| 10-20-2003
|
Bush pleads with China and Japan to save him from his economic failures. | Bush likes to say that his enormous tax cuts that give hundreds of billions of dollars to America's wealthiest people are job-creation programs. But America has bled millions of jobs since Bush's tax cuts became law, so it's time to try something new. Bush's new tactic? Beg China and Japan to increase the value of their currencies, which will make American manufacturers more competitive. But Bush has nothing to offer in return -- and has done little to make other countries inclined to offer him favors. Instead of making pointless pleas to other countries, maybe Bush should come up with an economic plan that would actually create jobs instead of just putting more money in the pockets of those who need it least. |
| 10-15-2003
|
Bush uses EPA funds to make campaign ads. | Well, the EPA probably has a lot of money sitting around, what with it not enforcing environmental regulations anymore. So why not spend some of that dough getting President Bush reelected? The EPA runs Spanish-language ads on radio touting the Bush environmental policies that destroy the environment. |
| 10-15-2003
|
Bush misrepresents evidence on Iraq to the United Nations. | Colin Powell's speech to the United Nations was a watershed moment in the run-up to the Iraq war. Powell's reputation as a moderate and credible voice made the evidence he presented about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction seem that much more impressive. But as State Department employee Greg Thielmann reveals, it was nothing but twisted and misleading evidence, trumped up to sell Bush's Iraq war. |
| 10-11-2003
|
Bush proposes loosening protections of endangered species. | Sure, species extinction is a bad thing, but is it as bad as, say, not having a wastebasket made out of real ivory? That's the position of the Bush administration, anyway, which lifts restrictions on killing and trading endangered species. But at least it's only foreign animals. Who cares about those animals in other countries? |
| 10-10-2003
|
Bush overturns limits on mining waste sites. | In another victory for the mining industry, which has been as generous to President Bush as a donor as he has been to it as a president, the Interior Department overturns a rule put in place by the Clinton administration that limited the land mining sites could use to dispose of waste. |
| 10-8-2003
|
Bush starts new public relations campaign on Iraq. | Faced with failure, effective leaders change policy. Ineffective leaders figure out new way to sell their current policies. President Bush chooses to do the latter in Iraq, creating a new public relations push to make people feel better about the soldier-per-day death rate since Bush declared "Mission Accomplished." |
| 10-3-2003
|
Bush declares Marriage Protection Week. | Is the institution of marriage in danger? Because as far as I can tell, people are still getting married. But President Bush apparently thinks marriage is in dire need of protection, and hops into action by declaring "Marriage Protection Week." Bush, of course, thinks that marriage needs protection from gay couples, who want to attack marriage by, uh, getting married. I'm not quite sure how that works, but Bush must know what he's doing, right? |
| 10-1-2003
|
Bush does nothing to reveal who disclosed Valerie Plame's identity. | The White House likes to tout President Bush as a "strong leader." If there's even a modicum of truth to that, Bush already knows who leaked Valerie Plame's identity as an undercover CIA agent. But when asked, he refuses to do anything to reveal the truth, instead just claiming, "I want to know the truth," and passing the buck (as usual) to the Justice Department. |
| 9-28-2003
|
Bush discloses undercover CIA agent's identity as retribution against her husband. | When Joseph Wilson revealed that the Bush administration had used false intelligence to justify the war in Iraq, a smear campaign against him was predictable. But it was impossible to predict that the White House would reveal that Wilson's wife was an undercover CIA agent who worked on weapons of mass destruction -- supposedly the reason we went to war in the first place -- just to get back at Wilson. |
| 9-24-2003
|
Bush tells Congress not to offer a Medicare prescription drug benefit to the poor. | Traditionally, Medicare benefits go to all Medicare recipients. But President Bush wants millions of low-income seniors to lose out on any new prescription drug benefit. He would rather those seniors rely on the states' Medicaid benefits, which vary from state to state (and year to year) and worsen the states' already severe fiscal crises -- which Bush has made worse with his enormous tax cuts. |
| 9-23-2003
|
Bush takes away the discretion of career prosecutors. | Conservative politicians like to reduce law enforcement to simple "tough on crime" platitudes. But the actual enforcement of law and prosecution of crime can't be reduced to simple black-and-white thinking. That's why prosecutors ought to have discretion over charges they file. But Attorney General John Ashcroft issues new guidelines forcing federal prosecutors to file the most serious charges possible in every case, because that "tough on crime" stance still looks great in the papers. |
| 9-22-2003
|
Bush gives federal funds to religious groups. | President Bush continues his efforts to chip away at the wall between church and state by issuing new regulations that allow new federal funds to go religious groups. But this is about more than church-state separation. It's also about Bush's attempt to move the federal government out of the business of helping people. |
| 9-21-2003
|
Bush tries to cover up global warming. | Seriously, can we just stop it with the global warming denial already? I know it's inconvenient for conservative ideologues, but facts are facts. Actually, facts aren't facts if you work for the Bush administration, because facts can always be covered up. And when it comes to global warming, that's just what this administration does. |
| 9-17-2003
|
Bush continues to hide energy task force proceedings. | Back in 2001, the administration released an energy policy that was filled with gifts to President Bush and Vice President Cheney's friends in the energy industry. So it would hardly be surprising to find out that the energy industry dominated the meetings at which the policy was written. But Cheney goes to the Supreme Court to try and keep records of his energy task force's meetings secret, simply because of the administration's distaste for open government. |
| 9-16-2003
|
Bush attacks librarians for opposing the Patriot Act. | Librarians have criticized the Patriot Act because it allows the federal government to invade the privacy of library patrons. And how does the Bush administration respond? "Mr. Ashcroft mocked and condemned the American Library Association and other Justice Department critics for believing that the F.B.I. wants to know 'how far you have gotten on the latest Tom Clancy novel.'" Silly people who want to protect civil liberties! Don't you have something more important to do, like celebrating "Patriots' Day"? |
| 9-11-2003
|
Bush uses the September 11 attacks to justify all his policies. | Why should we pass tax cuts for the rich? The September 11 attacks. Why should we clear cut forests and let polluters write environmental policy? The September 11 attacks. Why has America lost millions of jobs since Bush took office? The September 11 attacks. Next thing you know, he'll be saying we went to war with Iraq because of the September 11 attacks! Nah, he wouldn't go that far... |
| 9-11-2003
|
Bush tries to expand the Patriot Act. | President Bush celebrates the second anniversary of the September 11 attacks by calling for an expansion of the Patriot Act, which restricts civil liberties in the name of security. But at least he renames the day "Patriots' Day," so we all know that we're bad Americans for valuing our freedom. |
| 9-10-2003
|
Bush tries to expand the death penalty. | This really speaks for itself. In a time when the death penalty ought to be shrinking into nonexistence what with dozens of innocent people being discovered on death row, President Bush pushes for an expansion of the death penalty, saying the current law is one of the "unreasonable obstacles" to fighting terrorism. |
| 9-1-2003
|
Bush allows the sale of PCB-polluted lands. | Remember when EPA stood for Environmental Protection Agency? President Bush's EPA -- who knows what the hell it stands for under that guy -- reverses a 25-year policy of not selling lands polluted by PCBs. The bans prevented people from spreading the pollution until the EPA could ensure the lands were clean. Not any more. |
| 8-29-2003
|
Bush expands global abortion gag rules. | One of Bush's first acts in office (see 1-21-2001 below) was to limit funding to international organizations that provide abortions. Now he expands that rule so that no federal funds can go to international organizations that provide any abortions, even with their own funds. The result, of course, is devastating for the health of the world's poorest women. |
| 8-29-2003
|
