A challenge: The Bush Administration, what's right, what's wrong? NO Debate!

[Independent]

He's given Jon Stewart some pretty great material.

And the Bill Mahr show has been a blast to watch since he came into office. So much material. The writers must never get bored!

 

[Independent]

More Bushisms
From the top 25 stupidest things Bush has said

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushdumbquotes2.htm

25. "I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe — I believe what I believe is right." —Rome, Italy, July 22, 2001

24. "We need to counter the shockwave of the evildoer by having individual rate cuts accelerated and by thinking about tax rebates." —Washington, D.C. Oct. 4, 2001

23. "People say, how can I help on this war against terror? How can I fight evil? You can do so by mentoring a child; by going into a shut-in's house and say I love you." —Washington, D.C., Sept. 19, 2002

22. "I wish you'd have given me this written question ahead of time so I could plan for it…I'm sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with answer, but it hadn't yet….I don't want to sound like I have made no mistakes. I'm confident I have. I just haven't — you just put me under the spot here, and maybe I'm not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one." —President George W. Bush, after being asked to name the biggest mistake he had made, Washington, D.C., April 3, 2004

21. "The really rich people figure out how to dodge taxes anyway." —explaining why high taxes on the rich are a failed strategy, Annandale, Va., Aug. 9, 2004

20. "My plan reduces the national debt, and fast. So fast, in fact, that economists worry that we're going to run out of debt to retire." —radio address, Feb. 24, 2001

19. "You know, when I was one time campaigning in Chicago, a reporter said, 'Would you ever have a deficit?' I said, 'I can't imagine it, but there would be one if we had a war, or a national emergency, or a recession.' Never did I dream we'd get the trifecta." —Houston, Texas, June 14, 2002 (There is no evidence Bush ever made any such statement, despite recounting the trifecta line repeatedly in 2002. A search by the Washington Post revealed that the three caveats were brought up before the 2000 campaign — by Al Gore.)

18. "See, free nations are peaceful nations. Free nations don't attack each other. Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction." —Milwaukee, Wis., Oct. 3, 2003

17. "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." —State of the Union Address, Jan. 28, 2003, making a claim that administration officials knew at the time to be false

16. "In Iraq, no doubt about it, it's tough. It's hard work. It's incredibly hard." —repeating the phrases "hard work," "working hard," "hard choices," and other "hard"-based verbiage 22 times in his first debate with Sen. John Kerry

15. "The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him." —Washington, D.C., Sept. 13, 2001

14. "I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." —Washington, D.C., March 13, 2002

13. "But all in all, it's been a fabulous year for Laura and me." —summing up his first year in office, three months after the 9/11 attacks, Washington, D.C., Dec. 20, 2001

12. "I try to go for longer runs, but it's tough around here at the White House on the outdoor track. It's sad that I can't run longer. It's one of the saddest things about the presidency." —interview with "Runners World," Aug. 2002

11. "Can we win? I don't think you can win it." —after being asked whether the war on terror was winnable, "Today" show interview, Aug. 30, 2004

10. "I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace." —Washington, D.C. June 18, 2002

9. "I trust God speaks through me. Without that, I couldn't do my job." —to a group of Amish he met with privately, July 9, 2004

8. "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed." —speaking underneath a "Mission Accomplished" banner aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, May 1, 2003

7. “We found the weapons of mass destruction. We found biological laboratories … And we'll find more weapons as time goes on. But for those who say we haven't found the banned manufacturing devices or banned weapons, they're wrong, we found them." —Washington, D.C., May 30, 2003

6. "Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be somewhere!" —President George W. Bush, joking about his administration's failure to find WMDs in Iraq as he narrated a comic slideshow during the Radio & TV Correspondents' Association dinner, Washington, D.C., March 24, 2004

5. "If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator." —Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2000

4. "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002 (Watch video)

3. "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004 (Watch video)

2. "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." —Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004 (Watch video)

1. "My answer is bring them on." —on Iraqi insurgents attacking U.S. forces, Washington, D.C., July 3, 2003
~Compiled by Daniel Kurtzman

 

[Puffy2]

