BS: The good Bush has done for America.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Nerd
Date: 08 Aug 04 - 01:55 AM

guest,

If you're the same guest who claims to be progressive, shame on you! The Drudge report? Unfit for Command? You know that's all a pile of lies put together by right-wing attack dogs.

But then, you're content to do their work for them.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Peace
Date: 08 Aug 04 - 01:18 AM

Hey, y'all. Let's vote GREEN and give peas a chance.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Bert
Date: 07 Aug 04 - 08:32 PM

And prices under his rule are really good too. Gas at $2.00 and ground beef at $3.99 a pound.

America is doing GREAT!

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 07 Aug 04 - 01:34 PM

a fear campaign.
16. Cultivated oil business at the taxpayer's expense.
17. Hired Karl Rove to do a disinformation campaign.
18. Employed a pre-emption wartime policy.
19. Weakened nuclear treaties so that the rest of the world
would become armed with nuclear weapons.
20. Lied about WMD's.
21 Isolated the US from the world community by
alienating our former allies.
22. Mislead the public on the so-called "Texas Miracle" by
fudging the numbers on the State's SAT scores.
23. Tried to violate environmental protection by catering to
the whims of corporate industry and agrabusiness and weakening the power of the EPA.
24. Tried to dig oil in the Arctic Wildlife Preserve.
25. Weakened health protection and the power of the FDA.
26. By a specious populist campaign, hoodwinked the
working classes of America by pretending that he has their
best interests at heart.
27. Trying to privatize Social Security which imperils the
money which will be available to future working people.
28. Undercutting Medicare and Medicaid.
29. Limiting the power of class action suits against corporations and drug companies for their violations.
30. Virtually ignoring civil rights for African-Americans.

I think we could go on but...........................

Frank

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 07 Aug 04 - 01:17 PM

To continue with the line by line assessment of the things
Bush has done to the country would be redundant.

However, a longer list might be created to show what
Bush has done to harm the country.

1. Oppose organized labor
2. Underfund everything he advocated
3. Tax breaks for the wealthy
4. Disinformation on Kerry
5. Iraq mess
6. Hurt Pro-choice
7. Underfund the military and veterans costs
8. Destroyed his service records
9. Appointed Ashcroft to violate civil rights laws.
10. Threatens Iran with pre-emption next
11. Pandered to the so-called Religious Right
12. Attempts to tear down Separation of Church and State
13. Possibly rigged the election of 2000 with Jeb and Rehnquist.
14. Abu Grabh tortures
15. Controlling the public perception of terrorism through

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Aug 04 - 01:07 PM

Bush refuses to recognize that M. Ted is the greatest songwriter of all time! No...wait...that was el ted. Sorry! Carry on, then...

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: DougR
Date: 07 Aug 04 - 01:02 PM

I'm still wondering M. Ted, how have you been personally bashed by Bush?

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Amos
Date: 06 Aug 04 - 08:16 PM

Dear Guest:

Instructions for making hyperlinks in threads are found in the FAQ.

Guidelines to basic courtesy can be found in Emily Post or Dale Carnegie, or ask yer mum if she is still around and still talking to you.

A

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Aug 04 - 08:12 PM

Amos
Excerpts available at www.freegiftworld.com/landing.html?nopop=1&ADTGID=1038&xid=0&CID=39216&SID=Unfit.for.Command

or at www.drudgereport.com if thats too much for your pea brain to rememeber

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Amos
Date: 06 Aug 04 - 01:31 PM

Dear Guest:

Your histrionic rhetoric is most unimpressive; a name and some actual facts would serve your intent better, I believe. Kerry is a far better humna being than Bushwah, in any case.

A

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Aug 04 - 10:56 AM

A hell of a lot better than we will with a lying sob like Kerry in charge.Read any excerpts from Unfit for Command ?

