The so-called conventional wisdom in the press right now is that Bush's National Guard record has no bearing on this election unless it speaks to his actions during his past four years as President.
However, Bush's Guard record was and is an absolute predictor for his Presidency.* It sheds light on his behavior for the past four years, and it warns us about what will happen if he is elected in 2004.
There are three traits that describe Bush's character as a young man and as President.* He is irresponsible.* He lies in order to avoid ccountability.* And he has a propensity to squander every opportunity he has ever been given.
During the National Guard, Bush was given the privilege of learning to fly fighter jets.* He blew this off with his irresponsible behavior, not showing up for duty for a number of months.* He then lied when he stated that he would make up for his absences.* He squandered one million dollars of this nation's money on training that he never used.
In the first months of 2001, Bush was told numerous times, both by the outgoing administration and by his own intelligence forces, that this country faced imminent attack by terrorists.* He exhibited irresponsible behavior by not planning to prevent this event and by going on vacation for one month before these attacks took place.* For the following two years, he tried to avoid accountability for his actions by lying to the American people, saying that he had no knowledge that terrorists were planning to strike us.* And in the months after the attacks, he squandered the world's sympathy and goodwill toward us by his bullying and unilateral behavior.
During 2001 and subsequent years, Bush also insisted that the country was collecting too much in revenue and that what was needed was a tax cut.* After September 11th, the country was at war and the treasury was increasingly indebted.* Even though all countries at war find it necessary to raise taxes, Bush irresponsibly insisted upon continuing with the tax cuts, lied that these cuts would bring back jobs to ordinary Americans and prosperity to the country, and squandered the budget surplus, plunging this country into massive debt.
After failing to find Bin Laden in Afghanistan, Bush irresponsibly turned the military might of America to Iraq, in spite of advice from his own terrorism experts and the State Department.* He lied to the American people, telling them that Saddam Hussein had connections with Al Qaida and possessed weapons of mass destruction.* He went to war with Iraq, squandering the goodwill of longtime allies, the lives of at least 1,000 American men and women, and hundreds of billions of dollars of the American people's money.
Once at war with Afghanistan and Iraq, Bush irresponsibly stated that the United States did not have to follow the Geneva Conventions.* When confronted with the horrors of torture at Abu Ghraib, Bush lied and said that they were the actions of a few lowly soldiers.* In allowing for the abuse and then denying its systemic nature, Bush has squandered America's reputation as a nation that respects international law and human dignity.
How much more evidence does conventional wisdom need?* Judge him by his past, and we find an irresponsible, squandering liar.* Judge him by his present, and we find the same.
The child is, indeed, father to the man.