BUSH PROPOSES LARGEST EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT SINCE TRUMAN

CNN ^ | 6/6/2002 | President

[UnBlinkingEye]

I am watching President Bush giving a speech on CNN telling us he is expanding federal government more than any Democrat since Truman.

[Zon]

I stand corrected. I believe (I hope I don't get it wrong again) it was the Department of War that got renamed to the Army.

[Willie Green]

We call it cleaning house.

In business "reorganization" is usually synonomous with "downsizing".

But for some reason, I don't get the impression that this is what Dubya has in mind.

[FreeTheHostages]

I saw no expansion, per se. Instead Bush's reorg is likely to reduce government growth, since all of the homeland security stuff will be one agency, as opposed to every cabinet department having its own homeland security division.

I agree. If anything, this could save money. It definitely sounds more efficient. Of course, a rock sounds more efficient than the INS.

[discostu]

Expanding gov't for defense = good

It is one of the tasks given to the fed in the constitution. I generally prepare to skoff any time somebody uses the phrase "expanding government". That's such a bizaare term. If they spend more money but don't hire anymore people is that expanding? What about vice versa? What about idjit laws?

[Senator_Palpatine]

Who can deny him these are exceptional times? Exceptional times demand exceptional measures! Exceptional measures demand exceptional men!

"In response to the direct threat to the Republic from the Confederacy of Independent Jihadists Systems, I propose that the Senate gives immediate emergency powers to the Supreme Chancellor-George W. Bush!"

[MinorityRepublican]

Expanding gov't for defense = good

Expanding gov't for sucking up to liberal causes = bad.

Unfortunately, many Bush bashers fail to see the difference and bash the President no matter what he does. So I'll have to just ignore them.

I know that our President is not perfect, but he's a honorable man, and I am very proud of him as our Commander in Chief.

Sometimes it seem like Bush bashers fail to recognize the difference between Clinton and Bush. It can be quite amusing at times, and annoying most of the time.

[UnBlinkingEye]

Do you mean to say he's even gonna surpass Johnson's "Great Society"???

Heaven help us!!!

Who would have thought this could happen?

[Republican Wildcat]

It sounded more like taking pieces of already existing bureaucracy and rearranging them. Didn't sound like "expansion" to me, though creating another cabinet department is fairly serious business. We'll need to see more details of it before reaching a final conclusion.

[Lower55]

Good thing God built you a roof. God will do a lot, but He also gave most of us a brain to help Him out.

[RightWhale]

it may come to that

Another operation the size of WTC911 would probably do the trick.

[Darth Sidious]

Don't be a simpleton.

Beats being a Bush bootlick.

[ex-snook]

"What is the purpose of the Department of Defense? "

Obviously to be the policeman for the WOSP (World's Only Super Power). If you were thinking it was to defend the USA, you are mistaken. It takes a village to raise a child - government just has to get bigger and more obtrustive. Where do you think this country will be 25 years from now?

[UnBlinkingEye]

Our friends in DC can't manage a budget, and waste more than they should.

I'm not so sure they are our friends.

and duhbya's solution is to throw more money at the problem.

Classic

Republicrats think big government is the solution for all things.

[Lower55]

This isn't business, it's security.

[duckbutt]

remember Bush is a businessman and I think things will be streamlined - - If it doesn't it won't be because he didn't try -- he has to deal with some heavy duty labor unions within the govt

[Geezerette]

Thanks for the info re 1947 ... I wasn't around during WWI, so I figured it had to be after WWII.

g

[seenenuf]

This is wonderful. There will be a hand-picked staff to be built by Bush's hand-picked man.
It is a good way for President Bush to leave behind both the old management and staff who have made career history as being paper pushers at the DOD,FBI,CIA - leave them sitting with their coffee and newspapers and waiting for pensions. The old turf wars between the alphabets is all torn up. I'll trust Tom Ridge to build the new model for government pay grade attainment. The added bonus is that Bush will get credit for at least a decade - or until the Dems succeed in getting some of 'their team' to be on the inside of PC decision making.

[lawdog]

Comrade, how dare you question the "perogative" of the executive branch!

[Lower55]

Response of a true simpleton....lol

[PhiKapMom]

According to Andy Card, WH Chief of Staff, there will no additional money required except the $37.1 billion he requested for Homeland Security. In fact, there will be streamlining!

Look at it this way -- some of the Senior Executive Service folks in INS, Customs, etc. are going the way of the dinosaur as you won't need so many and a lot of these were appointed by clinton! This is one way to get rid of clintonites in supervisory positions. These will be new jobs, their old ones will go away and now the clintonites will be able to "spend more time with their family!" Pretty neat way to get rid of them while making the Government work better if you ask me!