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Peace
Date: 06 Aug 04 - 02:20 AM

I will never forget the picture of Bush in the 9/11 movie (documentary) when he heard about the attack on the Twin Towers. That is so scary it is almost impossible to believe. And this man is the leader of the most powerful country in the world. Do y'all sleep well at night?

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Bert
Date: 05 Aug 04 - 11:11 PM

He has done wonders for unemployment - It's really high now.
He has done wonders for the deficit - it's bigger than it has ever been
He has done wonders for war - We have a great one now.
He has done wonders for oil - we are getting a good grip on the Dehloran Oil field.
He has done wonders for religion - it's still allowed to interfere with my freedom.
He has done wonders for democracy - we can now have a president without having to elect one.
He has done wonders for terrorism - it's at an all time high.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,SH
Date: 05 Aug 04 - 10:46 PM

MIDI

{To 'A Change (Would Do You Good)' by Sheryl Crow}

{As Sung By Bush & Cheney}

Bush:
Let us all start with Iraq
No WMD's, but Saddam is out
Exit strategy?... Let me see
Ask Karl Rove: What's the next step be?
Plead for Amish vote support
Think that we would all agree
That you want the Bush cartel out
But what we did about has not been enough

Cheney:
A Change Would Do No Good!
A Change Would Do No Good!

Bush:
High-five the Defense of Marriage Acts
Holy Matrimony: No to gays and dykes
Patriot Acts and Neocons
Dick's Comprehensive Energy Plan
Jobs for the 21st century
Keeping America safe from terrorists
Faith-based and Community Initiative
Terror warnings from Tom Ridge

Cheney:
A Change Would Do No Good!
A Change Would Do No Good!

{break}

Cheney:
A Change Would Do No Good!
A Change Would Do No Good!

Bush:
Hanoi John, same haughty-sounding drone
Re-invent the Democratic sound
Skip to the next paragraph, we know the plot
Kerry never have to take a stand
The dual personality of the democratic nominee
Flip-flop: the hallmark of his political career
Bush and Cheney throughout the land
Come election day: 'Flush the Johns!'

Cheney:
A Change Would Do No Good!

Bush:
Bush and Cheney throughout the land
Come election day: 'Flush the Johns!'

Bush & Cheney:
A Change Would Do No Good!
A Change Would Do No Good!
A Change Would Do No Good!
A Change Would Do No Good!
A Change Would Do No Good!

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 05 Aug 04 - 04:10 PM

(Fight Europe's ban on importing biotech crops from the United States.)

This helps Monsanto but Europe is wise to question whether it helps their consumers. There are questions about the intrusion
of chemcals into the biotech crops.

(Exempt food from unilateral trade sanctions and embargoes.)

That means a forced purchase of food whether it is of good quality or not. Helps MacDonalds and other questionable exports.

(Provided $20 million to states to help people with disabilities work from home.)

But cut into the Federal program allowances for the disabled.
It's another "states rights'" thing. Besides, 20 mill is not a lot of money these days.

(Created a fund to encourage technologies that help the disabled.)

And how is that fund being distributed? Who is really benefiting?
The companies that own the technology and not necessarilly the disabled.

Increased the annual contribution limit on Education IRA's from $500 to $2,000 per child.

Again, this benefits those who can pay into such an account.
Excludes those who are out of work, or not eligible for IRAs.
Those who can afford it are given the credit.

(Make permanent the $5,000 adoption tax credit and provide $1 billion over five years to increase the credit to $10,000.)

Would be a good idea if the amount of money made any real difference at all. Anyone who is a parent knows that these are paltry somes and in five years, 10 grand will be worth a lot less.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 05 Aug 04 - 03:57 PM

Signed two income tax cuts, one of which was the largest dollar-value tax cut in world history.

And it only affects the wealthy who make over two grand a year.
The tax cut did not help any in the middle class. If anything, it deprived them of services that the government could have provided for them

(Supports permanent elimination of the death tax.)