Bush chooses not to regulate auto emissions. | It isn't often that government agencies choose to limit their own power, but President Bush's EPA is a notable exception. The agency announces that it conveniently doesn't have the power to regulate auto emissions, providing another big win for the auto industry. The reason? The EPA claims carbon dioxide isn't a pollutant. Which is true, if you don't believe in global warming. (See 9-21-2003, above.) |
| 8-29-2003
|
Bush cuts Energy Star program. | President Bush likes to praise programs in front of the camera and then slash them when the camera is turned off. One good example is the Energy Star program, which Bush touts (correctly) as an effective environmental program, providing $70 in benefits for every one dollar spent. But the EPA shifts funds so that the Energy Star program doesn't get the funds Congress intended for it to get. When Bush praises a program, watch out -- it maybe destined for big cuts. |
| 8-28-2003
|
Bush awards no-bid contracts to Halliburton. | Look, Halliburton may be the best company to provide contracting services in Iraq. It may not be. But one thing is certain: it looks awfully suspicious for the Bush administration to award a no-bid contract to Halliburton when Vice President Cheney used to be the company's CEO. What's more, it completely contradicts the White House's professed distaste for government interference in a free market. A bidding process would drive down the costs for the taxpayer and guarantee improved services. But it would mean smaller profits for Cheney's old firm. |
| 8-27-2003
|
Bush cites war on terror as reason for small federal pay raise. | Justifying a miserly 2 percent raise for federal workers, Bush says that a higher raise would harm our ability to prosecute the war on terror. So he does realize that we need money to win the war on terror. But he hasn't realized that his multi-trillion-dollar tax cuts do much, much, much more to destroy the nation's financial health than a decent raise for those who work for the government. |
| 8-23-2003
|
Bush relaxes clean air rules. | We have to be honest with you: we thought this was a done deal back in November 2002. (See 11-22-2002 below.) But apparently the EPA is now getting around to implementing the rules that will gut the Clean Air Act. Under the new Bush rules, older power plants will be able to expand their operations without installing new anti-pollution technology. But why should Bush care? Prevailing wind patterns push all that pollution toward the northeast, and those states didn't vote for him anyway. |
| 8-22-2003
|
Bush lies about air quality after September 11 attacks. | There's nothing funny about this at all. After the September 11 attacks, the EPA told New Yorkers it was safe to live and work near Ground Zero. It turns out that under White House pressure, the EPA lied about the data it had and omitted important information about the quality of the air and what New Yorkers needed to do to stay healthy. It may take years to see the effects -- possibly birth defects or increased cancer rates -- of what may be Bush's worst lie yet. |
| 8-18-2003
|
Bush defunds Teach for America. | If you run a nonprofit organization, beware the photo-op with George W. Bush. It's like the kiss of death: it may seem friendly at the time, but you'll learn to regret it later. While those who run Teach for America were optimistic after meeting Bush the presidential candidate, they found their funding taken away under Bush the president. Now the program, which gives top students money for college for teaching in underprivileged communities, has to eliminate scholarships. |
| 8-17-2003
|
Bush blocks plan to upgrade nation's power grid. | You would think that in the wake of an enormous power outage that paralyzed much of the northeast United States and southeast Canada, it wouldn't be difficult to unite behind a plan to upgrade the power grid. But President Bush opposes his own handpicked chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and sides with (surprise, surprise) the energy industry to oppose the plan. Instead, the administration thinks that more deregulation is the solution, even though deregulation is largely the problem in the first place. A deregulated power industry has no financial incentive to pay the costs of upgrading the grid. Apparently, Bush hasn't quite learned the lessons from Enron that he needs to learn yet. |
| 8-14-2003
|
Bush cuts pay for soldiers in Iraq. | "And tonight, I have a special word ... for all the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States: America is grateful for a job well done," said President Bush as he declared an end to |
| 8-12-2003
|
Bush uses the IRS and federal funds to send out a campaign letter -- again. | Just as with his enormous tax cut in 2001 (see 6-22-2001 below), President Bush is spending millions of taxpayer dollars to send a letter to folks letting them know about the rebate checks they'll receive in the mail. The purpose of the letter is nothing more than to associate Bush's name with the checks, providing a little campaign boost for the president's reelection. |
| 8-11-2003
|
Bush pushes plan to make it easier for timber companies to plunder national forests. | Just as President Bush fights the freedom-hating terrorists by taking away our freedoms, so he fights tree-burning forest fires by selling off the trees. (See 8-21-2002 below.) On a break from his annual month-long vacation, Bush takes the opportunity to promote his tree-destroying program and pretend to be an environmentalist. |
| 8-9-2003
|
Bush proposes eliminating protections for historical sites from highway projects. | Another no-brainer that's no-brained by the Bush administration. Of course protecting historical sites should be of vital importance when you're deciding where to put a major interstate. And those protections are written into federal law. But if the Bush administration has its way, they'll be taken out, opening all kinds of historical sites to desecration and even destruction. |
| 8-7-2003
|
Bush gives oil companies in Iraq blanket immunity from lawsuits. | Whether you think Iraq's oil was a small factor in the decision to go to war or the main reason, you cannot deny the potential that some of the companies given contracts to deal with the oil in post-Saddam Iraq may abuse their new privileges. After all, any company can abuse any contract. But Bush ensures that oil companies can engage in all the abuse they want with an executive order that gives them blanket immunity from lawsuits. |
| 8-7-2003
|
Bush seeks retribution for judges who use their discretion in sentencing. | Laws that restrict the ability of judges to use their discretion when sentencing criminals can be the source of grave miscarriages of justice. Attorney General John Ashcroft wants to make sure those miscarriages happens as often as possible, so he has asked federal prosecutors to report any instances of judges imposing more lenient sentences than the law allows. The law is a blunt instrument, and discretion in sentencing allows judges to take appropriate action based on mitigating circumstances. Is it any surprise that Ashcroft doesn't approve? |
| 8-6-2003
|
Bush proposes cuts to Medicare funding for cancer drugs. | Cutting government healthcare costs is a good goal. When it involves cutting services for cancer patients, you'd hope the compassionate would rule out the conservative. But not for the Bush administration, as the Department of Health and Human Services proposes cutting the amount of money the government spends on cancer drugs. The administration says we overpay, but patient advocates say "instead of expanding access to lifesaving drugs, [the cuts] would limit access to cancer treatments for some of the most seriously ill Medicare beneficiaries." |
| 7-31-2003
|
Bush promotes a federal ban on gay marriage. | Conservatives believe that gay people getting married somehow threatens heterosexual marriages. (They never seem particularly clear on how that works.) President Bush believes that an unsatisfied conservative base somehow threatens his reelection chances. (It's pretty clear how that works.) The solution is clear. Bush attacks gay marriage, suggesting that his administration is working on a way to make it illegal everywhere in the country. His attack comes at the expense of equality and dignity for homosexuals, values that Bush has never seemed to hold in high regard. |
| 7-31-2003
|
Bush shuts down nuclear weapons advisory panel. | President Bush has been pushing for new kinds of nuclear weapons (see 7-6-2003 below), and there's nothing more inconvenient for that kind of goal than independent oversight. So the Bush administration eliminates the independent advisory board to the National Nuclear Security Administration. Members of the committee had criticized Bush's plans for new nukes, and the administration hadn't called the committee together in the year before it was disbanded. |
| 7-29-2003
|
