Dubya's Resume

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by mrmitchell
The budget is very heavily influenced by the President. For example, had he not been parading all the tax cut bull****, then would it have happened?

No because they would have spent even more money.

[Boris Godunov]

It's funny he mentioned Homeland Security, too, since it's a joke. What has it done to protect the U.S., since congressional reports show that we aren't quantifiably safer now than we were pre-9/11? How about Bush underfunding the department, which he himself created?

[mrmitchell]

No because they would have spent even more money.

What? I meant:

If the President hadn't paraded tax cuts, would tax cuts have happened?

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by mrmitchell
If the President hadn't paraded tax cuts, would tax cuts have happened?

If the President never mentions tax cuts, Hell will freeze over before Congress gives people back their money. I believe I already told you that in so amny words but if you want me to be more explicit, that's fine.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by The diplomat

Bush's accomplishments:

Eliminated Saddam's regime after 12 years and specifically 8 Clinton years of status quo.

Wasted money, lives and diplomatic influence on a country that was not a threat to the United States.

Liberated the Iraqi people from genocide, after 12 years and specifically 8 Clinton years of status quo.

"Liberated" the Iraqui people from genocide which was conveniently overlooked by his Republican predecessors when it suited them and of which a large portion was caused by his father's failure to support the revolution against Saddam that he had called for.

In any case these "Liberated" people consistently refer to themselves as being "under occupation".

Showed crucial leadership following the devastating 9-11 attacks.

This is comical. He really didn't do very much apart from mouth platitudes. The reality is that he managed to squander all the goodwill that the attacks accrued to the US in under a year.

Attacked and seriously weakened Al Queda.

This is the same Al Quaeda that, among other activities, mounted massive attacks in Saudi Arabia a few weeks ago? The same Al Quaeda which is still active in Afghanistan along with the Taliban, who are making a comeback.

Created Homeland Security Department that can better protect Americans from future attacks.

Which is mired in problems. The only point of this organisation seems to be to terrorize Americans by issuing vague and apocalyptic warnings.

In the process of getting North Korea to talk multilaterally, after Clinton failed '94 agreement.

Caused the current impasse with North Korea by labelling them part of an "axis of evil". This stupid act served only to irritate the Koreans.

Helped encourage the Israelis and Palestinians unto the Road map for peace that seems so far to be working, after 8 years of failed Clinton diplomacy and terrible bloodshed.

Sat back and watched Israel butcher Palestinians without attempting to help (as Clinton had done). Now will basically enforce a massively pro-Israeli "settlement".

Promoted tax cuts that have prevented an even worse recession and are now encouraging a slow but sure recovery.

This is really BS. Someone else was spouting this moronic rubbish yesterday.

If a recovery happens it is because of the tax cuts; but if no recovery occurs it is because the tax cuts prevented a recession.

That is not a testable hypothesis - in short it's meaningless sophistry.

Signed the bipartisan "no child left behind" education Act.

Looks pretty good to me. It is certainly better than any Dem could hope to do.

Bush is an incompetent, corrupt, warmongering, religious nut job.

[Giant_Squid]

But did he have sex with interns? NO! And in the end, isn't that what's really important?

[:) Smiley]

I don't deny that Bush has done a few good things, but his balance sheet comes out deep in the red zone.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
It's funny he mentioned Homeland Security, too, since it's a joke. What has it done to protect the U.S., since congressional reports show that we aren't quantifiably safer now than we were pre-9/11? How about Bush underfunding the department, which he himself created?

While we spend 170 billion on a war that has actually increased American insecurity (recruitment by al-Qaeda has incresed, Iraq's nuclear material was left unguarded for weeks, Iraq's WMD scientists have disapeared, and if any WMDs did exist they could ver well be in the hands of terrorists by now), states and cities are begging the Federal government for money to help with their homeland security tasks.

Homeland Security is a joke.

[Whaleboy]

Attacked and seriously weakened Al Queda.

They are still as much a threat as ever, probably even more so (something about the Iraq war impeding the "war against terror", or whatever BS pr they are using now).

