It’s a little hard to believe there any “undecideds” left out there. But if you’re really on the fence – you’re the true Hamlet of Ohio, maybe, or maybe you just this second woke up from a four year coma – here are three reasons why you can’t vote for George Bush, and why you should vote for John Kerry.

Reason No. 1 (and this is from a Democrat who supported taking out Saddam): Could anyone have messed up this war more than Bush has? No weapons of mass destruction. No planning for the aftermath. Total loss of American credibility. Who will ever listen to Bush again? Plus $200 billion already blown. And no excuse for any of this because this was a war fought at a time of our own choosing! Imagine if Team Bush had to do it under some kind of time pressure.

Reason No. 2: We are not safer at home. It’s been three years since Sept. 11. You and me and a few good canines could inspect more cargo containers than the U.S. government does. Public health is a mess. Local cops are still begging for radios. The president says he’s not sure how we can pay for these things – while he fights for huge tax cuts for the rich at time of war!

Hear me, O Hamlet of Pennsylvania – are those your priorities?

Reason No. 3: Bush turned record surpluses into record deficits . . . and he doesn’t care.

Why? Because it’s fine with George Bush if 45 million people are uninsured . . . forever. Or if millions of families who work full time live at the edge of poverty . . . forever. Bush doesn’t even want us to pay for our own wars – he sticks our kids with the bill so he can keep his monster tax cuts for the rich.

Is all this sinking in?

There is no one on the ballot to hold accountable for poor judgment, epic mismanagement and perverse priorities but George W. Bush. There is no one on the ballot who can change course on all this except John Kerry.

I know – but you don’t want to have a beer with John Kerry. Well, here’s a news flash – you wouldn’t have wanted a beer with Winston Churchill either.

Kerry has his head screwed on right. You saw him in the debates; if you don’t think he looks like a solid choice standing next to George W. Bush, you may be beyond persuading.

Kerry cares – for real – about health care, schools and the environment. He volunteered for battle. He’s devoted his life to public service.

We can still give George Bush the gold watch and honest thanks for ridding the world of Saddam Hussein. But vote for Kerry. Make his win big enough so that there’s no overtime.

With so much real work to do, this is no time for the country that’s the hope of the world to plunge into chaos again. One contested election is a freak of history. Two in a row spells banana republic.

Matthew Miller is a syndicated columnist and author. Reach him on the Web at www.mattmilleronline.com.

Copy the Story Link