The Bush Administration: A Critical Examination

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In summary, every American friend of mine thinks Bush lies constantly, and is sickened when their fellow Americans beileve his crap. They all think he has no right to be in office, and every American friend of mine thinks Bush cuts education and homeland security funds.

Shrub for president!

  • Bush is rightfully in office. I will vote for him.

    Votes: 3 18.8%
  • Bush is rightfully in office. I will vote for someone else.

    Votes: 3 18.8%
  • Bush is illegally in office. I will vote for him.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Bush is illegally in office. I will vote for someone else.

    Votes: 10 62.5%

  • Total voters
    16
  • #1
Adam
65
1
So, for those Americans here, who will you vote for? Every American friend of mine hates Bush, and thinks he has no right to be in office. Every American friend of mine thinks Bush lies constantly, and is sickened when their fellow Americans beileve his crap.

Some say it is unpatriotic for Americans to say bad things about their government. I say you have guaranteed freedom of speech for a reason, and it is not only your right, but your duty, to criticize the government if you don't like what they are doing.

Let's have a look at Bush's record...

All About George Bush

Here's a short list of the top 7 reasons we're running this ad campaign against President George W. Bush and his administration. We hope this informs your own commercials, and inspires you to look further into the policies of the Bush Administration and their effect on the American public.

1. It appears that the Bush Administration has consistently misled the American public about Iraq , most significantly regarding Saddam Hussein's possession of weapons of mass destruction and his ties to al Queda and Osama bin Laden.
http://www.fair.org/press-releases/beyond-niger.html [Broken]

2. The Bush Administration's regressive environmental policies have lowered cleanliness standards for our air and water while allowing utility companies (many of whom are Bush campaign contributors) to profit off of the weakened regulations. In 2002, the head of the EPA's Office of Regulatory Enforcement resigned, complaining that the agency was “fighting a White House that seems determined to weaken the rules we are trying to enforce." (CNN, Aug. 22, 2002)
The Bush Record on the Environment for 2003:
http://www.nrdc.org/bushrecord/2003.asp

3. Bush is underfunding education. The President cut $200 million from his own No Child Left Behind Act, eliminating crucial educational programs for lower income children and cutting professional training for more than 20,000 teachers.

Flawed from its very foundation, No Child Left Behind is based on then-Governor Bush's late-‘90s “Texas Miracle,”—a program of standardized testing designed to increase performance and reduce dropout rates--now recognized as a scandalous failure.
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0338/schanberg.php [Broken]

4. The Bush Administration's Patriot Act threatens our constitutional rights and civil liberties. Passed by a post 9/11 Congress, the Patriot act expands the ability of law enforcement to conduct secret searches, and engage various forms of surveillance, including internet monitoring and wiretapping. It gives the FBI access to American citizens' highly personal medical, financial, mental health, and student records without notification or permission, and allows them to investigate individuals without probable cause of a crime. Finally, it permits non-citizens to be jailed based on mere suspicion and held indefinitely in six month increments without meaningful judicial review.
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=12126&c=207

5. Bush's Tax Cuts only benefit the rich. Bush claimed that his tax cut would “reduce tax rates for everyone who pays income tax.” He failed to mention that this “relief” program would put half of the tax cut's dividends into the hands of our nation's wealthiest 5%, while 8.1 million citizens in the bottom half of the income bracket receive approximately $300 a year.
http://www.ctj.org/html/gwbfinal.htm

6. 3.3 million jobs (93,000 in August of 2003 alone) have been lost since Bush took office--more than the last 11 Presidents combined. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2001-August 2003) Meanwhile, huge corporations are paying fewer taxes than ever:
http://www.cbpp.org/10-16-03tax.htm

7. Bush is underfunding homeland security : While energetic in waging war abroad, the Bush administration has been oddly lethargic in fortifying our defenses at home. Domestic security agencies have been neglected. Police and firefighters have been denied essential resources, and muddled public strategy has only spread alarm and confusion.
http://www.ppionline.org/


More Recommended Reading:

The Great Unraveling: Losing Our Way in the New Century, by Paul Krugman

Dude, Where’s My Country?, by Michael Moore

Lies (And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them): A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right, by Al Franken

The Bush Dyslexicon: Observations on a National Disorder, by Mark Crispin Miller

Bushwhacked: Life in George W. Bush’s America, by Molly Ivins

Bush’s Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential, by James Moore

The Lies of George W. Bush: Mastering the Politics of Deception, by David Corn

Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush’s War on Iraq, by Sheldon Rampton, John C. Stauben

http://www.bushin30seconds.org/aboutbush.html

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
- President Dwight D. Eisenhower, April 16, 1953.
http://www.costofwar.com/
 
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  • #2
Howard Dean, he's the only other alternative.
 
  • #3
I'll vote for the Democrat whoever it is. It looks like Dean at the moment, but there's a lot of politics ahead yet.
 
  • #4
At this point, Gary Coleman would be a better choice than Bush.
 
  • #5
At this point, Gary Coleman would be a better choice than Bush.

