If 9-11 Can be an  Excuse for Financial Disaster,
Can Tax Cuts be Un-Patriotic?
Patricia Ernest
 
Not so long ago, Cheney appeared on one of the Sunday morning talk shows, and he was reminded of the number of soldiers who had been killed since the first of May.  Cheney's reply was simply to refer to the number of people killed during the attacks of 9-11.  That's what he said, and I still  wonder, what did he mean by that?  It doesn't make sense to me.
 
Let's think about his response for a minute.  Is Cheney inferring that we should lose a soldier for every life that was lost on 9-11?  Is he thinking that if we lose over 3000 soldiers we will be even for 9-11?  If he wants to get even, shouldn't he be counting how many terrorists he needs to kill to even the score?  Doesn't he realize that we had no choice in the number of lives lost on 9-11 and doesn't he understand that we do have a choice in the number of soldier's lives we lose?  What's the magic number of soldiers we have to lose in order to make the Vice President of the United States give a damn? 
 
How much longer, and for how many more things, can this administration continue to blame 9-11?  Where would we be now if 9-11 still only represented the number you dial to get emergency help?  If the attacks had not occurred would our economy be in great shape?  Would the unemployment numbers be pretty much nonexistent?  Would our schools be among the best in the world?  Would everyone be able to afford health insurance?  Could bush and his administration have actually accomplished something for our country?  I don't think so.
 
It seems to me, aside from the administration's obvious character flaws regarding leadership, their inability to handle financial problems is their prime weakness.
The bush administration can try to blame all their failures on the attacks of 9-11 but common sense will dictate that, that theory is just not true.  Our financial situation was affected by 9-11, but the administration has done nothing to correct those effects.  They have instead contributed to a continuing financial disaster by handing out bait for votes via tax cuts.  Their war could be paid for if they had not decided to buy votes.  Now that the tax cuts are being paid out, the administration is too prideful to rescind them.  Most likely if the tax cuts were ended, the loudest cry and wail would come from the same US citizens who praised and backed the war in Iraq.  Of course it would, because these people worked for the president by supporting his march to war, and they were promised a tax cut in return.  They would be the first to cry foul if they did not get their reward for dedication, even though their dedication meant innocent Iraqis and US soldiers would have to die.  
 
If the tax cuts, across the board, were rescinded today, what do you think would happen?  Would those of us who so adamantly opposed this war be angered and feel cheated?  I don't think that would happen, because we would be wise enough to realize it is the only sensible way to pay for the war and ensure some sort of stable financial future for this country.  We could pay for the war, rebuild whatever we have to in Iraq, and know that there was still a reasonable possibility to secure social security  and maybe even Medicare. 
 
When we demonstrated our opposition to this war, we had the foresight to realize that wars cost lives and they cost money, lots and lots of both.  War is probably one of the best ways to destroy both lives and money, and in this case, national credibility to boot.  We fought as hard as we could to avoid this war.  We were called traitors and we were called un-patriotic, but  we also knew when the time came, we would be called upon to pay just as much as those who supported the war. 
 
It seems to me that now would be the time for those fine, war-supporting patriots to step up and continue to be good American patriots.  It's time for the fine war-supporting folks to show their love for their war, their president and their flag.  It's time for them to help their fine president.  If their patriotic dedication is still within their hearts, they should write their president.  They should tell him for the love of country, because of the financial hardships created for their country by 9-11, and to pay for the resulting wars they so dearly wanted, he should and must rescind the tax cuts immediately!
 
If they believe their president and what he tells them then I would imagine that they would carry deep guilt for taking tax cut  money.  That same money  that could be better spent on health care for our troops when they return home, American schools and America's future. 
To ask that the tax cuts be rescinded is the most Patriotic sacrifice that those good, war-supporting, flag waving Americans can make, and they can just blame it all on 9-11. 
 
patricia