Editor, The Chronicle                                                                              November 9, 2004

      My first reaction to the election results were that America will now get what we deserve but almost half of those who voted chose to repudiate the narrow world vision of George Bush.  Bush claims a mandate but in fact only won by three per cent.  Almost half of us don’t deserve what we are going to get.

    If 70,000 voters in Ohio had voted otherwise John Kerry would be the next President.  Considering that Bush received 4,000 votes in one Ohio precinct that has just over 600 registered voters maybe 70,000 did vote the other way.  Be that as it may, we have to get ready for more tax cuts and regulations written by and for affluent corporations.  A wave of conservative judges on the Supreme Court will diminish workers rights and environmental protection for the next generation.  We can also expect to see a continuing cut in funding for housing and other social programs for the poor. 

    Vice President Cheney is now on record supporting the idea of abolishing income tax totally and replacing it with a highly regressive flat national sales tax which would increase the tax burden on the poor and middle class.  In his last pre-election speech in Florida, the President pledge to liberate Cuba.  Career diplomats at State Department are concerned that this promise may lead to military intervention in Cuba. 

    Republican strategist Richard Viguerie is calling for abolishing the Medicare prescription drug benefit recently passed.  He also calls for greatly increased oil and gas exploration in the continental U.S. with the increased environmental damage.  Overseas, to go along with the mess in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Republicans plan, along with Israel, to overthrow the government of President Assad in Syria and to eliminate the nuclear facilities in Iran. 

    The new Republican Senator from Oklahoma is on record stating that doctors who perform abortions should be executed. This is the same man who as a Congressman said he saw nothing wrong with having access to and using bazookas. 

    As bleak as this future seems, those who opposed the policies of Bush need to look at what was accomplished over the past two years.  Millions of new voters were energized, many of them young people, and became involved.  Florida passed a new law increasing their minimum wage.  Democrat Barack Obama trounced his right-wing opponent in Illinois. Here in Washington a tax cut initiative was turned down.  The right wing built their power base over the past thirty years.  Much was by Progressives accomplished in two years.  Activist driven activities must continue and expand.

    Those of us who are Christians and Progressives also won’t cede “moral issues” to the right-wing.  The 100,000 innocent Iraqi civilians who have been killed by the U.S. might argue about how pro-life Bush is.    We should remember Psalm 37: 7-8.  “Do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices.  Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.  Do not fret – it only leads to evil.”  (500 words)

Larry Kerschner  POB 397 Pe Ell  WA 98572  (W) 360-291-3232  (H) 360-291-3946