Bush Administration Failure #10: (EVERY) No Child Left Behind:

First, let’s understand what exactly No Child Left Behind means:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/01/20020108.html

Fact Sheet: No Child Left Behind Act (notice that the “fact sheet” leaves out the “fact” that the Bush Administration failed to adequately FUND the MANDATED changes that it requires”)

http://www.citypages.com/databank/25/1214/article11955.asp

“Under the terms of NCLB, which President Bush has called "the cornerstone of my administration," all of the nation's public school students must be tested in reading and math every year in grades three through eight, and at least once in grades ten through twelve. Any school receiving federal Title I money (ostensibly earmarked to improve the performance of disadvantaged students) faces increasingly harsh sanctions if its test scores fail to meet state-defined standards for making adequate yearly progress. After two years of AYP failure, the school must offer students the option of transferring to another public school in the district and bear the cost of transportation. After three years, the school must also offer low-income students tutorial services through a public or private agency approved by the state. After four years, the school district must take corrective actions such as removing personnel or changing the curriculum in the school. And after five years, the district is obliged to blow up, or "restructure," the school by replacing most or all of its staff or by turning over operations, as the U.S. Department of Education puts it, "to either the state or to a private company with a demonstrated record of effectiveness." “

Ok, so we have these MANDATES that REQUIRE ALL STATES to comply or their schools are at risk for being taken over by private corporations. But, the Bush Administration FAILS to adequately fund the states to help them meet these requirements. (My opinion: It looks to me like they are setting the schools up for failure. Perhaps they WANT Them to fail. That way Corporate America gains even more control in our increasingly Fascist society)

http://www.citypages.com/databank/25/1214/article11955.asp

“In January, the Ohio Department of Education released a study estimating that it will cost about $1.5 billion a year--twice the amount the state now receives from the federal government--to implement NCLB.”

“Meanwhile, DFL Rep. Mindy Greiling is sponsoring a bill that asks Washington for permission not to participate in the NCLB process. "I think all this lip service we hear, caring about poor and immigrant groups, is just a smoke screen for proving that the public schools are failing so they can go to Plan B, which is vouchers," she says. "If we were going to provide extraordinary intervention so we could help these children, I would be cheerleading NCLB. But instead, we've cut funding that would help address their needs. And then if the schools don't show progress, we're going to obliterate the schools? No, it's a punitive bill that *******izes the name and intent of the Children's Defense Fund, which is where they got it from. I mean, 'No Child Left Behind.' I mean, who isn't being left behind? The kids? The schools? Who?" “

But let’s say they don’t fail – how can this still be a windfall for Corporate America…

The MANDATES of course!

The new regulations call for more testing (which means Huge Profits for testing administration corporations and Text Book Publishers…
you can’t use the old textbooks that don’t adequately address the testing objectives, now could you? Of course not, so big BUSH SUPPORTERS like McGraw Hill end up making a bundle off the legislation!)

How does all this hurt the schools and the STUDENTS?

All that MONEY that could go into paying teachers a living wage and encouraging better talent in the teaching field, is wasted on reworded text books and an overdose of testing.

All that TIME that could be spent on ACTUALLY LEARNING something, will be spent on teaching to a test, and practicing for a test, and giving yet another standardized test. It’s a WASTE of time.

How does all this hurt the average American?

Your property taxes are increased to try to pay for all this waste.

Now, there are many, many, many other problems with No Child Left Behind – including who they require to be testing (special education), not taking into consideration districts with larger percentages of English As A Second Language students or other special needs, etc…

 

[Puffy2]

A biggie I'm surprised no one has mentioned yet is "No Child Left Behind."I did a 20-page research paper on this last year. What a disaster!

Just2554, if you have something to add about NCLB, please do - I'd like to learn more.

 

[Just2554]

Just2554, if you have something to add about NCLB, please do - I'd like to learn more.

I have lots of info on NCLB, but it is only from memory now for the most part and I don't want to get slammed for posting facts without sources.

Two things that I remember shocking me the most though were:
1.) All teachers are being required to get all kinds of extreme certification in all subjects they are teaching by a certain date. If they do not, they won't be allowed to teach these subjects. So basically, these kids will be learning nothing. The teachers aren't allowed to teach and they're being corrected for the things they do teach, so what's the point?

