The Power of Persuasion

Former presidential candidate, Ralph Nader, uses rhetoric while describing current president, George W. Bush's mentality on starting World War III, in his article The Bombs Away Mentality. In the article, Nader mocks Bush for stating Iran will start World War III if they are not prevented from developing nuclear weapons or having "the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon." Nader states that only the U.S. or Russia has the funding and the man power to start such a war and weapons of mass destruction would take 3 to 5 years before completion. In addition, the Pentagon is worried about the already drained military fighting in Iraq, a successful military strategy, and the consequences of Bush's bombs away mentality. Although Bush needs the backing of Congress before declaring war on any country, he seems to have it from both the Republican and Democratic parties. In the article, the New York Times concluded: "it was bad enough having a one-party government when the Republicans controlled the White House and both houses of Congress. But the Democrats took over and still the one-party system continues." Nader contributes this to two issues, fear and greed. The Democrats have repeatedly caved on critical constitutional regulations and policies and recently, Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson Jr., persuaded a Democrat to decrease the corporate income tax rate from by 10%, from 35% to 25%, during a decade of increasing record profits. Nader sites these examples to show Americans the corruption and abuse of authority that is taking place in the U.S. government.

Website:
http://www.counterpunch.org/nader10232007.html