Bush/Cheney 04 = the right choice...

[Anonymous]

Strengthening the Economy ? The economy is strong and getting stronger. The President?s pro-growth policies have helped drive the economy and move the recovery forward, putting more money in the pockets of America?s families and laying a foundation for robust growth and job creation now and for years to come.

The economy has grown 4.8% in the past year, as fast as any year in nearly two decades.
Productivity grew at the fastest 3-year rate in more than 50 years.
Providing bold and active leadership to end the recession and helping people find work ? From 2000 to 2003, America?s economy experienced an unprecedented combination of shocks: the stock market bubble bursting; an economic recession; the terrorist attacks of September 11th and subsequent War on Terror including the war in Iraq; and the discovery of corporate accounting scandals, years in the making, that undermined confidence in corporate America. President Bush acted promptly and aggressively to address these shocks. He enacted tax relief to help America?s workers by putting more money in family pockets while encouraging businesses to grow and invest. The President?s tax relief allowed families to keep more of what they earn by cutting tax rates across the board, doubling the child credit to $1,000 and reducing the marriage penalty. For America?s small businesses, the President?s tax relief reduced tax rates, quadrupled small business expensing and phased out the death tax.
According to an analysis conducted by the Treasury Department after the tax relief was implemented last year, economic growth would have been more than 3 percent lower and 2 million fewer Americans would have been working at the end of last year.
Creating Jobs ? The President acted decisively to help create jobs and get Americans back to work. Just one year after the President signed the Jobs & Growth bill, there is widespread evidence his policies have worked.
Since last August, over 1.5 million new jobs have been created.
The unemployment rate has fallen from 6.3 to 5.6 percent, below the average of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
This job growth is widespread ? employment over the last year was up in 41 of the 50 states, and the unemployment rate was down in 47 of the 50 states.
Raising America?s standard of living ? The President?s economic policies have allowed Americans to weather the stock market bubble, the recession, the terrorist attacks and the corporate scandals, and have resulted in higher incomes and living standards for American workers.
Real after-tax incomes are up by 11 percent since December 2000. This increase is mostly due to the President?s tax relief and is substantially better than those following the last recession.
Homeownership rates are at record levels ? nearly seven out of ten American families own their own home today.
Household wealth is near a record high.
Consumer confidence is up from the levels seen at this time last year and is in the upper third of its historical range.
Inflation remains low by historical standards, as do mortgage rates.
Helping prepare workers for 21st Century jobs ? Many of the new jobs being created require new skills. The President is committed to helping American workers acquire the skills necessary to access higher-paying jobs. His budget commits $23 billion for job training and employment assistance in programs throughout the government. He has proposed more than $500 million for his Jobs for the 21st Century initiative to help prepare U.S. workers to take advantage of the better skilled, higher-paying jobs of the future. This initiative includes $250 million for America?s community colleges to train workers for industries that are creating new jobs today, as well as funding for new secondary education programs to better prepare high school students for the jobs of the 21st Century.

More work to be done ? The President's policies are working, but he will not rest until every American who wants to work can find a job. The President has outlined a six-point plan to reduce costs to America?s job creators and guarantee that America remains the best place in the world to do business. His plan includes making health care costs more affordable and predictable; reducing the burden of frivolous lawsuits on our economy; ensuring an affordable, reliable energy supply; streamlining regulations and paperwork requirements; and opening new markets for American products and services. Finally, the President proposes making the tax cuts permanent to enable families and businesses to plan for the future with confidence and certainty.

The choice for America ? We can move forward with the President?s pro-growth economic policies that are creating jobs, increasing incomes and opening new markets for American goods. Or, we can go back to the tired old policies of tax and spend, economic isolationism and economic pessimism ? a proven recipe for economic disaster. America cannot afford to return to the failed policies of the past ? raising taxes on American families and small businesses will only hurt economic recovery and future job creation. We must continue to move forward with pro-growth policies that are growing our economy and fueling the creation of new jobs.

[Anonymous]

The President?s most important job is to protect and defend the American homeland. Since September 11, 2001, the nation has made tremendous progress achieving this goal.
In 2002, President Bush proposed and Congress approved a single, unified Department of Homeland Security to improve protection against today?s threats and be flexible enough to help meet the unknown threats of the future. By unifying over 22 agencies and offices, the President has improved the government?s ability to guard our borders, protect our infrastructure, and patrol our skies.

The President has seen a great number of his goals met, including:

Passage of the USA PATRIOT Act: The USA PATRIOT Act brought down the artificial wall separating law enforcement and intelligence officers and allowed them to talk to each other as they work to prevent future attacks.
Creation of the Terrorist Threat Integration Center (TTIC): TTIC became operational on May 1, 2003 and has since begun merging, analyzing and disseminating all threat information collected domestically and abroad in a single location.
Creation of the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC): TSC consolidates terrorist watchlists and provide 24/7 operational support for thousands of Federal screeners across the country and around the world. The TSC will ensure that America's government screeners are working from the same unified set of anti-terrorist information when a suspected terrorist is screened or stopped anywhere in the Federal system.
Launch of the Container Security Initiative: The Container Security Initiative establishes tough new procedures and created new partnerships with the world?s largest ports to target high-risk cargo before it leaves for our shores. 19 major ports, consisting of two-thirds of cargo containers shipped to the U.S., have agreed to participate in CSI.
Launch of US-VISIT: The US-VISIT program is essential to improving border management at our ports of entry. By capturing more complete arrival and departure data, including photo and biometric information, for those who require a visa to enter the United States, the US-VISIT program enhances the security of our citizens and visitors while expediting legitimate travel and trade.
Signing of the Smart Border Declaration: The United States and Canada signed the Smart Border Declaration, outlining 30 action items for increasing security, enhancing joint law enforcement, improving physical and technological infrastructure, and facilitating the trade and movement of people between the two countries. The U.S.-Mexican Border Partnership contains a similar 22-point action plan.
Launched the Homeland Security Command Center: a national 24-7 watch operation.
Improvement of Airport Security: More than 50,000 newly trained federal screeners are deployed at our nation?s airports, where new baggage inspection equipment helped TSA institute 100 percent checked baggage screening. The Federal Air Marshal program was expanded so that thousands of protective air marshals are now flying on commercial aircraft. TSA certified installation of hardened cockpit doors on all 6,000 large passenger aircraft.
Reorganizing the FBI: The FBI transformed into an agency focused on preventing domestic terrorism. The FBI established the National Joint Terrorism Task Force at FBI Headquarters and expanded to 66 Joint Terrorism Task Forces among FBI field offices throughout the country.
Enhanced Rail Security: The Department of Homeland Security has increased development of biological and chemical countermeasures, threat response capability and public awareness. They also initiated a pilot program to evaluate the use of emerging technologies to screen passengers and their carry-on items for explosives in the transit and rail environment
Other accomplishments to strengthen security and improve preparedness services and response include:

Protecting our Skies

To better protect airline passengers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has begun training pilots to carry firearms in the cockpit.
In addition to increasing security, TSA worked to improve customer service and eliminate unnecessary hassle by coordinating screening across different forms of transportation. For example, passengers disembarking from cruise ships in Miami can have their bags screened for their flight home right at the dock.
Protecting our Borders

