Cleaning house would assure a needed new course for nation.

Byline: Michael True

COLUMN: AS I SEE IT

Once again, a scheme lying us into war, this time against Iran, has been exposed. It's the most recent evidence of duplicity and cruelty that has characterized the worst administration in my 74 years; and many other Americans are rightly outraged by its behavior.

The shenanigans of the Bush/Cheney administration have been compounded by the Republican Party, voting overwhelmingly for policies that have undermined democratic governance and America's reputation among civilized people of the world. As several men and women in England said to me, during a recent discussion of U.S. foreign policy: "We're mostly liberal and anti-American here."

Although I understand foreigners criticizing our government, I was genuinely shocked by traditional allies openly expressing their disdain. In spite of our economic and military domination of much of the globe, the U.S. could usually count on the good will of most people - the English, as well as the Chinese. Today, colleagues in both countries remain in disbelief that Americans re-elected George Bush in 2004.

Some commentators regard recounting this tale of woe as "America bashing" or "Bush bashing."

But in truth, anyone who doesn't recognize the implications of Bush's policies and endeavor to resist them is not paying attention. One might even argue that such apologists care nothing about their native land or its people.

Although Democrats seldom distinguish themselves as the opposing party, in aiding and abetting Bush's neoconservative agenda, Republicans have disgraced themselves. In the next election, voters might reclaim our government by "throwing the rascals out" en mass, and taking direct and legislative action to repair the damage.

A minimum plan of action, in my view, would include:

altering a tax system that now punishes the middle class and favors the filthy rich;

providing health care for every person, through a system resembling that of other industrial countries around the world;

releasing innocent prisoners in Guantanamo who have been held in detention without trial for six years;

committing the U.S to the Kyoto agreement, as California and other states have done, and addressing threats to the mother of us all, planet Earth;

supporting labor unions responsible for many of us enjoying decent wages, working conditions, or retirement benefits; feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, and restoring social services, the hallmark of a civilized society; and

ending the war on Iraq and bringing the troops home.

Dare we hope that the Supreme Court will refuse to flush the right of habeas corpus down the toilet? Is it possible that investigative reporters and media professionals may fulfill their responsibility to provide reliable public information and discourse on domestic and foreign policy?

Until Americans expose the disasters associated with the Bush/Cheney debacle and right many wrongs associated with it, its domination system endangers the welfare of us all. And until elected officials-Republicans, Democrats or Socialists-alter the priorities of our government, we labor under the weight of this administration. Why tolerate a presidency unresponsive to our own needs and to the concerns of an interdependent world?

Michael True lives in Worcester.