DU in its infancy - Feb 19, 2001!

[Jefferson23]

35. lol I am so enjoying reading this through...it is wild. EarlG, ah the memories:

Hail To The Chump

"They misunderestimated me." — Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000

They surely did, George, and now we're stuck with you. Was it Al Gore's lack of charisma, the Supreme Court's lack of subtletly, or just the plain fact that people can't help but like the village idiot (in a sad sort of way)? But that's not really the point any more. The point is - what are you going to do now? Let's take a look at some of the Bush campaign promises...

BUSH ON EDUCATION

"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?" — Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000

Here's what they're learning so far - that if you drink and drive, one day you might get to be president. Or that affirmative action is a bad idea, because it's unfair to disadvantaged rich white people. But anyway. One of Bush's campaign promises is $5 billion more for literacy over five years, which is fine, but surely there's not going to be much left after he's done spending it on himself...

Under Bush, Texas schools had some of the nation's highest dropout rates, and the system of accountability that Bush extolled caused tens of thousands of students (mostly minorities) to quit school each year. This loss, in turn, boosted test scores - giving the illusion of an education miracle.

"The Texas miracle in education is a myth," said Walter Haney, a Boston College researcher who studies test statistics. (Washington Post, April 21, 2000)

BUSH ON ABORTION

"I think it's important for those of us in a position of responsibility to be firm in sharing our experiences, to understand that the babies out of wedlock is a very difficult chore for mom and baby alike. ... I believe we ought to say there is a different alternative than the culture that is proposed by people like Miss Wolf in society. ... And, you know, hopefully, condoms will work, but it hasn't worked." — Meet the Press, Nov. 21, 1999

Bush has promised that there will be no move toward a constitutional abortion ban. And yet he has previously stated:

"I will do everything in my power to restrict abortions," (Dallas Morning News, October 22, 1994).

And...

"Roe v. Wade was a reach... It overstepped the Constitutional bounds, as far as I'm concerned," (New York Times, January 21, 2000).

And what about...

When asked whether he would fight for changes in the Republican Party Platform’s abortion plank, Bush said, "The [Republican Party] platform is what I stand on, and the platform says there will be a pro-life constitutional amendment. And we need to be a pro-life party." (The Early Show 2/18/00)

Well you can make your own minds up about where you think GW stands on abortion. But it is interesting that his Attorney General will be a man who is so vehemently anti-choice that he even wants to ban the contraceptive pill. Will John Ashcroft do his utmost to prevent so-called "pro-lifers" from bombing abortion clinics and targeting clinic workers for assassination?

BUSH ON DEFENSE

"When I was coming up, it was a dangerous world, and you knew exactly who they were... It was us vs. them, and it was clear who them was. Today, we are not so sure who the they are, but we know they're there." — Iowa Western Community College, Jan 21, 2000

Which is obviously why we need a missile defense system, another of Bush's campaign promises. Never mind about pissing off the Russkies - hell, George's dad won the Cold War didn't he? And what about the objections from our European allies? George's advice - go eat a Big Mac already. By the way, if you're wondering how much this is all going to cost, the GOP is looking at upwards of $120 billion.

Bush has also pledged to reverse eight years of "erosion" in military readiness, but so far, he has pledged to seek a defense budget increase of only $4 billion to $5 billion a year, far short of what Pentagon officials say they would need.

He has expressed support for the controversial "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy on gays in the military, although the official Republican Party platform bluntly states that homosexuality is incompatible with military service.

BUSH ON ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

"It is clear our nation is reliant upon big foreign oil. More and more of our imports come from overseas." — Beaverton, Ore., Sep. 25, 2000

Indeed they do, George, indeed they do. Which is probably why you promised during your campaign to increase domestic oil and gas production and exploration in the protected Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. And your opposition to the ratification of the Kyoto agreement on global warming is going to do a pretty good job of making you look like you're leading a country of arrogant assholes.

A quick look at Bush's record on the environment: Texas ranks first on the EPA's toxic release inventory, and Houston surpassed Los Angeles as the city with the country's dirtiest air.

Bush's pick for Interior Secretary, Gale A. Norton, says that people should have the "right to pollute". Hey, it's a free country...

BUSH ON TAXES

"A tax cut is really one of the anecdotes to coming out of an economic illness." — The Edge With Paula Zahn, Sept. 18, 2000

Just like his daddy, Bush promised no increase in personal or corporate tax rates. We'll be keeping a close eye on that one. He also wants to eliminate the inheritance tax, based upon the conservative-spread lie that this is income which is taxed twice (again with those poor, disadvantaged rich folks).

Also while Bush promised relief for the working poor, the fact is his proposed income tax cut of $1.3 trillion will give no relief whatsoever to the millions of working families who don't earn enough to pay income taxes, but who do pay payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare. His plan offers no help for around twenty million working families, the bottom 22 percent.

BUSH ON GUN CONTROL

"I think we ought to raise the age at which juveniles can have a gun."

Bush promised to raise the age for handgun possession to 21, background checks at gun shows if they are instant, and would sign a bill requiring child-safety locks to be sold with guns.

However, here's what Attorney General-designate John Ashcroft has to say about the 1994 ban on assault weapons: "I believe it wrongheaded... It has severely restricted the rights of law-abiding citizens to participate in many activities involving guns."

John Ashcroft has received money from the NRA and other pro-gun groups, and has worked in support of their agenda.

In 1999, Missouri voters rejected an Ashcroft-supported, NRA-sponsored ballot initiative that would have allowed almost anyone (including convicted child molesters and stalkers) to carry concealed guns in public in Missouri. Ashcroft even recorded radio ads endorsing the proposal.

There's much, much more here.

BUSH ON HEALTH CARE

"I don't think we need to be subliminable about the differences between our views on prescription drugs." — Orlando, Fla., Sept. 12, 2000

Bush promised a tax credit of up to $2,000 per family to help low-income working Americans buy health insurance. Problem is that not only has anyone yet managed to create a tax-credit plan that works (a similar 1993 plan was repealed by congress) - but a typical midrange policy that pays for doctors' visits, prescription drugs, and outpatient care can cost between $4,000 and $6,000 in annual premiums.

BUSH ON SOCIAL SECURITY

"They want the federal government controlling Social Security like it's some kind of federal program." — St. Charles, Mo., Nov. 2, 2000

Bush's plan sets aside $2.4 trillion for Social Security. Wait a second... so that's a $1.3 trillion dollar tax cut, and $2.4 trillion for Social Security. Wow, that's a lot of trillions. Still, as the man himself so adroitly points out: "It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it." (Reuters, May 5, 2000)

For a full analysis of the shit which is about to hit the fan, go here.

See the complete list of Bushisms at Slate.com
See actual video of drunken Dubya at The Smoking Gun

Tell a friend about this articleTell a friend about this article

ROFL