Correction Agathon, he is one of the new breed of politicians, noteably including our good friend Mr Blair, who are controlled by an unhealthy mixture of big businessmen, and public relations vultures. (circling over the dying prey of the thinking, considering voter who isn't vulnerable to the constant barrage of propaganda.)

[Whaleboy]

Showed crucial leadership following the devastating 9-11 attacks

Hardly devastating, compared to a night of the blitz in British cities, it was getting off lightly. Remember, this was a crime, not an act of war, it was a desperate, fanatical attack by a bunch of misguided murderers, not a calculated tactical action by a nationstate.

The most damage done was to the ego of the USA, but I suppose thats a matter for a president whose main asset is egotism (in many many different ways ).

[Soul Survivor]

what people keep forgetting is that we NEVER HAD A SURPLUS

It was all projected numbers, which BOTH the republicans and democrats were willing to spend. Most (two-thirds) of the budget deficit is because of a decline in taxes from one particular area - capital gains. The stock market declined, corporations laid off high paid workers, lowered salaries and tried to cut costs, including taxes. Good for the corporations, but bad for the government, I can't believe nobody saw this coming. BOTH republicans and democrats wanted to spend hundreds of billions of dollars that simply weren't there. You can't blame Bush for this, because ANY democrat would have put the US in a similar situation. With Sept 11th there is no possible way the US could not have had a budget deficit in the first half of this decade. I'm not defended Bush's fiscal policy, I think his spending has been somewhat irresponsible and his tax cuts for the wrong people (ie eliminating dividends.) Nor am I saying Clinton's fiscal policy was any better, he just happened to be president during the biggest tech boom in history. It was a natural economic cycle, the cold war was over etc, it had little to do with his fiscal policy. But you CANNOT blame Bush entirely for the deficit.

[rev]

[QUOTE] Originally posted by The diplomat
Showed crucial leadership following the devastating 9-11 attacks.[QUOTE]

Anyone who thinks that it took some sort of unique skill to unite Americans after the 9/11 attacks must have very, very little faith in the American people.

Created Homeland Security Department that can better protect Americans from future attacks.

AFTER ignoring a pre-9/11 Democratic proposal to do the same thing.

Chegitz -- you forgot to add in the Bush administration's slashing of veterans' benefits and military personnel benefits, all while publically proposing exactly the opposite and praising our veterans and military personnel.

Liberated the Iraqi people from genocide, after 12 years and specifically 8 Clinton years of status quo.

Are you going to pretend the Right would have stood up behind Clinton had he gone after Hussein in '98? Hell no, they were too busy impeaching him over lying under oath about a matter unrelated to his performance as President and would have seized onto the "wag the dog" argument. Even with what Clinton DID (which very well may have brought an end to Saddam's weapons programs, because now that searching of suspected weapons sites has more or less ceased, it's quite clear that there are no weapons in Iraq) they seized upon that argument.

Signed the bipartisan "no child left behind" education Act.

It was bipartisan because of the admirable cooperation between the Bush Administration and Ted Kennedy.

Mr. Kennedy now says that the Bush Administration has NOT lived up to their end of the bargain.

How about the fact the Republicans are using photos from that visit as campaign fundraising tools? Doesn't that strike you as appallingly cynical, capitalizing on a monstrous tragedy to raise campaign funds?

Boris, it's about to get much, MUCH worse. Mr. Rove has ensured that the Republican National Convention will be held a short distance away from "Ground Zero" of the WTC. Not only that, but the Convention is also the latest (August 30, 2004) any RNC has ever been held, and conveniently close to the anniversary of 9/11.

Anyone wanna go?

[:) Smiley]

I attacked and took over two countries.

Who can beat that? Even FDR only got one and a half.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov


OooooOOOOOooh! Only Bush could have gone to ground zero and hugged firemen!

Um, never mind -- no comment.

[Odin]

The reason our deficit has gotten so bloated over the years is that is that people want govenment services but they don't want to pay the taxes. a congressperson would loose an election if he/she wanted to raised taxes.

Democrats: tax and spend
Republicans: borrow and spend.

Pick your poison.