2.) The fact that really, there is not a single child moving forward. Trying to make everyone "equal" is destroying every child's future. The last time the law was updated, they passed an act that only 1-3% of children with learning disabilities are allowed to take the special test for kids with disabilities. This means that all other students with learning problems are being lumped in with all the other students. So, students that do really well in school are being held back because their peers are not on the same level as they are. And all these kids who don't qualify to take the special test are failing because they can't keep up. It's absolutely ridiculous.


The Bush-isms are fantastic. How the man ever made it to a second term as President is still beyond me.

 

[Puffy2]

Failure # 11:
Just what are the Republicans trying to hide?

Republicans are still trying to cover up waste, fraud and abuse in no-bid contracts related to Iraq and Hurricane Katrina.

On Oct. 19, 2005 the Republican majority in the Senate defeated the Dorgan Amendment 44 to 54 which would have created a committee to investigate waste, fraud and abuse in Iraq and hurricane relief contracts. The vote went along party lines with Democrats favoring an investigation and Republicans preferring cover up the fraud.

(No surprise that Republican Bill Frist, who is being investigated for insider trading, voted against the amendment).

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/06/katrina.congress.ap/
FEMA checking no-bid Katrina contracts

Thursday, October 6, 2005; Posted: 2:52 p.m. EDT (18:52 GMT)

"In the weeks after the storm, more than 80 percent of at least $1.5 billion in FEMA contracts were awarded with little or no competition, or had open-ended or vague terms that previous audits have cited as being highly prone to abuse."

And we have all heard about the thousands spent on mobile homes that are not being used:

"...Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, noted that hundreds of thousands of hurricane victims remain in hotel rooms and emergency shelters -- despite more than $2 billion already spent by FEMA for 120,000 temporary trailers and mobile homes. Only 109 Louisiana families have been put in those homes, while tens of thousands of state residents remain in shelters, she said."

http://www.planetizen.com/node/17385

“The sheer volume of the contracts and the speed in which they are being issued troubles some. The government is drawing down on Hurricane Katrina relief money at a rate of more than $500 million a day."
Source: New York Times, Sep 15, 2005

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/100705C.shtml
“Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) again assailed FEMA's $236 million contract with Carnival Cruise Lines, which has provided three ships to house evacuees and relief workers. Under that contract, Senate investigators have determined that Carnival will earn nearly 50 percent more per berth than the company would have normally.”

(and it should also be noted that Greece offered cruise ships to be used for FREE and the US turned them down. )

http://www.aft.org/presscenter/releases/2005/091305.htm

Statement by Edward J. McElroy, President, American Federation of Teachers,
On Bush Administration’s Use of No-Bid Contracts for Katrina

“WASHINGTON, D.C. — The newspapers and airwaves have been filled with discussion about the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. Some issues are surely beyond the control of government at any level. But two recent actions the Bush administration is directly responsible for—suspension of the Davis Bacon Act in the Gulf Coast, and the awarding to friends of large-scale rebuilding contracts without a bidding process—are a national disgrace and the wrong response.

The president’s suspension of Davis Bacon Act protections in areas affected by Katrina means that workers on federally funded projects will be paid less than they were before the storm. The prevailing wages on the Gulf Coast are already among the lowest in the country—under $10 per hour in most job categories. For the president to drive down wages further at a time when so many are in need is both exploitative and cruel.

At the same time that the president chose to undercut working people who live in the disaster areas, he awarded his friends at firms such as Halliburton, Bechtel Group and Fluor Corp. with billions in noncompetitive, cost-plus contracts. These agreements guarantee profits regardless of how much those companies spend or waste. This is happening at the same time that the local hires of these firms will, in many cases, not earn a living wage.
It is unconscionable that our national government would act to hurt those most in need while delivering a windfall to wealthy contractors. These decisions must be reversed.”

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4132393

October 29, 2004 • The FBI will examine whether Pentagon officials committed fraud in their handling of a no-bid contract to a subsidiary of Halliburton before the Iraq War. The Pentagon has maintained that Halliburton was the only company available that could rebuild Iraq's oil sector. Hear NPR's John Burnett.