Bush creates a system where people can invest in the possibility of terror attacks and international upheaval. | This one didn't last long, and it showed just how important it is to have open government. From the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the same folks who brought us "Total Information Awareness" (and, years ago, the Internet), comes a project that would encourage investors to risk real money against the possibility of future events, like the overthrow of Jordan's king, or terrorist attacks. The idea would be to see whether such a system would have a predictive effect that would help us see world events before they happen. But the obvious ethical problems of essentially betting on chaos, death, and destruction forces the Pentagon to shut down the sickening project the day it becomes public. |
| 7-22-2003
|
Bush threatens veto if Congress overturns new FCC rules. | When President Bush eased media ownership rules (see 6-3-2003 below), he never expected trouble from the Republican-controlled Congress. But an unprecedented public outcry against the new rules has put pressure on Congress to overturn the FCC's decision. But Bush isn't one to let something like "the will of the people" get in the way of his pro-corporate agenda. So he lets Congress know that if it overturns the new rules, he'll exercise his first veto. How appropriate that it will go to protect the profits of megacorporations! |
| 7-16-2003
|
Bush exposes an undercover CIA agent in an act of petty vengeance. | Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson recently went public to say that he had investigated President Bush's State of the Union claim that Iraq tried to purchase uranium from Africa and had found the story not credible nearly a year before Bush's speech. Given the Bush administration's record, you'd expect some kind of retaliation or attempt to discredit Wilson from the White House or its surrogates. But Bush hits a new low when "senior administration officials" expose Wilson's wife as an undercover CIA agent to reporter Robert Novak, ruining her career and possibly endangering her life. Wilson calls it "a shot across the bow" to others who would speak out against the Bush administration. Seems like a pretty direct hit to me. |
| 7-9-2003
|
Bush obstructs September 11 investigation. | Remember when President Bush's complaint with the weapons inspectors was that all their interviews were conducted in front of Iraqi government "minders"? Apparently he objected to the instance but likes the principle. When the independent commission (long opposed by Bush) investigating the attacks of September 11 interviews intelligence personnel, the Justice Department insists on having a "minder" in the room, chilling testimony before the commission. And that's just the tip of the Bush administration obstructionism iceberg. The commission complains of interference and noncooperation from all over the administration, noting that "problems that have arisen so far with the Department of Defense are becoming particularly serious." |
| 7-8-2003
|
Bush proposes weakening Head Start. | Head Start is that rarest of gems: an effective and universally lauded educational program. So why mess with success, right? But instead of expanding this preschool program that has been proven to give children a jump on learning, President Bush proposes changing the specific federal outlays to block grants that will give states more "flexibility" to spend the money. Given that states are in their worst fiscal crises since World War II, it's likely that they'll stretch the money and direct as much as possible away from Head Start. |
| 7-6-2003
|
Bush continues to push for new nuclear weapons. | Radical conservative activists like the current President Bush a lot more than they did his father, and here's one reason why. Where Bush 41 put a moratorium on U.S. nuclear weapons tests in 1992, Bush 43 not only wants to resume tests, but wants to create entirely new kinds of nuclear weapons. Continuing with earlier efforts (see 2-20-2003 below), the Bush administration argues for smaller nukes that are much more likely to be used in combat. |
| 6-30-2003
|
Bush belies pro-military rhetoric with cheap treatment of troops. | President Bush sure talks a good game when it comes to the military, doesn't he? Whether he's embedding the media with troops in combat or flying jet planes to victory celebrations, Bush has used the military as a political backdrop more effectively than any president in U.S. history. But what does his real military record look like? Not his personal record of bravely protecting the skies of Texas from the Viet Cong. Rather, Bush's record as president shows a pattern of disrespect to the military that the Army Times describes as "nickel-and-dime treatment." Whether he's opposing an increase in payments to families of troops killed in action or capping raises for low-ranking soldiers, Bush never matches his pro-military rhetoric with action. |
| 6-27-2003
|
Bush tries to remove Yellowstone from UN World Heritage Site list. | When it comes to the environment, the Bush administration's top officials and the career agency staffs just can't seem to agree on anything. Although a Bush official tries to get Yellowstone National Park taken off the United Nation's World Heritage Sites list, officials at the Interior Department insist the park still faces "continuing threats to the quality of the park's streams, bison herd and cutthroat trout populations -- and to visitors' overall experience of the park." |
| 6-27-2003
|
Bush proposes to eliminate overtime for 8 million American workers. | Back in January (see 1-31-2003 below), President Bush proposed changes to labor laws that could mean millions of workers lose overtime pay. Now we know just how many millions. A study from the Economic Policy Institute showed that 8 million American workers would lose the right to overtime under the proposed rule changes from Bush's Labor Department. |
| 6-23-2003
|
Bush pushes school-sponsored religious activities. | Students have a right to pursue their own religious activities in public schools, but any implication that a religious activity is sponsored by the school or any authority figure violates the first amendment by giving the appearance of state-approved religion. But the Bush administration files an amicus brief asking a court to allow Child Evangelism Fellowship to distribute its materials through school officials, essentially trying to drill another hole in the wall separating church and state. |
| 6-20-2003
|
Bush intimidates non-governmental organizations. | Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) work closely with the government to provide aid to foreign populations. But under the Bush administration, NGOs have another role to play: public relations for President Bush. One NGO director said that under Bush, "It looks like the NGOs aren't independent and can't speak for themselves about what they see and think." |
| 6-19-2003
|
Bush suppresses EPA report on global warming. | President Bush has repeatedly said he'll base environmental decisions on "sound science." Apparently by "sound" he means "funded by polluting industries." When the Environmental Protection Agency delivers a draft report to the White House that cites several studies linking industrial and automotive pollution to global warming, the administration makes some minor tweaks here and there, just enough to change the entire thrust of the section on climate change. An internal EPA memo says that after the White House edits, the report "no longer accurately represents scientific consensus on climate change." But it does accurately represent the American Petroleum Institute's consensus on climate change, and if you can't trust the petroleum industry to do accurate, impartial studies, who can you trust? |
| 6-17-2003
|
Bush guts Americorps. | President Bush has used both of his State of the Union addresses to highlight volunteerism. In 2002, he created a sort of parent agency -- USA Freedom Corps -- for the federal volunteer agencies. In 2003 he called for even more funding for volunteers. But when the cameras are turned off, his actions don't match his rhetoric. Bush allows Congress to slash funding to AmeriCorps, the successful community service program. AmeriCorps' largest group of volunteers faces a reduction from 16,000 to just 3,000. |
| 6-7-2003
|
Bush overstates the case on weapons of mass destruction. | When the military found two trailers in Iraq that might have been used for biological weapons production sometime in the past, President Bush was quick to jump on the find as evidence of WMDs, declaring, "We found the weapons of mass destruction." Unsurprisingly, that assessment came a little too quickly. First of all, there were no weapons. Second, many analysts dispute that the trailers were used in the production of biological weapons. But the question remains: even if Bush was right, did we really go to war to defeat two trailers? |
| 6-7-2003
|
Bush refuses to issue proclamation for Gay Pride Month--again. | For the third year in a row (see 6-12-2002 and 6-1-2001 below), President Bush throws a bone to his right-wing nut-job base by refusing to issue a proclamation for Gay Pride Month. Attorney General John Ashcroft jumps on board and bans a gay pride celebration at the Department of Justice, citing the lack of proclamation as a reason. (Justice held the celebration the previous two years.) Bush claims he doesn't want to "politicize" anyone's sexual orientation. Funny, no one in the gay community seems to mind the idea of a month for celebration. Could it be that Bush is just a bigot? |
