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Bush heads to Crawford for August vacation
Scripps Howard News Service via The Billings Gazette ^
| August 2, 2005
| BILL STRAUB
Posted on 08/02/2005 2:11:49 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper
WASHINGTON -- President Bush left for his traditional midsummer break Tuesday having accomplished the first goal of his second term -- ensuring he wouldn't spend four years as a lame duck.
Before heading to the ranch in Crawford, Texas, the president celebrated congressional passage of his long-stalled energy bill -- a goal he has sought since moving into the White House -- and approval of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.
But the early success doesn't end there.
Bush oversaw passage of the $286 billion transportation bill, which had been stalled in Congress for two years, and the Patriot Act appears well on its way to renewal. The House and Senate are expected to reconcile their differences this fall before major sections of the anti-terrorism legislation expire.
Not bad for a presidency not even eight months into a second term, particularly one that critics have tried to characterize as lame-duck since Bush again took the oath of office. It has not escaped the notice of the White House.
"I think it's important for the American people to hear about the important progress that we're making when it comes to our economy," said Scott McClellan, the president's press secretary. "And it's something we'll continue to talk about because this is something that impacts their daily lives."
McClellan said Bush intends to "build on the policies we have in place to keep our economy growing stronger."
The president seems to be faring well on other fronts, too.
It appears that John Roberts, his nominee to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court, will face less opposition from Senate Democrats during confirmation proceedings than originally thought -- despite the candidate's conservative record. Elsewhere, Bush now has in place the person he wanted to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. But strong opposition to the candidate, John Bolton, necessitated a recess appointment that will expire at the end of next year.
There will be a few clouds overhead as Bush putters around the ranch over the next four weeks.
Despite his successes and the nation's healthy economic growth, polls show that the public doesn't much care for the direction he is providing.
A Zogby America Poll, conducted July 26-30, showed that a minority of respondents, 45 percent, believe the president is doing an excellent or good job, while 55 percent rate him fair or poor. A Gallup poll done July 25-28 offers similar conclusions, with 44 percent saying Bush is doing a good job but 51 percent saying he's not.
John Zogby, head of Zogby International, said his latest survey showed that voters disapprove of the president's handling of every facet of his job -- with the exception of the war on terrorism. Fifty-one percent approved of Bush's actions in that area.
"The president is not likely to feel any significant bump from the events of the past week -- at least, not until new jobs are created from the transportation bill or gas prices are impacted by the energy bill," he said.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California dismissed the suggestion that Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress were making gains.
"The American people are concerned about job security and Republicans here have done nothing to create jobs," Pelosi said. "In fact, they and the president have the worst record of job creation since Herbert Hoover. More people do not have access to health care and this Congress has done nothing to make that better for them."
Meanwhile, Bush's top domestic priority, Social Security reform, distinguished by private accounts and financial solvency, is in jeopardy. House Republicans are drafting legislation that would use the Social Security surplus to fund private accounts, but the move would only add to the system's long-term financial problems.
And then there is the investigation into whether Karl Rove, the president's political guru, or anyone else in the administration committed a crime by revealing to reporters that Valerie Wilson was an undercover operative for the CIA.
TOPICS: Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 43; bush; bush43; crawford; prairiechapel; summer; term2; w2
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To: DuckFan4ever
You know it is really funny. If you havent spent august in Texas you should, to get a taste of what hell might be like. Bush vacations where the press hates to be, thus he gets himself some privacy. Very smart.
To: ohioWfan; nopardons
Presidency of George W. Bush -- the first 48 months |
President Bush signing a federal ban on Partial Birth Abortion
Banned Partial Birth Abortion
Reversed Clinton's move to strike Reagan's anti-abortion Mexico Policy Stopped foreign aid that would be used to fund abortions.
