1 I am an indepedent voter and am frankly afraid and appalled this election year. We are supposed to be a nation that can compromise when it comes to difficult issues. The problem is that it is hard to do so with someone who sees only black and white. Such is the case with George W. Bush. > > Everything I have been reading and hearing says that the country is divided like never before. The Democrats only agenda is to get Bush out of office and they are braced for the battle of a lifetime. Unfortunately, the democratic nominee is not a strong one. John Kerry is seen as a waffler on too many issues. He holds the reigns of the party only out of fear of a Bush victory. > > On the other hand it seems, the Bush team has a very limited agenda also, which is the war on terror and the lining of their own pockets. The Republicans have to consider that there is a real possibility of defeat in November. The Bush/Cheny ticket poses another problem as well. If they do get elected, the margin will be a narrow one and they will have an uphill battle fighting all the antipathy created not only in this country, but the rest of the world. I don't see how he can be an effective president. Is he going to attack another country in the name of terrorism when his approval ratings sinks? > > I wish George W. would recognize that his sucess after 9/11 is a thing of the past and it is time for the country and the world to move on. If he were a real leader he would recognize this and bow out for the sake of world hormony. But I know he is not the kind of person that could admit to making some mistakes and put other's interest ahead of his own. Therefore, I call on Governor George Pataki to step up to the plate and arrange a team that could convince the Republican delegates that he is a much safer choice and a candidate that could beat John Kerry. > > Everyone would win, except for Bush/Cheny but who cares. Our children could have hope again and grow up in a much safer world. > > David Stephenson MD

2 So, Dr. Stephenson, do you often post forwards of your own chain emails as comments to political blogs? Or are you just spewing divisive MoveOn.org rant-bait for fun? The Bush team's agenda is limited to "lining their own pockets?" Sounds like slanderous slime-ball smear tactics to me, Dr. Stephenson. Maybe you should listen to your own "independent" partisan rhetoric.