The exodus from the Bush administration may be likened to rats jumping off a sinking ship. Karl Rove, one of the most vicious political strategists in United States history, along with incompetent Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, are two Bush cronies to decamp Washington.

Is America better served by their absence? It doesn’t matter.

America’s future depends on undoing the failed “leadership” of Bush and the Republicans.

There is abundant evidence Republicans are trying to distance themselves from their misdeeds. It’s the “Alice in Wonderland” approach that cast war hero John Kerry as “weak,” while George Bush claimed to be “strong,” even though he had National Guard spot stateside during Vietnam.

Republicans must be held accountable. The future of the United States depends on it.

As many Americans count the days until Bush is out of office, the challenges ahead are the main issue now. The surest way to undo the harm inflicted upon this nation by Bush and Republicans is to elect Democrats.

Meanwhile, Republicans continue to promote the vaunted forthcoming report on the troop “surge” in Iraq, even while military experts admit the Army is so stretched it can’t maintain the “surge” beyond spring 2008.

Lest anyone think the next Republican crop will be different, consider recently the Bush administration admitted the forthcoming report from Gen. David Patraeus will be written by the White House.

More Republicans will mean the same outcomes. Their approach is fundamentally flawed.

Electing Republicans in 2008 means the same dog, just different fleas.

Mark Tardif, Waterville