| 6-3-2003
|
Bush eases media ownership rules. | Greater media consolidation means fewer voices and fewer sources of news. It means people hear fewer perspectives, and that the interests of a few media moguls can influence virtually all the news we consume. It also means big profits for media conglomerates, which explains why the Bush administration relaxes rules to allow media companies to gobble up more newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations. |
| 5-30-2003
|
Bush blocks human rights cases from reaching U.S. courts. | A quirk in a 200-year-old law allows the United States to provide a legal refuge for the victims of human rights violations, rather an appropriate role for the world's only superpower. But sometimes, those human rights abuses can involve oil companies. (See 8-5-2002 below.) When Unocal is the subject of a suit in Burma, the Justice Department asks for the suit to be dismissed, saying it will interfere with foreign policy. Isn't that the State Department's job? Funny, State asked Justice to stay out of this case! But when it's Unocal's bottom line vs. the rights of Burmese laborers, well, we know who wins in the Bush administration, right? |
| 5-29-2003
|
Bush buries a report warning of disastrously enormous deficits. | One thing we learned from the war in Iraq and the search for weapons of mass destruction is that if there's evidence that doesn't support the Bush administration's agenda, it won't see the light of day. But this doesn't just apply to foreign policy. When then-Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill commissioned a report to gauge the long-term U.S. budget picture under Bush policies, he should have known President Bush wouldn't like the answer. So the post-O'Neill Treasury department kept the news -- which warned of a disastrous $44 trillion federal debt -- out of the annual budget report. After all, catastrophic deficits aren't a very good argument for new tax cuts for the super rich. |
| 5-28-2003
|
Bush signs another huge tax cut. | Here we go again. With the economy stagnant, states cutting vital services and raising taxes, and the federal debt growing by record-breaking leaps, President Bush signs another huge tax cut. (See 6-7-2001 below.) Two notes. First of all, although the nominal cost of the tax cut is $350 billion over ten years, in fact it will cost $800 billion to $1 trillion if the administration and Republicans in Congress have their way. Second, the increase in the child tax credit doesn't help the working poor -- those who need it most -- thanks to last-minute Republican maneuvering. |
| 5-28-2003
|
Bush ensures that hydrogen cars will still pollute. | Hydrogen cars are the wave of the future. The engines won't pollute at all; the only emission will be water. Great, right? Wrong. If President Bush and his allies in the fossil fuel industries have their way, the hydrogen fuel will all come from the same fossil fuels we rely on now, and extracting the hydrogen will produce just as much pollution. So while the smog won't come out of your tailpipe, thanks to Bush, you know it will still be there. |
| 5-26-2003
|
Bush plans executions at Guantanamo Bay. | The suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay don't get access to the guarantees of our judicial system: jury trials, appeals, and the like. But they will see the worst of our system: executions. In the past few years we've seen dozens of cases of innocents on death row. Imagine how much more likely it is that innocents will be executed when the rights we enjoy are stripped away. |
| 5-25-2003
|
Bush makes Columbia shuttle investigation more secretive. | The explosion of the shuttle Columbia and the subsequent investigation are not matters of national security. Clearly this is an example where openness can only improve the investigation, and the only thing secrecy can accomplish is protecting people's hides. So why does NASA put the members of the investigation board on the federal payroll, thus allowing them to conduct the investigation in secret? |
| 5-21-2003
|
Bush tries to revive military database of every American with public relations push. | Back in November, the public learned about the Pentagon's Total Information Awareness system (see 11-12-2002 below) a Big Brother database of financial, medical, and other personal information about all Americans. Predictable public outrage put the kibosh on the system -- temporarily. The solution? In a classic move for this administration, the Pentagon just changed the name -- not even the acronym. TIA now stands for "Terrorist Information Awareness." See, by keeping a big database on all of us, they'll be able to pick out the baddies. That's OK, right? If you haven't done anything wrong you have nothing to fear... |
| 5-16-2003
|
Bush charges dozens of people as terrorists for no reason. | Protestors who opposed the Navy's bomb tests on Vieques. Illegal aliens who used fake Social Security numbers to get jobs. A check forger. Someone who cheated on a test. What do all these people have in common? They were all charged as terrorists despite having no connections to terrorism whatsoever. Welcome to a brave new world, where the Justice Department shows no compunction about abusing its broad new powers. |
| 5-12-2003
|
Bush fails to protect Iraqi nuclear site from looting. | We may not have found any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything dangerous lying around. For example, there's the Al Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center -- just 12 miles south of Baghdad -- which has two tons of uranium. Or it did, before the looters got there. |
| 5-8-2003
|
Bush lies about aircraft carrier landing. | Karl Rove is smart. Really smart. The image of Bush flying a jet and landing it on an aircraft carrier, emerging in a flight suit surrounded by the military might be the best political image ever created. Of course, the White House had to lie about the reason for doing it, saying that the carrier was too far away for a helicopter landing. But it's a hell of a campaign commercial. |
| 5-7-2003
|
Bush interferes with Canada's decriminalization of marijuana. | Whether you think that first-time marijuana offenders should face a light fine or a harsh jail sentence, it's hard to argue with one fact: nations should be allowed to make these decisions for themselves. The Bush administration has already interfered with states' medical marijuana laws -- usually voted into law by referendum -- so why not interfere with the legislative process of another country? Drug czar John Walters goes on a cross-Canada trip to tell Canadians how they should treat their criminals, because Canadians carrying small amounts of pot clearly pose a serious threat to the United States. |
| 5-3-2003
|
Bush seeks new domestic investigation powers for the CIA and military. | For obvious reasons (namely, freedom), the CIA and military have been traditionally shut out of domestic law enforcement and intelligence gathering. But if the Bush administration has its way, that wall will be shattered. President Bush secretly pursues giving the CIA and military the power to issue subpoenas with no judicial oversight, an unthinkable attack on our most basic civil liberties. |
| 4-30-2003
|
Bush suppresses September 11 report. | Don't Americans deserve to know the circumstances leading up to and surrounding September 11? Won't that knowledge help us prevent future attacks? Those rights and that security play second fiddle to President Bush's political needs as the administration suppresses a report on September 11 that could indicate Bush might have done more to prevent an attack. |
| 4-26-2003
|
Bush defends Senator Santorum after anti-gay remarks. | When President Bush calls Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) an "inclusive man," he's not kidding. Santorum includes lots of stuff on his list of activities government should forbid, equating incest, adultery, and polygamy to homosexuality. Santorum fundamentally believes that his personal religion and its disapproval for gays and lesbians should be enshrined in law. (Funny how his Catholicism didn't affect his approval for Bush's war despite the Pope's opposition.) Bush's refusal to offer even the slightest disapproval of Santorum's remarks is yet another sign of his fealty to the right-wing extremists who make up his political base. |
| 4-25-2003
|
Bush creates stringent proof requirements for earned-income tax credit recipients. | Here's a quiz. If you have a large group responsible for about $9 billion in fraud and a small group responsible for $54 billion in fraud, which group do you pursue? If you answered the big group responsible for one-fifth the fraud, you might be President Bush! Bush's IRS creates stringent new rules for the working-poor families who receive the earned-income tax credit, requiring "documents that will be difficult or impossible for people to get within the six-month deadline." When it comes to choosing between going after the working poor (responsible for $8-5-$9.9 billion in tax fraud in 1999) or going after big corporations (responsible for $54 billion in tax fraud in 1998), this administration bravely takes on poor families every time. |
| 4-25-2003
|
