IN HIS SERMON on the Mount, Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."
In sharp contrast, George Bush led America into a war of choice based on a single page of false justification. The catastrophic toll so far: more than 1,000 U.S. dead, 7,000 U.S. wounded, 12,000 Iraqi dead, 40,000 Iraqi wounded, untold misery and heartbreak among surviving families, and no end in sight to the violence. Iraq has become a rallying cry and breeding ground for a new wave of bin Ladens. John McCain and others predict that U.S. troops will be fighting to stabilize Iraq for at least 10 more years.
WITH GOD'S HAND, Moses parted the Red Sea to lead his people out of slavery.
With his own hand, George Bush created a sea of red ink that is drowning our government and threatening our future. During his term in office, he took a $230 billion surplus and squandered it into a Treasury-busting $422 billion deficit -- an act of economic dereliction that puts Social Security, Medicare, homeland security, and our children's future in jeopardy. Much of the debt is financed by China and Japan.
JESUS FED THE 5,000 equally with five loaves and two fish.
George Bush has done the equivalent of giving a full third of the bread and fish to the 50 wealthiest people -- and letting the remaining 4,950 people divvy up what's left. We know this from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which found that 33% of the payoff from George Bush's tax gamble went to the 1% economic elite -- people making an average of $1.2 million per year.
IN RECALLING HOW Jesus helped the sick and poor, the Apostle John wrote that we should love "not in word or speech, but in truth and action."
George Bush has said little and done nothing to help those who most need help. While he has been in office, the number of people living in poverty has worsened by nearly 14% -- up to 36 million Americans. This includes 12.9 million children, which means that nearly one in five of all young Americans under age 18 is being left behind in poverty. Yes, Mr. President, despite all the jokes and sarcasm at your convention, there really are two Americas.
JESUS TOLD THE story of a man who was beaten by robbers and left to die. Two people walked past and did nothing, but a third person bandaged his wounds, took him to an inn, and paid for his care. "Go and do likewise," Jesus said, encouraging all of us to be Good Samaritans.
George Bush is walking away from the 45 million Americans who are living with no healthcare coverage -- a staggering 15% of the U.S. population. The number has steadily climbed during the Bush years. In the past year alone, another 3,836 Americans became uninsured every single day. For those who do have health coverage, annual family premiums have increased by more than $2,600 over the past three years while prescription drug prices have grown four times faster than inflation. At this rate, the cost of a family premium will reach $14,500 a year by 2006.
ARE WE WILLING to accept this for four more years, or can we do better? As we make our choice on November 2, let us remember that from those to whom much is given, much is expected.
Tom Terez
http://AnotherRepublicanForKerry.comColumbus, Ohio