Letter: Support for Bush is sure to plummet more

Wednesday, June 22, 2005 | 9:45 a.m.

Recent polls show support for George W. Bush is at a record low. This proves what the rest of us already knew, that he is out of step with the majority of Americans. Yet he continues to rule with his unyielding style.

Thousands of lives and billions of dollars have been lost in Iraq, with no end in sight. Bush won re-election using scare tactics about terrorism, yet the Homeland Security Department wastes tax dollars and has largely been ineffectual -- weapons still pass unnoticed through airport gates.

Bush warns Americans to save for their own retirement and not count on Social Security as a safety net. Yet he can't even balance our budget and continues to raise our deficit to record levels. More and more corporations are eliminating pensions and health benefits. Bankruptcy laws have been changed to favor credit-card companies, and housing costs have increased sharply.

Who can be concerned with saving for retirement when faced with just getting by today? Members of Congress make sure to give themselves generous cost-of-living raises, even while voting down a federal minimum wage increase and eliminating programs for the poor.

Bush and Congress both align themselves with the likes of the ethically challenged Rep. Tom Delay, R-Texas, yet expect the rest of us to be honest, law-abiding citizens. As we lose more and more rights in the name of national security, as we lose our pensions, health benefits and Social Security, how much longer will we sit idly by?

PATRICIA DUCHARME