* secured passage through Congress of a $1.35 trillion tax cut * gave working American's a stimulus tax cut
These are the same and they are not permanent, nor are they matched with government cuts.
* proposed the largest increases in military spending since Reagan * singed two military two pay raises & increased medical/housing benefits
The military pay increase is good, but the court is still out on effectiveness (he has not replaced many of the X42 appointees, so the increases are likely to be wasted. ) Overall, he has proposed the largest increase in federal spending since FDR--hardly a conservative stance.
* threw out the Kyoto protocol
This is good. * disposed of the ABM Treaty
He traded the ABM for NMDS and willingly agreed to LESSER weapons than the most liberal disarmament freaks. This was a no-win political ploy that results in less national security at a time of greater vulnerability.
* eliminated taxpayer funding of overseas abortions
Yep, but didn't rescind military abortions overseas.
* has openly and strongly supported Taiwan
All the while playing the whore with mainland China.
* made no deal for release of the EP-3 plane crew from Red China
And I've got some land in Florida for sale.
* secured initial funding for a NMDS (SDI)
See above.
* promoted increases for off shore oil drilling * has strongly advocated drilling in ANWR * pushed for building more nuclear power plants * campaigned to reduce our dependency on oil imports
All of these have shown no results because he has shown no backbone. We were told he was saving his political capital for later, but he has shown no desire to spend ANYTHING on principle.
* repealed many last minute Clinton EO`s
Name them. He has not rescinded the most flagrant abuses and has shown no desire to do so. He has also shown no interest in rooting out the leftover corruption and treason in federal offices. We are at "war" and no one is willing to lay a glove on the un-American traitors left from X42's regime. How conservative is that?
* campaigned for partial privatization of Social Security
Campaigned, but not delivered, however we'll give you this.
* offered faith-based alternatives to traditional welfare
More government intervention is hardly conservative. Prostituting legitimate charities will not benefit either institution.
* stopped gov't funding for further destruction of human embryo's
Status quo and doesn't really restrict research, just funding. A small victory.
* nominated conservative judges to the federal bench
Nominated, but won't even go to the mat for them. He could have got Pickering onboard if he had fought, but nooooo; don't want to look too partisan.
* returned honor, dignity and trust to the Presidency
Granted, but a billygoat in heat could have done that after X42.
* recognized 2ND amendment/RKBA as individual right, fully constitutional
Big yes. This is really good, but it has no legal status. A brief is not binding.
* told Cuba/Castro trade embargo stays
Good again.
President Bush also signed four executive orders based on the principles of fair and open competition, neutrality in government contracting, effective and efficient use of tax dollars and the legal right of workers to be notified of how their dues may be used. In other words, stopped favoring union shops in government contracting. Along with winning the war on terrorism, Bush is doing a very good job for the American people. I'd call Bushes short time in office, a qualified success.
Executive orders are hardly a conservative ideal. All Executive Orders that affect anything beyond the direct administration of the executive branch should be rescinded and proper legislation should pass through Congress. The war on terrorism is still ongoing, so don't count chickens.
Overall, I'd say it's all we can expect. Bush is not the Anti-Christ, but he's no savior either. He's a man with a lot of political savvy, and he may turn it around after regaining Congress. If not, we are in for a long, hard row.
Currently, he is the Grand Master of Political Jiu Jitsu.
If Dubya had no backbone, you'd be hunkered down in your basement right now, cleaning your gasmask and taking your anti-anthrax pills, after having snuck out to bury your dead from the latest terrorist attack.
Sorry. You may find things to criticize Bush over, but lack of moral courage is not one of them. He does what he believes is right. You, apparently, just disagree with him on what is "right" is a given situation. Leave it at that.
Actually, there were two tax cuts. There was the initial $1.35 trillion tax cut, followed by a $100 billion tax cut stimulus package. At first, the tax cut/stimulus package, was separate, but eventually, was rolled into the bigger tax cut measure. Many economists have said, the $100 billion tax cut/stimulus package, significantly bolstered the US economy, towards its 5.4% growth rate in the first quarter of 2002.
It would have been great if Bush and Congress, had cut government spending, along with passing the tax cuts. But because they didn't cut spending, doesn't reduce the impact these tax cuts will have on limiting the overall growth of government, in the next ten years. That was one of the positive outcomes/accomplishmnets, of the Reagan tax cuts, overall government spending was slowed.
>>>Overall, he has proposed the largest increase in federal spending since FDR--hardly a conservative stance.
Your statement is flatout wrong and factually untrue. I'd like to see exactly where you got those statistics from. According to the 2003 Federal Budget, overall spending will increase 3.5%, ( from $2.052 trillion to $2.128 trillion) with defense receiving a plus 8.6% and non-defense descretionary spending getting a plus 5.6%. Homeland Security gets a whomping 111% increase, from $12 billion in 2002, to $25 billion in 2003.
The greatest increases in government spending, came under FDR and LBJ. The spending increases under FDR, came about because of WWII and the increases under LBJ, came about because of the Viet Nam War and Great Society programs. Recent increases under President Bush, have come about because of the costs related to the war on terrorism and that's reflected in the 8.6% DoD increase. The #1 job of the federal government, is to serve, protect and defend America/Americans, from all enemies, both foreign and domestic. President Bush is doing his job.