What chu talkin' about?

Personally, all of them irk me but #1, 4, and 5 really agitate me.
 
  • #6
BUSH BASH!

where are the texans to balance out the bashing? actually, i know a few texans who do not support him one iota! i think he got into office via "extra means" and not fairly like other candidates, and will not vote for him either...but from what little understanding of politics i have, aren't the electoral votes the deciding factor?
 
  • #7
I will make my predictions about the next 6 presidential elections, the winner:

-will be white
-will be male (Sorry Hillary)
-will be protestant (sorry Joe Lieberman)
-will not be bald (Sorry Cheney, McCain)
-will have no prominent birthmarks or scars on their face
-will not be significantly overweight nor underweight
-will have no visible handicaps
-will be between 5'8" and 6'4"
-will have no significant speech impediments
-will have no advanced degree other than an MBA or law degree (Sorry Doctor Dean)
-will not be a sitting member of congress

Njorl
 
  • #8
Originally posted by Njorl

-will have no significant speech impediments
Oh, poor Bushy.
 
  • #9
-will have no visible handicaps

Does Bush's mental capacity count?
 
  • #10
Oh woohoo, lame rhetoric. Adam, you are a hoot :)

1. It appears that the Bush Administration has consistently misled the American public about Iraq , most significantly regarding Saddam Hussein's possession of weapons of mass destruction and his ties to al Queda and Osama bin Laden.
http://www.fair.org/press-releases/beyond-niger.html [Broken]

This one could go on for hours, but if you will start a new clean thread, I'll explain why the Iraq was is NOT against international law, and further explain why it DOES NOT MATTER except for ney sayers like you whether we find WMD's ever. It doesn't matter if we ever went looking for them, and it would still all be fully legal under international law.

haha, Hell, even your link is weak. It doesn't put the quote of "16 words" they keep referring to, but they take other quotes out of context as proof? give me a break!
"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." "
I highlighted the part they don't mention, but we'll go more on this later if you care. I've already seen this topic beat to death, but I really am up for rehashing it if you are :)



2. The Bush Administration's regressive environmental policies have lowered cleanliness standards for our air and water while allowing utility companies (many of whom are Bush campaign contributors) to profit off of the weakened regulations. In 2002, the head of the EPA's Office of Regulatory Enforcement resigned, complaining that the agency was “fighting a White House that seems determined to weaken the rules we are trying to enforce." (CNN, Aug. 22, 2002)
The Bush Record on the Environment for 2003:
http://www.nrdc.org/bushrecord/2003.asp

I'll support things like the Kyoto agreement when they are evenly passed. Forcing the US to sign, when China doesn't have to is a devious process of putting undue burden on countries that provide industry for the rest of the world. Maybe we should all get to making tapestries and growing corn?



3. Bush is underfunding education. The President cut $200 million from his own No Child Left Behind Act, eliminating crucial educational programs for lower income children and cutting professional training for more than 20,000 teachers.
Flawed from its very foundation, No Child Left Behind is based on then-Governor Bush's late-‘90s “Texas Miracle,”—a program of standardized testing designed to increase performance and reduce dropout rates--now recognized as a scandalous failure.
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0338/schanberg.php [Broken]

No child left behind isn't a failure in itself. It's a failure in it's implementation by the subsequent politicians (ie lowering the bar, to get a higher percentage passing, rather than raising expectations of students).
I would be happy to expand on this as well, but frankly, after getting 2 lines into your rhetoric-soaked article, I couldn't bring myself to look for any figures in the garbled biased opinion.
How about we get some facts and figures in here before you make a point based on a single persons openly slanted writings??


4. The Bush Administration's Patriot Act threatens our constitutional rights and civil liberties. Passed by a post 9/11 Congress, the Patriot act expands the ability of law enforcement to conduct secret searches, and engage various forms of surveillance, including internet monitoring and wiretapping. It gives the FBI access to American citizens' highly personal medical, financial, mental health, and student records without notification or permission, and allows them to investigate individuals without probable cause of a crime. Finally, it permits non-citizens to be jailed based on mere suspicion and held indefinitely in six month increments without meaningful judicial review.
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/Saf...12126&c=207 [Broken]

The patriot act, so hated by everyone who hasn't read it, has been upheld by EVERY SINGLE judicial review of it, in every aspect that has been brought before them! This isn't just an act of "a post 9/11 Congress" as you would like to have it be.

5. Bush's Tax Cuts only benefit the rich. Bush claimed that his tax cut would “reduce tax rates for everyone who pays income tax.” He failed to mention that this “relief” program would put half of the tax cut's dividends into the hands of our nation's wealthiest 5%, while 8.1 million citizens in the bottom half of the income bracket receive approximately $300 a year.
http://www.ctj.org/html/gwbfinal.htm

Oh jeez, by own pet-peeve.
Okay, simple process here. You pay more taxes, you get more break!
What you have failed to mention was that as a result of these cuts FOUR MILLION people are off the tax rolls. That's right, that removed the tax liabilty for FOUR MILLION PEOPLE! That is just under 30% of all tax filers! I thought it only helped the rich?