Off our coasts and in our harbors, Coast Guard forces are at the leading edge of maritime security. During Operation Liberty Shield, the Coast Guard completed thousands of air and surface patrols. To further enhance maritime security, the Coast Guard recently purchased 700 high-speed vessels with communications systems able to coordinate with other homeland security agencies.
Officers at our borders and ports of entry have been equipped with technology to better detect the presence of radioactive material.
The Department of Homeland Security launched Operation Joint Venture to identify and remove persons with unknown or questionable identities with access to restricted areas of military installations. As a result, 37 people were arrested and 28 removed from the country.
DHS is also operating the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which tracks foreign students who come to the United States, ensuring they are actually enrolled and attending classes.
DHS launched the Arizona Border Control Initiative deploying over 200 specially trained U.S. Border Patrol Agents to the Arizona border by the summer of 2004 bringing the total of agents permanently assigned to the Tucson sector to over 2000. The Initiative also calls for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle patrols beginning in June 2004, assigning 4 additional A-Star 350 helicopters and an additional $1 million slated for new sensor technology.
Protecting our Ports
The Department of Homeland Security requires electronic advance cargo manifests from sea carriers 96 hours prior to arrival to give officials more time to check for potentially dangerous crew, passengers, and cargo.
Since 9/11, the Coast Guard made the largest commitment to port security operations since World War II, including over 35,000 port security patrols and 3,500 air patrols. The Coast Guard boarded over 2,500 high interest vessels, interdicted over 6,200 undocumented migrants, and created and maintained over 115 Maritime Security Zones.
Protecting Your Health

The President proposed Project BioShield, a significant step in improving our ability to protect against the threat of bioterrorism. BioShield is an initiative designed to accelerate the acquirement of next-generation vaccines and other products to counter bioterror threats.
The Department of Homeland Security?s science and technology division established the Biowatch program in major cities across the nation, deploying equipment to quickly detect the spread of terrorist agents like anthrax in time to distribute life-saving medicines to citizens affected.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) increased the number of food safety inspectors by 700, doubling its capacity to conduct safety inspections of our food systems.
Protecting our Critical Infrastructure

The Department of Homeland Security has provided for increased security at critical facilities for water supplies, power plants, bridges, and subway systems, reducing the chances of an attack that could disrupt our daily life or the economy.
The Department established a new office dedicated to cybersecurity. The Department is working with private industry to help eliminate key vulnerabilities in computer networks and reduce the risk of cyberterrorism.
Supporting our First Responders

The U.S. Government provided $13 billion in grants between FY?02 and FY?04 to help state and local responders and emergency managers prepare for terrorist attacks and an additional $6 billion over that same time period for other existing law enforcement grants.
The President has proposed an additional $3.6 billion for terrorism preparedness grants in his FY?05 Budget.
HHS, between FY?02 and FY?04, has distributed over $4.4 billion in assistance to state and local governments for improved planning and increased preparedness, including rapid secure communications and laboratory capacity as well as hospital preparedness and infrastructure improvements.
The National Response Plan is being used to coordinate and integrate all federal incident prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities.
The President directed the development of a National Incident Management System (NIMS) to make local, state, and federal agencies interoperable during incidents.
Protecting America.
The President?s National Strategy for Homeland Security, the first ever of its kind, outlined his vision for working with state and local communities on the national effort. The President routinely works with Governors, Mayors and local officials to help provide resources for our nation?s first responders.
Introduced the Ready campaign, a national multimedia public information program designed to build citizen preparedness by giving Americans the basic tools they need to better prepare themselves and encouraging them to "Be Ready." Since its launch, Ready.gov has become one of the most visited sites in America.

[Anonymous]

Removing Barriers that Separate the Poor from Effective Services
?The measure of compassion is more than good intentions, it is good results. By being involved and by taking responsibility upon ourselves, we gain something?. We contribute to the life of our country. We become more than taxpayers and occasional voters, we become citizens. Citizens, not spectators. Citizens who hear the call of duty, who stand up for their beliefs, who care for their families, who control their lives, and who treat their neighbors with respect and compassion.?

 
-President George W. Bush, April 30, 2002  




Removing Barriers that Separate the Poor from Effective Services. President Bush has taken bold steps to tear down the barriers that separate the poor from effective programs. Through an executive order, the President required equal treatment for faith-based and community organizations. As a result of this and other efforts to level the playing field in the Federal grants process, faith-based organizations received more than $1 billion in competitive, non-formula grants in FY 2003 to benefit the neediest of our society.


Leading the Fight against HIV/AIDS. In his 2003 State of the Union Address, President Bush announced the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, a five-year, $15 billion initiative to turn the tide in combating the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. Just one month after Congress appropriated FY 2004 funds for the President's plan, $350 million was awarded to service providers for critical prevention efforts and to bring life-saving treatment to suffering people in some of the hardest-hit countries in Africa and the Caribbean.


Providing Access to Medicine for HIV Positive Americans. Just as he has shown leadership globally, the President is concerned about U.S. citizens who are suffering with HIV/AIDS. The President has consistently requested an increase in the Ryan White Care Act AIDS Drug Assistance Program funding each year since he took office, for an overall increase of 41 percent. There are more HIV-positive Americans accessing treatment, they are receiving better quality care, and there has been an increase in the number of programs funded to provide care.


Increasing Access to Effective Drug Treatment. The President?s Access to Recovery (ATR) program will give individuals seeking drug treatment expanded access to effective providers through a new voucher program. As a part of this program, the Department of Health and Human Services is making $100 million available in FY 2004 for up to 15 states to extend drug treatment to 50,000 more Americans, allowing them a choice of providers, including faith-based organizations. The President has proposed to double this funding level in FY 2005.


Mentoring Disadvantaged Youth and Children of Prisoners. Last year, President Bush proposed a three-year, $450 million mentoring initiative. Two recently established programs provide mentors to disadvantaged middle school students and to the children of prisoners. Congress appropriated $100 million for these mentoring programs in FY 2004.


Helping Ex-Offenders Contribute to Society. In January 2004, President Bush proposed a four-year, $300 million initiative to reduce recidivism and help released inmates contribute to their communities. This year, more than 600,000 inmates will be released from prison, and studies show that, without intervention, approximately two-thirds will likely be rearrested within three years of release. The initiative will harness the resources and experience of faith-based and community organizations in providing job training and placement services to 50,000 non-violent adult ex-offenders, transitional housing for up to 30,000, and voluntary mentoring support for those desiring it. Program resources will be targeted toward 50 to 60 urban communities heavily impacted by returning ex-offenders.


Opening or Expanding Community Health Centers. Access to health care has been extended to 3 million additional Americans ? part of the President?s five-year plan to fund 1,200 new or expanded sites to serve an additional 6.1 million people. In FY 2001 there were approximately 3,300 Federally-recognized health centers that received grants from the Department of Health and Human Services; and these centers were serving approximately 10 million patients, including 4 million uninsured individuals. Today there are more than 600 new or expanded health centers delivering preventive and primary care to individuals in medically underserved communities across America.


Combating Chronic Homelessness. President Bush proposed a $70 million Samaritan Initiative in the FY 2005 Budget to provide supportive services and housing for chronically homeless individuals. Although these individuals comprise roughly 10 percent of the homeless population, they consume one-half of all homeless emergency services because their housing, health, and other needs have not before been comprehensively addressed.


Expanding Homeownership for Minority Americans. In 2003, President Bush signed into law the American Dream Downpayment Act, which expands homeownership opportunities for low-income Americans. The President has set a goal of adding 5.5 million new minority homeowners in America by the end of the decade. In the first quarter of 2004, the minority homeownership rate was a record 50.8 percent. Between the second quarter of 2002 (the start of the President?s initiative) and the first quarter of 2004, there was a net increase of 1.54 million minority homeowners.


Removing Barriers for Americans with Disabilities. Announced in February 2001, the New Freedom Initiative is President Bush?s plan for the full integration of people with disabilities into all aspects of American life. The President recognizes that for the promise of full integration to become a reality, people with disabilities need safe and affordable housing, access to transportation, access to the political process, and the right to enjoy services, programs, and activities offered to all members of the community at both public and private facilities. The President has proposed a budget increase of $2.2 billion over the next five years to fund demonstration projects that promote community-based services for people with disabilities; proposed $918 million over six years to remove transportation barriers still faced by individuals with disabilities; and secured $15 million under the Help America Vote Act to improve access to voting for people with disabilities.