>>>He traded the ABM for NMDS and willingly agreed to LESSER weapons than the most liberal disarmament freaks. This was a no-win political ploy that results in less national security at a time of greater vulnerability.
Reductions in America's nuclear arsenal will not hurt our military effectiveness. The recent agreement with Prez Putin, is for strategic weapons and doesn't apply to any tactical nuclear arms. Besides, they're not being destroyed, just warehoused. Having 1700-2200 nuclear weapons on hand, is more then enough firepower. This wasn't a political ploy, because Bush intended on reducing the nuclear numbers with, or without the Russians agreement, unilaterally.
>>>Yep, but didn't rescind military abortions overseas.
"The Department of Defense Appropriations Act for FY 1996 and the Department of Defense Authorization Act for FY 1996 revise the DoD policy. Prepaid abortions are no longer allowed, except in cases in which the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest. Please assure compliance with the new law. Authority to provide prepaid abortions in overseas facilities is limited to cases in which the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest. The new statutory provision does not affect the current law or policy regarding abortions in cases in which the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term. In such cases, abortions may be provided using appropriated funds."
On June 9th, 1999, an attempt by Reps. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) and Carrie Meek (D-FL) to lift the ban on privately funded abortions for military personnel and dependents stationed overseas in overseas military medical facilities failed. The vote on the amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 1401) was 225-203.
That's the current policy. Military women defending our country overseas can't terminate an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy at a Military hospital, even if they pay for it and a Doctor agrees to do it, unless it's rape, incest or it endangers the mother's life. In rape or incest cases, the servicewoman must pay for the abortion.
"* made no deal for release of the EP-3 plane crew from Red China"
>>>And I've got some land in Florida for sale.
I don't want any land, I just want your explanation of the deal that occured, between Bush and the RoC.
"* promoted increases for off shore oil drilling * has strongly advocated drilling in ANWR * pushed for building more nuclear power plants * campaigned to reduce our dependency on oil imports"
>>>All of these have shown no results because he has shown no backbone. We were told he was saving his political capital for later, but he has shown no desire to spend ANYTHING on principle.
Without control of the Senate, there is no way Bush is going to get what he wants on any energy related issue. If you understood politics, you'd understand why this is true. It has nothing to do with spending political capital. You first have to control the debate in the Senate. Republicans don't control Senate debate, because they don't control the Senate calander. The Democrats do! Bush isn't a dictator, he's a democratically elected leader, whose party controls one of two, chambers of the Congress and with a slim majority too boot! Wake up already!!
"* repealed many last minute Clinton EO`s
>>>Name them. He has not rescinded the most flagrant abuses and has shown no desire to do so. He has also shown no interest in rooting out the leftover corruption and treason in federal offices. We are at "war" and no one is willing to lay a glove on the un-American traitors left from X42's regime. How conservative is that?
Bush imposed an across the board moratorium, that blocked any new EO's from being printed in the Federal Register. That permanently halted any of Clinton's most recent executive orders. Most rules can't take effect until they've appeared in the Federal Register for a certain period of time. How many EO's this action stopped, isn't public knowledge.
A few of those Clinton EO`s that were stopped cold, are for new environmental restrictions on runoff from animal feeding operations; more than 800 pages of new guidelines for managed care programs under Medicare; and Clinton's designation, made hours before Bushes inaguration, of the former military post at Governor's Island in New York Harbor, as a national monument.
The Bush administartion also imposed a freeze on hiring of new federal employees "unless and until", a Bush-appointed agency head approves the hiring, preventing holdover Clinton officials from hiring new employees.
Here's a few links to articles about overturning presidential EO's, Tough to Undo What Clinton Did and Clinton's Executive Orders They might help to open your closed mind on the subject.
As for investigating Clinton and other members of 'der schlickmeister's' administration, that would be a waste of taxpayer money, especially at this point. If President Bush had proceeded with DoJ inquiries, the liberal press, many liberal special interest groups and regular old fashioned American's, would have torn him up for a multitude of reasons. Bush said, he wanted to move on and start out fresh. That's what he did. You don't like that, okay, but the time has come to get over it already. There is no way, that Bush should be held responsible, for not going after possible wrongdoings, during the Clinton years. There were three different IC's, that investigated the Clinton's and many of their closet associates. After five years, those IC's basically came away, empty handed. Some convictions and several jailings, here and there, but nothing BIG-TIME!
You want perfection out of this president, it ain't gonna happen, pilgrim. No president and no human being is perfect. We've got serious political gridlock in Wash-DC today. In fact, we've had political gridlock in DC for the last 20 years! But Bush is doing his Constitutional duties, to the best of his ability and so are all his people. You can criticize Bush all you want, but stop being a typical, back bench bomb thrower. It serves no good purpose. America is at war. If you consider yourself an American patriot, then start acting like one. And NO, I'm not calling you unpatriotic. So don't even go there, bucko.