On Slashdot today, one of the users commented thusly (and made me laugh):
Whoa, wait: President Bush abusing his power? No, you've got to be kidding me. I can't believe it. After all, this is the guy who *wanted* to help New Orleans but just couldn't because of those darn rules maybe being in the way.
That aside: Bad week for the Neocons.
First, they're not allowed to torture people anymore (not that we ever did, right? I mean, I'm sure the folks at those secret CIA prisons in eastern Europe were Geneva Convention poster boys). Then the PATRIOT act gets blocked so they have to go deal with those darn activist judges to get warrants again. Now, people are acting like the President can't override statute with an executive order! Next thing you know, people will actually want leaders who follow the Constitution. Heck, this keeps up and nobody'll want to be President of the United States anymore - we're just takin' all the fun out of it.
I personally look forward to the day when the GOP has something to do with, you know, conservatism again. "Spend responsibly" rolls off the tounge better than "constant wanton abuse of power". Still, at least it was just violation of the basic agreement that forms the basis of our government and not, you know, a blowjob. Otherwise the nation might have to sit through another impeachment.
Taken all together, the war in Iraq, the eroding of civil liberties, the blatant selling out to oil interests and big businesses, it's a wonder Bush hasn't been impeached. They did it to Clinton, and only for lying about having falatio in his office. There's that puritanical mentality coming out again.
I think this shows the power of fear. I remember the exit polls at the last election said the majority of people who voted for Bush said they did so because they felt he was best capable of keeping them safe. Whenever his popularity wanes, he plays the fear card and is back in the driving seat. I heard last night that the new 9-11 investigation committee reported blatent misuse of funds under the banner of homeland security. Millions of dollars spent on Dog Armour! They also reported that the administration had followed none of the recommendations of the original 9-11 committee. Now that's what I call responsible government!
Bush is really cruising for complaints from other politicians. This time selling the harbour duties of 6 major ports in the US to a Dubai Port master company. I understand why he's doing it, to continue to receive support for his war on terrorism, but didn't he say he would be a conciliator? Well this is how he brings both sides together.... He will veto any bill blocking this sale!
Currently, I am reading Hegemony or Survival by Noam Chomsky. It is quite a damning report on the US foreign affairs. He goes so far to say, that while Bush II is working to make his rich tax cuts permanent, the war has driven the deficit increadibly high. How does the conservatives plan to off set the expensive war? Not by raising taxes on the rich, but by dismantling medicare, medicaid and social security.
My view is that they'll play the fear card, like Reagan did, Bush I did, and the rest to push their views forward. I'd hate to be poor in the states. The government won't help you, but it will expect you to fight for it.
Actually, I fully expect them to let a democrat in next election, so that they have to deal with the deficit, the need to raise taxes, the repercussions of Iraq, etc. Then four years later the republicans can promise to reverse all the tax increases and get re-elected.
IF the democrat raises the taxes on the whole population then you are probably right, but if taxes are raised on the wealthiest 1% then perhaps not. However, on the foreign side there really is no difference between republican or democrat. Both sides while in the oval office have supported dictators.
Man, Bush is arrogant!! His antics really seem to be a reflection of the current trends in US society...it is cool to be big mouth/mean dumb a**.
Speaking of Bush dumbassness, a 2006 National Renewable Energy Laboratory report stated that geothermal energy is "equivalent to a 30,000 year energy supply at the our current rate for the United States"! Geothermal facilities have minimal environmental impacts, and unlike wind and solar systems, they can run continuously. Yet, Bush has plummeted federal support for geothermal energy..in 2006 its budget was 23$ million this year it was 5$ million. Bush has proposed cutting funding completely in 2008.
To counteract Bush, California Democratic Representative Jerry McNerney has introduced a HR2304 which proposes to boost geothermal funding to 80$ million annually through to 2012. It will be sent to the White House this fall so it should be interesting to see how it plays out.
Well I can't fault his thinking on cutting that funding.. afterall the Bush's oil one or two choice stocks in the oil fields... and goodness knows W isn't above doing something for his family's own personal gain...
The Washington Post reported (Oct 5/07) that the cost of the wars in Irag and Afghanistan has now hit $600 Billion dollar mark. The USA is heavily in debt because of the wars.
This past wednesday, Bush used his veto today in the name of fiscal responsiblilty to crush a bipartisan bill reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which would help 9 million children without health insurance in the USA. The cost of running the program annually would be around $70 Billion dollars, which looking at the $ 13 trillion dollar economy Bush has to work with is really chump change.  ABC news stated that the bill had a 72% approval rating among USA citizens.  Bush said Congress was trying to "federalize health care," even though the program in question is run by the states. Bush said that "I don't want the federal government making decisions for doctors and customers," even though the vetoed bill authorizes no such decisions -- the program enrolls children in private, I repeat, private, health insurance plans. And here's my favorite: "This program expands coverage, federal coverage, up to families earning $83,000 a year. That doesn't sound poor to me." But the bill he vetoed prohibits states from using the program to aid families who make more than three times the federal poverty limit, or about $60,000 a year for a family of four. Most of the aid would go to families earning substantially less. Bush's spurious $83,000 figure comes from a request by New York state to use the program for some families earning four times the poverty limit. That request was denied by the Bush administration last month -- and that upper limit is not in the bill Bush vetoed.
I watched a satire the other day on TVO called the Trial of Tony Blair... he eventually gets carted back to the Hague for war crimes for the Iraq war. The funny thing about bush is, this is set in 2010 and Blair reads a paper saying Bush was found in a coma in his ranch... from drinking...
Home
Calendar
Search
Register
Login
Print Thread
Report to Moderator
Logged
E-mail
Private message
