It is a new semester and with it comes more harping and criticism from the Ed/Op page. Now, I am not here to lecture any of you, but rather to shine some light on a few things. So I will start with what seems to get the most attention in the media these days: the future election and democratic candidates. But does either party really care about you?

I’ll start with the GOP. Now I am still a Bush supporter, despite his shortcomings. I like that there hasn’t been a terrorist attack on American soil in two years. I’m glad he has been and remains committed (for the most part) to chasing after terrorists and the nations that harbor them. I’m glad the Taliban is gone, children can go back to school and women can go out in public in Afghanistan. I’m glad the Baath regime has been destroyed, Hussein’s sons are dead and Saddam will never brutalize anyone again. Al Qaeda is on the run and can do nothing more than send videos of Osama Bin Laden to Al-Jazerra Television. And it looks like the economy is coming back slowly.

However – and I hate to sound selfish – I don’t work my fingers until they bleed only to have enough money to put gas in my car. The president needs to get it through his head that the Saudis aren’t our friends. They’re screwing with our oil for fun and our government is allowing it. I am appalled by the number of soldiers that have died during post war Iraq. Why haven’t the troops been allowed to crack down on these people? I don’t need to know the details of how they plan to deal with North Korea, but I would like to know if they do have a plan. The weapons of mass destruction haven’t been found, but every objective thinking person knows they exist. Where are they?

Well, since the United Nation’s stalling gave Saddam plenty of time to hide them, the government might want to try looking in Syria, but I doubt they will. I doubt the government will also go after our so-called “friends,” the Pakistanis who might have been hiding Bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks. After Sen. Trent Lott’s verbal mishap last year, the Republican Party is so scared of the race card that they have stopped harping on sealing up the borders.

Now for the Democrats. Do I really have to get into what is wrong with that party? All you have to do is look at the great state of California. A state that is overwhelmingly made up of democrats has recalled its democratic governor. Pete Wilson left Governor Davis with a billion dollar surplus and he has given the state an economic heart attack. But that’s what happens when you sell your soul to special interest groups to get yourself elected.

Basically, if you’re a democrat, you spend 10 times the amount of money you have and then tax your citizens out of the state. The way Gov. Davis has ruthlessly and maliciously taxed his citizens makes the Sicilian Mob look like a bunch of creampuffs. What’s Davis’s idea of business as usual? Giving drivers licenses to illegal immigrants and taxing people who make $15K to 30K a year. He panders for votes while he sells out our national security.

Now let’s look at those candidates. Whether you like George Bush or not, you can’t say in good conscience that he has been a complete failure, as one candidate called him. With the exception of Sen. Lieberman, they have all taken their potshots at the Commander in Chief. Way to show your respect. Howard Dean is so smart that he aligns his plans for peace in the Middle East with the ones Bill Clinton had. Yeah, Billy Boy did a great job with the Middle East. Does anyone believe that Dean will go after terrorism or side with nations like France and Germany?

Al Sharpton touts himself as an advocate for minorities. But where does he find the time for them with that haircut and coming up with those one liners that get people all riled up? I apologize for not being able to remember the names of the other six idiots running for money, fame and power, but I doubt anyone can.

So, you see, no one is really looking out for you, and please don’t be fooled by rhetoric and sanctimony because neither party has the answers.