Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
LETTERS: Bush's performance doesn't merit endorsement
To the editor:
With half your Sunday editorial column dedicated to disparaging John Kerry, and a short two-and-a-half paragraphs singing the praises of our current president, I've concluded that the only reason you have endorsed George W. Bush's re-election is because he is a Republican.
My opposition to voting for Mr. Bush for a second term has nothing to do with party affiliations. It has a lot to do with the president's performance in his first term. I know people have listed the problems time and again: the economy, Iraq, net job losses, etc.
I have no problem voting for a Republican. In fact, I wish John McCain would've challenge him for the nomination. Instead we are stuck with the choice of an incompetent president and a mediocre senator.
JAIME PARRIS
LAS VEGAS
Kerry better
To the editor:
On Sunday, to no one's surprise, the Review-Journal endorsed George Bush for president. It's probably worth taking a moment to examine the newspaper's rationale for this endorsement. To assist readers with the arduous task of dissecting the errors in judgment, let's look at only a few key reasons given for the endorsement:
-- The Review-Journal says that, "After 9-11, George Bush identified the enemy and took the battle to them." Indeed he did. Unfortunately, one of those "identified enemies" was Iraq, which, while evil, had no link whatsoever to 9-11 (as evidenced by the 9-11 Commission Report). In the process, the president diverted efforts and funds from where the terrorists actually were, Afghanistan.
-- The paper said, "Bush sets his course, straightens up in the saddle, stands firm in the face of name calling and stays a resolute course." While those are commendable traits for a cowboy in a 1950s Western movie, there is an applicable expression that comes to mind when considering Mr. Bush and his "resoluteness" on Iraq: When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you do is stop digging. Being resolute in the face of a proven error is not a virtue, especially when young military lives are the on the line.
-- The editorial claimed, "Mr. Bush is more likely to appoint judges with a crucial respect for freedom." Oh, really? Is this the same editorial page that railed against the Patriot Act and its core idea of having to prove innocence rather than guilt? Could the Review-Journal editorial writers have developed a bad case of Kerry flip-flopitis?
And finally there's Yucca Mountain. If all the other issues mean nothing to Nevadans, then certainly this should. Shipping nuclear toxic waste all across America to be stored 90 miles from a major metropolitan city does not make America safer. Nor does it show a "strong and determined" leader, but rather a man who will say one thing in 2000, and do the opposite once he assumes office.
I am sure George Bush is a good guy, and rides straight in the saddle, and probably even cooks up a good Texas barbecue. But folksy asides and cowboy boots won't create jobs, fight terrorism with our allies, help keep assault weapons off the streets, or keep nuclear waste away from our homes and families.
And that, my Nevada friends, is something worth remembering come Nov. 2.
P.J. LEVINE
LAS VEGAS
Bush vote
To the editor:
I would like to applaud the Review-Journal for its editorial "George W. Bush for President."
I normally do not read local papers because I find them far too negative when it comes to the president and his administration, so when I heard about the piece I was stunned. I quickly bought a copy, then e-mailed the article to everyone I know. I am sure you will come under attack from Kerry supporters and liberals across the state, but I believe the majority of Nevadans agree with you.
Several weeks ago, I had the great honor of meeting the president when he arrived in Las Vegas. His kindness and compassion touched my heart in immeasurable ways. Your paper described him perfectly when you said, "A great man is not a perfect man, but rather a man who finds the strength to overcome his own flaws, and then to lead others to unlikely triumph over great adversity and great odds."
President Bush has my vote this November.
FRANCY JOHNSON
LAS VEGAS
Strong man
To the editor:
Re: Your endorsement of George W. Bush for president:
It is good to subscribe to a paper with a courageous editorial board. The endorsement of George W. Bush for president was an eloquent piece of writing and a wake-up call for complacent Democrats and apathetic Republicans alike. When the dust settles on all the rhetoric, it is incumbent on every voter to listen closely to what each candidate says and not be distracted by a candidate who uses campaign speeches as "red capes designed to keep the bull from seeing where the matador really stands."
It is a mystery to me that the Democratic Party leaders have sat quietly while John Kerry focuses on only one issue: his military service in Vietnam. When the general public starts keeping track of what the candidates stand for, Sen. Kerry's house of cards will go over the wall along with his shamefully deserted ribbons. We don't need a president who puts his finger into the wind to find which way it is blowing. We need a president who stands up for what he believes, then acts on it. It is imperative for the world to see we have that kind of leader.
RAYNETTE EITEL
LAS VEGAS
Best qualified
To the editor:
The editorial in Sunday's paper, "George Bush for president," was a breath of fresh air. I read and hear so much hate-Bush rhetoric in the news. My own mother cannot even say the president's name without gritting her teeth. I think that kind of sentiment is irrational; but there is no way to converse with such people.
When Bill Clinton was running for a second term against Bob Dole, I didn't care one bit for the president, but I found Sen. Dole less qualified, so I voted for neither. This "anybody but Bush" mentality is, in my opinion, just plain foolish. Indeed, Mr. Bush -- like him or not -- is the best-qualified candidate to be the leader of our country
KARN FREHNER
LAS VEGAS