Strengthening America?s Families. President Bush's welfare plan would promote child well-being and healthy marriages. As part of this proposal, the President has requested $240 million in total funds in the FY 2005 Budget for a State-based competitive matching grant program to support healthy marriages, as well as $120 million for research, demonstration projects, and technical assistance. In addition, the President has requested $50 million to promote responsible fatherhood. Through this new initiative, faith-based and community organizations would receive competitive grants to support skill-based marriage and parenting education, job training, and other services that help fathers provide emotional and financial support to their children.


Supporting Adoption and Foster Children. The President believes that a permanent, safe, and loving home is important for every child, and he has worked to prevent children from being trapped in the child welfare system. In addition, he continues to support both domestic and international adoption. Since taking office, he has extended the adoption incentives tax credit to $10,000 per child, launched http://www.AdoptUSKids.org, signed into law the bipartisan Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments, provided Independent Living (education and training) vouchers for young adults aging out of the foster care system, and created incentives for adopting older foster youth.


Calling Americans to Service. The President has made it a priority to encourage volunteer service and civic involvement to strengthen our communities and Nation and to help people in need. In 2002, the President called on all Americans to dedicate at least two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lifetimes to serving others, and created the USA Freedom Corps to strengthen America's culture of service. To help Americans answer his call, the President?s FY 2005 Budget requests over $1 billion for funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service, including $415 million for AmeriCorps, $225 million for SeniorCorps, and $20 million for Silver Scholarships available to older Americans who volunteer 500 hours of service tutoring and mentoring students in exchange for a $1,000 scholarship. Today more than 63 million Americans are answering the call to serve: volunteers are up by 4 million since 2001, and Peace Corps enrollment is at its highest level in 28 years.

[Anonymous]

Making Health Care More Accessible and Affordable
President Bush believes that all Americans should have access to affordable, high-quality health care. To achieve that goal, he has:

Created New Health Savings Accounts. The President signed legislation that makes HSAs available to millions of Americans. HSAs offer flexible, affordable insurance options for small businesses and individuals. All Americans who purchase a low-cost, high-deductible health care plan can save tax-free money to pay routine medical expenses and save for future health care costs. Those who open these accounts will not pay taxes on any money used to pay for medical care that they or their employers put into the Health Savings Account. And interest earned on money in the account also is tax-free. The money in the account will grow over the years and can be used for future medical needs.


Created a Prescription Drug Benefit under Medicare. In December 2003, President Bush signed legislation that will make prescription drug coverage available to 40 million seniors and people with disabilities through Medicare. The new benefit will become available on January 1, 2006. Until that benefit is implemented, beneficiaries will have access to Medicare-approved prescription drug discount cards that will save them 15% - 30% off the retail price of most brand name drugs, with even larger discounts on generic drugs. In addition, low-income beneficiaries will receive $600 this year and next year to help them purchase their medicines.


Opened or Expanded Community Health Centers. Access to health care has been extended to 3 million additional Americans -- part of the President's five-year plan to fund 1,200 new or expanded sites to serve an additional 6.1 million people. Today there are more than 600 new or expanded health centers delivering preventive and primary care to patients in medically underserved communities across America.


Strengthened Medicaid and SCHIP. HHS helped states develop new approaches to expanding coverage and avoiding reductions in their Medicaid and SCHIP programs. HHS-approved waivers and state plan amendments have expanded eligibility to more than 2.6 million people and improved benefits for more than 8 million people since 2001.


Provided a Health Insurance Tax Credit. The trade bill provides a tax credit to help workers who lose their jobs due to international trade obtain health insurance coverage. The tax credit has helped thousands of these displaced workers get insurance coverage.
Building On Our Success. President Bush believes more must be done to provide greater access to affordable health care. To achieve that goal, the President has proposed:
Medical Liability Reform. The President proposes to address the skyrocketing medical malpractice premiums through national adoption of proven minimum standards to make the medical liability system more fair, predictable, and timely. A more fair, predictable and timely medical liability process speeds compensation to patients, reduces health care costs, and improves access and quality of health care.


Association Health Plans (AHPs). The President supports legislation that enables small employers to pool together in order to offer health insurance options to their employees by giving small businesses the same purchasing power that large employers and unions have. CBO estimates that by 2008, 7.5 million people would obtain health insurance through AHPs and 600,000 would be newly insured.


Refundable Tax Credit. The President proposes a refundable tax credit that will make health insurance more affordable to millions of Americans who do not have employer-provided insurance or public insurance. The Treasury Department estimates that the tax credit will extend insurance to 4.5 million Americans.


HSA Deductibility. The President proposes to allow individuals with HSAs to deduct 100% of the premium for their catastrophic health care coverage from their taxes.


Health Information Technology. The President proposes to use modern health information technology to achieve high-quality care, reduce preventable medical errors, and reduce costs. President Bush?s FY?05 Budget request doubles the amount of funding for demonstration projects for broader adoption of health IT systems in communities and states to $100 million. The President announced a goal that most Americans have personal electronic health records within the next ten years, and is working to make sure the federal government is fostering the adoption of these technologies.



Kerry?s Proposals for Health Care


State Children?s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)/Medicaid
Under Kerry?s plan, the federal government would take over 100% of the costs for the 20 million children currently enrolled in state Medicaid plans if states agree to:

Provide SCHIP: to children who are not eligible for Medicaid but whose family income is less than 300 percent of poverty ($55,200 for a family of four).
Expand SCHIP: to families with incomes less than 200 percent of poverty ($36,800 for a family of four).
Cover Childless Adults: States must provide health care coverage to adults whose income is under 100 percent of poverty ($8,980 for individuals or $17,960 for a couple).
Legal Immigrants: Senator Kerry would also repeal the current Congressionally mandated 5-year waiting period for eligibility for legal immigrant pregnant women and children.



What?s the catch?

This is a complete departure from the federal-state partnership of the Medicaid program and will free states from any incentive to control costs.
States must meet these conditions to receive $15 billion in bonus payments during the first three years of the program.
Research by RAND Health suggests this expansion would result in as many as 18 million Americans losing their employer-sponsored coverage and end up on Medicaid, where many will be forced into HMOs and/or have their choice of doctors limited because many physicians do not accept Medicaid patients. Not only would this result in millions of people losing coverage they like, it would force taxpayers to bear costs that today are borne voluntarily by the private sector.


Pool based upon Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP)
This pool would be available to those in firms with 50 or fewer workers and uninsured individuals (including workers between jobs).
Employers would have to contribute at least half the premium.
Employers participating would receive a 25% refundable tax credit for all workers under 150% of poverty, phasing out at 300% of poverty.
Workers between jobs may purchase insurance through their former employer or the pool.
Workers in poverty would receive a 75% subsidy phasing out at 300% of poverty
Individuals without access to employer-sponsored insurance (and not eligible for public plans) could purchase insurance through the pool and receive a 25% refundable tax credit.

What?s the catch?

The Kerry health plan would draw much of the private health insurance market into a nationwide "health alliance" created and tightly regulated by the federal government.
Health care costs continue to rise not for lack of government involvement, but because too much government has crippled the normal market processes that allow individuals to have more control over their health care spending.
Kerry?s remedy for rising health care costs is additional regulation and higher tax-supported subsidies. To participate in the Kerry health alliance, large employers would face government requirements on the level of contribution they currently make to employee health premiums. Health plans within and outside the health alliance would be required to offer specific mandated benefits which just increase costs.
In the past three years, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) have introduced 3 separate bills to provide a tax credit for small business to purchase health insurance: S. 2042 and S.674 in the 107th Congress and S.100 in the 108th Congress. Despite the fact that he now claims to support this idea, John Kerry never cosponsored any of these bills.


Reinsurance of health care costs
Senator Kerry proposes to reduce health care costs for employers and employees by providing federally financed reinsurance for catastrophic costs. The plan would reimburse employee health plans for 75 percent of catastrophic costs incurred over a $50,000 threshold. Although it is unclear whether this benefit would be available to all employers or only businesses of a certain size, eligible employers would have to meet several requirements to participate in the premium rebate pool.


