When George W. Bush campaigned for the presidency eight years ago, he promised to run as a conservative and also a uniter of both parties. Ha!

We had a record surplus under Clinton. Now we have a record deficit.

We were the most admired country in the world; now we are the most hated and feared.

While our nation is closing in on a recession, Bush is asking people to conserve gasoline. The dollar has become a joke.

Before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, oil was $25 a barrel. Today, oil has topped $100 a barrel. Corporate oil has profited billions more since the needless war. And, at last count, 4,000 of our young men and women have died in the ill-advised war in Iraq.

Yet, there are still folks out there who think Bush has been such an improvement over Clinton.

We are victimized by the top 10 percent, who control our fate because they control the money. Our politicians are getting richer while the working class is struggling more and more.

We need elected officials who care, and we should hold them accountable for their actions. Pay raises, pensions, health and welfare benefits should be approved by the voters.

My vote may not mean that much, but I still vote for the person, not the party.

I ask, is Bush a uniter or a divider?

Joe Voisine, Lewiston