Supported and upheld the ban on abortions at military hospitals
Signed E.O. reversing Clinton's policy of not requiring parental consent for abortions under the Medical Privacy Act
Killed the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty
Killed U.S. involvement in the International Criminal Court
Killed Clinton's CO2 rules that were choking off all of the electricity surplus to California
Killed Clinton's "ergonomic" rules that OSHA was about to implement; rules that would have shut down every home business in America First Missile is Installed For NMD on July 23, 2004Killed the U.S. - CCCP ABM Treaty that was preventing the U.S. from deploying our ABM defenses Built ten ABM silos in Alaska and California so that America has a defense against North Korean nukes
The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act (less romantically known as H.R. 5382) ultimately allows average Americans to hitch a ride on a civilian space craft at their own risk. The federal ban on such citizen travel was repealed by HR 5382 in 2004. The President signed that bill into law two days before Christmas. President Bush pledged to Israel on 4/14/2004 that it could keep parts of the West Bank, giving international legitimacy to Jewish settlements there Denied Palestinian refugees any right of return to what is now Israel, saying they should be resettled in a future Palestinian state instead Part of coalition (Russia, Israel, EU, Palestine, USA) for Israeli/Palestinian "Roadmap to Peace"
Pushed through THREE raises for our military
Increased Defense Dept funding which had deteriorated during the previous 8 years President Bush's Grand Strategy (click here)
President Bush's Environmental Record - 2004 (click here) Signed TWO bills into law that arm our pilots with handguns in the cockpit
Currently pushing for full immunity from lawsuits for our national gun manufacturers
Ordered Attorney-General Ashcroft to formally notify the Supreme Court that the OFFICIAL U.S. government position on the 2nd Amendment is that it supports INDIVIDUAL rights to own firearms, NOT a leftist-imagined *collective* right
Told the United Nations we weren't interested in their plans for gun control (i.e. the International Ban on Small Arms Trafficking Treaty)
Signed the 2004 Omnibus Budget 1/26/2004 that now MANDATES that gun buyers' background check information be fully and permanently destroyed within 24 hours of the completion of the check, no matter what. Repealed Gun Controls Against Active, Retired, and Off-Duty Law Enforcement Personnel Carrying Weapons Into Local and State Prohibited Zones (7/28/2004)
Enacted powerful tort reform legislation that moves many class action lawsuits from state to federal courts. Requires federal courts to hear cases where the amount of the dispute is more than $5 million, and when the defendant and any of the plaintiffs live in different states.
Disarmed Libya of its Chemical, Nuclear, and biological WMD's without bribes or bloodshed Won an agreement that U.S. Navy sailors may now freely board thousands of commercial ships in international waters to search for weapons of mass destruction under a landmark pact between the United States and Liberia, the world's No. 2 shipping registry (signed Feb 11, 2004), and Panama 5/10/2004 http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/11/international/americas/11ship.html). Approves The First U.S. Counter-Intel Plan
Successfully executed 2 wars and rebuilt 2 nations: Afghanistan and Iraq. 50+ million people who had lived under tyrannical regimes now live in freedom...epitomized by their own free and democratic elections. Provided Billions in aid, machines, and manpower to tsunami victims.
Executed a WAR ON TERROR by getting world-wide cooperation to track funds/terrorists (has cut off much of the terrorist's funding and captured or killed many key leaders of the al Qaeda network) Bush Administration diplomacy led to the 5/25/2004 peace accord that ended a massive 20-year civil war between Sudan's Islamic north and Christian south after two million deaths Click Here Delivered vital emergency aid to millions of survivors on multiple continents (e.g. Africa, SE Asia) of a devastating Tsunami caused by a 9.1 earthwuake near Sumatra.
Brought back our EP-3 intel plane and crew from China without any bribes or bloodshed
Started withdrawing our troops from Bosnia and has announced withdrawal of our troops from Germany and the Korean DMZ.
Signed the LARGEST nuclear arms reduction in world history with Russia
Initiated comprehensive review of our military, which was completed just prior to 9/11/01, accurately reported that ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE was critical. Created NATO's Rapid Response Force Changed the tone in the White House, restoring HONOR and DIGNITY to the Presidency
Reorganized bureaucracy...after 9/11, condensed 20+ overlapping agencies and their intelligence sectors into one agency: the Department of Homeland Security.
Initiated discussion on privatizing Social Security and individual investment accounts.
Improving govt. efficiency with .8 million jobs put up for bid...weakening unions and cutting undeserved pay raises. Wants merit based promotions/raises only.
Orchestrated Republican control of the White House, the House AND the Senate.
Killed the liberal ABA's role in vetting federal judges for Congress.
GWB signed an executive order enforcing the Supreme Court's Beck decision (re: union dues being used for political campaigns against individual's wishes)
Turned around an inherited economy that was in recession.
Passed tough new laws to hold corporate criminals to account as a result of corporate scandals.
Signed 2 income tax cuts ---- 1 of which was the largest Dollar-value tax cut in world history
Reduced taxes on dividends and capital gains
In process of eliminating IRS marriage penalty.
