A letter written by Brad Nordby in the Dec. 10 paper was ironically titled "Untruths from the president," when the entire basis of his letter was untrue.
President Bush was quoted to say, "This economy is strong and people are working." Nordby responded to this by pointing out the fact that General Motors is laying off workers and the Ford Motor Company is closing plants.
The statistics as of Dec. 2, 2005, can better tell us about unemployment rates than the downfall of a few companies. The statistics reported that our unemployment rate is down to 5 percent, down from last year's 6.3 percent, and below the averages of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, even with high gas prices and natural disasters. More than 4 million jobs have been filled in the past 2½ years. It sounds to me like our nation's unemployment rate continues to improve.
Nordby stated, "Bush also said our involvement in Iraq was done as of May 1, 2003." And he later wrote about Bush, "This guy isn't even a good liar."
The only thing I found remotely close to Nordby's accusations was this statement said on May 1, 2003, by President Bush and posted on the CBS News Web site: "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended." He later went on to tell of how our job in Iraq is far from done, and we will be there as long as it takes to rebuild and secure Iraq.
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I agree with Nordby on one point he made -- God-fearing people should tell the truth.
Ryan Damhof
Willmar
