What a difference four years make -

[Democrat 4 Ever]

I wish someone would run an ad about the difference between four years ago and today. Yes, 9/11 happened but this is more than one event, this is complete and total chaos resulting from mismanagement, lies, cheating and scandals. People need to ask themselves, "Are you better off today than you were four years ago. And do you think it will get better with four more years of BushCo management?" Some of things to point out:

2000 versus 2004 -

Gone is a strong, stable economy after eight years of Democratic leadership.

2000 had no unjust war, was not bombing and destroying a nation that did not attack us. 1,100 people were alive that since have died for an agenda that was in place from Jan. 20, 2001 - not from 9/11

Gone is the reliability of an administration to get the intelligence right, budget figures correct and to tell us the truth - we have been consistently lied to about everything for the last four years - everything. We now have a government shrouded in secrecy, meetings and reports hidden from the citizens.

Four years ago we had a intellectual, savvy, strong leader who surrounded himself with intellectual, savvy and strong people - not sycophants who cater to the whims and needs of corporations and special interests. We had a president who was curious and informed, now we have a president who revels in not reading, asking questions or working hard.

Americans in 2000 felt safe, and if threaten was strong enough not cower in fear with flashing red and orange alerts. I know, that was before 9/11 but when did we become a nation of nervous Nellies scared of any and everything? We have never let fear dictate to us like so many do today. We WAS the nation of boldly going where no man has gone before, we are now the nation who buys duct tact and bottled water and HOPES nothing bad happens HERE again.

World respect - we are now hated. Even our allies hate us. And after pissing on every other country's view that doesn't agree with the cowboy wannabe, this administration has to go back and ask for help from the UN on bended knee. Never mind that we can't even ensure our people can get enough flu vaccine without asking for help from the very people that BoyGeorge and his cohorts so dismissively ignored.

Military stretched so thin it is breaking down in places. Personnel committing crimes, needed equipment missing, support and benefits to our soldiers being cut.

More jobs gone, more people lost health care, cost rising.

In 2000 we had a diverse religious community where most lived peacefully side-by-side, now various religious groups are fighting among themselves and with non-religious, all tearing at each other throats with ideological wars ripping us further apart.

Our Constitution was a strong and viable document that worked to ensured fair and equal treatment under the law for ALL citizens. The Patriotic Act now makes that a fractured and weak possibility.

AND - here is a biggie -

We didn't need armed guards or leagues of attorneys for the citizens to exercise their right to vote. We now know that elections can (and will) be stolen.

What have we become in four short years? And why would anyone want this trend to continue? We went from a beacon of global leadership to the laughing stock of the planet, we went from being admired by vast numbers of countries the world over to being the best recruitment tool for terrorists.

Feel free to add your own changes, I'm just so pissed to see this wonderful country in such a d*mn mess and there are 45-50% of likely voters that think it is OK.

[RoyGBiv]

1. Thanks for that ...

I sometimes wonder if people actually realize how much has changed since 2000. And, it was not 9/11 specifically that changed things, although that event served as a catalyst for speeding change. It began the night of the election. I remember clearly this sense of foreboding creeping into my mind. By the time the SC installed the Shrub, and especially after witnessing Gore forced to preside over the confirmation of the votes, I knew my whole world had changed and not for the better.

I vaguely remember what 2000 was like. The changes have been so dramatic and severe that they've overwhelmed the sense of continuity that normally allows me to recall such things. It was a line of demarcation between better times and bad times. The world is turned upside down.

If we don't win this election in less than two weeks, I don't want to imagine how bad it will get.