BUSH, BOLTON, BIGGER PROBLEMS

It appears that John Bolton will pass the first step of his nomination process and go on to face a vote of the full Senate in the very near future. As much as I dislike Bolton as a person, his nomination to the United Nations makes me dislike President Bush even more as I believe that Bush's legacy could be a pit in which America has to spend years digging itself out of.

Bush's decision to nominate Bolton is an indication that he only wants the United Nations to work with the United States if it is on the President's own terms. I always believed that the United Nations existed as an organization that had the freedom to follow its own path, without the bullying of any nation. President Bush has now made it clear that he wants the United Nations to either be a tool of the United States, or nothing at all. This Bush principle goes against the very theories that founded the United Nations.

Although the United Nations is located within the boarders of the U.S., this organization will remain most effective when it is free from major nations trying to over-influence different policies. If you follow the Bush logic here, and that have Bolton, then you have to admit that Bush wants the United States to be the driving force within the United Nations. However, what happens down the road if India, China, or the European Union were to come in and apply the same logic that Bush has installed? I doubt the President would yield to a foreign power, yet Bush also seems to not care what happens past his second term.

With the recent economic figures, the ongoing situation in Iraq, and the lack of decent foreign policy President Bush is digging American into a hole that could quite possibly take generations to dig out of. For example, nations that have privatized Social Security ,in the same way that President Bush wants America to do, are still trying to find a way to undo that damage. In spite of all the failures in privatization, Bush is still campaigning for his vision of change.

It would be one thing if Bush was taking a course of action that could sink the GOP, but his path will not only sink Republicans, but Americans as well. The cost of oil is up, yet President Bush would rather drill in Alaska instead of finding a way to decrease our dependency on oil. Why? Because when he is out of office it won't be his problem. Bush's short term answers will only cause long-term problems.

2006 is the year that America must stop the bleeding, more Democratic seats in congress means a tougher time for President Bush to pass his policies. Bush will put American in a hole, but we have the power to make it as small as possible.

November 2006 is still far off, but we must remember all of the things Bush and the Republicans have done, and what the implications of these actions will be in the future. John Bolton is just the latest Bush move towards sending America into the ground.

Ryan Oddey
Ryan@TAFMess.com