From: pat@chinet.chi.il.us (Patrick Louis Sugent)
Subject: Re: Why Vote for Bush?
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 13:06:41 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX

In article <ru2euINNhve@agate.berkeley.edu> jorourke@ocf.berkeley.edu (Jason O'Rourke) writes:
>
>So, let the GOP speak, and give us rationale, hopefully other than just 
>party ID.  And let everyone post to "why not vote Bush"


  Actually, I can think of many reasons not to vote for Bush, but since
I probably will in the end, I'll give those reasons.  (Although I could
probably talk a lot of people out of voting for Bush if I gave my reasons 
not to do so.)


Six reasons why You should vote for Bush:
1) Presuming Perot can't win, you really should only bote Republican or 
Democrat (let's not get into this again, I understand the argument against
this. I think the LP goes too far anyway.)

2)  Bush at least pays lip service to "no new taxes".  Even his current
Budget doesn't hold up to that, but the Democrats recent proposed
budget would raise taxes for more than just the wealthy (as advertised)
and I suspect that any Democratic presidency would result in higher taxes
for all but the very poor. (You have to look beyond those percent brackets.)
Bush's friends, the Republicans, are much less likely to raise taxes
than the Democrats, so he at least has to somewhat ride the brake on taxes
(and hopefully, therefore, government spending which is the real issue.)
  Besides, I think any kind of tax increase, even on "just the wealthy" is
stupid.   The government has enough of our money.  Let them start
spending it wisely.

3)  Bush is as good on foreign policy as we are likely to see. (Except for 
China :-) ).  This is still very important in our World and for a President.
It is the one area that a President is actually in control over.  Everything
else can and will be manipulated by congress (which has a known talent
for screwing things up.)

4)  Bush is for NAFTA, and free trade in general.  I think his trip to
Japan was a poorly chosen political stunt.  I don't believe he learned
his lesson or even understands why that was so stupid, but at least
he is for free trade. 

5)  Bush doesn't want to reduce our military to nothing.  It is still and
probably always will be a dangerous world and we are more a part
of it more than ever (and should be.)  With our geographic isolation, we tend
to forget that wars pop up every so often, usually when countries aren't
quite ready for them and don't quite expect them.  We should maintain
a strong military presence.  Other countries are likely to start building
up stronger militaries, we shouldn't cut ours too low.

6)  According to Quayle, Bush actually can itemize the major problems
facing our country and economy (Health Care, Our Legal system, the
Budget deficit, education, investment, etc.) This at least tells me he
knows what the problems are.  He's the only one so far that mentioned
our legal system and regulatory requirements as a major problem.  I don't
know if he'll actually do anything on any of these.  Considering his
chief health care advisor is a registered lobbiest for the Health Care
Industry, I tend to doubt that issue will be satisfactorily resolved.
(I believe my source was a PBS show outlining "What Went Wrong With
America.")


  Basically my opinion sums up to, Bush is good at international affairs and
at least pays lip service to the right things domestically.  Clinton
may actally be a better Domestic leader, but his pary has shown its 
ability to screw up Domestic issues time and time again by getting the
government too involved.  I worry that the Clinton that governed in
Arkansas and worked to improve education, business, and create workfare rather
than welfare may dissapear in the White House just as he has on this
campaign trail.  

  I don't trust either Clinton or Bush to stick to what they say, but
at least Bush has proven international ability and belongs to the "right"
party.


Pat


-- 
Patrick Sugent                       

pat@chinet.chi.il.us		     
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