Letter: This is not our fathers’ Republican Party

Sunday, Oct. 22, 2006 | 8:04 a.m.

President Bush has done Republicans one favor during his term of office. They no longer have to fear their parents will roll over in their graves if they vote against a Republican. Bush's version of governing a democracy is virtually the opposite of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the hero in war and peace for most people in my age bracket.

Actually, the party is no longer the Republican Party; it is a "Conservative" Party that opposes the wishes of the majority regarding use of war and diplomacy, respect for international treaties and the Geneva Conventions. Rather than giving high priority to balancing the budget (Eisenhower succeeded), Bush cut taxes of the rich, plunged the nation into trillions of debt and dumped the consequences on succeeding generations. Instead of fixing Social Security and Medicare, Bush tried to privatize them.

We are all beginning to wonder why government departments are continually putting out favorable reports on the economy when all around us we are experiencing stagnated wages, loss of jobs and rising cost of food, utilities, medical care and other necessities. Is the Bush administration threatening government agencies and employees with budget cuts and job loss now if they don't put out cheerful stories to prop up the stock market until after the November elections?

The point of all this is, don't feel bad if you decide to vote for a candidate based on what the candidate stands for, even if he or she isn't a Republican. Real Republicans are not in charge of the party anymore.

Paul Gwin, Las Vegas