President Bush was
out on the stump yesterday, and he had some amusing lines about Nancy Pelosi.
Recently, the top Democrat leader in the House made an interesting declaration. She said, "We love tax cuts." Given her record, she must be a secret admirer. (Laughter and applause.) It's not just the so-called tax cuts for the rich she opposes. When we cut taxes for everybody who pays income taxes, she voted against it. When we reduced the marriage penalty, she voted against it. When we cut taxes on small businesses, she voted against it. When we lowered the taxes for families with children, she voted against it. When we put the death tax on the road to extinction, she voted against it. Time and time again, she had an opportunity to show her love for tax cuts -- (laughter) -- and she voted, no. (Laughter.) If this is a Democrat's idea of love -- (laughter) -- I wouldn't want to see what hate looks like. (Laughter and applause.)
But the most interesting point came in his discussion of foreign policy.
Let's talk about religion for a second. One of the great, great beliefs of America, and the fundamental cornerstone of our liberty is the fact that in America you can worship any way you so choose. If you're a Jew, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, atheist, agnostic, you're equally American -- equally American. That's a sacred right for all of our citizens. It's a right that we must never abandon in America. And it stands in stark contrast to what the enemies of freedom believe. They say if you don't worship the way they tell you to worship you'll be held to account. They say that if you don't view religion the way they view religion you'll be punished. We're in the ideological struggle of the 21st century. It's a struggle between rational and reasonable people who believe in basic freedoms, versus extremists and radicals who murder the innocent in order to achieve their objectives.
I don't think Bush has ever before framed the terrorist threat in these terms --reason v. unreason. Where do you s'pose he got that?
