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Editor's Note: Below are readers' comments about our recent stories on George W. Bush's last-ditch campaign to save the Republican majorities in the House and Senate:

Another good analysis of the overboard nature of the current Republicans ["Bush Will Say Anything"]. Being the liberal/progressive Democrat I've always been - - I would venture to say it's the basic nature of most Republicans who have to concoct/fashion a distractive appeal to the lower & middle class in order to get them to vote against their own economic/political interests, but Bush & the right-wingers (with their 'squawk' radio hosts help) have captured a significant minority who think it's appropriate to make political choices based on essentially petty, irrelevant, things (ie; who's more fun to 'have a beer with'? who'll 'stand up' and 'won't blink first' ? who's more 'plain spoken'? who believes in God 'harder'?) or, as you described, on the WORDS alone of the speaker!

From your narrative of Bush's speeches, it's apparent he's putting his old cheerleading experience to especially good use (though it's a standard motivational practice by many speakers - - especially less intellectual ones - - to get crowds in the 'answering back' mode). It's reminiscent of high-school pep rallies or the religious revival meetings, and the high emotional component seems to be similar. At those functions too, it's considered bad manners and being a bit of an irrelevant spoil-sport to bring up 'facts'.

I believe that we've ALWAYS had a percentage of the population (I'd SWAG it at 10-15%, since it's usually not hard to find that many people who'll believe anything) that are politically like this, but when we get some 30-40% of the population not even participating in elections, that exaggerates the importance of this small 'emotionally driven' percentage.

Interestingly, John Dean was just on C-Span promoting his latest book on authoritarian personalities and their predominance in political conservatives. Some of the traits he mentioned (ie; almost irrational adherence-to/protection-of the decided up, simple world view) are very close to what your article described.

Anyway, we'll see what next week brings. (Here in Wisconsin the Republicans are predictably pushing the emotional issues of an anti-gay marriage amendment and a pro-death penalty amendment on the state referendum, while conveniently ignoring the 40+ local Iraq War referendum).

Emery Schmid

Franklin, WI

I majored in English, but could never get it together enough to write anything of quality. So I ended up selling insurance for a living. I have written some things lately, but they are over-the-top and radical. The reason I am so full of rage is the same reason as the majority of Americans have been pissed off since 2000, (nuff said.) However, I find myself in a Bizzaro world, (above and beyond the one we currently live in), when I go off to work each day.

I think it is best for business if you keep your politics and religion to yourself at work. I also just assumed that it was a good way to get fired, or at the least upset your customer base and loose business. Yet, on a daily basis, I am literally bombarded with right wing talking points and in your face political and evangelical lectures. It comes from employees and the employers alike. None of them loose their jobs. None of them are reprimanded. It doesn't even appear to hurt their business financially. Somehow I know that I would be "Dixie Chicked" if my opinions entered the workplace.

So needless to say when I take pause to write something I release the teeth that have been knawing at my tongue on a daily basis and bitch out loud as I begin to write. Below I have pasted a few short pieces I have written lately. As I said I am an insurance agent. I am also a husband and a father trying to support my family in a small town in Missouri. My brother-in-law is currently in the Missouri Army National Guard, and both of my little brothers are active duty Marines. Only the youngest, Steven, is currently serving in Iraq. I am part of the working class in America and also a multiple victim of George W. Bush's fascist New Roman Empire. Below are the rants of this pissed off American.

An Open Letter to John Kerry

Dear John Kerry,
Thank you for standing up to the Bush administration! I am also very sorry that you find yourself, once again, having to defend yourself against the lies of this administration and the Republican Propaganda machine. However, there is a way to "apologize" and still not back down. I would take every chance I could get in front of the media to say that I apologize for botching a joke about Bush and also for not being careful how I articulated myself knowing full well that they will use anything they can "out of context" to distort the truth. A good example is how they distorted the intelligence to get us in Iraq in the first place. I would apologize for "joking" about the most incompetent administration in American history. Because, "truth be told," there is nothing funny about having leadership that is this incompetent.

I would also apologize for allowing a bunch of neocons, most of whom have never wore the uniform of our armed forces, to twist and manipulate the words of a veteran into an attack against the men and women in our armed services. The apology should not be for what you said, but how it has been distorted and interpreted through those distortions. Tell them that the next time you tell a joke you will put on a rainbow wig and clown makeup! However, even though their incompetence and hubris is so blatant it is easy to make jokes, the results of their behaviors are no laughing matter. It's not funny what they have done to our reputation and good standing in the global community. It's not funny what they have done to this country. And most importantly it is not funny how they have used our heroes in uniform to further their agenda while claiming it is all in "support" of the troops. It is time to take back this country! It is also time to take back the debate as well as the English language they so often distort.

Mad as Hell and NOT going to Take it Anymore

The right wing fascists in this country claim to be on the side of freedom, but in reality they only believe in freedom for those who agree with them. Bush has made that clear with his “you are either with us or against us” mantra.I have decided to personally give the “Stepford Kool-Aid Drinkers” 4 choices when they make ridiculous right wing comments in front of me. I would hope everyone here would follow my lead.

Those choices are: 1)Debate me on the issues and make an ass of yourself when you find that hollow “talking points” have nothing to do with reality. 2)Get into a physical altercation with me and find out the hard way that not being “with” the Republinazis does not make you a p-ssy.

3)If you whole heartedly believe all the propaganda and think you can beat me one-on-one with the first two choices then you should really consider enlisting in the armed services because they need easily programmable, totally loyal, angry people who are ready for a fight. (I might add my little brother is serving in the Marines in Iraq and I will be glad to give you his recruiter's phone number).

The final choice: 4)Educate yourself on the issues, agree to disagree, and help us turn this country around. I can guarantee them the fourth choice is the only one they cant loose with! Those on the right prefer to silence any opposition instead of debating the issues. That is why they avoid talking about policy and go directly to personal attacks. This Independent voter has a spine and he is voting Democrat to stop the enabling of the most incompetent administration in our nation's history.

It's the Hypocrisy Stupid!

There has been much talk about the Republican "base" of Evangelical voters and Christian conservatives banding their flocks together to keep Republicans in power this election. However, many of them are starting to wake up to the fact that they are being used on a grand scale. And yet there are still those who are "asleep at the pew" and ready to vote Republican on baseless moral grounds.

I have a question I would love to ask of all the religious wingnuts. If their mythology is true and Jesus decided to come back tomorrow, how do they think George W. Bush, his demonic administration, and Republican enablers in Congress would react? A) Would they allow a peace loving, liberal, hippie to make peace on Earth and all men and women to be equal? OR B)Go to war with God to maintain their power, control, and fortunes?

They know the answer would be (B)! So my next question would be... Doesn't that make him the Antichrist according to their mythology??? That same mythology would also label a psuedo-religious leader, like Falwell, who supports their endtimes boogieman as a "false prophet." No wonder they call it a "flock!" These people are sheep!!! Maybe some are waking up to the fact they are being used after seeing the complete and total hypocrisy of the Republican party. It's hard for a president to convince anyone he is pro-life when it comes to banning stem cell research while thousands are being sent to their deaths in Iraq. It is also ironic that the very party that puts forth a homophobic agenda turns out to be full of closeted homosexuals and pedophiles. It's not what you say, it's what you do.

For real Christians and people of faith the mantra for the next election cycles should be, "It's the hypocrisy stupid!" We have all heard the acronym, "WWJD - What would Jesus Do," but a more suitable acronym in this age of hypocrisy would be, "WWTDTJ - What would They Do to Jesus!"

John from Missouri