Edward Sawaya

Grove City

Much has been written and broadcast in recent months regarding President Bush wanting as part of his legacy peace in the Middle East.

For over six years, he believed the Middle East was North Carolina and the opponents were Duke and the Tar Heels. He found out too late where the Middle East was and the opponents were Israel and Palestine.

He won’t enjoy that part of his legacy but he has set many records during his presidency. They include at least the following major items:

• The national debt has almost doubled and now totals almost $10 trillion.

• He turned budget surpluses to annual deficits in the $400 billion range, year after year.

• The Bush-Cheney combination of arrogance and indifference to other nations has made the U.S. a “most hostile nation” in many of the world’s countries and regions.

• Due to Bush’s fiscal policies, the dollar has lost its value in the international marketplace almost halving in value over the last seven years.

• The “cheap dollar” has increased our world oil cost by 40 to 50 percent causing the current energy crisis with no end in sight. Other nations are less affected because other major currencies are strong against the dollar.

• Our trade imbalance grows each year and is approaching $1 trillion annually.

• We are bogged down in a seven-year war with no end in sight. Thousands of our men and women have lost their lives in a very ill-advised and unnecessary war.

• Record tax cuts for the wealthy and large corporations have widened the wealth gaps between the upper and lower portions of society.

• Katrina, our largest ever national disaster, was mishandled with countless billions wasted or not accounted for.