Lies, Damn Lies and

Statistics. Polls out showing a growing number of Americans upset at the Iraq War. New poll showing that 57% of Americans believing the Iraq War was wrong; I'd be curious to see those numbers if:

A. Bush told Americans in 2002/2003 that a U.S. invasion was for toppling a dictator of a tyrannical government
B. The Defense Dept. had created a more sound war strategy
C. War planners had considered a backlash in insurgency
D. All of the above

Amazing what would have happened if Americans were told the truth about Bush's intentions; maybe Americans would have supported an offensive military measure in order to change regimes.

Polls showing that a growing number of Americans upset at Bush's handling of the Social Security issue. I'd be curious to see those numbers if:

A. Bush actually presented a well-thought out plan before announcing his dismantling the most successful program of the New Deal.
B. The cap on income was raised to include the upper- and upper-middle class, considering these are the people (soon to include my family) that will demand their social security when retirement age occurs.
C. Bush's hare-brained privatization scheme wouldn't create a two to three trillion dollar drain on an already-broke federal government
D. All of the above.

Polls showing that a growing number of Americans upset at the way Bush and social conservatives are attempting to not outnumber but silence and/or oppress political opposition over filibustering, rights of privacy, and the role of government. I'd be curious to see those numbers if:

A. The GOP actually stood for small government with less interference in people's lives.
B. People like Tom DeLay wouldn't act like fascists by threatening to impeach or defund the judiciary simply because he can't control the third branch of government.
C. Republicans like Bush's Attorney General and Senators like Rick Santorum (R-PA) believed that Americans have the fundamental right to privacy.
D. All of the above.

Polls showing that a growing number of Americans are livid over the Bush Administration's handling of prisoners of war (or whatever they're called depending on the political climate). I'd be curious to see those numbers if:

A. The U.S. wasn't abusing prisoners in Iraq.
B. The U.S. wasn't rendering prisoners to countries like Egypt or Uzbekistan that torture detainees.
C. The military showed that prisoners were giving up Osama bin Laden's home address, e-mail accounts or actual location.
D. All of the above.

Polls showing that a growing number of Americans are disapproving Bush's handling of the presidency, the war on terror, the economy, and the overall direction of the country. I'd be curious to see those numbers if:

A. Bush could talk in complete, coherent sentences at a press conference and not come off as the gimp that he is.
B. Bush didn't wag his "political capital" line in people's faces and then offend just about everyone except Condi Rice.
C. Bush would actually listen to the mood of the public, the majority of voters, the voice of history which will soon have a field day on his presidency, and moderate Republicans who are beginning to distance themselves from his policies.
D. John Kerry had won.
E (bonus). All of the above.

All I know is that next week, I'm teaching the Bush Administration in my U.S. history class next week and I am going to be unbelievably candid and analytical on his five years of office. I'm already hearing the witch hunt of "LIBERAL!" but if independent, objective analysis, comparison of Georgie to his predecessors, and the comparison of the Bush Administration with that of traditionally held values of liberty, freedom, justice and the rule of law, makes me a liberal, then I'm proud to be a Socialist.

Two days 'til Bruce.