In the World War II era, all Americans assisted in the war effort to help out in any possible way . Anyone who was not fighting was saving waste fats for use in explosives, saving tin cans, eating leftovers, recycling paper, growing vegetables and canning them for home use, saving gasoline by driving cars slower and less often.

The war effort was much more expansive than today, where many Americans continue to drive sports utility vehicles and live in luxury. If an innocent bystander never picked up a newspaper or watched the news on TV, one would find little evidence that America is at war.

In the year 2000, President George W. Bush’s main campaign promised to lower taxes nationwide to give people more financial stability and economic freedom. This was very appealing to many wealthy Americans who were taxed more heavily under President Bill Clinton’s tenure. Bush won the 2000 election by a small margin and has since remembered his “base” of wealthiest supporters.

Although Bush promised tax cuts to all Americans, it is mainly the wealthy, upper-class who are receivie the larger benefits. The top 20 percent of earners received 69.8 percent of President Bush's tax cuts in his first term, according to Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Further evidence proves that millionaires received an average tax cut of $123,000 during this term while those in the bottom quintile of earners received an average tax cut of $27. Without helping out the less advantaged class, the economic divide that separates the upper class from the lower class grows larger.

Then on March 20, 2003, President Bush led this country into Iraq. Nearly four years later, with more than $350 billion tax payers’ dollars spent and most importantly with more than 3,000 Americans dead, America is still in Iraq.

Each day the amount of money spent on the war increases and unfortunately the amount of casualties increase as well.

Today America’s deficit is at a record high, while Americans are still receiving tax breaks thanks to President Bush’s “Compassionate Conservatism.” Something is wrong with these actions.

America should take some steps in the right directionand replace some of the greed implied by voting for tax breaks with a need to help the nation as in the World War II era in order to assist an America that is struggling to create equality in the life of the poor or middle class.

America is not a great nation just to the wealthy who have had opportunities to succeed; it is a great nation to all of its citizens regardless of social class.

May we remember those less fortunate than ourselves in future elections to make the American dream possible for all people.

Columnist: John Fiedler - 02/08/07