Jeffrey Simpson is a syndicated columnist in Canada who wrote a recent article about what he called "the three D’s." He said:

"The United States under (Bush’s) leadership, spends more than it raises in taxes, imports more then it exports and uses more energy than the country can produce domestically."

He went on to point out that if report cards were being issued, Mr. Bush would get three D’s: a fiscal deficit, a trade deficit and an energy deficit. Mr. Bush had inherited a fiscal surplus of $236 Billion when he became president in 2000, under his watch the deficit was $248 Billion last year. His tax cuts for the rich and his inability to control spending are the reason. The "war" since September of 2001 has cost $602 Billion. The war has been 85% military spending and 15% non-military for reconstruction, relief, diplomacy or foreign aid, which explains in part why it has been such a failure. The U.S. now has a $5 Trillion debt. The Chinese hold a large part of that debt and this is the highest debt to GDP ratio since WW II. The U.S. imports about 30% of it’s total energy needs. Every month the U.S. spends $23 Billion to import the petroleum it needs. In addition, Iraq is a total catastrophe with no exit strategy and no victory possible.

So, as Mr. Simpson says, not only is all of that true, but the Bush administration’s foreign policy merits a D and his domestic economic policy merits a triple D. To which I say Amen and I fear for the person who takes over as the new president with this total mess to deal with that will be left behind.