Liberals suddenly silent The shrill voices of the local Bush-bashers have grown surprisingly quiet, except for those fringe Democrats still demanding prosecutions for using enhanced interrogation methods on three high-level terrorists.

Now that Barack Obama is surging troops into the undeclared war in Afghanistan, where are the massive protests? Is expanding a war in the Middle East with no timetable for withdrawal, no exit strategy and a rising military and civilian body count suddenly acceptable? And whatever happened to those "Another Neighbor For Peace" and "No War For Oil" signs?

Now that Obama has decided to keep troops in Iraq for an extended period and to maintain some military tribunals for our Gitmo guests, where are the calls for his impeachment?

Now that Obama is authorizing predator drone attacks that have killed innocent women and children, where's the outrage?

Now that Obama has packed his Cabinet and high-level administration positions with long-term Washington lobbyists and serial tax cheats, where's the criticism? Where are the calls for congressional hearings and Justice Department inquiries into cronyism? Are these tax cheats paying their "fair share?"

Now that Obama has turned General Motors into Government Motors, nationalized private companies and set himself up as corporate America's titular CEO, where is the outcry for exceeding the constitutional authority of the office?

Now that Obama, with the full support of our new one-party system of government, has doubled our budget deficit and tripled our national debt, where is the clamor for fiscal restraint and anguish about impoverishing our children and grandchildren?

Why is it Bush could do no right, but Obama can do no wrong? Such selective indignation! The silence of the local liberals has become deafening!

DAVID HANVELT

Eau Claire