Bush lies about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to justify war. | Now that military action is winding down in Iraq, you'd expect the U.S. military to be tripping over Iraqi weapons of mass destruction at every turn, judging from the administration's pre-war rhetoric. But so far, we have yet to turn up a single cache of WMDs. Now the administration admits that it may have, well, overstated the case of WMDs a tiny little bit to convince people that the war was a good idea while hiding the real agenda. But they didn't lie, according to one administration official. "It was just a matter of emphasis." Well that explains everything. |
| 4-22-2003
|
Bush plans re-election strategy around September 11 anniversary. | "The convention, to be held in New York City, will be the latest since the Republican Party was founded in 1856, and Mr. Bush's advisers said they chose the date so the event would flow into the commemorations of the third anniversary of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks." There really isn't anything you can add to that. Despicable. |
| 4-21-2003
|
Bush sidetracks a study of ballistic fingerprinting. | Ballistic fingerprinting is clearly a good idea, if it works. If you shoot someone, after all, you have no right to privacy in the matter, even if the shooting was legitimate self-defense. So the only question is whether it works, but if the Bush administration has its way, we'll never find out. Attorney General John Ashcroft puts aside a study to test the efficacy of ballistic fingerprinting, doing the bidding of his extremist friends at the National Rifle Association. |
| 4-19-2003
|
Bush privatizes federal jobs. | When the Bush administration first proposed privatizing thousands of federal jobs, it claimed that the resulting competition would save taxpayers millions of dollars. But according to a National Park Service memo, Bush's "competitive sourcing" plan will result in the direct privatization of hundreds of Park Service employees -- with no competition from the public sector. In other words, it's not about saving money. It's about ending the protections federal employees have won over decades. The move hardly comes as a surprise, given that Bush insisted that employees of the new Homeland Security Department lose protections. |
| 4-13-2003
|
Bush limits protected wilderness areas. | One top priority of Bush campaign donors in the mining and energy industries is to see as much public land as possible opened up to their potentially exploitive activities. Step by step, President Bush's Interior department, led by Secretary Gale Norton, has removed the protections on some of America's most valuable expanses of land. Now Norton's Interior takes an enormous step backward when it stops all review of lands to be designated as protected wilderness. Under the new rules, no new lands will gain wilderness protections without an act of Congress, and Interior can roll back current protections to reduce the size America's wilderness even further. |
| 3-26-2003
|
Bush delays declassifying documents. | The Bush administration is quickly becoming famous for its secrecy, restricting Freedom of Information Act Requests (see 1-6-2002 below), making scientific documents secret (see 2-17-2002 below), refusing to turn over records of the energy policy task force (see 7-19-2001 below), and delaying the release of Ronald Reagan's presidential records (see 6-9-2001, 9-1-2001, and 11-2-2001 below). So it's hardly a surprise when President Bush issues a new executive order that delays the declassification of decades-old documents and makes certain documents classified by default. One expert at the National Security Archives pointed out that "making foreign government information presumptively classified drops us down to Uzbekistan's openness norms." |
| 3-26-2003
|
Bush uses the war in Iraq to justify his tax cut. | It is no longer a matter of question whether Bush's tax cut is good for the economy. Every serious, nonpartisan economist says it won't help, and even the Congressional Budget Office (run by a former chief economist of Bush's Council of Economic Advisers) says the tax cut won't have a significant effect. So the administration resorts to the last resort of a scoundrel: patriotism. Bush uses the war on Iraq as a political tool to push bad economic policy. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer says we need the cut "to make sure that the economy can grow and that jobs can be created, so that when our men and women in the military return home, they'll have jobs to come home to." We already know the tax cut won't grow the economy. But there's another lie here. Those who serve in the military full time don't need to worry about employment; they already have jobs. And under a 1994 law, employers must reinstate reservists when they return from active service. |
| 3-22-2003
|
Bush requests secret bids for post-war aid contracts in Iraq. | One thing is certain in the uncertainty of the ongoing conflict in Iraq: some people are going to make some money. One big profit opportunity will be providing aid to the Iraqi people. Usually when the US Agency for International Development seeks bids for such contracts, it puts out a public request for proposals and accepts bids from any company. But that's not how the Bush administration does business. Instead, USAID requests bids in secret from some of the administration's closest friends. The highlight of the list? Halliburton, Dick Cheney's old stomping grounds. |
| 3-21-2003
|
Bush invades Iraq. | What brought us to this point? Perhaps diplomacy never had a real chance. Certainly no one in the administration save Colin Powell ever seemed that interested in winning the hearts and minds of the world and its leaders. But we could have done it. We could have let the inspections go on for a few more months and tried to disarm Saddam Hussein without bombing the hell out of Baghdad. And if the inspections had failed, any military action would have been backed by a broad international coalition and supported by all but the most ideological pacifists. Instead, Bush rushes to invade Iraq with glee, even pumping his fist and saying "feels good" before announcing the invasion to the American people. American soldiers and Iraqi civilians will die needlessly. I hope that when we win this war, we remember that there were avoidable tragedies. |
| 3-18-2003
|
Bush undermines international treaty on tobacco. | Undermining international treaties is what the Bush administration does best, whether they are for human rights, the environment, arms control, or a host of other issues. Working with the tobacco industry, the administration reverses the U.S. position on a treaty that would restrict tobacco advertising, eliminate second-hand smoke from public areas, and set cigarette taxes that would discourage smoking. |
| 3-17-2003
|
Bush breaks his promise to call for a second United Nations resolution. | When asked by a reporter on March 6 whether he would call for a second United Nations resolution authorizing military action in Iraq, Bush insisted he would, saying it's time for nations to "show their cards." Not only does Bush break this promise and withdraw the resolution, but he defies logic and blames France's veto for other countries' refusal to support the resolution. If France is going to veto the resolution, and thus make the vote a forgone conclusion, doesn't that give the other nations on the Security Council the freedom to take whatever position they want with no consequences? Bush simply takes advantage of his ability to trash France with impunity to shift the blame for his own broken promise. This New York Times editorial does an excellent job of laying out the incompetence and failures of diplomacy that has led up to the conflict with Iraq. |
| 3-16-2003
|
Bush proposes curbs on Medicare appeals. | For someone who claims to dislike Washington bureaucrats, President Bush sure doesn't seem to mind them making medical decisions. The fact is, seniors sometimes don't get the coverage they need and deserve under Medicare, and rely on appeals to federal judges to ensure they have the coverage they need. More than half of the people who make those appeals win them. But Bush has proposed replacing the independent judges with arbitrators at the Department of Health and Human Services. Because HHS is the department that pays for Medicare, these arbitrators would have a vested interest in rejecting the appeals. More bureaucrats, fewer health benefits for seniors. |
| 3-11-2003
|
Bush discontinues budget report to states. | States rely on an annual report from the federal government called "Budget Information for States" to see just how much money they're getting from the federal government. But the Bush administration, which has refused to make aid to states a part of its latest tax-cut-for-the-wealthy plan to help the economy (see 1-7-2003 below), has decided to discontinue the report beginning in 2004. Now states won't be able to hold Bush accountable for all the help he isn't giving them. |
| 3-8-2003
|
