Strong differences in candidates

To the editor:

Anyone watching the presidential debates should have a strong sense by now of the differences between George Bush and John Kerry.

Bush argues everything is going well in Iraq despite the increasing violence we see on our TV screens. He claims the invasion was justified despite the fact that every reason he proposed for invading has been rendered false by the evidence and new reports tell us that Iraq is descending into chaos. Kerry, meanwhile, acknowledges the disaster that is Iraq and has a plan to solve the mess. Kerry correctly argues the Iraq invasion misdirected our attention from the real villains of the 9-11 attack- Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida.

On the domestic front, Bush has a single mantra: tax cuts that widen the gap between rich and poor, and shift wealth from low- and middle-class Americans to those already rich enough to need no more help. Kerry, meanwhile, thinks that low- and middle-income Americans should be favored by tax policy while wealthy Americans pay more.

In every arena, Bush has but one ideology: to pollute our environment, and exploit our natural resources to direct the wealth of the nation to benefit those already so wealthy they need no help. Kerry, on the other hand, would represent the interests of average Americans - folks like you and me.

The choice is clear. For the wealthy who don't breathe air or drink water, Bush is the choice.

PAUL BOTCH, Cape Girardeau