Bush Endorsement

This election comes down to, in my opinion, three main topics: Iraq, the economy, and social issues. These topics have been the focus of all three debates and will be the deciding factors in the election. I endorse President George W. Bush because I believe he is the stronger leader in all three categories.

Iraq is the prevalent issue of the election. Questions have been raised about the methods of the war and of the planning of the peace. Some people have even debated whether we should have invaded Iraq in the first place. One thing is now certain: we are in Iraq, and we must stay in Iraq until democracy is firmly in place and the new Iraqi government can defend itself. Through the rhetoric and history of both candidates, I believe Bush will be more steadfast and determined in this effort.

The questions about the validity of the war are important, though, because several other world threats have emerged. I believe that we were correct in invading Iraq, but I believe the Bush administration incorrectly framed our reasons for doing so. I believe that we were correct in taking out Sadaam Hussein on the grounds that he was a threat to America, he was a brutal dictator that killed over 100,000 of his own people, and strategically because we now have the potential for a America-friendly military stronghold in the turbulent Middle East. These reasons are independent from any WMD or terrorist connections and I believe warrant the military actions. People seem to often forget that Hussein had been avoiding U.N. inspection for a number of years with little repercussion. This was not a rash act by Bush after one slip up by the Hussein regime; it was a deliberate and planned move after several warnings and sanctions. Though Bush alienated some past allies, Kerry threatens to do worse by alienating those who have stayed with us, such as Britain and Australia.

George W. Bush also has the stronger economic policy because, unlike John Kerry, he has some grasp of the future and of present trends toward that. Kerry's policies put off the inevitable and thus will hurt us in the future. Globalization and the trend away from manufacturing and toward service in the business world are not a fad, they are social and technological movements similar to business movements in the past. Bush realizes that the only way to limit the side effects of these movements is to encourage new growth and to educate people so that they will be able to do new types of work. Kerry, meanwhile, is trying to in effect subsidize manufacturing companies and will thus pass on the bill of these subsidies to taxpayers while leaving our economy and our workforce unprepared for the inevitable global movement.

Bush also has a better plan for social security because he realizes it must be changed if it is going to survive. The government does not have the money to pay for the benefits of the upcoming retired population. Bush realizes that and is going to change the benefit structure of social security while beginning to partially privatize it for future generations. Kerry, on the other hand, believes he can create a surplus large enough to fix for now the social security, while running a war, paying off the deficit, and funding his new programs. This is unrealistic and economically dangerous. Kerry's ignorance to the current economic trends will leave this country in very bad shape if he is elected.

The two major social issues of this election are gay marriage and abortion, tying in stem cell research. Neither candidate is for gay marriage, but Kerry is slightly less opposed to it in that he does not want a constitutional amendment as Bush does. While I do not agree with Bush’s amendment, I know that it will never pass and therefore is a moot point. I do strongly agree with Bush's stance on abortion and stem cell research. On both issues, Kerry tries to play both sides, while Bush has stuck by his beliefs all along. Though I do not always agree with his Bush's principles, I would rather have a president who follows his principles than one who tries to please everyone.

I believe that Bush will do a better job of staying resolved in Iraq, having a vision of the future in his economic policy, and leading with his principles than Kerry. That is why I am endorsing George W. Bush for president in 2004.