'I apologize' for voting for Bush

[stevedeshazer]

This was the header for the following letter to the editor, which appeared in today's daily fishwrap:

"I'm a registered Republican. I voted for George W. Bush and contributed financially to his campaign. I was wrong. I apologize. Bush is the worst president America has had -- ever.

Bush has turned the entire world against America. He has lied to the American people and gotten us in a terrible mess in Iraq. There were no Iraqi weapons of mass destruction that threatened America. There was no Iraqi connection with international terrorism.

Before Sept. 11, 2001, there were a few hundred Saudi and Egyptian terrorists. Bush's policies since 9/11 have created hundreds of thousands of new terrorist recruits throughout the Muslim world. Bush created this monster.

We are wasting our national treasure in Iraq due to Bush's arrogant, "pre-emptive warfare" doctrine. We have lost 3 million jobs since Bush took office -- and we are exporting our remaining manufacturing and high-tech jobs to low-wage countries at a dizzying pace.

We are piling up massive deficits that will ultimately create chaos in our economy.

Bush must be replaced."

link: http://www.oregonlive.com/letters/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1066996820122540.xml

I'm seeing more of these lately, but this was a particularly satisfying one. Some Republicans are getting the message....

[poskonig]

1. It could be disinformation too.

The Republicans do this all of the time. "I'm a Democrat, and I hate Democratic policies x, y, z."

[stevedeshazer]

5. That crossed my mind

I know it's an old Repub tactic, but if some Dems are using it, I'll take it.

[IrateCitizen]

7. It could be... but it's been a substantiated pattern lately

One case in point was a recent issue of "The Washington Spectator" in which an old-school Republican journalist wrote a piece on the need to get rid of Bush.

[Paschall]

11. Disinformation?

The letter is signed. Why not give Gregg Smith in Salem, Oregon a call? Or check GOP contribution reports?

[LionInWinter]

25. I checked the FEC page ...

and Gregg Smith of Salem, Oregon doesn't look like much of a republican. He's given $1000 to Clark, $500 to Dean and $500 to Kerry. He's also listed as giving $1000 to Giuliani in 2000.

[stevedeshazer]

26. Good find

Maybe he really has been swayed; he gave to a Repub in 2000, now he's giving to Dems. It's not hard to imagine a guy like tht voting for Bush in 2000, then thinking better of it.

[LionInWinter]

28. If you want to check him out (or anyone else for that matter) ...

to to www.fec.gov/finance_reports.html

Scroll down, click on individual search & have fun!

btw - Barbara Bush lists herself as "homemaker" on her forms!

[imax2268]

41. That's pretty cool...

I looked up Ken Lay and it gave me a complete history of his donations...

[WilliamPitt]

27. Not all Republicans are neocons

[LionInWinter]

31. That's true ...

but the FEC site has listings for the 1999-2000 presidential cycle & he's not listed as donating to Bush/Cheney.

Then again, if he didn't donate more than $200, he wouldn't show up anyway.

[0rganism]

38. Could be PAC moneys, though

He said he "contributed financially" to the shrub campaign, not that it was an individual donation of more than $200.

[stevedeshazer]

39. There ya go

The timeline matches the conversion he outlines in his letter. It's entirely possible that he donated through a company that he owns or works for, too.

[Selwynn]

18. Possible - but one of my best friends who is conservative.....

Has basically said the same thing - that he regrets voting for Bush. Actually two of my friends have said this. I'm thinking that this is a more common pattern these days..

[karlschneider]

44. That's possible, but even here in eastern Oklahoma (VERY Red area),

I am bumping into more and more people who tell me essentially the same thing. I'm not dancing naked on the lawn just yet, but I sense a bit of hope...
:evilgrin:

[spooky3]

2. Thanks--it's short & sweet, and its aim is true. (eom)

[ShaneGR]

3. Apology accepted, welcome aboard matey

Nice to see.

[stevedeshazer]

8. Disclaimer

I didn't write the letter and I didn't vote for Bush.

I voted for the evil Ralph Nader, for which I'm not apologizing.

I will vote for whoever the Democratic nominee is in 2004.

[ShaneGR]

10. Although I despise your very existance.......

I will vote for whoever the Democratic nominee is in 2004.

I will let you live.

:-)

[mdmc]

34. I voted for Nader too

but in the spirit of this thread, I hereby apologize.
:dem:

[LibertyorDeath]

40. Stevie D Thank You !!

"I will vote for whoever the Democratic nominee is in 2004."

This should be a given for anyone who wants * gone in 04

but to my complete dismay this is not the case.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. I don't care if he's a Dem or a Repug, it got printed......

and maybe, just maybe, someone else will read it and see the light!

[gratuitous]

6. My sentiments exactly

Whether it's disinformation or not, the letter made some very salient points, without hysterical overstatement, of just what is wrong with this corrupt administration. I felt muy good reading that letter in the Boregonian this morning. I hope some of their editorial page editors read it over a time or two, as well.

[ewagner]

9. Without "hysterical overstatement"

makes me believe that the letter is authentic and not disinformation.

Most people planting disinformation can't refrain from "going over the top"

[oc2002]

12. Maybe, just maybe, the SHEEP ARE WAKING UP!

I have seen myself freinds that where always Republican, waivering, if not completely shifting to Independent.

