Not only was it known that the Bush administration encouraged the use of torture, it was shown to be standard practice when the Abu Ghraib abuses surfaced in the spring of 2004. It was obvious that the actions of the personnel at the prison were a direct result of the tone set by the administration and its lackeys and apologists in the Justice Department. This information became public months before the election.

There were other facts on the public record as early as 2004 that pointed to malfeasance by the Bush administration. The main justification for the war had been shown to be false. A war without justification is a war of aggression and can be considered a war crime under international standards of justice.

And yet, even knowing all of the above, a majority of the electorate voted Bush/Cheney back in office.

Many of those who voted for Bush in 2004 have come to regret it. Unfortunately, many more people around the world and in this country have suffered real  harm as a result of their votes. It is not enough to say, "I'm sorry I voted for Bush" They cannot wash the blood off their hands with an apology at this late date.

The truly sad part in all of this is that there are people who are about to make the same kind of mistake in this election. Anyone who knows John McCain's penchant for military action and votes for him anyway will be as responsible as McCain if this country enters a war with Iran. They will have blood on their hands as surely as those who voted for Bush in 2004.

A war with Iran is not the only situation that might end in bloodshed. McCain's penchant for conservative justices, as repeatedly stated by McCain himself, could lead to court rulings that will adversely affect the weakest members in our society.

His opposition to any realistic reform of the health care system in this country will leave many people to fall through the cracks and lead to deaths and severe complications for many. He has already shown how he feels about this issue with his vote on the sCHIP bill. That vote helped leave millions of children uninsured. His support for conservative justices could lead to a reversal of Roe v Wade that could in turn lead to back-alley abortions and deaths for some women.

John McCain also supports economic policies that will increase the inequity in this country. That inequity will in turn lead to financial disaster and hard times for many who are struggling to remain above the poverty line. How many people will choose suicide rather than face a lifetime of poverty?

Anyone who is considering voting for McCain had better stock up on lots of hand soap. You are going to need it to get all that blood off your hands.