next 4 years

[Ivo Skoric]

What is fascinating about George Bush II is that he will run on the 
most unpopular platform and probably win, proving that American 
majority is either stupid or masochistic.

The US already spends more on its military than most of the rest of 
the world combined - the largest chunk of collected revenue goes to 
Pentagon. Education, health, social services, they are all distant 
second, with Pentagon consuming tenfold amounts of any other 
governmental expense.

Yet, here is the President who says in his election year, that he is 
going to RAISE military budget even further. Now it is 10 times that 
of China. The goal, perhaps, is to be 10 times that of the old 
adversary, Russia.

In his historic budgetary address, he essentally promised to feed the 
wolves, while leaving the sheep un-eaten. How is he going to pay for 
that budgetary increase? Not by raising taxes. He actually promised 
to cut taxes to the richest 1% of society even further!!! So, it must 
be by cutting services to the poor.

Why would 99% of people who do not belong to the ruling oligarchy 
even consider voting for a guy who obviously works to their 
disadvantage? Yet they will vote for him based on the glossy photo-
ops and a couple of strong words of encouragment.

Two books just came out about him - but who has the time to read 
books, trying to make ends meet in this 'economic recovery' that 
benefits only the rich?
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/16911

Now, not only that he wants to increase military spending of the USA, 
but he also wants to prohibit other countries from making weapons, so 
he can freely terrorize the world unopposed. So that everybody fears 
him, and that he has to fear nobody.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/11/politics/11PREX.html?th

He is promising foreign policy based on unilateral projection of 
American military might on the rest of the world, and, at the same 
time, weakening of the American democracy, by deliberate 
pauperization and militarization of the society. Obviously, the only 
thing missing in his Orwellian world of never-ending war, is 
compulsory draft.

That hole, however, may just be plugged in the first year of his 
second term: 
http://www.vancouver.indymedia.org/news/2004/01/105146.php

Of course, he'd make sure that nobody is able to play hookie with his 
service, like he used to do in the Air National Guard in the 
seventies:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/11/opinion/11WED1.html?th

ivo