I’ve made up my mind

I have been an unapologetic, outspoken, critic of the president. I have been so because I believe he should have vetoed McCain-Feingold. I believe he did Rep. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., and the voters of Pennsylvania a disservice in campaigning as aggressively as he did for Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., in the primaries.

I believe the $410 million Medicare Reform Bill is understated and will cost trillions. I believe his No Child Left Behind Bill and its $87 billion price tag could have been accomplished by withholding money as opposed to investing good money after bad. His absence in the fight for the judicial nominees is a pall over his first term. I find fault with the president because of the lack of aggressive opposition to Grutter vs. Bollinger.

I supported him and fought for his election in 2000; but in the strongest possible terms, I am dissatisfied with his broken veto pen and his capitulations to the center left.

But what I cannot abide was a candidate who saw nothing good in America, who could only attack and berate a sitting president as unfit – not based on facts or specifics, but on whatever he could make up.

• Nuclear materials proven to be missing when troops arrived – no problem: “It’s the president’s fault.”

• Sept. 11, 2001, a day that could have shattered America – no problem: “It’s the president’s fault.”

• The economic slowdown begins before President Bush takes office, then there is 9-11 to poor gas on the flames of an economic downturn – no problem: “It’s the president’s fault.”

The French, Germans and Russians are profiting from illegal oil for food scams with Iraq and will not support a war against its murderous regime for this reason – no problem. Berate and belittle the 30-plus countries committed to the war effort while condemning the president for the three that wouldn’t join. Blame the president for not genuflecting while turning over defense of American people to a corrupt United Nations. Even Lizzie Borden did a few things right before she axed her family.

Even Lizzie Borden did a few things right before she axed her family. I am suspicious of a man who after 20 years has nothing to show but the moniker of being the most liberal senator. Who with such a vacuous record now purports himself to be presidential material. I believe this senator brought shame to my friends and family who fought in Vietnam; to my friends who lost their lives and/or had their lives inexorably changed forever, because of his self-aggrandizing lies.

I could not support a candidate who refuses to follow the tenets of his religion while claiming to be true to his faith. I could not support a candidate who claims to be against abortion, but who won’t fight for the unborn. And I instinctively do not trust a man who claims to have an answer for everything.

Earlier this year, I was prepared not to vote for President Bush. But in these last few weeks, I have concluded that there are important things the president has done right. He was a Rock of Gibraltar at a time America needed it. He has created an atmosphere conducive to business – specifically small business from where the overwhelming majority of jobs come. He has cut taxes, allowing us to keep more of that which we earn. He has looked murderous pigs squarely in the eye and not blinked. He has led by example.

He has made mistakes, but what man hasn’t? He isn’t Ronald Reagan, but he sees good in our country and her people.

But most importantly, under his watch we have been safe. If we were at peace, with all things being equal, I may well not vote the presidential ticket or pick another candidate.

But we’re not at peace – we’re at war, and it is this fact that trumps all others. During war we need a consistent continuation of strategy and goals. We don’t need a senator who would seed our nation’s security to the United Nations. We don’t need a senator who would have a global litmus test before acting.

I’m voting for the president not because I am overly pleased with the domestic job he has done, but rather because I trust him. If he says the sky is blue on Monday, I know he will say it’s blue on Tuesday. He won’t say he called it blue before he called it red.