In publishing this letter, I do not expect a reply, nor do I wish to initiate a debate. I simply want to go "on the record" with my deep feelings on this issue.

I voted for George W. Bush the first time, but not for his re-election. Initially, he said all the right things. He was a man of integrity and faith and promised the same from his administration. He had been successful as a governor in bringing opposing factions and political interests together for the overall good of his state. He promised the same for his Presidential administration. He seemed to recognize the problems facing the country--at least he said he did. Initially, I was optimistic for our country and its new leader.

As his administration wore on, it became increasingly clear that his campaign and even inaugural promises were nothing more than empty words. It became readily apparent that what was being said by the President and the key leaders in his administration was the message they wanted us to hear and believe, not necessarily what was true and right.

9/11 revealed his ideology and his willingness to follow that ideology regardless of advice or circumstances. A Congress of his own party proved unwilling to challenge him, seemingly too busy working to satisfy the desires of special interest contributors to their political campaigns. He and his party claimed certain fundamental precepts... and then conducted themselves in a totally opposite manner.

President Bush's two terms proved that many senior members of his administration did not have the morals or integrity that Bush promised at the outset. Almost two dozen of them have been investigated, indicted or convicted of serious offenses. The same is true of the members of Congress of his same party, During the two terms of the Bush presidency, almost 5% of the entire membership of the House and Senate have been investigated, indicted or convicted of serious crimes. The vast majority of those officials were of the President's party.

Yet Bush never wavered in his focus on his fundamental ideaology--attempting to plant democracies around the world, particularly in the Middle East. His narrow focus was at the expense of providing leadership to address longstanding and worsening domestic problems facing the country. Health care, Social Security, Medicare, a badly devaluing U.S, dollar, no action on environmental issues other than those that worsened the world we live in, turning a federal surplus to the largest national debt in the history of the country in only eight years, no effort to create an energy policy even in the face of skyrocketing oil and gas prices, no effective action to address the eroding educational standards of our children, and on and on. As much as I try, I can think of little of a positive nature that has been accomplished by this President, his majority party or the people he chose to play key roles in his administration. Yes, "he" won a two-week invasion-war in Iraq. But then the gross, even criminal, mismanagement of the occupation of both Iraq and Afghanistan in the almost six years since far outweighs the initial accomplishment.

This President has been willing, even totally committed, to spending the country's treasure and sacrificing the lives of thousands of fine young people in the prolonged pursuit of his personal ideology. He will leave office with an economy that is seriously broken, with tens of millions of Americans with no health care, with a military that is frustrated and worn out, with a Congress which has proven no ability or willingness to meet their political adversaries halfway for the good of the country, and having lost the trust and respect of most of the rest of the world. On President Bush's watch, the U.S. changed from a respected world power, with the strongest economy on earth and a series of domestic problems that were definitely solvable, to a country who's reputation, economy and ability to influence world affairs are in serious decline as well as a set of domestic problems that would be difficult to resolve because of inadequate resources and a political will which has been polarized by his leadership.

There is almost no factor by which the Bush administration can be measured in which things are better now than when he took office in 2001. I am convinced his administration will eventually be viewed as one of the most disastrous eight years in the history of our country. I will celebrate the inauguration of his successor, whichever candidate that might be. Whether it be John McCain or Barack Obama, either of them could hardly do worse.