Increased small business incentives to expand and to hire new people Eliminated the Estate Tax (AKA "Death Tax") that was taking small farms and businesses from families
Signed into law the No Child Left Behind legislation delivering the most dramatic education reforms in a generation (challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations)
Reorganized the INS in an attempt to safeguard the borders and ports of America and to eliminate bureaucratic redundancies and lack of accountability.
Signed trade promotion authority
Committed US funds to purchase medicine for millions of men and women and children now suffering with AIDS in Africa
Passed Medicare Reform (authorized $39.5 Billion per year for preventive medicine such as drugs and doctor visits as well as included a ten year Privatization option)
Urging federal liability reform to eliminate frivolous lawsuits
Supports class action reform bill which limits lawyer fees so that more settlement money goes to victims
Submitted comprehensive Energy Plan--awaits Congressional action (works to develop cleaner technology, produce more natural gas here at home, make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy, improve national grid, etc.)
Endorses and promotes The Responsibility Era ("In a compassionate society, people respect one another and take responsibility for the decisions they make in life. My hope is to change the culture from one that has said, if it feels good, do it; if you've got a problem, blame somebody else -- to one in which every single American understands that he or she are responsible for the decisions that you make; you're responsible for loving your children with all your heart and all your soul; you're responsible for being involved with the quality of the education of your children; you're responsible for making sure the community in which you live is safe; you're responsible for loving your neighbor, just like you would like to be loved yourself. " -----this quote was too good to leave out)
Started the USA Freedom Corps
Initiated review of all federal agencies with a goal to eliminate federal jobs (completed September 2003) in an effort to reduce the size of federal gov while increasing private sector jobs.
Challenged the United Nations to live up to their responsibilities and not become The League of Nations ( in other words, completely irrelevant)
Nominated strong, conservative judges to the judiciary.
President Bush opened up an additional part of Alaska for domestic oil drilling. In 2004, the National Petroleum Reserve, an area west of the existing Prudhoe Bay field, was approved for new energy exploration and production. Increased U.S. Oil Drilling Permits 70% Above Clinton-era Changed parts of the Forestry Management Act to allow necessary clean-up of the national forests in order to reduce fire danger.
As part of the national forests clean-up, the President restricted judicial challenges (based on the Endangered Species Act and other challenges) and removed the need for an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) before removing fuels/logging to reduce fire danger. New Forest Rules Gives States Power Over Federal Forests Inside Their Borders Significantly eased field-testing controls of genetically engineered crops. President Bush signed the workplace verification bill to prevent hiring of illegal Aliens S. 1685, the Basic Pilot Extension Act of 2003, was signed by President Bush on December 3, 2003. It extends for five years the workplace employment eligibility authorization pilot programs created in 1996. It expands the pilot programs from the original five states to all 50 states.
|
U.S. Forces In Baghdad
2nd Term Supplimental (incomplete)
Broke the Chinese Yuan to Dollar currency peg
CAFTA - President Bush signing CAFTA
Bolton to the UN
Has CONSTRUCTION in process on the second group of eight ABM silos in Alaska and California so that America has a land-based defense (in addition to our sea-based SM-3 and AEGIS systems) of 18 ABM's against North Korean nukes (note: China itself currently only has 24 -out of several hundred- nuclear ICBM's capable of reaching the U.S.)
Energy Bill (new tax cuts...after 5 years of opposition)
Immunity For Gun Manufacturers From Crime-Related Lawsuits
5% unemployment
3.4% annual (after inflation, 5.5% actual) reported GDP Growth
Syrian Troops forced to withdraw from Lebanon
http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2005/07/933f746d-c5d8-491a-bd7c-566de1b66135.html Russians Troops Peacefully Withdraw From Georgia
22
posted on
08/02/2005 3:07:26 PM PDT
by
Southack
(Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
To: Theresawithanh
Nancy Pelosi and her cohorts never propose solutions, they just bash. Just keep in mind, that if the GOP has lousy results in the 2006 mid-term elections, and the Donks take over the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi will be third in line for the Presidency.
So pick a candidate (or two) of your choosing and get out there and work the pavement to make sure this doesn't happen in '06.
23
posted on
08/02/2005 3:07:31 PM PDT
by
So Cal Rocket
(Proud Member: Internet Pajama Wearers for Truth)
To: Southack
Thanks, Southack!
That's some list! President Bush has already out done Reagan and he still has three years to go.
To: nopardons
The President may take a well earned vaction but I see his detractors never take time off.
To: DuckFan4ever
OMG!!! That would make a great pin-up poster! Jeans, boots and jacket, yum, yum!