What?s the catch?

Firms are only eligible if they contribute toward the cost of insurance for all workers, not just full time or those currently eligible; somehow pass the savings back to employees; and encourage the development of disease management programs.
Although Kerry claims that his proposal would reduce overall health care spending, Clinton Administration appointee and Emory University Professor Kenneth Thorpe has analyzed the Kerry plan and concluded that it would merely shift existing costs from premium-payers to taxpayers -- some $290 billion over nine years. (?An Overview and Analysis of the Democratic Presidential Candidates? Health Care Reform Proposals,? 9/7/03).



Kerry Fails to Address the Fundamental Problem


Historic Cost Increases. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, expenditures in the United States on health care have increased 87% since 1990, and are more than 5 times the amount spent in 1980. The $1.3 trillion in national health expenditures (NHE) in 2000 represents 13.2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), more than 8 percentile points higher than the industry?s share in 1960. (Kaiser Family Foundation: Trends and Indicators in the Changing Health Care Marketplace 2002)

John Kerry?s health proposal is a $900 billion government expansion that does nothing to deal with the underlying factors driving up higher health care costs. (?An Overview and Analysis of the Democratic Presidential Candidates? Health Care Reform Proposals,? 9/7/03)
Kerry opposes plans to reduce frivolous medical liability lawsuits. According to a 2003 Joint Economic Committee report, meaningful medical liability reform could lower health care costs sufficiently and another 3.9 million Americans could afford health insurance. A recent survey found that 8 out of 10 doctors say they have ordered more tests than they need to as a defensive measure to avoid litigation, and 3 out of 4 refer patients to specialists more often than they believe is medically necessary. The broken medical liability system drives up costs for patients and for taxpayers ? at least $28 billion each year for the federal government alone.

Kerry opposes Health Savings Accounts. A major factor in the rise in health care costs is the removal of the patient from the health care decision-making process. Studies show that consumer-driven health care lowers costs. Aetna recently unveiled results of a nine-month study comparing their consumer-driven HealthFund and a similar population enrolled in the insurer?s PPO plan. Costs for HealthFund participants rose by just 1.5%, compared with 15.7% for the control group. (Source: Aetna press release, ?Aetna Research Shows Positive Impact of Consumerism on Health Care Decisions,? 2/16/2004)

Kerry?s plan simply shifts the burden to the taxpayer. What Kerry claims is a ?savings? of 10 percent is simply a shift of the burden of high health care costs to the American taxpayer. In addition, the Kerry reinsurance program is only available to employers and insurers who agree to mandates of the level of coverage, the use of savings, and the eligibility of workers.

[Anonymous]

Strengthening Social Security
Appointed the bipartisan Commission to Strengthen Social Security ? In May, 2001, the President appointed a bipartisan Commission to Strengthen Social Security, co-chaired by the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and by Richard Parsons. The sixteen-member Commission, composed of eight Republicans and eight Democrats, issued a unanimous report of recommendations to strengthen Social Security. These recommendations, if implemented, would establish voluntary personal accounts for workers, and permanently fix Social Security without changing benefits for current seniors or raising payroll taxes.

No Changes in Benefits for Those Now in Retirement, or Near Retirement - President Bush?s first Social Security reform principle is that there be no changes in Social Security benefits for today?s retirees or near-retirees. President Bush?s Administration has kept the benefit promises made to today?s seniors.

Leadership on Fixing Social Security For Our Children and Grandchildren ? The President has advocated the establishment of voluntary personal accounts within Social Security. These personal accounts would provide ownership, choice, and the opportunity for workers to build a nest egg for their retirement and an inheritance for their families.

Members of Congress have responded to the President?s call for action. Since the report of the President?s Commission, at least six comprehensive proposals have been introduced in Congress that would establish personal accounts and permanently fix Social Security. Many of these proposals incorporate specific recommendations of the President?s Commission. Each of these proposals would allow seniors to leave the balance in these accounts to widows, children, and other heirs.



Frequently Asked Questions


Why is it necessary to take action to fix Social Security?

Fifty years ago, there were 16 workers to support every person on Social Security. Today there are only 3.3 workers to support every beneficiary. By the time our youngest workers, those just entering the workforce today, turn 65, there will be only 2 workers supporting each person on Social Security.

Benefits for today?s seniors are secure. The current system, however, will not be able to afford to pay promised benefits for our children and grandchildren without enormous tax increases.

Americans who retire in 2035 ? our children and grandchildren -- should not have to depend on a system that was designed in 1935.

What is President Bush?s process for dealing with Social Security?

There are a variety of good plans that have been proposed to fix Social Security and to establish personal accounts. President Bush will work with Congress to fix Social Security permanently.

What is President Bush?s solution?

President Bush opposes changes in benefits for those now in or near retirement.

President Bush opposes increasing the payroll tax. We cannot tax our way to reform.

President Bush favors personal accounts for today?s workers. These personal accounts would provide ownership, choice, and the opportunity for all workers to build a nest egg to help with their retirement and to pass on to their heirs.

There have been a variety of good plans put forward to fix Social Security and to establish personal accounts. Each of these plans uses different elements to fix Social Security permanently. The President will work with Congress to determine the best elements of the many proposals that have been put forward.


Myths vs. Facts


Myth: Establishing personal accounts would create new costs in the Social Security system, and weaken the finances of Social Security and of the federal government.
Fact: Establishing personal accounts does not increase the total cost of paying for Social Security. The costs of Social Security are already there. If we did not reform Social Security, the Social Security Trustees tell us, it would cost an estimated additional $10 trillion to sustain the program going forward. Every plan with personal accounts scored by the Social Security Administration (SSA), according to SSA actuarial estimates, would cost less to permanently fix the Social Security system than would be the case under the status quo. We need to confront this problem now. Social Security?s problems will mean fiscal strains for the federal government, if not now, then later. Either we accept some costs today to fix Social Security permanently, or we do nothing and leave much bigger costs to our children and grandchildren.

Myth: Establishing personal accounts would require reductions in benefits.
Fact: For those now in or near retirement, the President has promised that there will be no changes in benefits. Today?s young workers, the retirees of the future, can expect to receive benefits with a value at least as high as those paid to today?s seniors, even after adjusting for inflation, whether or not they choose to establish a personal account. For those young workers who choose a personal account, total benefits are expected to be higher than seniors receive today, after adjusting for inflation.

Myth: Establishing personal accounts would be ?privatizing the Social Security system.?
Fact: President Bush wants to give personal control and ownership to individual participants in Social Security. The government-administered Social Security system would continue to be there, and would not be privatized. Individual Americans ? not the federal government -- would be given the power to decide how part of their payroll taxes would be invested, and individuals would have the opportunity to benefit from the gains of long-term investing.

Myth: Establishing personal accounts would undermine the Social Security ?safety net? and hurt low-income participants.
Fact: Most personal account proposals introduced in Congress are more progressive than the current system. Lower-income beneficiaries would expect to receive a higher percentage increase than would high-income beneficiaries, relative to the benefits the existing system can pay over the long term. A recent report from the General Accounting Office found that the proposals of the President?s bipartisan Commission would result in a more progressive distribution of Social Security benefits, meaning that low-income Americans would gain from personal accounts.

Myth: Individuals with personal accounts could lose all of their Social Security money and not have anything left for retirement.
Fact: Individuals would not be permitted to lose all of their retirement benefits under any of the personal account plans that have been evaluated by the Social Security Administration. In each of these plans, individuals with personal accounts would still have access to a traditional Social Security benefit. Under some of these proposals, the safety net against poverty for low-income retirees would be strengthened through enhancements of the basic Social Security benefit.


