OPINION

Appeared in Baton Rouge, Louisiana Newspaper March 31st.
Written by my Brother-in-Law, Steven Wild.

Letter: Bush leadership: profile in courage
Published: Mar 31, 2009 - Page: 6B

Integrity needs to be restored in the White House.

Whether you agreed or not with President George W. Bush, one thing is evident: His leadership was a profile in courage.

He kept us safe for seven years. He governed with integrity. After eight years of the half-truths and moral scandals of the Clinton White House, President Bush ruled with a core. Refreshingly, he didn’t wet his finger and raise it to the breeze to track the current winds of poll.

But America wasn’t happy. The people needed “hope” and “change.” And boy, did you get it. Obama promised transparency, yet no one, including those voting on the stimulus package, had time to read it.

The Obama administration has a great track record of trying to confirm tax cheats — think Tim Geithner and Tom Daschle, just to name two of many.

Obama has said Gitmo, the detention center at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, would be closed in a year. OK, so where do you house these “poor little innocent shepherds”? And why would you want to try them in civilian courts?

Obama wants universal health care, unless, that is, you’re a wounded soldier. In that case, you’re on your own.

Obama promised tax cuts for 95 percent of working Americans. Gee, $13 a week this year, rolled back to $8 a week next year.

And just wait until you have to pay back this grant.

Porkulus Bill — with interest. (It is a loan).

No more earmarks? The omnibus bill had 9,000 earmarks alone.

So you wanted “hope” and “change.” In the words of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, in perhaps the only thing he ever said that was right: “America’s chickens have come home to roost.” After all, elections do have consequences.

Oh, and as of this writing, we’re only 59 days into the Obama administration. So buckle up, boys and girls.

Steven Wild
Retired Operating Engineer
Baton Rouge, Louisiana