The Lone Star Iconoclast Endorses Senator Kerry

In a recent editorial, the Iconoclast -- whose publishers endorsed the Bush ticket four years ago -- lays out some solid reasons for not only voting against Bush, but also for supporting the Kerry ticket in the 2004 election. The Iconoclast editorial is no mere rehash of an ideology conflict. The publishers have set out an intelligent case against Bush that is based on his faltering record. For example, if you voted for Bush in 2000 because of his campaign promises, I doubt you gave him the go-ahead to (all quoted from the editorial):

• Empty the Social Security trust fund by $507 billion to help offset fiscal irresponsibility and at the same time slash Social Security benefits.
• Cut Medicare by 17 percent and reduce veterans’ benefits and military pay.
• Eliminate overtime pay for millions of Americans and raise oil prices by 50 percent.
• Give tax cuts to businesses that sent American jobs overseas, and, in fact, by policy encourage their departure.
• Give away billions of tax dollars in government contracts without competitive bids.
• Involve this country in a deadly and highly questionable war, and
• Take a budget surplus and turn it into the worst deficit in the history of the United States, creating a debt in just four years that will take generations to repay.

I agree with the Iconoclast publishers that there are four troubling items concerning Bush and his record (as quoted from the editorial): "his initiatives to disable the Social Security system, the deteriorating state of the American economy, a dangerous shift away from the basic freedoms established by our founding fathers, and his continuous mistakes regarding terrorism and Iraq." Left unchecked for four more years, these and other decisions could move from troubling to catastrophic. Iconoclast publishers do more than grade Bush's performance; they also lay out how Senator Kerry is different and has a proven track record. They go so far as to say that Kerry (again, from the editorial) "has a positive vision for America, plus the proven intelligence, good sense, and guts to make it happen." I pray they are right, because Kerry is the only alternative we have. And, you know, I am feeling better about that as Election Day approaches. Postscript 1:

Keep up with the issues and follow election coverage at NPR. And follow the facts -- not the hype -- with the help of the Annenberg Political Fact Check (FactCheck.org)

Postscript 2:

The aftermath of the editorial endorsement is also an interesting read. I am hearing more and more cases of rapid Bush/Cheney supporters in personal misdeeds: verbally harrassing Kerry/Edwards supporters, stealing Kerry/Edwards signs from private property, and threatening physical violence. So I am not surprised at their actions toward the Iconoclast. Now, to be fair, I am sure there are some overly aggressive Kerry/Edwards supporters. But their numbers (and activities) seem to be dwarfed in comparison to the vast numbers and cases involving Bush/Cheney supporters. Is this really any way to behave in a democratic republic? It would seem to me that the so-called "party of family values" needs to learn some manners.