The "death tax" is a tricky PR name given by Rove. What it means is that if you are rich and you die, your relatives or beneficiaries will be able to keep the money. Middle class or poor people will find no benefits here.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 05 Aug 04 - 03:52 PM

Budget, Taxes & Economy:

Signed two income tax cuts, one of which was the largest dollar-value tax cut in world history.

Supports permanent elimination of the death tax.

In process of permanently eliminating IRS marriage penalty.


(Reduced and is working to ultimately eliminate the estate tax for family farms and ranches.)

The family farm or ranch would never qualify. Only large corporate owned farms and ranches owned by agribusiness
would benefit. The family farm or ranch is becoming a thing of the past.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 05 Aug 04 - 03:46 PM

(Requires districts to let students transfer out of dangerous schools.0

By a voucher system that means only wealthy kids can go to good schools.

(Requires schools to have a zero-tolerance policy for classroom disruption (reintroducing discipline into classrooms).

Effectively turning teachers into policemen. The discipline might
be a euphemism for corporal punishment. Rather than upgrade the public schools so that they are inhabitable, turn the poor ones into concentration camps for the students.

(Signed the Teacher Protection Act, which protects teachers from lawsuits related to student discipline.)

Therefore, if a teacher is a child abuser, which many of them have been historically, they are immune from legitimate lawsuits.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 05 Aug 04 - 03:41 PM

Requires districts to let students transfer out of dangerous schools.

Requires schools to have a zero-tolerance policy for classroom disruption (reintroducing discipline into classrooms).

Signed the Teacher Protection Act, which protects teachers from lawsuits related to student discipline.

Budget, Taxes & Economy:

Signed two income tax cuts, one of which was the largest dollar-value tax cut in world history.

Supports permanent elimination of the death tax.

(In process of permanently eliminating IRS marriage penalty.)

In process. Not done.

(Increased small business incentives to expand and to hire new people.)

Forced small business out of business by giving tax breaks to wealthy business. What incentives?

(Initiated discussion on privatizing Social Security and individual investment accounts.)

This is so Social Security would be at the whims of the Stock Market and not have to be subsidized by the tax payer. IRAs would be available only to those who could afford them.

(Passed tough new laws to hold corporate criminals to account as a result of corporate scandals.)

And Ken Lay is not in jail. These laws have no teeth in this adminstration.

(Reduced taxes on dividends and capital gains.)

Only applicable to rich Americans. Poor folks get screwed.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 05 Aug 04 - 03:32 PM

I'm interested in the items that guest has put forth as accomplishments.

(Abortion & Traditional Values:
Banned Partial Birth Abortion — by far the most significant roll-back of abortion on demand since Roe v. Wade.)

This means that a lot of unwanted children are forced into the world. Quite inhumane.

(By Executive Order (EO), reversed Clinton's policy of not requiring parental consent for abortions under the Medical Privacy Act.)

So much for Republican protest about Big Government as Big Brother. .

(By EO, prohibited federal funds for international family planning groups that provide abortions and related services.)

Back to the back alley days with coathangers and the suppression of legitimate information.

(Upheld the ban on abortions at military hospitals.)

Now if women in the service wish to control their own bodies,
they are prohibited from doing this. Violation of civil rights for women.

(Supports the Defense of Marriage Act — and a Constitutional amendment saying marriage is between one man and one woman.)

As if marriage needed a defense, it is another form of discrimination on the basis of a real red herring. How many marriages will be wrecked on the basis of allowing gay people to marry? Another Big Brother intrusion by Republicans.

(Requires states to conduct criminal background checks on prospective foster and adoptive parents.)

The act discourages the adoption process. The notion of
"criminal" is open to a variety of interpretations. This effectively outlaws gays from adoption which I suspect was the motive in the first place.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,Southack
Date: 04 Aug 04 - 07:16 PM

Nothing to apologize for Brucie. I should have included the link when I posted.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Peace
Date: 04 Aug 04 - 03:18 PM

GUEST: Southack. Thanks for setting that straight. My apologies to you. It is disappointing to have one's work accredited to another, and I am sorry for having done that.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: DougR
Date: 04 Aug 04 - 02:41 PM

So, pray tell Ted M, how as Bush bashed you?

