January 25, 2004

Neocons and their supporters have stated many times it is un-American to criticized Bush "in time of war". They claim it gives comfort to the enemy so it must not be tolerated.

Nonsense.

Free speech helps guarantee an open and honest government. It is wrong to  stifle free speech. Criticizing Bush and his policies is patriotic and necessary.

When Bush does something wrong or his policies don't work, then he must be held accountable. The same for this advisors and appointees.

All politicians including Bush must be held to a high moral standard and an open and honest government.

Bush's neocon supporters need to stop their hypocrisy about "criticism of the president". They seem to forget they were quick to criticize Clinton in the 1990s. They did so with relish and indignation.

George W. Bush, Dan Quayle, Pat Buchanan, Dennis Hastert, Tom Delay, Trent Lott, Don Nickles, John Ashcroft, Chuck Hegel, John Kasich, Richard Lugar, and Phil Gramm criticized Clinton about the war in Kosovo. Their comments were unflattering, and unrelenting.

They called the war a charade, they were skeptical of Clinton's intentions, predicted doom for innocent civilians, bemoaned U.S. unilateral action, complained about the costs with some trying to reduce or eliminate funding, said the war was depleting and diluting our resources, called the war a symptom of a failed and inept foreign policy, predicted an unleashing of deadly repercussions as America cornered Serbian leaders and expressed a desire for more diplomacy instead of war.

Sound familiar?

Each man had the right and obligation to criticize the President as those criticizing Bush now.

Don't bash those who criticize Bush and his administration. Doing so means you don't believe in the Constitution's right to free press and free speech. It makes people suspicious that there is something to hide.

It also means you are in fact un-American and unpatriotic.

This is what a former president said about criticism of a president::

To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public... Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else."
-- Teddy Roosevelt, May 7, 1918