| A second chance includes serious challenges |
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In their wisdom, or lack thereof, the American people have given George W. Bush one more chance at the presidency. We all hope, and, yes, pray, that he doesn’t fail us again. I say again, because he squandered the opportunity and commitment to bring us together after the questionable election of 2000. I say again because he wasted the worldwide political support and sympathy we engendered in the aftermath of 9/11. I say again because he pursued a regime change in Iraq, under false pretenses, instead of concentrating on the war against terrorism.
The president must address the following challenges:
1. Unity
He must keep his promise to overcome the great divide in our nation, for which he is responsible. ‘Red’ America - the South and Midwest - took the bait authored by Karl Rove and himself, admittedly master politicians, by defining the central electoral issue as evangelical morals. Gay bashing became the war cry of the election. This is hardly a way to unite a democratic society that protects its minorities, including alternative life style practitioners that harm no one. The president must abandon wedge issues that divide our society needlessly and the only purpose of which is to galvanize the support of a gullible electorate who are shamed into voting their moral preferences.
2. Separation of Church and State
He must back off the merger of church and state in his ‘faith based’ political strategy and uphold the Constitutional separation of the two. Having won the election by creating church political cells as his campaign apparatus, he must now forego the political expediency and concentrate on a constructive and Constitutional agenda.
3. War on Terrorism
He must concentrate on the real enemy - Al Qaeda - and withdraw the invasion and occupation of Iraq, a non threat to our national security, in an orderly manner, as soon as possible. By hitting the wrong target he succeeded only in adding fuel to the flame of US Arab/Muslim resentment toward the U.S., the root cause of terrorism.
4. The Holy Land
He must engineer a fair and just solution to the Palestinian displacement of their homeland. Our uncompromising support of Israel should not interfere with their obligation to restore the Palestinians to their Oslo Treaty territories and establishment of their independent state. This goal, the fundamental requirement for peace in the Middle East, does not dilute our support for Israel’s right to exist as a nation. Unless the president takes this initiative, and include U.S. aid for reparations to the displaced Palestinians who are not restored to their original homeland and possessions, the war against terrorism will not be won.
5. Energy
He must join the international community in the conservation of energy and protection of the environment by signing the Kyoto accord. Additionally, he must formulate a U.S. internal program for reduction of fossil fuel consumption and the development of alternative sources of energy.
6. Civil Rights
He must take all the necessary steps to restore the civil rights taken from us through the heavy handed and arbitrary implementation of the Patriot Act.
7. Fiscal Responsibility
He must reduce the national debt, over $450 billion deficit, that he engineered during his first term. To this end he must end the indiscriminate tax cuts in favor of the privileged class at the expense of mainstream America.
If the president values his legacy and has the best interests of America and the world community, he is well advised to review the above constructive recommendations.
Beto Segovia, resident of Washington, DC, a retired political scientist and former professor. He can be reached in care of EditorialOpinion@aol.com
© 2004 HispanicVista.com, Inc.
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