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Nerd
Date: 04 Aug 04 - 02:18 PM

This thread title could also be read as

"The excellent shagging has killed America."

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,Puzzled foreigner...
Date: 04 Aug 04 - 10:48 AM

So...which one is the "good" Bush?

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,Southack
Date: 04 Aug 04 - 10:00 AM

Brucie, the (dankolery or whatever) link you posted stole the list which I compiled & posted on Free Republic. Wolfstar organized it by topics & enhanced it further with research from whitehouse.gov & other sources.

Here's the Free Republic link

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Aug 04 - 09:54 AM

DMcG, I agree it is a good exercise to review the list and compare it to the current Kerry/Democratic party platform here:

Democratic Leadership Council website

And to remember that John Kerry also voted against Kyoto.

I'm also opposed already to the 9/11 commission recommendations regarding the intelligence czar, but not for the reasons that Dubya is messing them.

Civil libertarians already opposed to the Patriot Act, view the 9/11 recommendations as the nail in the coffin.

So yes, these matters are complex. Yes, we need to know that Kerry and the DLC don't oppose many of the things on the list of Bush accomplishments, voted with Bush and the Republicans on a lot of the legislation, and truly only differ from them on a handful (and a small hand at that) of social/cultural issues like abortion.

Beyond those minor differences, the two parties, like the two candidates, are pretty indistinguishable.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: DMcG
Date: 04 Aug 04 - 05:39 AM

I found the list GUEST posted quite interesting. I can see why a Republican might feel that the majority of these, or even all of them were 'good'. I wonder how many of them would be supported by say 70% of voters - i.e. are generally agreed by Americans to be good. Or, if you want to put it another way, which of them would the next Democratic government - whenever that may be - want to build on rather than reverse?

One that struck me was "Environment & Energy: Killed the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty." I'd be interested to know whether the majority of Republicans think that 'killing' the agreement is a 'good' or not.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: curmudgeon
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 07:16 PM

Doug, Brucie asked for a list of what "GOOD Bush has done for America," not a list of what he's done TO us -- Tom

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,peedeecee
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 07:10 PM

I can't understand why Guest 1:58 posted that long list of things Bush had done -- I thought this thread was seeking GOOD things he had done. I've listed those below:

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: M.Ted
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 07:06 PM

As long as Bush bashes us, Doug, we'll bash right back--

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Peace
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 04:02 PM

I am thankful for the info. It could have been done with a link. That's all, Doug. Nothing to do with bashing Bush.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 04:00 PM

Really interesting thread. Britain under Thatcher was just like that. Central government with a screw you attitude to anybody with an education past third grade.

Her good works left us with beggars in the street , a really bad hard drugs problem - with all the attendant gangsterism, and virtually no manufacturing base.

best of luck!

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: DougR
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 03:59 PM

Gee brucie, you ask for information and when some good soul provides it, you lecture them. That's not nice! Anyway, you got your answer, in part at least, and along with it the expected acerbic remarks from the Mudcat Chorus of Bush bashers.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Peace
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 03:21 PM

www.dankoleary.com

Guest: I thank you for your post. It is from this site. Next time maybe the link would be enough.

BM

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST,weerover
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 03:04 PM

He may or may not indeed have done for America, perhaps (along with the good Blair) the Western world.

wr.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: M.Ted
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 02:57 PM

Guest is leaving out the fact that, good, bad or indifferent, each Bush "achievement" came from his "my-way-or the-highway" approach that created more opposition than support for everything that he touched--Even his strongest supporters are sick and tired of the way that he turns everything he touches into bloodsport--

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: CapriUni
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 02:26 PM

Well, the list Guest provided does give us the reasons that those who will vote for Bush will vote for Bush... It also, I suspect, gives the reasons that the people who will vote for Kerry will vote for Kerry.