And more on Halliburton:
http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/about_hal/costplus.html

 

[Puffy2]

Failure #12 The Bush Administrations “Social Security Plan” – a plan to cut tax payers benefits and steal their money and give it to the investment corporations.
Let’s not forget that Bush’s “town hall” meetings were only open to “invited Bush supporter guests” who would sign “loyalty oaths” before being admitted.

http://zfacts.com/p/784.html

Is There a Social Security Crisis? Privatizers claim there is, but they don’t believe it. How can you tell? (link provides a “clock” feature with actual social security account figures v/s nation debt figures)

And from:

http://money.cnn.com/2005/02/02/retirement/reality_check_stofu/

Reality Check: Social Security, is the system really going ‘bankrupt’?

"By the year 2042, the entire system would be exhausted and bankrupt," the president said. He also appealed to parents: "If you've got children in their 20s ... the idea of Social Security collapsing before they retire does not seem like a small matter."

"But it's not necessarily accurate to characterize the system in that way, say three nonpartisan sources that have closely examined Social Security..."

And from:

http://www.cepr.net/publications/social_security_2005_03.htm

The “plan” includes major cuts to your benefits :

“The proposal that President Bush is using as the basis for his plan phases in cuts over time. A worker who is 45 today can expect to see a cut in guaranteed benefits of around 15 percent. A worker who is age 35 can expect to see a cut in the guaranteed benefit of approximately 25 percent. A 15 year old who is just entering the work force can expect a benefit cut of close to 40 percent. For a 15 year old, this cut would mean a loss of close to $200,000 in Social Security benefits over the course of their retirement (see appendix).

Private accounts will allow workers to earn back only a small fraction of this amount. For example, a 15 year-old can expect to make back approximately $9,000 from the $200,000 cut with the earnings on a private account. If this worker retires when the market is in a slump, then it could make their loss even bigger”.

The “plan” includes “administrative costs” for managing the “private accounts”:

“President Bush's Social Security commission estimated that under their system of individual accounts 5 cents of every dollar would go to pay administrative costs.”

And has Bush been honest when he talks about his “plan”?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A866-2005Jan11.html

“Although Bush touted the benefits of private accounts, he did not talk about the significant costs -- an estimated $2 trillion -- of establishing them. He also did not mention the steep cuts in guaranteed benefits that experts say are sure to accompany his plan. The White House has pointed out that Social Security is projected to start paying out more in benefits than it collects in taxes in 2018. Although it can then dip into its substantial reserves, the system can pay promised benefits only until 2042.”

…"Social Security faces a challenge, not a crisis," said Rep. Sander M. Levin (D-Mich.). "Diverting over $2 trillion from the Social Security trust fund to private accounts, as suggested by the president, does not address Social Security's challenge 40 to 50 years from now. Indeed, it would make it far worse…."

 

[Puffy2]

Failure #13
The Bush Administration and the Republicans are plagued by corruption at the highest levels. (this was also partially discussed in Failure #5) – The Vice President’s Chief of Staff, The Bush Administration’s top advisor, The Senate Republican Majority Leader and the House Republican Majority Leader are ALL being investigated for criminal activity.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051020/ap_on_go_co/delay_indictment

RICHMOND, Texas - Rep.
Tom DeLay (House Majority Leader) was ordered to appear at the sheriff's office in his home county of Fort Bend for booking on state conspiracy and money laundering charges. A state court issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for DeLay and set an initial $10,000 bail, a routine step before the Texas Republican's first court appearance Friday in Austin.
DeLay could be fingerprinted and photographed, although his lawyers had hoped to avoid this step…

DeLay has stepped down as U.S. House majority leader — at least temporarily — under a Republican rule requiring him to relinquish the post if charged with a felony.

Two grand juries have charged DeLay and two political associates in an alleged scheme to violate state election law, by funneling corporate donations to candidates for the Texas Legislature. State law prohibits use of corporate donations to finance state campaigns, although the money can be used for administrative expenses.

