Presidential Campaigning

What a touching sentiment Bush evoked when he said that he would be willing to accept the blame for supporting the sale of arms to the world’s bloodiest dictator, who was responsible for the murder of U.S. Marines in Beirut, and for maintaining an alliance with the world’s foremost drug pusher in exchange for receiving one-half of the credit for all the gains realized in the realms of world peace during the Reagan Administration. Fine. Then let’s invest him with half-credit for supporting the Contra pursuit in Nicaragua, replete with drug-running, killing peasants, destroying peasant farms, and killing children along with pregnant women.

Yes, there was the historic INF arms control agreement, but it would be stretching things to provide credit in that instance since, as his primary opponent Sen. Robert Dole (R-Kan.) adroitly asserted, he was championing it before he took the trouble to read it.

On the subject of former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, on the other hand, half-credit would appear to be in order. After all, he did praise Marcos as a champion of democracy, and stated that he had done so because he had fought against Japanese imperialism. U.S. Army documents might have told a different story, that the guerrilla brigade Marcos claimed to have led had actually collaborated with the Japanese, but never mind.

Bush never seems to get around to exploring the dimensions of the bargain-basement fire sale that has been taking place during a Reagan Administration from which he can only see prosperity and joy emerging. With the dollar’s steady nose dive, foreign speculators have stormed America’s shores and bought up close to 40% of (downtown) Los Angeles, New York and Houston. By the time the Great Communicator leaves office, the “morning in America” Administration will have virtually tripled our national debt through the “voodoo economics” concept of a $2-trillion defense buildup coupled with a 25% tax cut, two-thirds of which went to individuals making over $50,000 a year.

Yes, Mr. Reagan is so right when he says that facts are stubborn things. They have a way of stubbornly sticking to the surface even after the last 15-second television sound bite has faded from consciousness!

WILLIAM HARE

Oceanside