Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

Thursday, 02 September 2004
The Republican Party of President Bush is employing scare tactics to cajole voters into voting to re-elect Republicans for another four year term. President Bush and his band of extremely conservative ultra religious right, are bereft of a good record on which to run on, instead, they have resorted to a sort of common denominator campaign, and it can be paraphrased this way, "there are terrorists everywhere!" Be afraid, be very afraid!There are terrorists everywhere, in every nooks and crannies of the United States and the entire world, President Bush and the Republicans know terrorism, they are experienced fighting terrorism, they are the only ones who can fight terrorism, American voters must trust Mr. Bush and the Republicans to fight terrorism or else!It is as if, the Republicans are harassing Americans into the elections in November 2004, saying, look, you are embarking in a life or death risks, you cannot trust anyone else to fight terrorism, because Mr. Bush and the Republicans are the only game in town and the renowned experts on the war on terrorists… don’t gamble, re-elect Mr. Bush and the Republicans!What hogwash! The truth of the matter is, Mr. Bush and his arch conservatives have done more to stir animosities and hostilities toward America, than any American persons or group in history. The actions and arrogant pronouncements by Mr. Bush and his fellow Republicans have generated more anger towards the US, ever in history of political development, while at the same time alienating friends and historical allies.It is simply amazing how, Mr. Bush and his Republican Party cronies are attempting to pull the wool over the eyes American voters in November 2004, regarding who best qualify to manage America’s domestic and foreign policies, particularly, the Mr. Bush self-described un-winnable war on terror.If it were not very important, it would have been very funny, and laughable, that, the Bush team is heightening public fear and horror, while seeking to make profit and political mileage out of public concern for safety from terror attacks.As it turns out, Americans are not actually safer, now than they were three years ago, from terror, public policy analysts have concluded that, Mr. Bush’s policies have been the best recruitment weapons, any extremists could have hoped for! His so-called moral certainty and intoxicated moral clarity, with all its rigidity, has animated those who would attack the US, as it has coalesce to slight and as snob to American friends and well wishers, all, thanks to Mr. Bush and his neoconservative ideologues. Mr. Bush’s consistent inflexibility and wrong-headed policies, are being celebrated by the Republicans as attributes and even good qualities worthy of repeat, hence the admonition, to American voters to re-elect him for another four years…. For more of the same?With tacit approvals from the president and higher up Republicans, all sorts of fringe groups have engaged in campaign of calumny and smear tactics to denigrate and defame their political opponents, as they disparage indecently and unsparingly.None of the Republicans and their supporters appear interested in the effects of woeful economic indices, during Mr. Bush watch, economic policies, including tax cuts, that have failed miserably to stimulate the American economy, as was touted by Mr. Bush; None of them, seem interested in the repercussions and reverberations from the unlawful invasion and occupation of Iraq, that has foisted billions of dollars in bills, for generations of American taxpayers to contend with, for generations to come. Even as the US Census Board has reported astronomical rise in poverty rate/levels.The attitude that permeated the Republican National Convention being held in New York this week appears to be, "It is not the economy stupid!" The pervasive feeling that the Republicans sought to create, was simply, that the average voter be afraid, be very afraid! The Republicans are urging voters to return to power in the White House for another four years, so that the can protect the public from terrorism, as if anyone can predict, prevent and provide guaranteed safety or safe haven from terrorism!Republicans have all through their national convention in New York, sought to put pretty faces on their extremely ugly public policies, foreign and domestic, they exploited New York City as backdrop for their campaign, exploiting the ever fresh and traumatic World Trade Center attacks of September 11, 2001, it is shame that the Republicans are dancing on the collective graves of the thousands who died on that fateful day! And all these for some twisted and warped political advantage and benefits to the Republicans?A re-election of these neoconservatives would be a huge mistake, as they will translate a re-election as a ringing endorsement by the voters, of the Republicans’ gung-ho and outlandish cum outrageous domestic and foreign policies, and that mistake, might spur the beginning of the end.The elections in November 2004 are the most important elections in American history during the past 100 years and I fear that fear does not become the deciding factor that gets Mr. Bush and his team reelected for another term and that is fearful.