The indictments charge that a DeLay-founded Texas political committee sent corporate donations to the Republican National Committee in Washington, and the national party sent funds back to the state for 2002 campaigns….


Top White House Officals, Karl Rove and Scooter Libby are being investigated for leaking the name of a CIA agent for revenge purposes – putting that agents life, and possibly our national security, at risk.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051020/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/cia_leak_investigation

Rove, Libby Discussed CIA Operative (Oct. 20, 2005)
Washington; -
Prosecutors have gathered evidence that top White House aides Karl Rove (top advisor to the Bush Administration) and I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby (VP Dick Cheney’s Chief of Staff) exchanged information about their contacts with reporters regarding Valerie Plame in the days just before the CIA officers cover was blown.…The disclosure is the first known intersection between two central figures in the criminal investigation into the leak of Plame’s identity.

And Senate Majority Leader, Republican Bill Frist is being investigated for insider trading:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/26/frist.blindtrust.ap/Documents:

Frist knew contents of blind trust

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Blind trusts are designed to keep an arm's-length distance between federal officials and their investments, to avoid conflicts of interest. But documents show that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist knew quite a bit about his accounts from nearly two dozen letters from the trust administrators.

Frist, R-Tennessee, received regular updates of transfers of assets to his blind trusts and sales of assets. He also was able to initiate a stock sale of a hospital chain founded by his family with perfect timing. Shortly after the sale this summer, the stock price dived….

Frist, a heart surgeon, has been the Senate's leader as the chamber has considered Medicare legislation and many other issues that would affect HCA's hospitals and doctors.

Another political problem for Frist: His own statements suggest he had no knowledge of his blind trust investments.

Asked in a television interview in January 2003 whether he should sell his HCA stock, responded, "Well, I think really for our viewers it should be understood that I put this into a blind trust. So as far as I know, I own no HCA stock"
Frist, referring to his trust and those of his family, also said in the interview, "I have no control. It is illegal right now for me to know what the composition of those trusts are. So I have no idea."…

 

[Puffy2]

Failure #14 : The Bush Administrations practice of paying journalists to support the administrations policies and agenda. (Is THIS America?)

http://mediamatters.org/topics/gannongate.html

The above link has an abundance of information about corruption in the media and the link between the Bush Administration.

This explains who Jeff Gannon is and gives a couple examples of how the White House used him to deflect criticism:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/02/24/EDGJJBFG2M1.DTL

"Whether Gannon, whose real name is James D. Guckert, was a White House "plant'' may never be known because officials in the Bush administration have taken great pains to distance themselves from the controversy. But passive denials only increase the lack of credibility to explanations of how the White House credentialed Guckert, even though he was representing a pseudo-news operation, using an alias and was linked to X-rated Web sites.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200501260015

“During President Bush's January 26 White House press conference, Jeff Gannon, Washington bureau chief and White House correspondent for the self-described conservative news outlet Talon News, asked the president the following question:

Thank you. Senate Democratic leaders have painted a very bleak picture of the U.S. economy. [Senate Minority Leader] Harry Reid [D-NV] was talking about soup lines. And [Senator] Hillary Clinton [D-NY] was talking about the economy being on the verge of collapse. Yet in the same breath they say that Social Security is rock solid and there's no crisis there. How are you going to work -- you've said you are going to reach out to these people -- how are you going to work with people who seem to have divorced themselves from reality?”…

“Although Gannon is a regular at White House press briefings and Talon News claims to be a news organization, Talon appears to be little more than an arm of the Republican Party. Talon News' editor in chief, Bobby Eberle, is a Republican activist who served as a delegate to the 1996, 1998, and 2000 Texas Republican Conventions and to the 2000 national Republican Convention. In 1999, Eberle "was recognized with a unanimously approved resolution of commendation by the Republican Party of Texas for service and dedication to the Republican cause." His biography on Talon's website notes: "Bobby has devoted considerable time and energy to the Republican effort" and "Bobby is a member of Texas Christian Coalition and Texas Right to Life."