Bush fakes evidence on Iraq. | President Bush and the administration have consistently insisted that Iraq is currently pursuing nuclear weapons. But every shred of evidence of that has failed to hold up. Taking this to the extreme, Secretary of State Colin Powell continues to cite false evidence about anodized aluminum tubes that he says are for nuclear weapons production. But the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency insists that this is untrue, and that the very evidence Powell cites actually shows that the tubes are unsuitable for the purpose the administration claims. It's a sad day for Colin Powell, who has bought into the administration's war-driven rhetoric at the expense of the truth. |
| 3-8-2003
|
Bush exempts oil and gas industries from clean water regulations. | New clean water regulations require small construction sites to ensure that they have plans to handle storm water, preventing pollution from entering waterways. But the Bush administration is granting the oil and gas industries an exemption to the new rules, claiming that the issue needs "further evaluation." But according to six senators who have opposed the exemption, the issue has already received plenty of study. Could it be that Bush is simply doing a favor for old friends? |
| 3-5-2003
|
Bush proposes pushing seniors into private insurance plans for a Medicare prescription drug benefit. | Again letting his friends in the insurance industry write legislation (see 3-5-2003 below), President Bush proposes forcing seniors to join private health plans to receive a prescription drug benefit under Medicare. His plan would give private health plans enormous power over Medicare, allowing them to set the prices for prescription drugs, squeezing seniors for higher profits. |
| 3-5-2003
|
Bush proposes caps on malpractice lawsuits. | The rising cost of malpractice insurance is a serious problem affecting the medical industry. But President Bush's proposal to cap awards from malpractice suits at $250,000 is like using an axe for heart surgery. Instead of working to prevent frivolous lawsuits, Bush is essentially making the victims of genuine malpractice pay for reform. He also refuses to hold the insurance industry accountable, and in fact is letting them write the legislation. I wonder why. |
| 3-1-2003
|
Bush opens Alaska forest to logging. | The Tongass National Forest contains 30 percent of the world's temperate coastal forests -- for now. The Bush administration rules that no more of the forest will be declared protected wilderness, opening up hundreds of thousands of acres for logging. If the administration succeeds in reversing the Clinton ban on new roads in national forests (see 5-4-2001 below), then millions of acres could be at risk. |
| 2-27-2003
|
Bush lies about homeland security funding and blames his allies in Congress. | Since September 11, President Bush has consistently fought to block spending on homeland security, even opposing the creation of a Department of Homeland Security until he saw the political upside. Looking at the recently passed 2003 budget, the White House praised the Republican Congress for providing "critical funding for our nation's homeland security." He even urged them to block a Democratic proposal to provide an additional $5 billion for homeland security needs. But at least he's consistent about endangering the nation, right? Wrong. In a breathtaking act of hypocrisy, Bush turns around and blames the Republican Congress for not providing enough funds. This 180-degree flip-flop comes as an enormous surprise to his GOP allies, who predictably react with fury. |
| 2-26-2003
|
Bush restricts family-planning programs from AIDS-prevention funds. | When President Bush announced increases for AIDS prevention funding in Africa, even his critics were pleased to see the additional funds (regardless of the political reasons behind the proposal). But anyone with common sense knows that family-planning advice is crucial to serious AIDS prevention. Under restrictions attached to the funding, doctors and nurses may not even be able to discuss basic contraception use with people as part of AIDS prevention. A State Department memo indicates that the administration is using the new AIDS funds as a tool to expand the gag rules it has put on foreign aid as a gift to the right-wing extremists who have Karl Rove's ear. |
| 2-24-2003
|
Bush relaxes rules on ready-to-eat meat products. | In 2002, an outbreak of Listeria bacteria killed seven people, caused three miscarriages, and sickened dozens. In response, the Bush administration proposed tougher rules on plants that produce products at risk for Listeria, including ready-to-eat deli meats. The meat industry (which, big surprise, gave a bunch of money to the Bush campaign in 2000) cried foul and urged the White House to weaken the regulations they had proposed. And when campaign donors talk, Bush listens. So the strong regulations were shelved and replaced with ones the meat industry could live with. An industry newsletter crowed that "a number of key [USDA] personnel have bought into much of the industry proposal" and that the changes came thanks to "industry efforts made at the White House level." |
| 2-24-2003
|
Bush proposes canceling tests for a missile defense system. | You can argue all you want about whether a national missile defense system will work or not, or whether it's a good idea in the first place. But one thing is for certain: if you're planning on building a NMD system, you should definitely test the thing to make sure it works. But even this seemingly obvious bit of logic is beyond the Bush administration, which tries to bypass testing requirements for major weapons programs so it can have the system up and running by 2004. Given the administration's reckless and incompetent handling of the North Korea crisis, it's understandable that it is in a rush to get NMD working. But shouldn't they make sure it works first? |
| 2-23-2003
|
Bush lies about economists' support for his tax plan. | Serious, nonpartisan economists are fairly unanimous about President Bush's latest tax cut proposal: it won't do anything to help the economy. After all, most of the cuts come years later and most of the benefits go to those most likely to save rather than spend the money. (Boy, that sounds a lot like his last tax cut plan to help the economy. Which didn't.) So when White House spokesman Ari Fleischer claims that the Blue Chip Economic Forecast had endorsed his plan, it comes as quite a surprise. What isn't surprising is when the editor of the Blue Chip newsletter says that he had published no such endorsement, and that the White House was simply lying. |
| 2-20-2003
|
Bush delays report on the dangers of mercury. | When the public faces danger from environmental hazards, the Bush administration doesn't rush to inform them. When the EPA recently put together a report on a dangerous form of asbestos, the administration kept it from the public for as long as possible. (See 12-27-2002 below.) Similarly, a report was due last May on the dangers posed by mercury. But the administration delayed it, forcing the report to go through an unprecedented review from other federal agencies. The EPA's report will be coming out soon. Who knows what's missing, thanks the administration's review? |
| 2-20-2003
|
Bush explores creating new nuclear weapons. | You know what this world needs? More nuclear weapons. New kinds of nuclear weapons! Nuclear weapons that do less damage, making it more likely that we'll use them, especially given Bush's enthusiasm for preemptive strikes! (See 9-21-2002 below.) And now you'll get those new nukes, thanks to the ridiculously irresponsible Bush administration. How about this new rule: if the president can't pronounce "nuclear," then his administration doesn't get to create new nuclear weapons. Can we make this happen? |
| 2-16-2003
|
Bush cuts education for military dependents. | It is impossible to emphasize this point enough: just because Republican administrations are good for military contractors doesn't mean they're good for the men and women who serve in the military. Not only did Bush stop telling veterans about the health care benefits they're entitled to (see 8-1-2002 below), but now he's cutting funds that help pay for the education for the sons and daughters of the people he's about to send off to war. When will the military -- and everyone else for that matter -- realize just how bad President Bush treats them? |
| 2-13-2003
|
Bush proposes no aid for Afghanistan. | The reason the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in the mid-1990s was that they had one thing to offer: law. It was a harsh and oppressive law, but the lawlessness that preceded the Taliban's rule set the stage for their ascendance. The worst possible thing the United States can do now that it has deposed the Taliban is allow Afghanistan to sink back into lawlessness, a country united only in name that is controlled by warlords. Such conditions would allow extremists to rise to power again, or at the very least, ensure there are always places friendly to terrorists in the country. But with the Taliban gone, the Bush administration apparently thinks the job is done. President Bush's 2003 budget includes no money to aid Afghanistan, despite the fact that Hamid Karzai's government has no power outside the capital. If this is the kind of commitment to democracy we are planning to show in Iraq, the Iraqi people should be very worried. |
