Zeppistan
17-03-2004, 15:12
GW 'n Co. (as well as some of the folks here) have been having a lot of fun complaining that Kerry flip flops on issues. You'd think they'd be smart enough not to throw stones given that lovely glazed house they live in.
Has Kerry changed his tune on some issues? Sure. And most of what they have pointed to is defence. Largely through the early and mid 90's where EVERYBODY was voting to decrease the size of the military. Kerry voted no on two full defence budgets over that time, but also voted yes on two bills to increase veterans benefits that the Republicans opposed.
Fact is, Kerry has a three decade voting record. It is easy to pull out a vote from the cold war, one from after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and then votes from just before and just after 9-11, and you will clearly see that his mindset has changed over time.
Which is THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE! Politicians are supposed to make every vote in context of what is best for the country at that time. Just after the cold war, budgets that still included massive spending on strategic missiles was a waste. However, congress is not allowed line-item votes on major omnibus bills.
But I feel that equal time is deserved, and so I present to you some of my favorite Bush flip-flops - in no particular order.
------------------------------------------
When GW ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1978 in Texas, he gave an interview to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal newspaper. Asked about his position on abortion he answered that he "opposes the pro-life amendment [which would outlaw abortion] and favors leaving up to a woman and her doctor the abortion question." Sixteen years later, when he ran for governor in Texas in 1994, and in every campaign since, he has campaigned as an anti-abortion conservative.
When running for President and Larry King tried to buttonhole him on the issue of gay marriage, he sidestepped the question by reaffirming that it was State business - not Federal. Of course now he want to federalize it and even enshrine it into the Constitution..
On the eve of the 2000 election he sent Cheney to Nevada to reassure the residents that there was no way he would allow for the planned Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump to go ahead until there was clear scientific evidence that it would be safe. After the election he approved Yucca Mountain and informed the residents that the US Army had two decades of scientific evidence that satisfied him. That evidence was all public record before the election as the army had tried to sell the safety of Yucca Mountain to the locals. Why was he claiming it wasn't enough before they voted for him, but then was happy with it after the fact?
He was against and then for the 9-11 commision. He refused to extend it's mandate, and then did extend it. Claimed he wouldn't give testimony, then agreed to an hour, then stated he wouldn't watch the clock. Has tried to imply that the Congress got all the same information as he did when they had to decide whether to to war in Iraq or not, but for the 9-11 commission refused to hand over access to his daily intel briefs. (If they get all the same intel why should that matter?) Then he decided to allow some access to some of the briefs, but not by the whole commission.
Claims a deep concern about nuclear proliferation as an element of his War on Terror, and even painting the mushroom cloud image for the viewers during his State of the Union speech. He then clearly demonstrated his resolve on this issue when he gutted the 2002 budget for Nunn-Luger non-proliferation work in Russia - programs designed to ensure that old soviet nukes stay off the black market.
North Korea went from a part of the Axis of Evil to a "regional problem". He wanted them to disarm themselves of nuclear programs, and then dropped that demand entering the last round of negotiations.
Despite all the talk about cleaning up corporate america in the wake of Enron and Worldcom, GW slashed the SEC's budget by 27% - seriously hampering it's ability to fund investigations to go after corrupt businesses. But hey... at least they got Martha.
When proposing his tax cuts, Bush Stated "...we can proceed with tax relief without fear of budget deficits, even if the economy softens." Now the US have record deficits, and he claims that the economy is in recovery, but that the deficits that weren't going to happen don't really matter. He also keeps flip-flopping on why the deficits exist. It was the recession, then it was 9-11, now it's the recession again....
Mr Tough Guy sure talks full of bluster towards somebody like Iraq - who he knew couldn't really hurt the US. It's our way and the heck with you. Remember when that spy plane got shot down over China and the Chineese insisted on an apology. Bush said "No way!". And then did cave and publicly said sorry.... twice!
During the election campaign of 2000, GW promised to push for regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. In 2001 Vice President Dick Cheney, speaking for the president, says that pledge "was a mistake." Since then he has relaxed the requirements for emmision controls on power plants.