Yesterday, for instance, McClellan was getting hammered with questions about the 9/11 commission and the possible inappropriate juxtaposition of a visit to a 9/11 memorial with a fundraiser on Thursday.
It was getting ugly. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response," McClellan said in response to a jibe. (See the full text of the briefing.)
Then he saw daylight:

"Go ahead, Jeff."

Gannon: "Thank you. First of all, I hope the grand jury didn't force you to turn over the wedding card I sent to you and your wife. (Laughter.) Do you see any hypocrisy in the controversy about the President's mention of 9/11 in his ads, when Democratic icon Franklin Delano Roosevelt's campaign issued this button, that says, 'Remember Pearl Harbor'? I have a visual aid for folks watching at home." “


But wait, that’s not all…remember Armstrong Williams, the TV and Radio Host that was PAID to promote The Bush Administration’s No Child Left Behind policy?

http://mediamatters.org/items/200501070012

The Bush administration paid Armstrong Williams -- author, syndicated TV and radio host, and syndicated columnist -- $240,000 to promote its No Child Left Behind education policy on his syndicated radio and television shows in 2004, USA Today reported on January 7.

Meanwhile, Williams also promoted the Bush administration's education policies, including No Child Left Behind, and denounced those who opposed them in his newspaper columns, syndicated by Tribune Media Services (TMS)."


And theres MORE…columnists Maggie Gallagher and Michael McManus were also on the take:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200501290002

Nationally syndicated columnists Maggie Gallagher and Michael McManus, who were exposed this week for accepting government payments to promote the Bush administration's marriage initiative, have both received support and funding from a network of advocacy organizations, foundations, and publishers known for advancing conservative causes.

 

[Puffy2]

Just giving this a bump.

 

[Puffy2]

Failure #15:

Another example of Bush Administration's favoritism of Corporate Greed over Public Good:

Here you can read about how Exxon Mobile had a record in sales - it's 3rd quarter profits soared to 9.92 Billion (in a QUARTER) - THE LARGEST QUARTERLY PROFIT FOR A US COMPANY EVER!!!


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051027...qNo7HGs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-


But our Republican government thinks that the rich oil companies are deserving of Corporate WELFARE!


http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A63958-2005Apr18?language=printer

House Energy Bill Increases Tax Breaks
Legislation at Odds With Bush Proposal
By Justin Blum
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 19, 2005; Page A04


The House this week will consider $8 billion in tax breaks targeted to the energy industry at a time when some of those companies are enjoying soaring profits from high consumer prices.

The vast majority of the tax breaks would benefit companies that produce and supply traditional forms of energy, with a large portion going to the oil and natural gas sector.

 

[disneymom3]

So, just curious Puffy--did you really want a list of what's been done right and what's been done wrong or just a place to post your own list of wrongs?

Next thing, while I agree that NCLB is a disaster, (and Puffy this is not your post I am referring to) the children on the low end who are failing were failing before and the kids on the high end were bored and not learning before NCLB. NCLB has possibly made it worse, but it was broken previously.

 

[Puffy2]

So, just curious Puffy--did you really want a list of what's been done right and what's been done wrong or just a place to post your own list of wrongs?

Of course I wanted - and still want - a list of what has been right and what has been wrong (but please back up comments with documented sources, otherwise it's just making claims that no one can tell if they are true or not) - unfortunately, very few have offered even a hint of what the administration has done right.

I will say, Bush DID seem to rally the support of the country right after 9/11.

The reason I wanted a list? Because so much info gets lost over the days, months, years...I wanted to see it ALL (good and bad) listed in one place to get a clearer picture of just what this administration has meant to this country.

 

[Puffy2]

Honest to peet, I don't think this country will survive three more years of this Administration!

Failure #15:
More Secretive Agencies and Financial WASTE Being Created By the Republicans under the Bush Administration .

Republican Senator, Richard Burr has proposed a new law to create a new government agency (gee, we need more of those…) to partner with drug companies to combat biological “terrors” both manufactured and natural.

The bill is co-sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (the “doctor” that is being investigated for insider trading and whose family just happens to own a very profitable health care company…gee, wouldn’t that be “conflict of interest?”), Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Mike Enzi, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg and Senator Lamar Alexander. ALL Republicans.

So what’s wrong with that you might ask?