This is what Bush has done for (Some would say "to") America. Whether it is "good" or "bad" is a matter for debate. But then again, that's what democracy is all about, right?

Oh, and voting. Rallies and shouting and waving of signs are all very good, but the words will come to naught unless we put our actions where our beliefs are and stand in line at the polls on November 2 -- no matter which side of the debate you're on.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: sledge
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 12:47 PM

That should have said "in-adequate".

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: sledge
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 12:44 PM

Myself and a great many others don't wish to trust to GWB paternalistic attitude, too many back doors GM modified products to be mixed into the market with adequate labelling, we will make our own minds up and by applying the ban have done so!

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 12:42 PM

And the amazing thing about it for me, is that every one of the contentions above are examples of "questionable" legislation. Virtually none of the examples cited above have been scoured by the American people, and any consultation made in the scripting of these 'achievements' was behind closed doors with an extremely partison and undemocratic business interest group and/or fundimental religious organization.
ttr

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Amos
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 12:36 PM

A large number of these "accomplishments" are much smaller in fact than in the telling, for example because of failure to fund what was promsied. In other cases the "virtue" is actually a harm done. I wish Ihad the time to do the analytic work needed on this blurb list. But I do not at present.

I will say that you should have a large supply of salt ready.

A

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 12:17 PM

I have a feeling it's exactly what brucie was asking for. I'm really grateful to GUEST for this list. I've copied it and sent it to all my friends.

It's important to know what has been done, and will likely be done in the future if Mr Bush is re-elected.

..xx..e

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: DougR
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 12:06 PM

Wow, Guest, I'm impressed! You sure did your homework.

Acceptance of the 9/11 commission's recommendation that an intelligence Czar be appointed should be added to the list too of course. Also, other recommendations of the committee that could be implemented by Executive Order.

Yep, he's done a lot, and will accomplish much more during his second term.

Brucie: is the information provided by Guest the type you were asking for?

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 11:15 AM

If you don't want them - then there won't be a market for them and thus no need for a ban, correct?

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: sledge
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 11:00 AM

"Fight Europe's ban on importing biotech crops from the United States", another bit of bullying, trying to ram, literally, down our throats, material that a great many Europeans distrust greatly and want nothing to do with.

Sledge

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 01:58 AM

Abortion & Traditional Values:

Banned Partial Birth Abortion — by far the most significant roll-back of abortion on demand since Roe v. Wade.

By Executive Order (EO), reversed Clinton's policy of not requiring parental consent for abortions under the Medical Privacy Act.

By EO, prohibited federal funds for international family planning groups that provide abortions and related services.

Upheld the ban on abortions at military hospitals.

Supports the Defense of Marriage Act — and a Constitutional amendment saying marriage is between one man and one woman.

Requires states to conduct criminal background checks on prospective foster and adoptive parents.

Requires districts to let students transfer out of dangerous schools.

Requires schools to have a zero-tolerance policy for classroom disruption (reintroducing discipline into classrooms).

Signed the Teacher Protection Act, which protects teachers from lawsuits related to student discipline.

Budget, Taxes & Economy:

Signed two income tax cuts, one of which was the largest dollar-value tax cut in world history.

Supports permanent elimination of the death tax.

In process of permanently eliminating IRS marriage penalty.

Increased small business incentives to expand and to hire new people.

Initiated discussion on privatizing Social Security and individual investment accounts.

Passed tough new laws to hold corporate criminals to account as a result of corporate scandals.

Reduced taxes on dividends and capital gains.

Reduced and is working to ultimately eliminate the estate tax for family farms and ranches.

Fight Europe's ban on importing biotech crops from the United States.

Exempt food from unilateral trade sanctions and embargoes.

Provided $20 million to states to help people with disabilities work from home.

Created a fund to encourage technologies that help the disabled.

Increased the annual contribution limit on Education IRA's from $500 to $2,000 per child.

