MARIE WUJEK MORE COLUMNS Advertisement

Seems the closer we get to the election the more the truth is revealed.

I am not bitter; I passed bitter two or three years ago. I am downright angry as hell with the current administration and what they have done to this country over the last seven years.

The only way I could be any angrier is if I had voted the Bush-Cheney ticket.

The damage done can never be erased, but it can be stopped and corrective measures taken to right the wrongs in this country. They say hindsight is 20/20; we should learn from our mistakes, take it on the chin and correct the issues and problems facing this nation.

Blame can't just be placed on Bush and Cheney. They do, however, bear more responsibility than the elected officials that make up our Congress. Each administration is in charge of selecting qualified individuals to be their advisors, their roundtable, so to speak.

King George, his appointees, administrators, cabinet members and the powers that be have really done a number on the American people.

I think whoever is elected in November should make it one of the first priorities to form a committee and review every piece of legislation, every bill and every law passed by the Bush administration. Hindsight is 20/20; if it doesn't work, fix it.

We know President Bush can read, he was reading a children's book and observing a spelling lesson in a Florida elementary class that horrific morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Really, this only proves he can read large print and small words; it doesn't prove he comprehends what he reads.

Seems the President has a short attention span as more and more people are coming out and stating the only way to get him to read a report is to present it in a condensed version. I don't know how you can condense a 115-page report to a page and a half and not leave out the fine print. The fine print is what bites you in the butt every time.

These recently revealed secrets are the reason I believe the next administration needs to review everything this administration has done and the toll it has taken on the American people.

When the student is willing, the teacher will appear, as they say. I read an article recently that was, in my opinion, a real eye opener. I am sure other similar articles have been published and I somehow missed or ignored them. My hat goes off to Sen. John Ensign as this particular article exposed how things are really handled on Capitol Hill.

What caught my attention was the headline, something along the line of: "Ensign bucks putting extras in bill for Iraq funding."

The Republican Senator said earmarks might complicate Iraq War spending legislation and he will vote against it. Earmarks added to the request for $108 billion for the Iraq War include $5.25 million to aid Nevada health officials in the Hepatitis C outbreak and billions slated for road construction and repairs and other economic stimuli. Now it is not just the fine print that is costing this nation, it's the earmarks as well.

Now, this may be the only way to get funding for projects, economic stimulation, and programs and assistance for states in need. But it's wrong, plain and simple, wrong.

These are all separate issues and should be treated as such. Adding unrelated funding to a bill is an easy way to hide, and in some cases, pass legislation that would not pass under individual scrutiny.

The bill passed to lower taxes for the top 1 percent of America's most wealthy individuals also contained the elimination of the marriage tax penalty, plus, I am sure, several other fine print earmarks. What a bucket of bull we were sold on this -- lower the tax rate for the top 1 percent at a cost to the other 99 percent of the American people of lost federal revenue to the tune of $500 billion.

Remember the sales pitch on this tax cut: It will make America prosper, bring new jobs, and investment in America will increase.

Sorry, I haven't really seen where the average American has benefited from this tax cut. Most wealthy people are fairly intelligent; they didn't become wealthy by investing in losing propositions. Want to prevent class warfare? Maybe it's time to think about the other 99 percent.

Think carefully about what you wish for. Does this country really need a universal health care system controlled by the government? Not in my opinion.

I think we need universal health care reform. Special interest groups have totally destroyed our health care system. The only special interest group we should have in Washington is the "we the People" special interest group.

Stop, look, listen. Have you hugged a veteran today or talked with one recently? Ask them or someone in the military about their universal health care system. They have to fight for everything they get.

The programs and assistance available to the folks that devoted themselves, mind, body and soul, to protect and fight for our freedom are continually on the chopping block when the budget gets tight.

If we can't take care of our freedom fighters, what makes you think a universal health care system could possibly work, and what will it cost this country?

Throw in the Medicare debacle compounded by abuse of the system and fraud -- what an eye opener. I think I am ready to turn all my health care decisions over to the federal government. Not!

Do you actually think the economic stimulus package or "free money" Americans are slated to get in May will stimulate the economy? It won't. The vast majority of people I have talked with will use this "free money" to pay down credit card debt incurred due to the cost of living increase created by higher gas, energy and food prices.

In essence, it will be another large chunk of change to add to the ever increasing deficit that will be passed on to our children and grandchildren.

The terms fiscal responsibility, balanced budget, and conservative spending at one time were important issues and included in a candidate's platform when running for president. Fact is, this nation cannot afford the runaway spending, the ever-increasing deficit, and the "you scratch my back and vote to approve this bill and I'll throw in the money to rebuild the bridge in Madison County" type of spending.

We need a president ready, willing and able to turn back the clock and bring fiscal responsibility back to Capitol Hill. Out with the old and in with the new.

We need to elect senators and congressmen who vote our conscience, not what the self-serving lobbyists, PACs and special interest groups want. It's time to stop the envelope passing and buy-offs and get down to business.

It's time for change.