By
The Laura Winsky
On Clinton's second day in office, in 1992, he re-instated international financial aid to programs in developing nations that use family planning as a means to combat population surges and poverty issues.
On Bush's first full day in office, he cut that aid. It was the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade.
Sigh.
I'm afraid that the next four years will be an eternal comparison between the Clinton we'll never have again and the Bush we have to deal with. That kind of whining will get old, fast.
But Bush isn't off to a great start if he was trying to avoid comparisons. In a way, I feel sorry for the guy. He now holds one of the most prestigious offices in the world. But the whole process was marred by controversy over pregnant, butterflied, dimpled, lynched chads. And as Dubya took office, more people were talking about Clinton's wife, legal trouble and future than they were talking about his inauguration speech. Bush has to follow a hard act. He'd have to turn out to be an alcoholic/cocaine addict to be wilder than Clinton.
But my sympathy for Dubya can only go so far. In fact, I'm shocked. I've been had. Bush really pulled the wool over my eyes. He told us he was a compassionate conservative. I thought he was sincere. He hired African-American gospel singers to perform at the GOP convention. Surely, I told myself, this proves that the entire party has changed. Republicans will no longer ignore minority issues.
Alas, the compassion has already been thrown out the window - whether it ever existed is something for the scholars to debate.
But this I am sure of: there are too many people in this world living in poverty.
An optimistic fool, as I often am, would say that no one should have to live in poverty. So if zero poverty is the goal, then perhaps the world has missed the mark. Indeed, poverty is a complicated problem. As we just witnessed this week, abortion can play into world financial issues, and abortion is like a Catch 22. As a topic of heated discussion, it has been run into the ground. I believe that the right answer can't be found to the left or the right. So, as you can imagine, I was star struck when Bush told Leslie Stahl that "abortion happens," and the best way to handle the situation was to make sure "it's safe" and "to continue to educate against abortion."
"Dubya!" I exclaimed with great delight. "Common ground! Maybe we really can reach compromise on some subjects!"
Of course, that was two days before the inauguration. Once he came into absolute power, well, you know how the saying goes.
"It's not his fault!" I can hear Republicans cry.
Certainly it's not. He's got people to answer to. He made promises on the way up the ladder, and not just to the Christian Coalition. He owes the NRA, oil and big business. This international financial aid cut is just the first of several paybacks he will complete in the next few weeks. And that's a plague that affects all politicians, not just Republicans.
I'd like a list of every developing nation that George W. Bush has visited. And I'd like to see the itinerary from the vacation. Because sandy beaches and drinks with little umbrellas don't count. I'd like to know if he's met any of the women who, at least last week, had a chance to be counseled through a program that, thanks to Bush, will be starved of funds.
But Dubya is too busy. He's planning his next "compassionate" policy.