| 2-11-2003
|
Bush cuts federal housing subsidies. | Sometimes little changes are the most devious. The Bush administration proposes changing the phrase "not more than $50" to "at least $50" in the law setting the amount that those receiving federal housing subsidies pay in rent per month. Now the sky is the limit on the rent paid by America's poorest families, those for whom every dollar counts most. |
| 2-8-2003
|
Bush proposes national sales tax. | Sales taxes are by far the most regressive taxes. Unlike income taxes, where higher incomes are taxed at higher rates, sales taxes hit families harder the less they make, since they spend a bigger portion of their incomes on necessities. Thus it should come as no surprise that Bush is looking at the possibility of eliminating income taxes in favor of a national sales tax, given his earlier attempts to find ways to justify increasing the tax burden on the poor. (See 12-16-2002 below.) What's more, sales taxes are bad for the economy since they reduce consumption -- just what our country needs! |
| 2-8-2003
|
Bush proposes more restrictions on civil liberties. | Call it "USA PATRIOT Act II: The Freedom Eliminator." (See 10-26-2001 below.) In what can only be described as an attempt to gauge just how much political capital the administration has left from the September 11 attacks, the Justice Department is proposing a new law to strengthen law enforcement powers even further. It would allow more wiretaps and more clandestine searches with even less judicial oversight. Once again, Bush is trying to stop the "freedom-hating terrorists" by eliminating our freedoms. A brilliant strategy. |
| 2-6-2003
|
Bush proposes retirement savings plan to benefit the wealthy. | Most retirement savings plans that offer tax benefits include provisions that ensure they don't bankrupt the Treasury. Income caps and deposit limits are the most common. So when President Bush proposes doing away with those restrictions, it is only people with higher incomes who will benefit. Best of all for Bush, the real costs of the plan are hidden because they don't appear until 15 or 20 years down the road. |
| 2-4-2003
|
Bush cuts aid to the poor in his budget. | When President Bush declares a war on poverty, he means it. He'll do whatever it takes to make sure America's poor don't get the help they'll need. (What, you thought a war on poverty was supposed to help the poor?) His latest budget is an excellent example. While he creates enormous, record-breaking deficits with big tax cuts for the rich, he cuts programs to the poor, like rural redevelopment, vocational education, Medicaid, the earned income tax credit, and even school lunch programs! More money in the hands of the wealthy and fewer services for America's neediest. Bush's 2004 budget is an abomination. |
| 2-2-2003
|
Bush weakens "dolphin-safe tuna" regulations. | The idea of "dolphin-safe" tuna was something of a revolution, one of the few times that activism on behalf of animals made an enormous mainstream impact. Regulations that require tuna fishermen to protect dolphins save tens of thousands of the marine mammals every year. But now President Bush wants to allow tuna caught by Mexican fisherman to carry the "dolphin safe" label, even though they don't follow the same recommendations. Not only will this result in the death of more dolphins, but it will squeeze out the responsible companies that actually make sure the tuna they sell is safe for dolphins. |
| 1-31-2003
|
Bush proposes changing labor laws. | When business bleats, President Bush answers. Such is the case when the administration calls for a revision to labor laws that could make millions of workers no longer eligible for time-and-a-half overtime pay. The Labor Department is also looking into changing the Family and Medical Leave Act, adding new restrictions on the law that allows people to take care of new children and ailing relatives. |
| 1-31-2003
|
Bush ignores his administration's own report on snowmobiles in Yellowstone. | Everyone knew President Bush was going to reverse the Clinton-era ban on snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park. (See 11-12-2002 and 6-24-2001 below.) But what he has not told the public is that his administration did so despite its own report saying that banning the snowmobiles was the only way to protect the park, its wildlife, and the rangers who work there. Bush has made a habit of saying that he makes decisions based on "sound science." When the science doesn't fit his politics -- and that happens a lot -- he tosses it aside. |
| 1-26-2003
|
Bush proposes privatizing National Park Service jobs. | Free-market enthusiasts believe that competition is the solution to every problem, and that regulations can only hinder all that is right and good. But when put into practice, these idealistic laissez faire attitudes often lead to unfortunate circumstances, like environmental destruction. That's why the Bush administration's suggestion to privatize jobs in the department that protects national parks seems ill-advised. In what could turn out to be the quote of the year, a former Park Service employee who managed Joshua Tree and the Mojave Reserve says of the Bush proposal, "Ask Enron about the efficiency of the unregulated private marketplace." |
| 1-21-2003
|
Bush proposes a tax break for the biggest SUVs. | If the administration isn't going to raise fuel-economy standards for SUVs, the least it could do is not make it more profitable to own one. But that's just what the administration is proposing when it suggests increasing the tax deductions for small businesses when they purchase vehicles over 6,000 pounds. Originally designed to help farm and blue-collar businesses that needed heavy trucks or tractors, this law now helps doctors, accountants, and other professionals who feel like buying a behemoth SUV even though they don't need it for their work. Bush's proposal would only further encourage people to buy a gas-guzzling vehicle, increasing U.S. dependence on foreign oil and the profit of Bush's friends in the energy industry. |
| 1-21-2003
|
Bush opens federal lands for road building. | In a policy change meant to please a plethora of campaign donors -- ranging from energy companies to timber companies to mining companies and more -- the Interior Department makes it easier for states and counties to build roads across federal lands, endangering the wildlife and natural splendor of places like Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and the Mojave National Preserve. Once again, given a choice between priceless natural treasures and big corporate profits, the administration picks the profits. |
| 1-16-2003
|
Bush joins court fight against affirmative action. | It's easy to mischaracterize and attack affirmative action. President Bush did it plenty when he was campaigning. Just equate it with "quotas" (which the Supreme Court declared illegal years ago), and strongly imply that it favors less qualified applicants. But affirmative action isn't about giving jobs or educations to less qualified people. It's about making sure those who are qualified don't miss opportunities because of their minority status. Racism is not dead in America, as much as we wish it were so. Bush's decision to intervene in a Supreme Court case against the University of Michigan's affirmative action policies proves his ignorance of the problems minorities still face in this country. |
| 1-15-2003
|
Bush declares "National Sanctity of Human Life Day." | Never one to shy away from using public declarations as political tools (see 6-12-2002 and 6-1-2001 below), President Bush appeases the far right extremists of the Republican party by declaring a day for the sanctity of human life. In a clear (if mild) attack on women's reproductive rights, Bush calls on Americans to "reaffirm the value of human life and renew our dedication to ensuring that every American has access to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." In other words, "please don't be angry that I haven't declared abortion illegal yet. Just wait until there's an opening on the Supreme Court." |
| 1-7-2003
|
Bush proposes yet more tax cuts for the rich. | Paul Krugman put it best (as usual) when he said, "Faced with a real problem ... the Bush administration's response has nothing to do with solving that problem. Instead it exploits the issue to advance its political agenda." That's just what President Bush does when he proposes a new round of tax cuts that will help the richest Americans. They include a speeding up of the last cut, which means the richest Americans will get the cuts promised in 2001 even sooner. They also include a $300 billion ending of taxes on dividends. If you have an enormous income and huge stock holdings, this is pretty good news. If you're, say, the American economy, it won't do much to help you. |
| 1-3-2003
|
Bush kills Labor Department report on mass layoffs. | The Bush administration loves reversing Clinton administration policies, especially if they involve informing the public. So when Bush's Labor Department ends a program that reports the numbers of mass layoffs (more than 50 workers fired) -- a program killed by his father and revived by President Clinton -- it's hardly a shock. It's also the first shot fired by the Bush camp for the election in 2004. Layoffs certainly don't make a president look good, especially if unemployment is on the rise. According to the axed program, there were more than 2 million layoffs between January and November of last year. By ending this report, Bush hides one more bit of bad news for his administration from the public. |