[elfwitch]

13. like the new guy yesterday

Someone new came on the board yesterday (posted that thread about newsmax) that also bailed on the Repugs. The people who are bailing need to start waking up their friends. The friends might listen to them. The friends never listen to US.

[Cha]

14. I'm glad these republicans are "gettintg the message"..

I'm just on a break from work and had to get on DU because some repuke at our Co-op today said he "bet bush was going to win and called all the Dem candidates "jokes"!

I said .."bush is the joke"! And I was shaking inside..I can't believe how deeply it affects me.

Anyway I feel better now and can't wait to see his face when Our Country proves him Wrong! :)

[elfwitch]

16. me too...

Any time I have to debate one of these zealots it makes me really unstable inside. My anger and disappointment almost overwhealm me. I can't even talk straight because I am so angry.

[Cha]

19. Nice to know I'm not alone in that!

:)

[knight_of_the_star]

33. Definitely not!

Some of those people make me want to scream they are so bloody ignorant and irrational!

[in_cog_ni_to]

15. Great letter!

>>Bush must be replaced<<<.........I AGREE! Wholeheartedly!

Thanks for the post.

[watercolors]

17. An apology from my brother

also a repug and retired military, he is very angry about the war. He said he spent 25 years in the navy on subs protecting this country, and never did he think we would invade another country on such little eveidence. He said many of his fellow commrades feel the same, he just came back from a navy reuion. He really hates bush with a passion!

[stevedeshazer]

20. Wow

Very sad. These guys have more reason than anyone to hate Bush. Do they know Bush cut $15 billion in veteran's benefits out of the budget?

[Cha]

21. This is Really Encouraging!

Especially after my encounter today with a diehard.

[wryter2000]

22. I know three more just like this letter writer

My stepson, the fundie, turns purple when you mention Whistle Ass. Says, "I thought he was a good Christian man."

Another who describes herself as a moderate who voted for Bush but says she's disillusioned.

Another who calls himself a conservative who says, "Shame on him if he even runs for re-election (sic)."

The sentiment is very real and is spreading. As long as our soldiers die in Iraq and jobs continue to be lost it'll continue to grow. The bastard is toast.

I also understand the internal feelings while dealing with the remaining Bush-butt-lickers. But just keep thinking about the day when their sweetheart has his ass handed to him in the general election.

[stevedeshazer]

23. LOL!

"But just keep thinking about the day when their sweetheart has his ass handed to him in the general election."

I'm looking forward to that day, that's for sure!

[gratuitous]

30. Keep feeding the disgruntled

You don't have to turn them into rabid DUers, but by feeding those who thought W. was "a good Christian man" with a little information over time, you can keep them from bolting back inside the corral.

Remember, they only have one vote. Let's make sure they cast it correctly next November. We don't care if they vote Democratic while holding their nose, throwing up afterward, or feel like they need to shower afterward -- just make sure they don't vote for this fraud!

[denverbill]

24. Wow. That's big news.

You know what would be great? If Bush got a primary challenge from an actual moderate Republican like McCain, Chafee, etc. Hell, almost anybody.

I really hope there are more Republicans like that guy. I sure don't hear many around here.

[izzie]

29. Well we knew that for years.

Poor guy, coming alive late.

[rucky]

32. This makes sense in Oregon

not to say all Oregon republicans are moderate by any means. But we are leading the nation in unemployment, so jobs is big... and when jobs are percieved as going to "feriners" - that's the worst for our slightly xenophobic state. Also, our state just went through a mini-California style budget crisis (also Enron-related). Everybody here is feeling the burn of regressive taxation and unfunded mandates... Oregonians don't take too well to having to add supplemental state taxes to make up for federal shortfalls in funding (we will never have a sales tax here, just on principle). I'm also guessing this fella didn't benefit from the Bush tax cuts...or his big,big property taxes more than made up for what he got back (we just got our assessments in the mail - Yikes! mine went up nearly 40%)

[MissB]

35. Why did yours go up 40%?

Just curious. Mine went up the standard three and a half percent. I'm willing to bet that most of my neighbors (probably mostly Republicans) didn't get a huge hit on their taxes either.

[MissB]

36. I was surprised a few weeks ago

When talking with some of my central Oregon friends, who are Republican. The wife has always been a staunch Repub, but during our conversation, she went off on how Bush's war is only about oil. I was shocked.

[DealsGapRider]

37. That about sums up my attitude toward Bush...

...except for the part about how there were only a few hundred terrorists before Bush came along. That's wishful thinking. I agree that the Iraq war was a great al Qaeda recruiting tool, but al Qaeda camps cranked out literally tens of thousands of terrorist trainees before Bushie ever stole the presidency.

[lostnfound]

42. A friend just convinced his pro-Bush very conservating mother..

after many months of conversation, to change her mind. She is now signing 'impeach bush' petitions.

[Demographic]

43. help

we could use your help in the discussions at this website. the republicans are running rampant and shooting off their mouths again.

http://www.dealofday.com/board/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=51

[Woodstock]

45. another Republican, former CIA agent Larry Johnson

JOHNSON:...If a Democrat had done this, we would see the Republicans up in arms. As a Republican, I think we need to be consistent on this. It doesn't matter who did it, it didn't matter which party was involved. This isn't about partisan politics. This is about protecting national security and national security assets and in this case there has been a betrayal, not only of the CIA officers there, but really a betrayal of those of us who have kept the secrets over the years on this point...

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/10/24/cnna.leak/