No fly-boy

I had to laugh when I saw the picture of George Bush wearing full flight gear, strutting across the deck of that aircraft carrier for all the world to see. His campaign advisors will use this spectacular footage to great effect in next year’s election campaign.

But, the fact is, G.W. was never certified to fly military aircraft of any kind. The president was a deserter from the Air National Guard when he was of fighting age. And he’d joined the Guard to avoid the possibility of service in Vietnam. He was AWOL from one of his units for nearly a year in 1972, as his military records document.

Despite this gross absence, Bush was never reprimanded. His nervous commanding officers probably thought that wouldn’t have been prudent, considering their bad boy’s privileged pedigree. Instead, they let him off the hook so he could attend Harvard Business School, unencumbered by any further military obligations.

Cord MacGuireBoulder CO

A proper Ohio greeting for ‘W’

When ‘W’ Bush flew into Canton airport, he was greeted by more than his expected throng of GOP well-to-do clones. A large demonstration of steelworkers whose pensions he had stolen, and peace groups let Bush know that we are not happy with his rule. As Bush’s caravan left the airport, expecting crowds of well-wishers, steelworkers with bullhorns chanted, “Bush go home! Don’t come back!” Signs stated “Bush return our pensions,” “Bush murderer & thief,” “Pensions & health care, not war,” and many, many others.

Besides steelworkers from nearby Massillon and Canton, as well as Lorain, peace groups from Stark County, Cleveland and Cincinnati were present and very loud. All the groups made sure that they exchanged information in order to stay in touch for the struggles ahead.

Breaking the media/war hysteria wall of silence, National Public Radio interviewed the protesters, as did numerous local TV and radio programs. The demo was featured on all three major TV networks. Numerous articles were written about our fight, as well.

Bruce BostikLorrain OH

May 1 loyalties

The Texas Governor who resides illegitimately in the White House has, in has latest act of attempted theft from the people, declared May 1 as “Loyalty Day.” I guess you’re either with ‘em or agin’ ‘em.

For many of us May 1 has been and will remain a day of loyalty to our working class.

Al MarkowitzVia email

“Murder and slaughter”

A marine in Time magazine called battle in Iraq “murder and slaughter.” Most of the Iraqi deaths in battle came as they retreated, they were burned by cluster bombs. One engagement after another left up to a hundred Iraqis dead with no Americans even wounded. This is only part of a deliberate, methodical, drive by U.S. imperialism to remake the world to its needs, using superior techniques in weapons.

To contain the movement for peace, and to win over the public to support the war have been major campaigns. This home war will only get more sophisticated. There will be story after story in the capitalist press on how we are helping the Iraqi people prosper in a democracy.

Now, we can look like “heroes” to the uninformed. That’s the story, in short, about this war.

Joe SompolinskyMuskegon MI

Bush says ‘Let them eat cake’

8.8 million people unemployed and George Bush wants to circle the wagons and give the rich a tax cut of 35 billion dollars a year for ten years ($350 billion)!

Mr. President, for 35 billion dollars you could give all of the 8.8 million unemployed $500 per month for 8 months.

Giving tax cuts to the rich to expand production, at a time when industrial output is far below capacity, is just plain stupid.

The rich will just deposit the money in a Swiss bank account or buy stock certificates. A heightened demand for stocks will only inflate stock prices and have no real positive impact on the creation of new jobs.

James CarrollKnoxville TN

Website woes and wows

I was so sorry your website has been out for the last two weeks. But I love the new upgraded web server. It’s so much faster than before. I’m going to tell all my friends to visit www.pww.org.

Marie LawrenceVia email

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