Bush has no compassion

To the editor:

George Bush may be a decent human being, though I doubt it. I don't know, since I have never met him. However, his performance during the debates suggests he is both arrogant and rather stupid. My beef with Bush is not his personality but his despicable programs and policies.

Bush has taken the United States into a war in Iraq that he simply cannot justify, yet he refuses to admit his error. Rather than combating terrorism, it is clear for all to see that his war has promoted terrorism. Throughout his term of office, Bush has suppressed, distorted or ignored research consensus and imposed his ideology on science and public policy.

Bush has undermined 30 years of environmental protection that preceded him by promoting air and water pollution and public land destruction in order to enhance the profits of corporate polluters and destructive resource industries.

Bush has consistently promoted the profits of drug and insurance companies rather than the health of Americans.

Economically, Bush has served the interests of the wealthiest Americans, forcing middle and lower income Americans to assume a greater share of the tax burden and imposing on us and our children the responsibility of paying off the immense budget deficit that he has run up in order to provide tax breaks to corporations and wealthy friends.

There is absolutely no compassion in any of his brand of extreme conservatism. Let's take our country back from these special interests.

SHARON SAMPLE-BRASWELL, Patton, Mo.