Quote from editorial: "·
We are at war. America faces an existential threat. ...."
There is a disconnect between how the administration presents the issue of war and how it affects Americans. The public sees reports on the news on daily Iraq bombings and killings, with US soldier deaths only reported when it has been a particularly bad day. The recent helicopter and ambush deaths in my local newspaper were on page 21 recently. Gas prices remain fairly low. There is no energy policy that asks Americans to conserve on gas, nor to car or energy companies to seek alternate methods and products that don't use oil.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/white_house/jan-june07/bush_01-16.html
In a recent interview with President Bush on the McNeil-Lehrer Newshour, Bush clearly shied away from the concept that all Americans should be asked to make sacrifices, in terms of economic gain, to help win the war on terror:
"MR. LEHRER: Let me ask you a bottom-line question, Mr. President. If it is as important as you've just said - and you've said it many times - as all of this is, particularly the struggle in Iraq, if it's that important to all of us and to the future of our country, if not the world, why have you not, as president of the United States, asked more Americans and more American interests to sacrifice something? The people who are now sacrificing are, you know, the volunteer military - the Army and the U.S. Marines and their families. They're the only people who are actually sacrificing anything at this point.
PRESIDENT BUSH:
Well, you know, I think a lot of people are in this fight. I mean, they sacrifice peace of mind when they see the terrible images of violence on TV every night. I mean, we've got a fantastic economy here in the United States, but yet, when you think about the psychology of the country, it is somewhat down because of this war.
Now, here in Washington when I say, "What do you mean by that?," they say, "Well, why don't you raise their taxes; that'll cause there to be a sacrifice." I strongly oppose that. If that's the kind of sacrifice people are talking about, I'm not for it because raising taxes will hurt this growing economy. And one thing we want during this war on terror is for people to feel like their life's moving on, that they're able to make a living and send their kids to college and put more money on the table. And you know, I am interested and open-minded to the suggestion, but this is going to be -.."
Rather than write editorials, the most effective way for the supporters of the Bush administration is to call for an immediate war draft that enlists both young men and women - both rich and poor, from daughters and sons of corporations and government offices to the Walmart clerks. That will get the message through loud and clear.