1. We have a huge deficit in this country and Burr wants to make it more by adding – just for starters – one Billion to it to create this NEW agency.

2. We already HAVE agencies to combat national health threats – The Center for Disease Control and the National Institute of Health both which , by the way, had their funding CUT by the Bush Administration just this year!

3. According to the Republican plan for this agency it would have “a blanket EXEMPTION from the federal Freedom of Information Act”. That’s right, ALL their dealings (contracts, money, actual work…if any…would be done in TOTAL SECRET.) Did you know that not even the CIA or the Department of Homeland Security has a “blanket exemption?”

4. The agency would have the power to SHIELD drug manufacturers from liability lawsuits in the event that a drug used to counteract a bioterrorism event or disease outbreak caused death or injury.

5. The bill also would allow Health and Human Services to sign exclusive sales contracts with manufacturers for a particular product. It would forbid government purchases of generic versions of such new drugs or vaccines as well as public sales of the products for use as countermeasures.

In other words, Huge GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS given to health care companies with NO OVERSIGHT as to whether the bid was competitive or not…and the public is PROHIBITED from seeking alternative sources for the same meds. Can you say “Price Gouging?...Corporate Theft ?...Political Leaders Steeling from the American People to Stuff their pockets?”


http://www.nrsc.org/newsdesk/article.aspx?ID=1082

"A new federal agency, in other words. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency -- or BARDA -- would partner with drug companies, universities and the emerging biologics industry to quickly develop medical countermeasures to the worst scourges -- chemical weapons, biological weapons, pandemics -- that terrorists or Mother Nature can come up with.

“To entice profit-minded drugmakers, who have been reluctant to develop the new medicines, Burr's bill would also offer $1 billion in incentives, shield the companies from product liability lawsuits and extend some prescription drug patents.
Those sweeteners have led some to call the bill a giveaway to drug companies, who have been the biggest contributors to Burr's campaign coffers. "
"Some critics have charged that Burr has been a champion of drug companies. They point to the sizable campaign contributions he's received from health care interests -- $28,500 this year and an eye-popping $319,301 during his maiden Senate campaign last year.
"He's a very smart guy, but he's basically carrying out the agenda of the pharmaceutical industry," says Sidney Wolfe, director of health research at Public Citizen, a consumer group founded by Ralph Nader. "His bill completely immunizes the drug industry from lawsuits. " "

http://www.nti.org/d_newswire/issues/2005/10/26/eb278e58-fb2b-448f-bbae-378d7e19a82d.html

"The bill calls for creation of the “Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency” — a new Health and Human Services office to help organize government biodefense investment.

Democrats last week signaled support for creating such an agency. However, they have criticized a provision in the bill that would exempt it from Freedom of Information Act, Federal Advisory Committee Act, and congressional cost accountability requirements.

“Exempting BARDA from FOIA is just ridiculous. Even intelligence agencies are subject to FOIA requests,” said Nick Schwellenbach, an investigator for the Project on Government Oversight in Washington, D.C."

...

"The bill also would allow Health and Human Services to sign exclusive sales contracts with manufacturers for a particular product. It would forbid government purchases of generic versions of such new drugs or vaccines as well as public sales of the products for use as countermeasures. Democrats have said that provision would drive up the price of treatments that would be vital in a national emergency. "

...

"Democrats also have criticized the bill for not addressing short-term U.S. needs to battle a potential avian flu pandemic, while instead focusing on measures to address longer-term research and development of drugs and vaccines."

http://burr.senate.gov/index.cfm?

FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=121&Month=10&Year=2005
"The legislation is co-sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Mike Enzi, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg and Senator Lamar Alexander. "

 

[TnKrBeLlA012]

Just a thought. Be a little more positive. We could make lists of good and bad for every President that has been in office. Times are different. We have to remember what this country has faced since Bush has been in office. The constant negativity the media feeds people does this country little good.

 

[Planogirl]

Just a thought. Be a little more positive. We could make lists of good and bad for every President that has been in office. Times are different. We have to remember what this country has faced since Bush has been in office. The constant negativity the media feeds people does this country little good.

