never once in any danger of harm from Iraq. In fact, Iraq was an enemy of Al Quida, and kept Iran in check. We, the public, were later to find out that we were sold a false pretext justifying taking up arms against Iraq. We gave our sons and daughters to fight, and die, thinking there was a legitimate purpose. Why didn't we concentrate on the hunt for Bin Laden instead? Thanks, I sure feel safer with that "nut" still running loose!

Thanks for the memories of Katrina. I can never forget seeing our fellow citizens left to fend for themselves while our president partied with McCain, at a birthday party in California, and our Secretary of State attended a Broadway play. I never once thought I would see Americans floating face down in flood waters, or starving on a bridge, and not a single soul attempting to help. "You're doin a heck of a job Brownie" will forever be etched into my mind. Thanks.

Thanks for the memories of record home foreclosures. The great American dream has always been home ownership and security for our families. With the loss of over three million jobs during your leadership, more and more Americans were backed up into the position of losing the ability to earn a decent living to provide for their families. The deregulation of the usury laws during the Clinton administration...by your Republican Congress... allowed sub-prime lenders to take John Q., and Mary, Public to the cleaners. Thanks.

Thanks for the memories of the "Guilded Age" inequality. The wealthiest 0.1 percent, those with incomes over five million dollars...that McCain says one must earn to be rich...have earned a disproportionate amount of wealth during your reign, while the average workers salary has stayed stagnant. Thanks.

Thanks for the memories of Abu Ghraib. Having served in the military, seeing the atrocities committed by our own troops on the Iraqis being held prisoner sickened me. Our military always stood for what was right and just in the world. The blame for what happened at Abu Ghraib starts at the very top. Thanks.

Thanks for the memories of Guantanamo. With this one you taught us that the words we recite during our "Pledge of Allegiance", "and justice for all", meant nothing. Who, in their right mind, would have ever thought the United States of America would operate a facility such as "Gitmo?" It's scary to think of who all has been held, without charges, without legal counsel, and without any outside communication. This isn't how we do things in America. Thanks.

Thanks for the memories of torture. No one in their right mind would think there would be the need in the United States, a debate about what constitutes torture. Governments that did that sort of thing, were the tyrants we used to proudly fight against. Now we have government stooges debating whether or not "water boarding" is torture. That debate allows one to really feel pride in our system of government. Thanks.

Thanks for the memories of civil liberties. We remember when we could make a telephone call and not have it taped without a court order. "Big Brother" once seemed to be an impossibility within our country. Now, we know that we have no such thing as civil rights, unless the president allows us to. Thanks.

Thanks for the memories of affordable health care. With the extremely high cost of prescriptions bankrupting families, our government chose to give us a bewildering prescription plan for our seniors that benefited the big pharmaceutical, and the insurance industries. Then, to ensure the wealth kept flowing, you made it illegal for the program to shop for lower prices for the drugs. The benefit became an immediate increase in overall prescription cost for everyone. Thanks.

Thanks for the memories of responsible health care. Our nation is now on par with third world countries in the health care of our citizens. The death rate of our babies being born is as bad as any country in Africa. It is the highest of any "industrialized" nation on earth. Instead of requiring excellence from our physicians, you actually made it more difficult to sue for malpractice. Maybe legislation requiring a more responsible screening process before awarding a license to practice would have been more in order.

Now, the Republicans want us to trust them with the keys to this country for one more term. I've yet to hear what they intend to accomplish as the leaders of our great nation. The only solutions I've heard are to do exactly what we have been doing for the last eight years. Remember this...if we keep doing what we have been doing, we're gonna keep getting what we've been getting.

I have been inundated with smears against the Democrats. I guess it's hard for the Republicans to run for something when they are so busy trying to run away from their record. Instead of discussing the problems to be met, we are told about the arugula-eating elitist liberals. We are warned about the tax and spend Democrats. We are told to "drill, drill, drill, even though their own administration experts tell us that will do nothing to lessen our energy needs...or our dependence on foreign oil. We are told the economy is in good shape, while some Americans are one paycheck away from bankruptcy. Thanks for the memories.

We can do better than you. We have to do better than you. Thanks for the memories, but no thanks, I'll be voting differently this time around.

Rod Dagnan

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_134682.asp

to an end. And in this case, I agree.

An ambulance just pulled up to the flaming wreckage to transport the victims.

The door opens, and the white haired driver, accompanied by his perky aide peers out and says: "Hurry up and get in my friend, I'll save you." "Help is just beyond that next cliff". "Don't worry, I can drive like a pro, I flew fighter jets during the war."

he would end the war. The American people bought it both times. Doesn't sound hopeful, does it?

edit: K&R

I figure that the democrats wont continue on the same path as the past regime just turning the heat down to the point that the frog wont figure out its being boiled alive.