Our elected presidents have sworn to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. In other words, to promote the common good for all citizens. Has President Bush fulfilled his oath?

Historically, dividing people into classifications is not new to the world. Prior to the Civil War the US had slavery. Prior to World War II, the Democratic Society of Germany classified Jews for extinction. Then when Germany preemptively attacked Czechoslovakia because it was a supposed threat, Germany classified Czechoslovakians as slaves.

The first class we have in the US is the Rich Class who can afford $2,000/plate political dinners in exchange for large tax breaks. The Bush Jobs and Growth Tax Cut Act granted the wealthiest individuals, making over $one million, an average of $112,925 in tax breaks, while the average/median tax payer has received $470. Robert Kuttner said in his article, “Social Security: Finally An Honest Debate”, that we could keep social security solvent by cutting benefits for 96 percent of the people or reduce the tax cuts for the top two percent. (March 15, 2004 Business Week).

Social security could be replenished, but it won’t be, not this term. Bush has chosen to ignore social security solvency and continues to push to make his tax cuts permanent.

Business Class profits have grown by dismantling environmental laws such as the Clean Air and Water Acts, the elimination of 41 worker safety laws, and the weakening of worker overtime wage laws. Businesses have received large tax breaks in which to increase profits and productivity but they have not been given incentives to hire people and retain jobs in the US.

The Working Class has received a small federal tax break. The lower 60 percent of wage earners have received an average of $304 in exchange for higher state and local taxes, and slashed services as local governments are forced to comply with federal mandates in education, Medicare, and national security.

The future of America, the Child Class, will receive a large debt from the Bush administration: an estimated $2.4 trillion deficit over the next ten years. In April of 2001 Bush projected a $334 billion budget surplus for the coming year. Now the current projection for next year, excluding the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, is over $500 billion in deficit. Where did that $834 billion go?

For the kids of the Rich Class, economic inequity will be protected by eliminating inheritance taxes. As for poor children, they have already seen their medical coverage diminished, while the powerful voting Seniors Class will see an increase in their medical benefits through a Medicare drug benefit.

Young Adults spill their blood for a war based on deception and are increasingly required to pay for their parents and grandparents social security benefits and Medicare with little chance to receive anything near what they contribute.

Our common good is enhanced by strong international relations. However, not only have we divided ourselves from the international community, we have put them on notice. We seem to be more interested in targets than friends as the president invokes the Darwin Theory of Statesmanship: The strongest always triumph; the more able win; the less able loose; and we the right to preemptively attack.

Hitler also believed in the Darwin Theory.

Our common good requires a president who will preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States everyday without exception. But now we have the Patriot Act that suspends our due process, and eliminates many duties and responsibilities of judicial branch of government. The separation of powers has been compromised under the Bush administration as the legislature and judicial branches of government have seen their responsibilities shift—or rather, taken over by the executive branch. Bush has thrown both foreign nationals and US citizens in prison and thrown away all their rights.

“No Child Left Behind” is really about federal government forcing school districts to follow its mandates or lose federal funds. It assumes that Washington bureaucrats, not local educators and parents know what is best for our kids.

Next, Bush now wants to create another classification of people with a constitutional amendment that limits who can get married.

Bush clearly presents himself as the “father” that knows best. “Who can properly use American power in a way to make the world a better place?... Who understands times are changing and how best to have policy reflect those times?…I know exactly where I want to lead the country,” Bush said to Tim Russert on Meet the Press (2/8/04).

Bush’s philosophy is clear: It’s my way or the highway. His uncompromising position with the United Nations on Iraq made that philosophy clear.

Does our current president represent the common good of all? Is Bush the King with un-checked power, the intimidating Godfather, the intolerant Führer, or a president working to safeguard the future of all Americans? There is no doubt that he is very good at taking care of his own people. Unfortunately that seems to include only two percent of America.

Rich Heinrich