As the bloated, decaying corpse of the Bush Administration is towed out to sea for safe sinking, it is important for us to remember the incredible damage that the last 8 years have done. If Mr. Obama can recover something of our national honor, national treasure, and international reputation, he will have accomplished miracles.

1) The Iraq war: The war began with lies, was run by incompetents, and has created vast numbers of enemies for our country. The next 20 years will be consumed in recovering from this shameful period. The war was entirely unjustified, and we knew it at the moment we invaded. We had the knowledge of the false war, and Bush invaded anyway. Bush and Cheney should be tried as war criminals.

2) The national debt: In 8 years, Bush/Cheney have doubled our long-term national debt. This is due to the incredibly stupid conservative economic idea that you can cut taxes, run two wars, and cut no programs. Bush and Cheney should be tried as economic criminals.

3) National unity of the United States: The Republican Party has used social issues and hot-button emotional nut ideas to divide the United States. In the last eight years, one group after another has been used as a bogeyman. Our nation is one nation, not the good guys versus the bad guys. The Republican Party has done this divisive, hateful politics because they know that they have loser issues. Bush and Cheney should be tried as national unity criminals.

4) Our international reputation: First there was the Iraq war. Then there was the banking crisis, another Republican mess created by stupid deregulation. It will take a long time for other non-Americans to respect us. Bush and Cheney should be tried as international criminals.

5) The environment and science policy: Bush has done everything possible to damage the environment and has damaged science policy. From drilling for oil in national parks to breaking his campaign promise to regulate carbon to muzzling scientists to forcing science policy executives to actually lie, Bush/Cheney have done great harm to the environment, to our scientific competitiveness, and to the future ability to compete. Bush and Cheney should be tried as science criminals.

It has not taken long for the Republican letter writers to begin to try to damage his presidency and he has not yet been inaugurated. We must all support Mr. Obama, as he tries to restore our country from the incredibly damaging 8 years of Republican misrule under Bush. For those Republicans in the audience, you should spend your time apologizing for your votes for Bush, rather than criticizing Obama.

Paul Thompson
Belleville