Bush's Abdication of Responsibility

Date: October 27 2004
Sent to but not published by Boston Globe

George W. Bush's discovery of religion in his mid-40's has enabled him to disavow responsibility for his wild youthful misdemeanors. This is reasonable – no one should be faulted for their youthful mistakes.

But Bush and his administration have made the abdication of responsibility a way of life. Let us look at the tally.

As a Director of Harken Energy, George Bush abdicated his responsibility to the shareholders who were paying him by failing to file a timely "Insider Trading" report to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

As CEO of Halliburton, Cheney disclaimed responsibility for the aggressive accounting practices that have now been reversed following an SEC investigation.

In Iraq, Bush and his associates have abdicated responsibility for:

• the failure of intelligence that led to the beliefs that there were weapons of mass destruction under Saddam Hussein's control;
• the failure to plan for peace;
• the failure to abide by the Geneva Convention in the treatment of prisoners and detainees.
• the failure to guard anywhere, except the Oil Ministry, following the fall of Iraq.

At home, Bush and his associates have abdicated responsibility for:

• funding the "No Child Left Behind" Program;
• funding for the protection of the air we breathe and the water we drink;
• protecting the rights and freedoms of every American citizen.

With a record like that, why would anyone vote for a continuation of this administration?