November 02, 2004, 9:22 a.m.
The Right Choice
Bush has shown courage in fighting a just war.
By Bill Bennett
EDITOR'S NOTE:This article is adapted from comments made this morning on the author's radio show, Bennett in the Morning.
First, as my readers and listeners know, I call it straight. I don't do RNC talking points and I have my criticisms. The administration has been too easy on China, which is an evil and growing giant. We've been too appeasing of Saudi Arabia, which is a thugocracy. And we've been out of control with our domestic spending. President Bush has not vetoed a single bill, including what I think is the unconstitutional McCain-Feingold campaign-reform law.
Those criticisms having been noted, I am entirely confident that John Kerry would be much worse on every score mentioned above, especially on spending. But there are strong reasons to support President Bush. Aside from him being a decent and good man. Note how little one hears of bringing decency or honor back to the White House � it's a non-issue thanks to the way President Bush has comported himself and run his administration.
Moreover, we live in perilous times. We are at war, a war of civilization versus barbarism. This is a time that calls for both certainty and commonsense. John Kerry is uncertain in the war on terrorism and way to the left of the mainstream on domestic policy.
Look at Kerry's recent record � which is to say his recent statements. He's spoken of not having enough troops in Iraq, though in his DNC convention speech he said he'd seek 40,000 more active duty troops � but "not for Iraq". He's spoken of bringing troops home from Iraq in six months, one year, and within one term. As recently as in the second debate � in a single debate, in a single venue � he said Iraq was a threat, and then said Iraq was not a threat. When President Bush said that he saw a threat and took Hussein out and that Kerry would have left Hussein in power, Kerry said that had he been president, Hussein would "not necessarily be in power." Kerry repeated this hesitant claim to Tom Brokaw last week.
These are dangerous statements of uncertainty � to our allies, and more important, to our enemies. Kerry speaks of a global test for action � he even praised Bush's father for building the kind of coalition he liked � but Kerry voted against that war and would have left millions of Kuwaitis in domination, under the thumb-screw of a tyrant. He campaigned on the nuclear freeze and he opposed the democratic forces in Central America. This is a dangerous worldview.
On Domestic policy, Kerry's voted against the Defense of Marriage Act and against a Constitutional amendment to preserve marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Even as he sees his own state redefine marriage, he does nothing against such redefinition. He tells us he will raise taxes on small-business owners. There's a reason the National Journal � not the National Review � identified him as the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate.
President Bush has supported the Federal Marriage Amendment and has signed both the Partial Birth Abortion Ban (which John Kerry opposed six times) and the Born Alive Infant Protection Act (which John Kerry also opposed). John Kerry, on the other hand, has voted consistently to keep all forms of abortion legal and to force taxpayers to pay for it.
President Bush has shown political courage on other domestic matters: He has been willing to overhaul our education system and to reform Social Security and Health Care � things that used to be called "third rails" because politicians were afraid to touch them. President Bush is not afraid.
And in this dangerous time of war, I would hope the American people would look at President Bush's record of liberating over 50 million Muslims and think about just why it is that in a time of war the American people have never switched leaders. Not everyone may agree with his policies, but they know his policies � and so do our enemies. We know what President Bush will stand for, and we know what he will not stand for. And so do our enemies. About John Kerry they can say no such thing.
President Bush has shown a willingness to call things by their proper name: He labeled North Korea, Iran, and Iraq "evil." He was scorned for such direct rhetoric at the time. Now John Kerry says Iran and North Korea are dangerous.
President Bush has shown a willingness to use force. John Kerry has shown no such willingness in his utterances and, more important, in his votes.
President Bush understands, like John Stuart Mill understood years ago, that war is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. President Bush understands that there can indeed be such things as a bad peace and a just war. We are fighting a just war today, the most important of wars � a war that will determine the existence or demise of the free world.
On that alone, President Bush has shown courage and strength, and on that alone, John Kerry has shown doubt and lack of conviction. On that alone, President Bush should be reelected and John Kerry defeated.
