Use the Bullhorn Again, George

Everyone at the convention this week was very impressed with how George Bush used a bullhorn to talk to rescuers at Ground Zero shortly after the September 11th attacks three years ago. Everyone agrees that besides a great photo-op, like wearing a flight suit on the deck of an aircaft carrier, it was a Very Presidential Thing to do.

Where did that bullhorn go?

I think it's time George got it out again. He should go to America's unemployment lines and shout at them, "I can hear you." He should go to America's inner city schools and shout at them, "I can hear you." He should go to America's homeless shelters and poor areas and shout at the 17 million children living in poverty, "I can hear you." He should go to the 45 million Americans without health insurance and shout at them, "I can hear you."

$87 billion dollars and nearly one thousand Americans dead, plus several thousand more wounded. Imagine if the president had taken all that money, all those national guard men and women, all those soldiers, all that food and fuel and cloth, and instead of killing foreigners and destroying a different country, he engaged in a pre-emptive war of choice on American poverty and homelessness.

This government does not believe in helping poor Americans because handouts encourage sloth, but with hard work and determination, even the poorest immigrant can grow up to be governor of California. If the government helps poor people, the poor will simply view it as a gravy train, to be ridden as far as it will take them.

Yet this government also believe in creating a global political welfare system where American taxes pay for "liberating" people who apparently can't (won't?) liberate themselves. Iraqis had to be liberated by America because they couldn't liberate themselves. The Marines would be viewed as saviors, greeted with cheers and parades and rose petals under their feet.

If you believe in both those things, then vote for George Bush, put your money in tax shelters instead of homeless shelters, and make sure your sons and daughters have enough draft deferment options so they don't have to serve in some remote part of the world being shot at by the people they are liberating.

If, however, you believe that poor American children don't have the same opportunity as wealthy American children; and if you believe that we shouldn't shoot other people without provocation; and if you believe that helping American children get adequate food, shelter, health care, and education is a worthy pursuit; then vote for John Kerry and John Edwards, go volunteer, give to charity, and thank God every day for all the opportunity you have.