Even FURTHER! (yes, I know it's going to make you cringe to find out you are even more wrong), Child Tax credits, and "Earned Income Tax Credits", will increase this amount even further. So many of these families will get refunds, for MORE than they paid! That is where I have a problem, but that's a whole different story. The fact is still there that these cuts were across the board, and these numbers can be pulled up left and right.


6. 3.3 million jobs (93,000 in August of 2003 alone) have been lost since Bush took office--more than the last 11 Presidents combined. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 2001-August 2003) Meanwhile, huge corporations are paying fewer taxes than ever:
http://www.cbpp.org/10-16-03tax.htm

Yes, Clinton was the reason for the tech boom, and Bush is the reason for the subsequent and standard cyclical recession.
I won't waste my time on this one. You need a better grasp of economics first, and then we can follow it with a little less rhetoric.

P.S. I love the 8.2% gain in our economy last quarter, as well as the 10,000+ DOW, and the 2,000+ NASDAQ. It was enough to make all major forecasters reevaluate 2004 as the an expected highest year gain since before Carter! :D
7. Bush is underfunding homeland security : While energetic in waging war abroad, the Bush administration has been oddly lethargic in fortifying our defenses at home. Domestic security agencies have been neglected. Police and firefighters have been denied essential resources, and muddled public strategy has only spread alarm and confusion.
http://www.ppionline.org/

A link to a main page, of "Progressive Policy Institute"?? HA! PLease Adam, you can do better than that.
Let's see some numbers, some facts, less rhetoric, like your link so ironically mentions!







Adam, I like you. I disagree with you on about 90% of things, but I like you - we need all sorts of minds, but do yourself, and me, a favor... Get some real links, and figures before you respond.
None of this "www.whatreallyhappened.com/" type proof. Show me a white paper with numbers. If you are serious, then I'll spend the time to respond, but I don't want to go finding you all the stats if they are only going to be against an article of someone with a strong agenda.
 
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  • #11
Originally posted by Njorl
-will be male (Sorry Hillary)
I'm not so sure about that one, but I hope you're right (just re: Hillary).

I quite frankly am not real impressed by Bush, but as long as the Democratic party continues to be the joke it is now, I won't be voting for a Democrat.
 
  • #12
Originally posted by russ_watters
I'm not so sure about that one, but I hope you're right (just re: Hillary).

I quite frankly am not real impressed by Bush, but as long as the Democratic party continues to be the joke it is now, I won't be voting for a Democrat.


I'd like to see a real republican :eek:
What happened to smaller federal government, less spending? This is what I am looking for. Things like the recent Medicare bill make me sick.

I do however, agree with the comment about the dems. It's unfathomable that they can actually think abyone will take them seriously in the position they all stand now.
A slimeball like dean, a joke like sharpton or kucinich, bland nobody's like gephardt and edwards, and to top it off you've got that lady(hahaha, I don't even remember her name) and Wesley Clark (who doesn't even know what he stands for). It's fun to watch atleast :)
 
  • #13
It is oh so much easier to dismiss your political opponents with ridicule than it is to actually engage your brain and think about non-sexy things like policy, isn't it?
 
  • #14
Originally posted by Zero
It is oh so much easier to dismiss your political opponents with ridicule than it is to actually engage your brain and think about non-sexy things like policy, isn't it?
As I said, I'm happy to spend the time to dig up the opposing numbers. But explain to me why I should spend the time pulling up and neatly linking such info, if the other person is not prepared to truly debate?
There aren't any figures in his post, simply rhetoric by other people! It wasn't ridicule, simply the best that can be done with a post full of people doing the same :)
 

1. What is the process for electing a US president?

The process for electing a US president is a multi-step process that begins with the primary elections, where each political party nominates their candidate. Then, during the general election, voters cast their ballots to determine the winner of the presidency. The candidate who receives the majority of the electoral votes becomes the president.

2. What is the difference between the popular vote and the electoral vote?

The popular vote refers to the total number of votes cast by citizens in an election. The electoral vote, on the other hand, is the number of votes a candidate receives from the Electoral College, which is made up of electors from each state. The Electoral College ultimately determines the outcome of the presidential election.

3. How many electoral votes are needed to win the US presidency?

A candidate needs to win at least 270 electoral votes to become the US president. This number is based on the total number of electors in the Electoral College, which is currently set at 538.

4. What is the role of swing states in US presidential elections?

Swing states, also known as battleground states, are states that do not consistently vote for a particular political party in presidential elections. These states are crucial in determining the outcome of the election as they can swing the electoral vote in favor of either candidate. Candidates often focus their campaign efforts on swing states to secure their support.

5. How are the results of a US presidential election determined?

The results of a US presidential election are determined by the Electoral College. Each state has a certain number of electors based on its population, and the candidate who wins the majority of the votes in a state receives all of its electoral votes. The candidate who receives a majority of the electoral votes becomes the president.

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