26
posted on
08/02/2005 3:11:16 PM PDT
by
Mrs. Shawnlaw
(Rock beats scissors. Don't run with rocks. NRA)
To: Southack
An AMAZING list of accomplishments. THANK you!
27
posted on
08/02/2005 3:12:36 PM PDT
by
ohioWfan
(If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray......)
To: CWOJackson
No, they don't and they're all over FR, ranting, raving, and foaming at the mouth, slinging insults and impugnations on everyone and anyone who thinks that this president has done even one good thing since he took office. :-(
To: So Cal Rocket
Absolutely! Unfortunately, I am in N. Cal., where Pelosi et all will continue to be our reps, unless we get a miracle of some strong Republican candidates, but I don't see them on the horizon. Will have to concentrate on other states.
29
posted on
08/02/2005 3:14:11 PM PDT
by
Theresawithanh
(As long as Dean's the head of the D-N-C, it just looks better for the G-O-P!!)
To: BigSkyFreeper; snugs; Miss Marple; ohioWfan; LUV W; All
OH MAN paging Daily Dosers LOL!
30
posted on
08/02/2005 3:15:18 PM PDT
by
SevenofNine
(Not everybody in, it for truth, justice, and the American way,"=Det Lennie Briscoe)
To: BigSkyFreeper
Goody. Some great pics of W wearing his jeans and boots.
To: nopardons
"No, they don't and they're all over FR, ranting, raving, and foaming at the mouth, slinging insults and impugnations on everyone and anyone who thinks that this president has done even one good thing since he took office. :-("
You just have to accept that they are a great gauge at just how well the President has done by Conservative Americans. His accomplishments are consistent with the decibel level of the left and the really-true-only-patriotic-conservatives whining.
To: BigSkyFreeper
It is fun seeing wussy reporters sweat and melt in the HOT/HUMID Tejas heat.
Trajan88 (resident of the Lone Star State)
33
posted on
08/02/2005 3:18:32 PM PDT
by
Trajan88
(www.bullittclub.com)
To: CWOJackson
True, but if left unrefuted, their posts would take over FR and FR already looks more like DU, because if them, than it does a Conservative forum. And I am really weary of posting the actual facts over and over and over to them.
To: IronMan04
I've heard rumors that Mr. & Mrs. Bush are looking to have a home in Big "D" as well - makes me think SMU is the front runner for his presidential library.
35
posted on
08/02/2005 3:20:56 PM PDT
by
Trajan88
(www.bullittclub.com)
To: nopardons
I think some of them are DU plants, sowing seeds of discontent to get some FReepers to agree with them, then they go back to their site and claim victory.
Some, though, have legitimate criticisms and express themselves well and without the screaming and spitting.
I am not entirely happy with everything President Bush has done, our borders for one, but I think he will go down in history as one of the great presidents.
36
posted on
08/02/2005 3:21:08 PM PDT
by
Theresawithanh
(As long as Dean's the head of the D-N-C, it just looks better for the G-O-P!!)
To: SevenofNine
Hi, Seven! Great posts, aren't they, especially post #22!
I can't wait for the dose with the pictures of President Bush on the ranch!
37
posted on
08/02/2005 3:24:03 PM PDT
by
Theresawithanh
(As long as Dean's the head of the D-N-C, it just looks better for the G-O-P!!)
To: Theresawithanh
"I think some of them are DU plants, sowing seeds of discontent to get some FReepers to agree with them..."
Most of them have been around a long time. They usually tend to be people who back the latest fringe candidate (buchanan, etc) then get all upset with Conserative America doesn't buy it.
So they vent their anger and frustration through attacks on the President; then repeat the process over again in four years.
To: Walkingfeather
C'mon.
Ain't so bad under the AC. I remember old farm summers with no air conditioning and a windmill that didn't turn when the wind didn't blow, and when the windmill didn't pump . . .
Today, even Texans in summer are truly blessed.
39
posted on
08/02/2005 3:29:55 PM PDT
by
Jedidah
To: Theresawithanh; snugs; All
Yeah I can't wait what I understand Dubya would make appearance but I think he going kick at ranch with Laura Barney Miss Beazley over there during Month of August
My money is on Mrs Alan Greenspan to be first one to b***h about Texas heat no Starbucks shop in Crawford LOL!!
40
posted on
08/02/2005 3:30:49 PM PDT
by
SevenofNine
(Not everybody in, it for truth, justice, and the American way,"=Det Lennie Briscoe)
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