Indeed, he presented himself as being very strong on environmental concerns, but has since done everything to open pristine wildlife to oil drilling, protect the forests by cutting them down, weakened the Clean Air Act, removed millions of acres of preserved wetlands from protection under the Clean Water Act and attempted to exempt mining waste from regulation as a pollutant under federal law. He has also sought to scale back long-standing requirements for environmental reviews and public participation applying to highway construction, offshore oil development, and logging in our national forests. With friends like these, the environment needs no enemies!
During the last election campaign he ridiculed the Clinton Administration for giving the perk to campaign contributers of a night at the White House in the Lincoln Bedroom. Of course, records show that in his first four years he has done exactly he same with over 200 of his friends too, and also extends that priviledge to opening up Camp David to contributers!
After pushing through the big omnibus bill to fund homeland security he had to admit that after rereading it the criticisms that most of the items in the bill weren't properly funded was true. He admitted this AFTER signing it into law and denying the assertions of underfunding by it's opponents. Shouldn't he read these things first?
He campaigned on the premise of a small, efficient government that "will enforce fiscal discipline on Congress, because when spending is out of control, deficits increase and our economic growth is hindered...". In the first Bush-Gore debate he was very clear when he stated: "the surest way to bust this economy is to increase the role and the size of the federal government". You now have the largest public service payroll in history.
He campaigned on good fiscal management. In fact, he promised to retire $2 Trillion of the national debt. He also promised not to spend the Social Security surplus. To quote "...Future generations shouldn't be forced to pay back money that we have borrowed. We pay back money that we have borrowed. We owe this kind of responsibility to our children and grandchildren...". Now where did that surplus go?
He campaigned on the idea of an open government, and yet has fought all the way to the Supreme Court to have the names of those on his energy policy advisory board secret.
He reneged on a promise to fully fund the Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP);
He clearly stated that the US military was not a force to be used for nation building. Hello Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Haiti!
During the campaign, on ABC's This Week he stated that he would veto the McCain-Feingold Bill on campaign reform. He has since signed it into law.
He promised to work to end tarrifs and not erect new ones "...I’ll work to end tariffs and break down barriers everywhere, entirely, so the whole world trades in freedom. The fearful build walls. The confident demolish them. I am confident in American workers and farmers and producers. And I am confident that America’s best is the best in the world." Instead Bush added new tariffs on steel, textiles, and (Canadian) lumber and revoked Caribbean trade privileges. He signed agricultural subsidies bill. He signed the Medicare Bill providing huge subsidies to
rich pharmaceutical companies. He is pushing a huge subsidy-laden Energy Bill for energy companies. and then he flip-flopped again and removed the steel tarrifs.
On education, he stated in the campaign that "...I believe in local control of schools..." and that "...I believe education is a national priority, but it's also a local responsibility. I want to give schools -- I want to give schools the resources and authority to chart their own path to excellence. My opponent thinks Washington knows best..." Of course, he then instituted federal control through the No Child Left Behind act, but then also underfunded it which has rather hampered schools "resources and authority to chart their own path to excellence"
Stated that "I believe that the judges ought not to take the place of the legislative branch of government, that they're appointed for life and that they ought to look at the Constitution as sacred. They shouldn't misuse their bench.", but then gave a recess appointment to judge Pryor who fought against giving homosexuals civil rights, and called Roe v. Wade an "abomination". He was also alone among 50 attorneys general in challenging the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act - clear attempts to undercut the legislation.
In 1987 the United States joined with other countries in signing the Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the use of certain harmful substances. Despite praising the treaty in 2002, the Bush administration has since undermined it by seeking exemptions for the U.S. agriculture industry from restrictions on the use of methyl bromide, an ozone-depleting pesticide.
I could go on.......
But I will give GW one thing. He has indeed been consistent on his view of Iraq. For those that claim that his interest in that country didn't really kick in until after 9-11, and that he didn't have plans to go after his from day one in office - I should say that I agree! His plans started before then. In fact, it was so much on his mind that he brought up Saddam in all three debates with Gore.