Kerry is wrong for Social Security


Kerry has flip-flopped on whether Social Security needs to be strengthened -- He now says little change is needed, but just last year and in the 1990s he said Congress should consider dramatic changes, such as raising the retirement age, means-testing benefits and slowing COLA increases.
In 1996: ?In an interview with the Globe, Kerry said dramatic changes are needed to make sure Social Security benefits are available for future retirees. He said the next Congress should consider controversial measures such as raising the retirement age and means-testing benefits, and called it ?wacky? that the taxes that pay for the system do not apply to income over $62,700.? (Michael Grunwald, ?Kerry, Weld Diverge On Social Security,? The Boston Globe, 6/3/96)

In 2003: ?[Kerry] told the audience here the country should consider raising Social Security taxes on incomes above $86,000 or capping the retirement benefits paid to wealthy Americans.? (David Yepsen, ?Still Time For Kerry - But Hold The Ketchup,? The Des Moines Register, 8/14/03)

Now in 2004: RUSSERT: ?Back in 1995, you said we have to be bold. And it might be unpopular, but we should consider raising the retirement age and means testing. Do you stand by those statements?? KERRY: ?No, I rejected that. We looked at that and we found that we don?t have to do it.? (Sen. John Kerry, NBC?s ?Meet The Press? with Tim Russert, 4/18/04)
Kerry is still flip-flopping on whether Social Security should be means-tested -- He claims to now oppose means-testing, but he calls for a cap on benefits if seniors? incomes are too high. That?s means-testing of Social Security benefits and his proposal opens the door to even more means-testing.

Kerry lacks the necessary leadership to strengthen Social Security -- He lacks the vision, leadership and understanding of the issues that is necessary to strengthen Social Security.

Newsweek says Kerry just pays ?lip service? to the program: ?[F]rontrunner John Kerry pays lip service to protecting senior?s benefits. But one could travel for days on his campaign bus before learning that the system needed any fixing at all. This is surprising since experts in both parties are convinced that Social Security needs a dramatic overhaul, soon. ? Democrats, riddled with internal dissent on the proper course for fixing the system, have trouble distinguishing themselves as anything but defenders of the status quo.? (Jonathan Darman, ?No Time For A Great Debate,? Newsweek Online, 2/17/04)

Kerry doesn?t have a vision to fix inequities in the system -- His opposition to allowing voluntary, personal retirement accounts in Social Security means denying the opportunity for all workers to build a nest-egg with their own savings that they own. It means denying the opportunity for low-income Americans ? who often die at an early age and cannot recoup their Social Security taxes ? the ability to build a nest egg and pass it on to their families.

Kerry doesn?t have a plan to avoid steep tax increases, benefit cuts or both -- His denial of the reality of the Baby Boomer generation retiring will make Social Security?s financial problems even worse.

Kerry only seems to understand tax increases ? He has voted eight times for higher taxes on Social Security benefits ? the money didn?t even go towards Social Security. He voted five times for Clinton?s proposal in 1993 to increase the income tax on certain Social Security benefits from 50% of the benefits to 85% of the benefits. He voted against repealing the tax increase in 1996, 2000 and 2003.

Kerry just wants new government spending -- For example, he has proposed raising taxes on individuals and small businesses earning more than $200,000 a year, but he just wants to spend the money on his new initiatives. He doesn?t propose to use any of his tax increases for deficit reduction or Social Security.

[Anonymous]

Securing Our Nation?s Energy Future
?America must have an energy policy that plans for the future, but meets the needs of today. I believe we can develop our natural resources and protect our environment.?

 
-President George W. Bush  


President Bush is committed to America?s energy future. Since his first weeks in office, the passage of a comprehensive and balanced national energy policy has been a top priority for President Bush and his Administration. America will be more prosperous and more secure when it is less dependent on foreign sources of energy. Reliable and affordable energy is critical to America?s economic security, national security, and homeland security. During his first 6 months in office, the President proposed the National Energy Policy to:


Modernize America?s energy production and distribution systems;
Reduce America?s dependence on foreign sources of energy;
Promote conservation, environmentally sound production, new technologies, and renewable energy sources; and
Continue to strengthen our economy and create new jobs.
The Administration has completed implementation of nearly 75% of the more than 100 recommendations contained in the President?s comprehensive National Energy Policy that were able to be done without legislation ? such as increasing electricity reliability research and development to help prevent electricity disruptions, and filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to its capacity of 700 million barrels to provide energy security in case of major supply disruptions. The Administration continues to work with Congress on the energy legislation needed to carry out the remaining recommendations.

Securing Our Nation?s Energy Future ? The President has proposed and the Congress should pass comprehensive energy legislation that will accomplish the following key Administration priorities to help secure our Nation?s energy future:

Modernize and Expand Our Electricity Grid


Modernize our electricity gridby reforming outdated laws, promoting open access to the transmission grid, promoting regional planning and coordination, protecting consumers, and developing and deploying new technology.
Establish mandatory and enforceable reliability standards for electric utilities to lessen the likelihood of transmission grid failures and blackouts.
Expand investment in transmission and generation facilities by repealing the Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUHCA) and providing increased rates of return on new transmission investments.
Eliminate transmission bottlenecks by providing for last-resort Federal sitting authority for high-priority transmission lines and expedite transmission permitting activities on Federal land.

Modernize and Increase Conservation and Energy Efficiency


Promote energy efficiency and conservation through new efficiency standards for the Federal government, increased funding for state energy efficiency programs, and new efficiency standards for consumer products.
Authorize an expansion of the Energy Star program, a government/industry partnership to promote energy efficient products.
Provide tax incentives to promote hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles, residential solar energy systems, combined heat and power projects, and electricity produced from alternative and renewable sources.
Authorize a wide range of Department of Energy (DOE) research and development programs to develop energy efficient next-generation energy technologies.

Ensure a Clean and Affordable Diversity of Fuels for Our Future Electricity Supply


Provide tax incentives for residential solar and wind energy systems, and for production of electricity from clean and renewable sources, such as wind, solar, biomass, and landfill gas.
Improve the hydroelectric re-licensing process while preserving environmental goals.
Increasing clean-burning technologies for coal, America?s most abundant energy resource, by funding a 10-year Clean Coal Power Initiative.
Ensure a future for nuclear power as a viable and emissions-free energy source, by extending the Price-Anderson Act nuclear liability laws; modifying the treatment of nuclear decommissioning funds so nuclear power plants are run by our best and most efficient operators; and by constructing an environmentally safe permanent repository for spent nuclear fuel.

Increase Domestic Energy Supplies and Protect the Environment


Encourage safe and clean exploration at home. America must reduce its dependence on foreign sources of oil and natural gas by encouraging safe and clean exploration at home. Modern technology allows us to bring oil and gas to the surface cleanly and safely while protecting our environment and wildlife. Using the most advanced technologies, the environmentally responsible exploration and development of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) could provide up to 1 million barrels per day of oil for the Nation?s energy security with less than 2,000 acres of impact.
Increase the use of domestically produced ethanol and biodiesel as transportation fuel through a flexible credit trading system.
Increase domestic oil and gas production using royalty relief and innovative research and development.
Simplify the permit process and help ensure the construction of a natural gas pipeline from Alaska. When complete, the pipeline will provide 6 to 8 percent of the Nation?s daily consumption of natural gas for the growing U.S. economy.
Increase production of fossil and renewable energy resources on Federal and Tribal lands, including measures to expedite permitting for new energy supply and siting of infrastructure.
Permanently authorize the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to protect American consumers from potentially severe oil supply disruptions.

Increase Domestic Energy Supplies through Advanced Alternative Technologies


Authorize the President?s Hydrogen Fuel Initiative to help reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil by creating a new generation of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Authorize the President?s commitment to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a research and development program for producing energy from nuclear fusion.

Strengthen Energy Security for Individual Americans


Assist low-income consumers with their energy bills by providing them increased funding through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
Reduce heating and cooling costs of low-income householdsby doubling funding over ten years for the Department of Energy?s Weatherization Assistance Program. Each dollar spent on home weatherization generates $2.10 worth of energy savings over the life of a home.