Actually, I think that speaking out and sharing our thoughts does a lot of good. The freedom to do so is important and personally, I learn a lot from these discussions. JMO.

 

[superbird]

Actually, I think that speaking out and sharing our thoughts does a lot of good. The freedom to do so is important and personally, I learn a lot from these discussions. JMO.

Hopefully what you learn is the truth and not the spin that some people are putting up here and quoting other articles like it's the truth. Look what the NY times did to that poor soldiers family when they edited the letter home, but changed it to fit their liberal agenda. Or when they quoted Bill Bennet saying " I beat my wife" but leaving off the words "at chess" real easy to get the news and so called truth when it's spun the way they want it!!!!!!

 

[Puffy2]

Originally Posted by TnKrBeLlA012
Just a thought. Be a little more positive. We could make lists of good and bad for every President that has been in office. Times are different. We have to remember what this country has faced since Bush has been in office. The constant negativity the media feeds people does this country little good.

For me, the idea is to not forget. The attention spans of Americans is regretably short. And remember, if anyone has anything positive at all to post, please do so (just remember to back it up with some documentation so readers can check it out for themselves.)

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Hopefully what you learn is the truth and not the spin that some people are putting up here and quoting other articles like it's the truth. Look what the NY times did to that poor soldiers family when they edited the letter home, but changed it to fit their liberal agenda. Or when they quoted Bill Bennet saying " I beat my wife" but leaving off the words "at chess" real easy to get the news and so called truth when it's spun the way they want it!!!!!!

Liberal agenda? What about this Administration's spin, more like uber-spin, on the war using our brave men and women of the Armed Forces to push their agenda? I give you Pfc. Jessica Lynch, who was quoted as saying "I was used as a symbol" in Time magazine, or the "Mission Accomplished" sign and Bush's flight suit dog and pony show. How about Bush's spontaneous "conversation" with the troops a couple weeks ago? IMO, worst of all, the fairytale story that they came up with after Pat Tillman was killed not charging up a hill as the powers that be behind this war created, but in the back by friendly fire just so they could continue to use their golden boy as a recruitment tool!! I don't want to hear any more from conservatives and their pathetic assumptions that if only the naysayers, the Lefties and the media would go along with everything that this Administration put forth, that somehow, we would understand this clown of a President's delicate genius!! America and our soilders in the field deserve much, much better!!!

 

[superbird]

Liberal agenda? What about this Administration's spin, more like uber-spin, on the war using our brave men and women of the Armed Forces to push their agenda? I give you Pfc. Jessica Lynch, who was quoted as saying "I was used as a symbol" in Time magazine, or the "Mission Accomplished" sign and Bush's flight suit dog and pony show. How about Bush's spontaneous "conversation" with the troops a couple weeks ago? IMO, worst of all, the fairytale story that they came up with after Pat Tillman was killed not charging up a hill as the powers that be behind this war created, but in the back by friendly fire just so they could continue to use their golden boy as a recruitment tool!! I don't want to hear any more from conservatives and their pathetic assumptions that if only the naysayers, the Lefties and the media would go along with everything that this Administration put forth, that somehow, we would understand this clown of a President's delicate genius!! America and our soilders in the field deserve much, much better!!!

It is not fall in line and everything will be much better. Report BOTH sides of every issue not just the one side YOU want to hear. I am stuck reading Long Island Newsday, I go to read the sports there is more garbage in there about how bad Bush is for anything that comes up. Read a movie review, again same thing how bad Bush is. Why don't you just tell me if the movie is good or bad, tell me who scored how many points or what team might make a trade. Keep the news to the good and the bad. It is amazing the good that our brave men and women are doing over there each and every day that never gets reported unless the NY Times "edits" it to their thinking. Hey that imprompto news conferance, don't kid yourself all presidents and elected officials have done it too. What about Bill Clinton laughing at the funeral of Ron Brown then upon seeing the cameras on him getting all serious and wiping away a tear. All you ever saw was the tears from Bill Clinton and how serious he was. Yes BOTH sides have the issues and I was making the point to the other reader to read BOTH sides not just take someones opionion as fact!!! Slow down on ranting and raving and reread what I wrote!!!!!!