That was long before it was in any way tied to the concept of terrorism. Long before 9-11.
Congratulations. You got the war he always wanted.
-Z-
Has Kerry changed his tune on some issues? Sure. And most of what they have pointed to is defence. Largely through the early and mid 90's where EVERYBODY was voting to decrease the size of the military. Kerry voted no on two full defence budgets over that time, but also voted yes on two bills to increase veterans benefits that the Republicans opposed.
Fact is, Kerry has a three decade voting record. It is easy to pull out a vote from the cold war, one from after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and then votes from just before and just after 9-11, and you will clearly see that his mindset has changed over time.
Which is THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE! Politicians are supposed to make every vote in context of what is best for the country at that time. Just after the cold war, budgets that still included massive spending on strategic missiles was a waste. However, congress is not allowed line-item votes on major omnibus bills.
But I feel that equal time is deserved, and so I present to you some of my favorite Bush flip-flops - in no particular order.
------------------------------------------
When GW ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1978 in Texas, he gave an interview to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal newspaper. Asked about his position on abortion he answered that he "opposes the pro-life amendment [which would outlaw abortion] and favors leaving up to a woman and her doctor the abortion question." Sixteen years later, when he ran for governor in Texas in 1994, and in every campaign since, he has campaigned as an anti-abortion conservative.
When running for President and Larry King tried to buttonhole him on the issue of gay marriage, he sidestepped the question by reaffirming that it was State business - not Federal. Of course now he want to federalize it and even enshrine it into the Constitution..
On the eve of the 2000 election he sent Cheney to Nevada to reassure the residents that there was no way he would allow for the planned Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump to go ahead until there was clear scientific evidence that it would be safe. After the election he approved Yucca Mountain and informed the residents that the US Army had two decades of scientific evidence that satisfied him. That evidence was all public record before the election as the army had tried to sell the safety of Yucca Mountain to the locals. Why was he claiming it wasn't enough before they voted for him, but then was happy with it after the fact?
He was against and then for the 9-11 commision. He refused to extend it's mandate, and then did extend it. Claimed he wouldn't give testimony, then agreed to an hour, then stated he wouldn't watch the clock. Has tried to imply that the Congress got all the same information as he did when they had to decide whether to to war in Iraq or not, but for the 9-11 commission refused to hand over access to his daily intel briefs. (If they get all the same intel why should that matter?) Then he decided to allow some access to some of the briefs, but not by the whole commission.
Claims a deep concern about nuclear proliferation as an element of his War on Terror, and even painting the mushroom cloud image for the viewers during his State of the Union speech. He then clearly demonstrated his resolve on this issue when he gutted the 2002 budget for Nunn-Luger non-proliferation work in Russia - programs designed to ensure that old soviet nukes stay off the black market.
North Korea went from a part of the Axis of Evil to a "regional problem". He wanted them to disarm themselves of nuclear programs, and then dropped that demand entering the last round of negotiations.
Despite all the talk about cleaning up corporate america in the wake of Enron and Worldcom, GW slashed the SEC's budget by 27% - seriously hampering it's ability to fund investigations to go after corrupt businesses. But hey... at least they got Martha.
When proposing his tax cuts, Bush Stated "...we can proceed with tax relief without fear of budget deficits, even if the economy softens." Now the US have record deficits, and he claims that the economy is in recovery, but that the deficits that weren't going to happen don't really matter. He also keeps flip-flopping on why the deficits exist. It was the recession, then it was 9-11, now it's the recession again....
Mr Tough Guy sure talks full of bluster towards somebody like Iraq - who he knew couldn't really hurt the US. It's our way and the heck with you. Remember when that spy plane got shot down over China and the Chineese insisted on an apology. Bush said "No way!". And then did cave and publicly said sorry.... twice!
During the election campaign of 2000, GW promised to push for regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. In 2001 Vice President Dick Cheney, speaking for the president, says that pledge "was a mistake." Since then he has relaxed the requirements for emmision controls on power plants.
