MR. WAR CRIMINAL PRESIDENT

George W. Bush has morphed into the stealth ex-President since January 20, 2009, when his presidency ended. He has rarely appeared in public or the media, but he has kept busy giving speeches before friendly only crowds such as the June 2 appearance before the Economic Club of Grand Rapids, MI. Although these speeches aren't recorded least Bush offer a gaffe for posterity, un-contradicted reports have Bush bragging about water boarding terrorist Khalid Sheik Mohammed, adding he would do it again, "if it would save lives."

This is not new ground for the former President. He and his Vice President, Dick Cheney, have made water boarding, which is torture and a war crime, a badge of honor to garner style points among their political faithful. It doesn't penetrate the Bush mentality that water boarding violates not only international law but the edits of every administration from George Washington during the Revolutionary War through President Obama, who banned such torture in one of his first acts as President.

We should not feel shame for Mr. Bush who doesn't get it and apparently never will. We should feel shame for ourselves and our country for permitting a former leader to to get away with torture as President and then boasting about it as ex-President.

It is tradition to call a former Commander in Chief "Mr. President" when introducing or referring to him. We should make a one time break from this tradition and for the rest of his life refer to the 43rd President as "Mr. War Criminal President".