Promoting Clean Energy Technologies ? The President believes research and development of clean energy resources will help make America?s energy future more secure. Through his budgets since 2001, the President has launched important initiatives to develop the next generation of clean and affordable energy production, including $1.7 billion over five years to develop hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, $1.4 billion through FY 2005 for clean coal research, and additional funding for nuclear and fusion power research. The President?s FY 2005 budget provides significant funding to build and operate FutureGen, the world?s first zero-emissions coal-fueled power plant and expand research on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The President's FY 2005 budget also includes $228 million for the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, a $73 million increase over FY 2004 funding, to develop the technologies to produce, store, and distribute hydrogen for use in fuel-cell vehicles, electricity generation, and other applications. Hydrogen-powered fuel cells will be able to power cars, trucks, homes and businesses while producing virtually no pollution or greenhouse gases. The FY 2005 budget also includes $7.2 billion over ten years in energy tax incentives for alternative and renewable fuels, energy conservation and efficiency, and emissions-free energy.

Increasing Energy Efficiency ? The President believes that increasing our energy efficiency is a necessary component of modernizing our conservation efforts. Through his budgets since 2001, the President has proposed over $1.1 billion through FY 2005 to improve the energy efficiency of nearly 500,000 homes of low-income families. The FY 2005 budget continues the President?s commitment to increase funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program by $1.4 billion over the next 10 years in order to cut the utility bills of 1.2 million low-income families while conserving energy. The FY 2005 budget includes $291 million for this program, a 28% increase over FY 2004 funding. The FY 2005 funding will improve the energy efficiency of an additional 119,000 homes of low-income families.

Improving Electricity Transmission Technology ? The President believes we must update and modernize our electricity transmission system to avoid blackouts that can cause serious harm to affected Americans and our economy. The FY 2005 budget invests in electricity transmission technology improvements. It also increases funding for electricity reliability research and development to help prevent electricity disruptions.

Improving Fuel Efficiency for Light Trucks ? The Bush Administration raised Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for SUVs, vans, and pick-up trucks for the first time in a decade. Once fully adopted, this rule will save 343,000 barrels per day of gasoline, or the equivalent of 1 billion barrels over 10 years.

Encouraging Improvements to Refineries ? The Administration improved the ?new source review? regulations to allow for badly needed improvements and expansions of the Nation?s petroleum refineries. Unfortunately, much of these needed reforms backed by Members of Congress, labor unions, state and local officials are currently stuck in litigation, preventing further investment in expanded refining capacity.


Frequently Asked Questions


What can the President do in the short term to address high gas prices at the pump?

The President is very concerned and will remain vigilant. High gas prices place a burden on the family budget and the economy.
High gasoline prices reflect a tight supply, increasing demand, and limited refinery capacity. These are problems that have been years in the making and cannot be fixed overnight. We need comprehensive solutions, not patchwork crisis management.
The President recognized the challenges facing America?s energy security before he took office and offered the first comprehensive and balanced energy plan in a generation over three years ago. Congress needs to act on the President?s energy plan now so we can be less dependent on foreign sources of energy.
The most important thing the government can do in the near term is to ensure that markets work as effectively as possible. The Department of Energy will continue to monitor the markets and energy supplies and keep industry, consumers, and policy makers informed. ?Price gouging? or any other illegal, anticompetitive behavior will not be tolerated: the Department of Energy, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Department of Justice will be prepared to conduct inquiries, where appropriate, into significant price increases.
Will the President tap or defer shipments into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve?

No. The President will not play politics with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The SPR is in place in case of major disruptions of energy supplies to the United States. The SPR is vital to our national security and filling it to its 700 million barrel capacity is necessary to maximize protection for American consumers and our economy against severe oil supply disruptions, which could result from a variety of events, including natural disasters, industrial accidents, and terrorist attacks.

The idea of emptying the Strategic Petroleum Reserve would put America in a dangerous position in the War on Terror. We face a tough and determined enemy on all fronts, and we must not put ourselves in a compromising position. Using the SPR solely for political purposes to lower gasoline prices would reduce our protection and weaken our position in that war.

The impact on gas prices of filling the SPR is negligible (quite possibly zero or just 1.0-2.5 cents per gallon).

Senate Democrats could have acted to increase domestic supply by up to 1 million barrels per day by voting to open ANWR to environmentally sound oil and gas exploration. Had the previous Administration approved this action in 1995 when Congress authorized it, new oil supplies from ANWR would be available today. Congress should allow ANWR exploration promptly.


Sen. Kerry?s Record



Kerry?s missed the vote on a comprehensive energy bill, but has no credible alternative: Kerry?s energy ?plan? is just 6 pages with no specifics. For example, Kerry claims to favor increasing domestic natural gas production, but won?t specify where he favors production; Kerry wants 20 percent of the nation?s electricity to come from renewable sources, but doesn?t explain how to achieve that goal.


Kerry?s ?plan? is not comprehensive: Kerry?s leaves out discussions of key energy sectors, such as nuclear power. And even in the wake of last year?s blackout, which affected 50 million people, Kerry has no proposal to improve the reliability of the nation?s electricity grid.


Kerry?s policies would decimate the nation?s coal industry: Coal provides a reliable, secure source of energy, supplying nearly 52 percent of the nation?s electricity. Kerry is a cosponsor of legislation that would cut coal-based generation by over 50 percent.


Kerry opposes ANWR: Kerry blocked production on just 2,000 acres (out of 19 million) in ANWR. Production would create hundreds of thousands of jobs, provide America with nearly 1 million barrels of oil a day for 20 years, lessen our dependence on foreign oil.


Kerry opposes Yucca Mountain, but has proposed no alternative to store nuclear waste: Kerry opposes Yucca Mountain, despite 20 years of scientific study confirming the suitability of the site. Kerry has failed to propose an alternate site, while waste continues to pile up at 131 temporary facilities in 39 states.


Kerry has supported and voted for policies that raise energy prices for working families and businesses and destroy jobs. Kerry last year voted for the Climate Stewardship Act. The bill?s mandates would kill 650,000 jobs; raise gasoline prices by 40 cents a gallon; raise natural gas prices by 79 percent; raise electricity prices by 46 percent; and increase the average household?s energy bill, including the fuel cost of personal transportation, by $444 a year.


Throughout his Senate career, John Kerry voted for increasing Federal gasoline taxes: According to the Energy Information Administration, gasoline taxes comprise 23 percent of the cost of a gallon of gasoline.


Kerry?s CAFE bill kills jobs and costs lives: According to the Energy Information Administration, Kerry?s CAFÉ bill would kill 450,000 jobs and reduce economic output by $170 billion. The National Academy of Sciences found that Kerry?s CAFE bill would increase traffic fatalities and injuries.


Kerry claims to support renewable energy, but won?t endorse a proposed wind farm in his own backyard: After considerable opposition from local residents, Kerry has refused to take a position on the proposed wind farm in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.


Kerry opposes key reform to expand refinery capacity: One of the causes of today?s high gasoline prices is lack of refining capacity. Kerry opposes President Bush?s New Source Review reforms, which would provide certainty for refiners in meeting increased gasoline demand and new clean air requirements.

[Anonymous]

Bush is a fucking liar.  He has business connections with the bin laden family, and even let them fly home from the united states when all air traffic was stopped without even being questioned by the FBI.  Cheney is an evil liar as well.  He was in bed with Enron, and even had Ken Lay on his secret energy advisor commission.  Both of them have managed to castrate the EPA, in favor of policies that help their buddies in the large energy conglomerates.  As far as Bush's support of renewable energy, it's all smoke and mirrors.  His proposal is to create hydrogen fuel from fossil fuels, instead of bothering to dump money into perfecting numerous clean methods at acquiring this fuel.  He lied about weapons of mass destruction, and has used the constitution to wipe his ass.  Then has the audacity to question his opponents patriotism, even though he was taking sharpnel when bush was busy snorting coke and shirking his duty in the national guard.  Bush is not a patriot.  He doesn't care about America, or it's people, he cares about helping the rich and extreme right wing minority that helped him tamper with the voting process that managed to get him elected.  A ploy which served to disenfranchise thousands of black voters.  Then anyone who goes against the bush new world order is accused of being a patriot, even though the people we consider the greatest patriots of all, were rebels who had the balls to stand up against the tyranny that felt was being perpetrated against them.  Bush and Chaney are the true embodiment of deceit and tyranny.  I don't think Kerry is a great choice, but I won't vote for someone who wants to cut taxes for the rich and steal my civil liberty by playing off the fear of a potential terrorist threat, when you are more likely to die by suicide then terrorism.  Be a patriot, vote against bush.