Make permanent the $5,000 adoption tax credit and provide $1 billion over five years to increase the credit to $10,000.

Grant a complete tax exemption for prepaid or college tuition savings plans.

Education & Employment Training:

Signed the No Child Left Behind Act, delivering the most dramatic education reforms in a generation.

Announced "Jobs for the 21st Century," a comprehensive plan to better prepare workers for jobs in the new millennium by strengthening post-secondary education and job training, and by improving high school education.

Requires annual reading and math tests in grades three through eight.

Requires states to participate in the National Assessment of Education Progress, or an equivalent program, to establish a national benchmark for academic performance.

Requires school-by-school accountability report cards.

Established a $2.4 billion fund to help states implement teacher accountability systems.

Increased funding for the Troops-to-Teachers program, which recruits former military personnel to to become teachers.

Environment & Energy:

Killed the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty.

Submitted a comprehensive Energy Plan (awaits Congressional action). The plan works to develop cleaner technology, produce more natural gas here at home, make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy, improve national grid, etc.

Established a $10 million grant program to promote private conservation initiatives.

Significantly eased field-testing controls of genetically engineered crops.

Changed parts of the Forestry Management Act to allow necessary cleanup of the national forests in order to reduce fire danger.

Part of national forests cleanup: Restricted judicial challenges (based on the Endangered Species Act and other challenges), and removed the need for an Environmental Impact Statement before removing fuels/logging to reduce fire danger.

Provided matching grants for state programs that help private landowners protect rare species.

Defense & Foreign Policy:

Successfully executed two wars in the aftermath of 9/11/01: Afghanistan and Iraq. 50 million people who had lived under tyrannical regimes now live in freedom.

Saddam Hussein is now in prison. His two murderous sons are dead. All but a handful of the regime's senior members were killed or captured.

Leader by leader and member by member, al Qaida is being hunted down in dozens of countries around the world. Of the senior al Qaida leaders, operational managers, and key facilitators the U.S. Government has been tracking, nearly two-thirds have been taken into custody or killed. The detentions or deaths of senior al Qaida leaders, including Khalid Shaykh Muhammad, the mastermind of 9/11, and Muhammad Atef, Osama bin Laden's second-in-command until his death in late 2001, have been important in the War on Terror.

Disarmed Libya of its chemical, nuclear and biological WMD's without bribes or bloodshed.

Continues to execute the War On Terror, getting worldwide cooperation to track funds/terrorists. Has cut off much of the terrorists' funding, and captured or killed many key leaders of the al Qaeda network.

Initiated a comprehensive review of our military, which was completed just prior to 9/11/01, and which accurately reported that ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE capabilities were critical in the 21st Century.

Killed the old US/Soviet Union ABM Treaty that was preventing the U.S. from deploying our ABM defenses.

Has been one of the strongest, if not THE strongest friend Israel has ever hand in the U.S. presidency.

Part of the coalition for an Israeli/Palestinian "Roadmap to Peace," along with Great Britain, Russia and the EU.
Pushed through THREE raises for our military. Increased military pay by more than $1 billion a year.

Signed the LARGEST nuclear arms reduction in world history with Russia.

Started withdrawing our troops from Bosnia, and has announced withdrawal of our troops from Germany and the Korean DMZ.

Prohibited putting U.S. troops under U.N. command.

Paid back UN dues only in return for reforms and reduction of U.S. share of the costs.

Earmarked at least 20 percent of the Defense procurement budget for next-generation weaponry.

Increased defense research and development spending by at least $20 billion from fiscal 2002 to 2006.

Ordered a comprehensive review of military weapons and strategy.

Ordered a review of overseas deployments.

Ordered renovation of military housing. The military has already upgraded about 10 percent of its inventory and expects to modernize 76,000 additional homes this year.
Is working to tighten restrictions on military-technology exports.