| 1-3-2003
|
Bush grants taxpayer funds to religious organizations to promote marriage. | Everyone knows that staying married is always the best option, no matter what the circumstances. Well, anyone who follows President Bush's religion knows that, anyway. After ignoring Congress and implementing his faith-based initiative by fiat (see 12-13-2002 below), Bush takes the first step of implementing it by granting money to religious groups who will help the poor by teaching them that marriage is really, really great. A spokesman for Americans United for the Separation of Church and State said it best: "Whether a person gets married or stays married is none of the government's business." |
| 12-27-2002
|
Bush blocks the EPA from issuing a warning about asbestos. | The EPA planned for months to warn Americans that millions of homes could contain an especially lethal form of asbestos. This would have been an unprecedented move for a public agency, declaring a health emergency that would have ensured those who had been affected by the lethal asbestos got the care they need. But at the last minute, the White House overruled the EPA and kept the agency from making the announcement. The White House decision puts millions of Americans at risk for cancer, all to save a few bucks. Well, we have to pay for those big tax cuts somehow. |
| 12-21-2002
|
Bush blocks agreement that would provide cheap drugs to the world's poor. | Sure, this World Trade Organization agreement would provide desperately needed low-cost drugs to the world's poorest and sickest people. But it would also cut into drug company profits! Which will the Bush administration choose? Yeah, it's the drug company profits. With the Bush administration, it's always the big corporate profits, even when the lives of the world's poorest people are at stake. |
| 12-19-2002
|
Bush attacks reproductive rights at an international conference. | The Bush administration has made an international attack on women's reproductive rights one of its top priorities from its first day. (See 1-21-2001 below.) It has eliminated millions of dollars in funding for programs that provide essential health care services to the world's poorest women. But just in case anyone wasn't sure about the administration's position, Assistant Secretary of State Arthur E. Dewey made it clear at a United Nations population conference when he said, "The United States supports the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. There has been a concerted effort to create a gulf by pushing the United States to violate its principles and accept language that promotes abortion." This means that the U.S. won't support any programs that condone abortion by, say, providing medical services to women. Or any programs that condone underage sex by, say, providing information about contraception. So while third-world populations explode and poor women suffer and die, the Bush administration sits back in self-righteous smugness. |
| 12-18-2002
|
Bush blocks respected scientists from commission on lead standards and stacks it with nominees approved by the lead industry. | The Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention advises the Centers for Disease Control on federal standards for lead poisoning -- essentially, how much lead is in your system before you're considered poisoned. Just before the Commission met, the Bush administration filled the panel with appointments recommended by the lead industry, taking the unprecedented step of rejecting nominees suggested by the CDC. When it comes to choosing between respected scientists and corporate benefactors, the Bush administration chooses big business every time. |
| 12-16-2002
|
Bush supports new methods for calculating tax burdens on the wealthy to garner public sympathy for them. | Pity the folks earning hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. Sure, they never worry about how to pay for things like housing, health care, education, food, transportation, or any of the other day-to-day necessities average Americans sometimes struggle over. But they pay more taxes than the poor, unless you count payroll taxes and sales taxes! Why, the situation is so bad the Wall Street Journal editorial page even called America's poor "lucky duckies!" Bush clearly feels sorry for his compatriots among America's wealthiest, so he instructs the Treasury Department to come up with a new way of calculating the tax burden to make it look as though they pay too much. That way he can justify increasing the burden on the poor, which will make them want tax cuts, which will make them vote for Republicans. Now that's compassionate conservatism! |
| 12-13-2002
|
Bush implements faith-based initiative without Congressional approval. | Putting public funds in the hands of private religious charities is a two-edged sword. It sets a dangerous precedent that leads down the road to state-sponsored religion. For the charities themselves, it can create a dependence on those public funds that can have a chilling effect on their ability to practice in freedom. When Bush circumvents Congress and implements his faith-based plan by executive fiat, he avoids the most controversial portions of his original plan -- more tax cuts and enabling anti-gay discrimination, for example. But it's a step in the wrong direction, and he ignores the proper legislative process to do it. |
| 12-11-2002
|
Bush signals an increased willingness to use nuclear weapons. | Is "nuclear war bad" not a clear enough proposition for President Bush? Shouldn't it be one of the top priorities of U.S. presidents to avoid nuclear conflict at all costs? But Bush keeps inching closer to the big red button, as he does when his administration issues a new military strategy emphasizing its willingness to strike first against enemies and an enthusiasm toward nuclear retaliation that any American -- or citizen of any other country -- should find frightening. |
| 12-10-2002
|
Bush makes it easier for companies to screw older workers. | "Cash-balance" pension plans are cheaper for companies. But these savings come at a price, and that price is paid by workers -- in this case, older workers. This type of pension plan is so disadvantageous for older workers that they're subject to age-discrimination suits. Well, they used to be, anyway. Bush's Treasury Department issues new rules that chart a path for companies to implement cash-balance pension plans while avoiding the age-discrimination suits they engender. Big corporations save a few bucks, and older workers pay the price. That's Bush administration policy in a nutshell. |
| 12-4-2002
|
Bush kills rule allowing new parents to collect unemployment. | Conservative Republicans are the ones voters can depend on when it comes to helping mothers stay home from work and take care of children, right? Not if it gets in the way of making money. The Clinton administration created a rule that would allow new parents to collect unemployment benefits after their children were born, giving the parents a chance to stay home from work without worrying about losing an income. But President Bush kills the rule before any states put it into effect because business groups opposed it, proving once and for all that conservative Republicans will never let their social agenda get in the way of helping business at the expense of families. |
| 12-4-2002
|
Bush restores cash bonuses to political appointees. | Just days after President Bush says the war on terror means the government can't afford tax cuts for the rich -- no wait, that's not right. Just days after President Bush says the war on terror means the government can't afford a full pay raise for government workers (see 11-30-2002 below), the New York Times reveals that the administration had secretly restored a policy of awarding cash bonuses to political appointees. The policy had been discontinued under the Clinton administration for the obvious reason that the bonuses could be given just as much for political loyalty and corruption as for genuine merit. Wait, which is the ethically challenged administration again? |
| 11-30-2002
|
Bush cuts pay raises of federal workers and blames it on the terror war. | Let's get this straight. There's enough money in the federal budget to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. But the war on terror is so expensive that the federal government has to cut raises for its employees to pay for it? The very people who are on the front lines of protecting us from terrorism are expected to pay for the war on terrorism now? Bush cuts a pay raise passed by Congress from 4.1 percent to 3.1 percent, enough to save the government a billion dollars. Bush says the full raise "would interfere with our nation's ability to pursue the war on terrorism." That'll show Osama bin Laden! |
| 11-28-2002
|
Bush makes it easier for timber companies to plunder national forests. | The last |