[Anonymous]

This thread, with the exception of the previous post, sucks big dicks in hell.

[SyN]

bush says one thing but then does another. Who is the flip flopper?

Oh yeah what did you say about medicare?
Under Bush?s proposal, there should be a roughly $40 billion increase in Medicare each year for a decade. However, Bush?s 2004 budget proposes just $6 billion ? 85% less than what would be needed to meet his goal. Additionally, his budget would leave 67% of the total $400 billion pledge to be spent after 2008. [Bush Budget, pg. 318]
oh yeah you watch fox so you dont know whats really going on.
talking about flip flopping here's a good one.

There are definetly WMD's
flip
We havent found the WMD"S YET
flop
There may be WMD's
flip
We cant find WMD's
flop
There are no WMD's but hey they wanted them really bad.

here are what really happens after W Flip flops.

Bush?s first budget proposed cutting grants to children?s hospitals like the one he visited by 15% ($34 million). His 2004 budget additionally proposes to cut 30% ($86 million) out of grants to children?s hospitals.




Bush had been saying that he was proposing $3.5 billion in ?new? money for first responders. However, his budget tried to cut more than $1 billion out of existing grants to local police/fire departments to fund this. Then, in August of 2002, Bush rejected $150 million for grants to state and local first responders. Bush?s decision prompted the President of the Firefighters Union to say, ?President Bush, don't lionize our fallen brothers in one breath, and then stab us in the back by eliminating funding for our members to fight terrorism and stay safe.? The President of the Virginia firefighters association said, ?The president has merely been using firefighters and their families for one big photo opportunity.?

 
According to the Associated Press, Bush proposed ?to slash funding 20 percent for the Even Start  program, which offers tutoring to preschoolers and literacy and job training for their parents? ? the very program he was touting in New Mexico [2/4/02].



According to AP, ?President Bush's proposed 2004 budget for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, announced Monday, phases out HOPE VI? the program Bush visited and touted in Atlanta. ?Renee Glover, executive director of the Atlanta Housing Authority said. ?We didn't anticipate that HOPE VI would be eliminated.?? [AP, 2/5/2003]


The President?s 2003 and 2004 budget provides zero for port security grants. The GOP Congress has provided only $250 million for port security grants (35% less than authorized). Additionally, in August, the President vetoed all $39 million for the Container Security Initiative which he specifically touted.



Bush?s 2003 Budget proposed a 9% ($476 million) cut to job training programs and a 2% ($8 million) cut to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Similarly, his 2004 budget proposes a $60 million cut to adult job training programs and a total elimination of the Youth Opportunities Grants, which provide job training to younger workers



While Bush did hold a photo-op to sign legislation promising more INS/Border Patrol staff and facilities, his budget provided no additional money for this. Additionally, in August, Bush vetoed $6.25M for promised pay upgrades for Border Patrol agents. Additionally, he vetoed all $39 million for the Container Security Initiative. His 2004 Budget slashes total  total ?Border and Transportation Security? by $284 million.



Wanna talk about economy
?One of the ways we've got to make sure that we keep our economy strong is to be wise about how we spend our money. If you overspend, it creates a fundamental weakness in the foundation of economic growth. And so I'm working with Congress to make sure they hear the message -- the message of fiscal responsibility.? Bush, 9/16/02
Less than 6 months after this pronouncement, Bush proposed a budget that would put the government more than $300 billion into deficit. As National Journal noted on 2/12/02, Bush?s own 2004 budget tables show that without Bush?s tax and budgetary proposals, the deficit deficit would decline after 2006, but with Bush?s proposals the deficit would grow indefinitely




heres a way to help our future leaders
   

Bush?s 2004 budget proposes to cut vocational and technical education grants by 24% ($307 million). His budget also proposes to freeze funding for pell grants for low income students
 

lets care for the vets the Bush way.
According to a letter sent to the President by the major veterans groups, Bush?s 2003 budget ?falls $1.5 billion short? of adequately funding veterans care. Administration announced it is immediately cutting off access to its health care system approximately 164,000 veterans  
[Independent Budget, 1/7/02].


fuk the poor to right in the bush way.

The 2003 and 2004 Bush budgets proposes to freeze the Congregate Nutrition Program, which assists local soup kitchens and meals on wheels programs. With inflation, this proposal would mean at least 36,000 seniors would be cut from meals on wheels and congregate meals programs. Currently, 139,000 seniors are already on waiting lists for home-meal programs. His 2004
budget continues the freeze.


lets not forget no child left behind.
 The President?s 2003 budget ? the first education budget after he signed and touted the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) -  proposed to cut NCLB programs by $90 million overall, leaving these programs more than $7 billion short of what was authorized under the bill. Bush?s 2004 budget for NCLB is just 1.9% above what he proposed in 2003 - $619 less than needed to offset inflation.



Say what you want I know what he really does. He lies and FLIP FLOPS worse then any other.  Know why W didnt leave his vacation during the aftermath of 9/11?  Because He's just a puppet to.  Kicking out Bush gets the Neo Cons out. Thats what matters.
Seriously A president after 9/11 not leaving his vacation to plan attacks?  Thats Dereliction of duty right there. Impeachable in my book.  But whatever takes the publics eye off of Afghanastan.
SyN

[SyN]

Yeah Bush is great even though he is a weak knee'd SOB who meets with oil tycoons instead of trying to stop terror. Just read the Zogby poll. Things are looking just fine.



September 16th, 2004 1:44 pm
'War president' Bush has always been soft on terror; His campaign says vote Republican or die - but he lets al-Qaida off the hook


by Craig Unger / The Guardian

Where's George Orwell when we need him? Because we Americans need him. We desperately need him. Consider: in August 2001, immediately after reading a memo entitled "Bin Laden determined to strike in US", President George Bush went bass fishing - and never called a meeting to discuss the issue.

A month later, on September 11, when he was told that the terrorists had attacked, Bush spent the next seven minutes reading a children's book, The Pet Goat, with a group of schoolchildren.

And when it comes to his own military service, recent revelations show that Bush got out of fighting in Vietnam thanks to his dad's political clout. Even then, Bush didn't fulfil his obligations to the National Guard.

Yet somehow the Bush-Cheney ticket is convincing Americans that only a Republican administration can handle national security. If John Kerry wins, Dick Cheney warned: "The danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating." The choice is simple: Vote Republican, or die. And voters are buying it.

A poll just after the Republican convention showed that 27% of the voters preferred Bush to Kerry when it came to national security. Increasingly, it is becoming clear that if Bush wins in November it will be because of the fear factor.

Yet the truth is that Bush is actually soft on terror. When it comes to going after the men who were behind 9/11 and who continue to wage a jihad against the US, Bush has repeatedly turned a blind eye to the forces behind terrorism, shielded the people who funded al-Qaida, obstructed investigations and diverted resources from the battle against it.

One key reason is the Bush-Saudi relationship, the like of which is unprecedented in US politics. Even after the success of Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, the subject is largely taboo in the American media. Never before has a president of the US - much less two from the same family - had such close ties with another foreign power.

Prince Bandar, the Saudi ambassador to the US and a powerful member of the royal family, has been a close friend of George Bush Snr for more than 20 years. Nicknamed Bandar Bush, he drops by the Bush residences in Kennebunkport, Maine, and Crawford, Texas, not to mention the White House. He and Bush senior go on hunting trips together.

