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In a Dangerous World, We're Better Safe than Sorry
By Bonnie Chernin Rogoff
March 15, 2004

Recalling former President Reagan's 1980 campaign refrain of "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" it seemed an easy question to answer back then. A sagging economy, high inflation and a disastrous foreign policy culminating with the Iranian hostage crisis sealed the fate of a former peanut farmer from Georgia.

If we fast forward from 1980 into 2004 we should ask ourselves the question: "Are you and your neighbors safer than they were four years ago?" The answer is a resounding yes, unless you are John Kerry and his ilk that attempt to malign and distort the accomplishments of President Bush with 1960s platitudes and outright lies about his record.

The fireworks started with the release of the 9-11 Bush ads paying tribute to the bravery and courage of the rescuers and victims that lost their lives that day. Americans were reminded about how much safer we are today and how elusive national security can be with the wrong policies and leaders in place. Democrats everywhere starting producing the "talking points" that would be echoed by hand-selected 9-11 victims' families on sympathetic (anti-Bush) media outlets such as NBC's Today Show with Katie Couric. President Bush has every right to use the 9-11 events as a backdrop for the upcoming campaign.

How can one ignore one of the most horrific terrorist attacks in this century and the obvious aftermath of improved security in the U.S. and other countries around the globe? Imagine asking a history professor to omit the Civil War from discussions of the Lincoln presidency or Pearl Harbor and World War 2 for FDR. The Kerry camp should soul search and think about how many Vietnam veterans felt betrayed by his anti-war efforts in the 1970s. Senator Kerry reveals himself a heretic to our Constitution and a hypocrite for tossing the war medals of another soldier over the White House fence while claiming they were his own.

Allegations against President Bush and Vice President Cheney for their oil interests and outsourcing American jobs overseas are distorted. When opportunity knocks, John Kerry opens the doors wide to foreign markets for profits as demonstrated by his support of improved relations with Vietnam while his cousin (C. Stewart Forbes) was busy brokering a $905 million deal to build a deep-sea port in Vietnam. In her March 12, 2004 Washington Times column, "Kerry's Axis", Diana West points out that he and his wife Teresa's own company, HJ Heinz, outsource food processing overseas for 57 of their 79 factories. As Ms. West relates, "American jobs are being exported to Botswana, Thailand, China, India and other countries". Remember the public outcry about Haliburton's Iraq contracts and the link to Vice President Cheney? It seems that the mud sticks only if you are a Republican.

Stretching the truth is ok if you are a Senator from Massachusetts with a voting record more liberal than Teddy Kennedy. At a recent Florida fundraiser Kerry claimed: "I've met foreign leaders who can't go out and say this publicly, but boy, they look at you and say, "You've got to beat this guy, we need a new policy, things like that." Kerry refused to name names because there is no evidence that these meetings ever took place except in his own imagination. Only our enemies and false friends (France & Germany) would favor such a foreign policy change from the "Bush Doctrine". Along with Russia, these traitor nations accepted Saddam's blood stained oil money and were genuinely disturbed at America's invasion of Iraq.

Unfortunately, the War on Terror has taken a backseat for most Americans. Without tangible threats and a direct attack on American soil, apathy replaces admiration for the President's Iraqi War and ongoing security policies. This complacency brings with it contempt for the administration promoting this new era of safety. The Kerry camp seeks to exploit this complacency at our expense. It recognizes that sound security policies are often silent and easily forgotten until the next deadly attack.

The horrific train station bombings in Madrid last week are a disturbing reminder of how vigilant and strong our anti-terror policies must be. Appeasement, apologies and social engineering cannot improve America's security. Only consistent and unapologetic policies can help protect our nation from its enemies within and outside our borders. We need to support our President's courageous efforts in this continuous fight.

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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.