Opinion

Letter: Never forget Election 2000

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Blind fury raced through my veins as my eyes moved quickly over the page. To even hint that the American public could even attempt to forget the tragedy that occurred just one year ago is absurd. While it is true that our country has a fairly short memory and becomes infatuated with whatever CNN feeds it, there are many of us who will never forget last November.

One may argue that last year’s election is no longer on people’s minds due to the current events. On the contrary, I ponder that November night of uncertainty and the weeks following every single time the president makes a significant decision. Thoughts race through my mind of how things would have been different had the tables been turned.

The article states, “America has become a united, patriotic country proud of its political institutions and its leader, George W. Bush.” This is a false statement. There are Americans who believe that the retaliation tactics are inappropriate, but it seems that anyone who questions the president’s authority in this grand time of pseudo-patriotism is viewed as anti-American, or even worse, a potential terrorist.

However, if/when things get somewhat “back to normal,” then we will return to the issues that plagued us on Sept. 10, and then it will once again be acceptable to dispute the president’s actions and America will once again be divided, although we may have lost a few to the right side.

Lastly, I’d like to address the portion of the article that reads, “Politicians who once bickered over social security and taxes are cooperating.”

The fact that Congress is divided nearly evenly provides a good balance system and healthy discussion on new bills. This recent partisanship that we’ve been seeing is dangerous, as bills seem to be flying through Congress with little consideration for what they contain. Congress is one branch of the checks-and-balance system, and if they do not debate and discuss the issues, then they are not keeping the president in check.

Between the American public being afraid to speak out against their president and Congress not keeping the president in check, we’ve created a dangerously powerful leader.

Jessie Acker, UW junior