Government Reform:

Improved government efficiency by putting hundreds of thousands of jobs put up for bid. This weakens public-sector unions and cuts undeserved pay raises.

Led the most extensive reorganization the Federal bureaucracy in over 50 years: After 9/11, condensed 20+ overlapping agencies and their intelligence sectors into one agency, the Department of Homeland Security.*
Ordered each agency to draft a five-year plan to restructure itself, with fewer managers.

Converted federal service contracts to performance-based contracts wherever possible so that the contractor has measurable performance goals.

Health:

Strengthen the National Health Service Corps to put more physicians in the neediest areas, and make its scholarship funds tax-free.

Double the research budget of the National Institutes of Health.

Signed Medicare Reform, which includes:
A 10-year privatization option.
Prescription drug benefits: Prior to this reform, Medicare paid for extended hospital stays for ulcer surgery, for example, at a cost of about $28,000 per patient. Yet Medicare would not pay for the drugs that eliminate the cause of most ulcers, drugs that cost about $500 a year. Now, drug coverage under Medicare will allow seniors to replace more expensive surgeries and hospitalizations with less expensive prescription medicine.

More health care choices: As President Bush stated, "…when seniors have the ability to make choices, health care plans within Medicare will have to compete for their business by offering higher quality service [at lower cost]. For the seniors of America, more choices and more control will mean better health care. These are the kinds of health care options we give to the members of Congress and federal employees. What's good for members of Congress is also good for seniors.

New Health Savings Accounts: Effective January 1, 2004, Americans can set aside up to $4,500 every year, tax free, to save for medical expenses. Depending on your tax bracket, that means you'll save between 10 to 35 percent on any costs covered by money in your account. Every year, the money not spent would stay in the account and gain interest tax-free, just like an IRA. These accounts will be good for small business owners, and employees. More businesses can focus on covering workers for major medical problems, such as hospitalization for an injury or illness. At the same time, employees and their families will use these accounts to cover doctors visits, or lab tests, or other smaller costs. Some employers will contribute to employee health accounts. This will help more American families get the health care they need at the price they can afford.

Homeland Security, Border Enforcement & Immigration:

Has CONSTRUCTION in process on the first 10 ABM silos in Alaska so that America will have a defense against North Korean nukes. Has ordered national and theater ballistic missile defenses to be deployed by 2004.

Announced a 9.7% increase in government-wide homeland security funding in his FY 2005 budget, nearly tripling the FY 2001 levels (excluding the Department of Defense and Project BioShield).

Before DHS was created, there were inspectors from three different agencies of the Federal Government and Border Patrol officers protecting our borders. Through DHS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) now consolidates all border activities into a single agency to create "one face at the border." This not only better secures the borders of the United States, but it also eliminates many of the inefficiencies that occurred under the old system. With over 18,000 CBP inspectors and 11,000 Border Patrol agents, CBP has 29,000 uniformed officers on our borders.

The Border Patrol is continuing installation of monitoring devices along the borders to detect illegal activity.
Launched Operation Tarmac to investigate businesses and workers in the secure areas of domestic airports and ensure immigration law compliance. Since 9/11, DHS has audited 3,640 businesses, examined 259,037 employee records, arrested 1,030 unauthorized workers, and participated in the criminal indictment of 774 individuals.

Since September 11, 2001, the Coast Guard has conducted more than 124,000 port security patrols, 13,000 air patrols, boarded more than 92,000 vessels, interdicted over 14,000 individuals attempting to enter the United States illegally, and created and maintained more than 90 Maritime Security Zones.

Announced the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an internet-based system that is improving America's ability to track and monitor foreign students and exchange visitors. Over 870,000 students are registered in SEVIS. Of 285 completed field investigations, 71 aliens were arrested.

This week, the US-VISIT program began to digitally collect biometric identifiers to record the entry and exit of aliens who travel into the U.S on a visa. Together with the standard information, this new program will confirm compliance with visa and immigration policies.

Eliminated INS bureaucratic redundancies and lack of accountability.

