Dawn of the DU Meme, or If Sparknotes Did Politics

[iconoclastic cat]

Or something. Anyway, here is a good little sheet to use for "talking points" that someone at Daily Kos put together:

Playing Hardball with Bush
by TarheelDem


Sun Aug 29th, 2004 at 09:59:25 EDT

The best ammunition that Kerry has is not personal: lack of curiosity and intelligence, failure to serve, cowardice on 9/11... Those who care to know this already discount it in their decisions.

The best ammunition is Bush's failed policies.

* Misguided economic policy - cutting taxes in a recession driven by the lack of demand and by unemployment made things worse

* Misguided fiscal policy - cutting taxes in a time of war is unprecedented, as Al Franken says for any civilization in history, and disastrous.

* Misguided domestic policy - destruction of public schools, drop in coverage of healthcare, increased tuition and healthcard prices, reduction of cops on the street an increasing crime

* Accountibility - no accountibility for anyone, failure to fire anyone for 9/11, failure to fire anyone for poor Iraq intelligence, failure to fire anyone for Abu Graib

* Subversion of government for business advantage - revolving door of officials and business lobbying groups, regulated writing the regulations, stacked inquiries, secret deals, subversion of FOIA, legislation by administrative fiat and executive order

* Failure of the conservative political philosophy - modern conservatism has departed from fiscal responsibility and national security

* Breach of the separation of church and state, implementing a narrow religious view not even acceptable to all Christians, double agendas with regards to Judaism and Islam, turning the Presidency into a cult, claiming the support of the deity for policies

* Massive failure of national security - ignorance of Clinton transition information because of hatred of the Clintons, diversion of Justice Department attention from anti-terrorism monitoring, punishment of civil service and career military employees who were raising alarms, not having national air defenses still on the ready, failure to personally monitor events, failure of command, doctoring of intelligence, failure to insist on discovering lessons learned, diversion of resources, compromising national intelligence by tolerating moles (Iran, Israel) and inadvisably sharing with foreign governments (Saudi Arabia)

* Failure to successfully prosecute one war - refusing to send an adequate number of troops, and ignoring the necessity to build the peace and restore the economy - Afghanistan

* Failure to successfully prosecute a second war of choice - refusing to send an adequate number of troops to handle security after a quick victory, deliberately ignoring advice by knowledgeable government officials, permitting looting of a national cultural institution, prematurely discharging the opposing army without parole and without promise of support, failure to allow bidding on contracts by qualified and potentially loyal Iraqi companies, corruption in the administration of Iraqi funds and resources, corruption is granting contracts for reconstruction of Iraq, gratuitously suspending freedom of the press

* Contempt for international law, treaties, and human rights - destruction of Kyoto treaty on global warming, unilateral termination of Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty, refusal to ratify International Criminal Court (which could be useful in bringing terrorists to justice) in order to permit US officials to violate human rights, gaming the Geneva Convention, extra-judicial punishment of prisoners of war, conduct of torture and sexual assault as procedure for intelligence gathering

And the last item is by far the reason to get rid of Bush and his team.
***********

Note: Thanks to the original author

[DemBones DemBones]

1. Excellent points. His past record with TANG

certainly deserves criticism but what he's done since January 20, 2001, is what our main focus should be. It's time for the buck to stop on his desk and for him to bear the blame for the failed policies he and his administration have pushed.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. My List of Bush Scandals

I tried to keep this list to scandalous behavior, not simply policy disagreements.

* 2000 election vote count.
* 2001-08-06 Presidential Daily Briefing ignored.
* Ashcroft de-emphasizing counter-terrorism before 9/11.
* Blank seven minutes on 9/11.
* Patriot Act. Patriot Act 2.
* Bush to Clarke on 9/11: "Get Iraq".
* Faith based community grants.
* Faith based e-voting, voter intimidation, voter discrimination.
* Faith based rejection of Science: Global Warming, stem cells.
* Faith based missile defence.
* Faith based intelligence (manipulation of intelligence).
* Faith based peace (no planning for winning the peace in Iraq).
* Faith based contracts: Halliburton no-bids and overcharges in Iraq.
* Feith based invasions (Israeli spy: Pentagon: Douglas Feith, Chalabi).
* Destroying Valerie Plame's work and career.
* Abandoning Afghanistan to clobber Iraq on Bush's election timetable.
* Illegally moving $700 million out of Afghanistan Fund to seed Iraq War.
* Sending troops to Iraq without body armor.
* Planning to have Iraq pay for the post-war.
* Bush avoiding soldier funerals.
* Forbidding publishing returning coffins photos.
* Jettisoning long time allies.
* Abandonment of Palestinians to Sharon's mercies or lack thereof.
* Rumsfailed incompetence and the backdoor draft.
* Abu Ghraib and Whitehouse torture memos and policies.
* Secret detentions.
* Failing to secure humankind's heritage in Bhagdad museum.
* Blowing cover of MNN Khan double agent in Aug. 2004
* Politicizing terror alerts.
* Cutting and hindering port and container security.
* Mandating schools give student names, addresses to military recruiters.
* Removing asset forfeiture law pamphlets from libraries.
* No child left behind.
* Cutting vet benefits and vet hospitals.
* Tax cuts for the rich.
* Passing spending cuts down, squeezing states and local government.
* Reversing huge surplus to huge deficit burdening our children.
* Stuffing Strategic Petroleum Reserve at highest prices.
* Enron. Kenneth Lay who?
* Massive accounting irregularities under Bremer ($8.8 billion).
* 9/11 commission: avoidance, obstruction, conclusions.
* Lowered Environmental Standards: arsenic, mercury
* Closed door energy policy writing exclusively with energy companies.
* Supported military coup in Venezuela against elected Chavez.
* Lying about the cost of the Medicare drug bill.
* Plans to test all Americans for mental health.
* Stealing memos from Democratic Congresspeople 2002. (verification?)
* Riggs Bank (verification).
* Not so Swift Boat Vets. Smear McClain, Clelland, Jamie Gorelick, Kerry.
* Exploiting NY firefighters and Iraqi soccer team in political ads.
* Considering cancelling the 2004 election.
* Illegal use of Homeland Security to get Texas Democrats for redistricting.
* Recess appointments of ultra-right Judges Pryor and Pickering.
* Locking up Reagan and GHWB presidential papers.
* Bush has divided America after promising to unite it.

Did I mention Halliburton?

[iconoclastic cat]

3. Wow! Nice. We could make this thread into a project!

I wonder how long it would take for DUers to find and cite material that backs each of these up. It could be a worthwhile project. Is anyone game?

[Generic Other]

4. The DailyMisleader Archives would be a good source of info

http://www.misleader.org/daily_mislead/Read.asp?fn=df08272004.html