'Let'??s talk accountability'

Published on line: Thursday, March 6, 2008 7:22 AM EST
http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2008/03/06/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/doc47cee66917dcd690798682.txt

During the 2000 presidential election, the Republicans wanted to hold President Bill Clinton and the Democrats accountable for everything.

Fast forward to 2008: To date, Republicans have not brought up the word “accountability.”

Under George W. Bush’s watch, the size of the federal government has grown significantly. Bush inherited from Clinton an annual federal budget of $1.9 trillion dollars. It’s now $3.1 trillion.

The Bush tax cuts for the rich were to provide long-term economic growth and opportunity. Are you better off today than you were eight years ago?

When Clinton was in office, he put in place a plan to pay off the national debt by 2010. In 2001, Bush refused to stay the course. Bush said that after the tax cuts for the rich, there would be enough money left over to pay off the national debt.

The facts: Bush inherited from Clinton a national debt of $5.7 trillion. Under Bush’s watch, the size of the national debt has grown significantly and is expected to top $10 trillion by the time he leaves office in 2009.

Bush also said that he would make America more competitive in this global economy. Since 2000, the trade deficit has increased steadily from $379.8 billion to $711.6 billion in 2007.

The Commerce Department told us that America loses 20,000 jobs for every billion-dollar increase in the trade deficit. Under Bush’s watch, America has lost 6.6 million jobs as a result of foreign trade. Can you say recession?

Bush led the Republicans and the right-wing Christian coalition to believe that he would abolish abortion in America. Never happened.

Surprise! Fifteen million more illegal aliens today than in 2000. No weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Recognizing an al-Qaeda based terrorist government in Kosovo.

Accountability. Do you think the Republicans will use the word accountability during the 2008 presidential election?

Nikola (Nick) Drobac
Aliquippa, PA 15001

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