Split the Immigration and Naturalization Service into two agencies: one to protect the border and interior, the other to deal with naturalization.

Signed the workplace verification bill to prevent hiring of illegal aliens.

Established a six-month deadline for processing immigration applications.

Information regarding nearly 100% of all containerized cargo is carefully screened by DHS before it arrives in the United States. Higher risk shipments are physically inspected for terrorist weapons and contraband prior to being released from the port of entry. Advanced technologies are being deployed to identify warning signs of chemical, biological, or radiological attacks. Since September 11, 2001, hundreds of thousands of first responders across America have been trained to recognize and respond to the effects of a WMD attack.

Judiciary & Tort Reform:

Is urging federal liability reform to eliminate frivolous lawsuits.

Killed the liberal ABA's unconstitutional role in vetting federal judges. The Senate is supposed to advise and consent, not the ABA.

Is nominating strong, conservative judges to the judiciary.

Supports class action reform bill which limits lawyer fees so that more settlement money goes to victims.

Politics:

His leadership resulted in Republican gains in the House and Senate, solidifying Republican control of both houses of Congress and the presidency.

Signed an EO enforcing the Supreme Court's Beck decision regarding union dues being used for political campaigns against individual's wishes.

Second Amendment:

Ordered Attorney General Ashcroft to formally notify the Supreme Court that the OFFICIAL U.S. government position on the 2nd Amendment is that it supports INDIVIDUAL rights to own firearms, and is NOT a Leftist-imagined "collective" right.

Signed TWO bills into law that arm our pilots with handguns in the cockpit.

Currently pushing for full immunity from lawsuits for our
national gun manufacturers.

Traditional Values, Compassion & Volunteerism:

Started the USA Freedom Corps, the most comprehensive clearinghouse of volunteer opportunities ever offered. For the first time in history, Americans can enter geographic information about where they want to get involved, such as state or zip code, as well as areas of interest ranging from education to the environment, and they can access volunteer opportunities offered by more than 50,000 organizations across the country and around the world.

Established the The White House Office and the Centers for the Faith-Based and Community Initiative — located in seven Federal agencies. The faith-based initiative supports the essential work of these important organizations. The goal is to make sure that grassroots leaders can compete on an equal footing for federal dollars, receive greater private support, and face fewer bureaucratic barriers. Work focuses on at-risk youth, ex-offenders, the homeless and hungry, substance abusers, those with HIV/AIDS, and welfare-to-work families.

The White House released a guidebook fully describing the Administration's belief that faith-based groups have a Constitutionally-protected right to maintain their religious identity through hiring — even when Federal funds are involved.

Issued an EO implementing the Supreme Court's Olmstead ruling, which requires moving disabled people from institutions to community-based facilities when possible.

Increased funding for low-interest loan programs to help people with disabilities purchase devices to assist them.
Revised the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 8 rent subsidies to disabled people, permitting them to use up to a year's worth of vouchers to finance down payments on homes. HUD has started pilot programs in 11 states.

Committed US funds to purchase medicine for millions of men, women and children now suffering with AIDS in Africa.
Heeding the words of our own Declaration of Independence, the president laid out the non-negotiable demands of human dignity for all people everywhere.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: open mike
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 01:51 AM

he is not a elected president, he is a selected resident.

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 01:03 AM

I'm sure 5/9ths of the Supreme Court is thrilled to have him in office (though it is a rather incestuous relationship).

Subject: RE: BS: The good Bush has done for America.
From: Amos
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 12:40 AM

Well, he has been definitive in doing what he did, but that is not a virtue in pursuit of a harmful course of action. He has been persistent in the face of criticism, but when the criticism is justified, that sort of persistence seems more like wrong-headedness. He has generated a lot of bonhomie among the troops when he visited them, but he did so under what appear to me to be false premises.

Sorry I can't be more help.   I am sure he has made his family proud, as long as they don't ask too many questions.

A