Then there's the money. More than $1.4bn of financial transactions have gone from the House of Saud to corporations and institutions tied to the Bushes and their allies - largely to companies such as the Carlyle Group, Halliburton, and HarkenEnergy. So what does all that influence buy the Saudis?

Let's go to the White House on September 13 2001. Just 48 hours after 9/11, the toxic rubble at the World Trade Centre site was still ablaze. The estimated death count, later lowered significantly, was thought to be as high as 40,000.

On that afternoon, Bandar met on the Truman balcony with President Bush and the two men lit up Cohiba cigars. At the time, the White House knew that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis. It knew that Osama bin Laden was Saudi. And, as the 9/11 commission concluded, it knew that Saudi Arabia was "the primary source of money for al-Qaida", which was largely funded by wealthy Saudis via Islamist charities.

President Bush was in the presence of the ambassador from the country that is the guardian of Wahhabi Islam, the fundamentalist sect which helped produce al-Qaida. This is where the war on terror and a massive investigation into the greatest crime in US history should have begun.

But, given the intimate relationship between the two families - and, of course, the fact that the Saudis help fuel America's 165m automobiles - this was not just a meeting between the president of the US and the ambassador of a country that harboured and financed terrorists. The Saudis were special.

Because Bush and Bandar were the only two people present, we do not know exactly what was said. But we do know that the president failed to join the issue of the Saudi role in terror or how to stop the funding of terrorism through Islamist charities and financial institutions.

That same afternoon, the first of 11 chartered planes began to pick up more than 140 Saudis scattered throughout the US. Saudi Arabia and the president's defenders have mounted a massive PR campaign to minimise the damage of the Saudi evacuation. But the facts in the 9/11 commission report remain unchanged. The Saudi evacuation flights were not the fantasies of conspiratorialists. They actually took place. The departures were approved by the White House and the vast majority of Saudi passengers were not interviewed by the FBI.

This was the biggest crime in US history. But, in the midst of a grave national security crisis, rather than investigating it the White House and the FBI spent their limited resources helping evacuate the Saudis.

Over the next two years, the 9/11 commission found, the Bush administration failed "to develop a strategy to counter Saudi terrorist financing". As a result, our Saudi allies were half-hearted in cooperating on terrorist financing and, the commission concluded: "the US government still has not determined with any precision how much al-Qaida raises or from whom, or how it spends its money."

Now, thanks to Intelligence Matters: The CIA, the FBI, Saudi Arabia and the Failure of America's War on Terror, a new book by Senator Bob Graham, we know that the Saudis may have played an even bigger role in 9/11 than previously reported. As a member of the Senate intelligence committee, Graham said he learned that "evidence of official Saudi support" for at least two of the 19 hijackers was "incontrovertible".

As co-chairman of the joint House-Senate panel investigating 9/11, Graham found his efforts to get to the bottom of the Saudi role in 9/11 again and again were quashed by the Bush administration. When his committee tried to subpoena a key witness who happened to be an FBI informant, the FBI refused to cooperate. "It was the only time in my senatorial experience that the FBI has refused to deliver a congressional subpoena," Graham told Salon.com in a recent interview. "The FBI wasn't acting on its own," he added, "but had been directed by the White House not to cooperate."

In the end, 27 pages of the report on the role of the Saudis in 9/11 were classified by the White House and not released to the public. According to Graham, the Bush administration may have censored the material because it did not want the public to be aware of Saudi support for the 9/11 terrorists. "There has been a long-term special relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia," he said, "and that relationship has probably reached a new high under the George W Bush administration, in part because of the long and close family relationship that the Bushes have had with the Saudi royal family."

Graham writes: "It was as if the president's loyalty lay more with Saudi Arabia than with America's safety."

If that is the case, no wonder the Bush-Cheney ticket is counting on fear.

[GregFL]

the topic starter is sure a great cut and paster.  Got any original ideas or you just a parrot?

George Bush is a fucking idiot puppet.

 :silly:

[shanlea]

What are you smoking? The economy is getting stronger? You must have been born with it? For the rest of us, we can't afford 200 billion bucks on a war with no basis. For God's sake, we didn't even finish biz in Afghanistan. You can't invade a country and not generate good will a la the Marshall Plan during WWII. Iraq? Have you seen Rumsfield shaking Saddam's hand when we helped him with Iran? We already knew about the crimes he committed against his country but we didn't get a fuck back then.  THere are no WMDs; and if he supported the terrorists (which some arabs do in spirit if not materially) please keep in mind that our saudi allies comprised the biggest faction of terrorists.  Another thing: you can't win a war on terrorism because it is not a conventional war fought at a specific locus.  Not all problems can be solved easily and wholly and when it comes to terror, the only way to stop it would be to become tyrranical. (I'd rather be free.) We also have crappy foreign savvy. The world is a different place--it's evolved; nobody wants to kowtow to the US Big Stick anymore. It's time to get off our high horse.  We can still be strong and collaborative.

Last, why would I vote for some guy who thinks God speaks directly to him advocating war?  That is what every world leader says before they get their people in one big protracted bloody mess.
Aside from that, theocracies threaten democracies and Dubya seems to be heading that way more and more. Just say Hola Ayatolla.

The last thing we need is some short sighted, ethnocentric, elitist, religious zealot in office. Hey if you don't like Kerry vote for anyone but Dumbya.  ANYONE!!

[thepatriot]

"The last thing we need is some short sighted, ethnocentric, elitist, religious zealot in office. Hey if you don't like Kerry vote for anyone but Dumbya. ANYONE!! "(Ok aside from the religious statement but the rest applies to Kerry as well, especially elitist)

And what in the hell do you think Kerry is? Bush is pretty much everything you said I agree but the fact of the matter is it will get no better under Kerry its too bad that this is the best the Dems could come up with out of everybody on the hill or governers around the country Kerry is the guy. Man that is fucking weak. This election will be a close one again, and why? because there really isnt a choice. Better suck it up the odds arent that great that Kerry will win. In history two senators have gone directly from the senate to the oval office, JFK and Harding. I just think its a sad day that these two are the only choices we have this election year. That being said if Kerry does win I think all we will have to look forward to are higher taxes, a weaker economy and I believe he will see to it we become the personal whipping boy of the UN. Like Bush or not , he does not kowtow to the UN. Granted Iraq has cost us a lot of doe so has the UN. $ years of Kerry in Office will amount to UN taxation on the US, you think shit is bad now, can you say revolution? Ok revolutio thats a stretch but I dont think anybody including Kerry knows where he stands of forign policy.

a quote from Kerry dring a Tim Russert interview
"No one is sure what Kerry?s exact position is on the question of Iraq and the UN, but when asked on ?Meet the Press? by the incomparable Tim Russert if Bush was right to go to war, Kerry responded, ?I think the way the president went to war was a mistake.?

 

He didn?t think attacking Iraq was a ?mistake.?  He did, lest we forget, vote to give President Bush the authority to go to war.

 

But Kerry made it clear?as he has repeatedly in recent months?that the ?mistake? was Bush?s decision to go to war without the seal of approval of the UN.  "

That kind of indecisivness is dangerous. The man has no fucking idea where he stands on anything.
Oh hey Greg I thought that the parrot remark to Syn was fucking hysterical

_________________
Sarasota Straight Escapee

[SyN]

I agree the election will be close, Debates will be the final front if W doesnt try to cop out.
Kerry did give the vote to go to war under false pretense from the Haliburton admin.  Lets not forget their lies and how they are still lying. Economy is going down fast, medicare will be more expensive then the people its ment for to afford. On and on and on.
Bush's social security privitization plan he talked about 4 years ago is another lie and would cost 2 trillion to start, yeah thats gonna happen.
But whatever it takes to get the people to forget Afghanastan.
SyN

[SyN]

Patriot your a true American I'll give you that, just to close minded to really be interesting.