THE PAST IS PROLOGUE

        The words we heard in the 2000 elections are being hurled at us again by Ralph Nader and his followers. "There is no difference between Kerry and Bush," they claim and urge us to vote for Nader. Are they right? Are Kerry and Bush indistinguishable or is Nader an egotistical, deliberate spoiler? Here are the bare bone features of the Bush/Kerry biographies for comparison:
        John Forbes Kerry

        Born December 11, 1943

        BA degree, Yale University, 1966
        Law degree, Boston College, 1976

        Navy officer, awarded Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat "V'' and three Purple Hearts for Vietnam War service, 1966-70

        Spokesman, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, 1971

        Middlesex County, Mass., Prosecutor, 1976-78

        lawyer in private practice, 1979-82

        Mass. lieutenant governor, 1983-85

        U.S. Senate, 1985-present

        Wife: Teresa
        two children, three stepchildren
        		 George Walker Bush

        Born July 6, 1948

        BA degree from Yale University, 1968
        MBA, Harvard Business School, 1975

        Texas Air National Guard

        .

        .

        .

        Worked in energy and 1988 campaign

        Managing general partner of the Texas Rangers

        Twice-elected Governor of Texas

        2000-present President

        Wife: Laura
        two children

        Both men were born into extremely rich and privileged families and are millionaires.

        From these brief bios we do find similarities. But they also show very clearly the lifestyle each carved out for himself. One man was concerned with helping others and the other with helping himself.

        We must also add that Kerry's life has been an open book while Bush's has been shrouded in secrecy with many documents under seal in his father's library.

        It is known that Bush abused alcohol and drugs and it is claimed that he has found Jesus and is no longer an abuser. The media has been forbidden to delve into those years of "youthful indiscretions" but Kerry's foibles are wide open and therefore fair game.

        In the present campaign, Bush has used Kerry's open record against him with mostly negative advertising while continuing to deny access to most of his own past. For this reason, we cannot compare the morality of their past years.

        As for Nader, the people that are now supporting him are not the same young activists of yore when, proudly known as "Nader's Raiders" they worked hard for consumer information and truth in advertising.

        The Nader PIRG's (Public Interest Research Group) that were established in many states carried on the work that made Nader famous and made his PIRGers proud.

        Nader promised them that he would never politicize their message and he broke his word. Disillusioned, they have continued the important public interest work without him.

        We are hearing much from the media about Kerry's flip-flops, but it is apparent that both men have changed their agendas at times. We declare this item a draw.

        There's flip and then there's flop. True, Senator Kerry has been known to flip, that is, change his mind when new evidence is presented.

        Bush, on the other hand is famous for his flops, that is, he makes bad decisions, and rides them without rhyme nor reason just like Dr. Strangelove did on the atom bomb.

        Certainly there are miles of differences between these two men which are obvious by looking at their past and what motivated them. Their past is prologue for the role they both seek and leaves no doubt which person is more fitted for the presidency.

        twanda@sover.net

        2004-023

        Copyright 2004 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: twanda@sover.net.

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