Indeed, he presented himself as being very strong on environmental concerns, but has since done everything to open pristine wildlife to oil drilling, protect the forests by cutting them down, weakened the Clean Air Act, removed millions of acres of preserved wetlands from protection under the Clean Water Act and attempted to exempt mining waste from regulation as a pollutant under federal law. He has also sought to scale back long-standing requirements for environmental reviews and public participation applying to highway construction, offshore oil development, and logging in our national forests. With friends like these, the environment needs no enemies!
During the last election campaign he ridiculed the Clinton Administration for giving the perk to campaign contributers of a night at the White House in the Lincoln Bedroom. Of course, records show that in his first four years he has done exactly he same with over 200 of his friends too, and also extends that priviledge to opening up Camp David to contributers!
After pushing through the big omnibus bill to fund homeland security he had to admit that after rereading it the criticisms that most of the items in the bill weren't properly funded was true. He admitted this AFTER signing it into law and denying the assertions of underfunding by it's opponents. Shouldn't he read these things first?
He campaigned on the premise of a small, efficient government that "will enforce fiscal discipline on Congress, because when spending is out of control, deficits increase and our economic growth is hindered...". In the first Bush-Gore debate he was very clear when he stated: "the surest way to bust this economy is to increase the role and the size of the federal government". You now have the largest public service payroll in history.
He campaigned on good fiscal management. In fact, he promised to retire $2 Trillion of the national debt. He also promised not to spend the Social Security surplus. To quote "...Future generations shouldn't be forced to pay back money that we have borrowed. We pay back money that we have borrowed. We owe this kind of responsibility to our children and grandchildren...". Now where did that surplus go?
He campaigned on the idea of an open government, and yet has fought all the way to the Supreme Court to have the names of those on his energy policy advisory board secret.
He reneged on a promise to fully fund the Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP);
He clearly stated that the US military was not a force to be used for nation building. Hello Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Haiti!
During the campaign, on ABC's This Week he stated that he would veto the McCain-Feingold Bill on campaign reform. He has since signed it into law.
He promised to work to end tarrifs and not erect new ones "...I’ll work to end tariffs and break down barriers everywhere, entirely, so the whole world trades in freedom. The fearful build walls. The confident demolish them. I am confident in American workers and farmers and producers. And I am confident that America’s best is the best in the world." Instead Bush added new tariffs on steel, textiles, and (Canadian) lumber and revoked Caribbean trade privileges. He signed agricultural subsidies bill. He signed the Medicare Bill providing huge subsidies to
rich pharmaceutical companies. He is pushing a huge subsidy-laden Energy Bill for energy companies. and then he flip-flopped again and removed the steel tarrifs.
On education, he stated in the campaign that "...I believe in local control of schools..." and that "...I believe education is a national priority, but it's also a local responsibility. I want to give schools -- I want to give schools the resources and authority to chart their own path to excellence. My opponent thinks Washington knows best..." Of course, he then instituted federal control through the No Child Left Behind act, but then also underfunded it which has rather hampered schools "resources and authority to chart their own path to excellence"
Stated that "I believe that the judges ought not to take the place of the legislative branch of government, that they're appointed for life and that they ought to look at the Constitution as sacred. They shouldn't misuse their bench.", but then gave a recess appointment to judge Pryor who fought against giving homosexuals civil rights, and called Roe v. Wade an "abomination". He was also alone among 50 attorneys general in challenging the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act - clear attempts to undercut the legislation.
In 1987 the United States joined with other countries in signing the Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the use of certain harmful substances. Despite praising the treaty in 2002, the Bush administration has since undermined it by seeking exemptions for the U.S. agriculture industry from restrictions on the use of methyl bromide, an ozone-depleting pesticide.
I could go on.......
But I will give GW one thing. He has indeed been consistent on his view of Iraq. For those that claim that his interest in that country didn't really kick in until after 9-11, and that he didn't have plans to go after his from day one in office - I should say that I agree! His plans started before then. In fact, it was so much on his mind that he brought up Saddam in all three debates with Gore.
That was long before it was in any way tied to the concept of terrorism. Long before 9-11.
Congratulations. You got the war he always wanted.
-Z-