Democratic Links |Local Hege Humor | Liberal Columnists and Humorists

Mission NOT Accomplished! The Bush Record

Bush and the Economy

• Slowing Pace of US job Creation: Since 2005 the rate of U.S. job creation has continued to slow. In the first quarter of 2006 the employment rate slowed to 176,000 and dropped to 112,000 in the second quarter from an average monthly growth rate of 190,000 in 2005 ("excluding the two months depressed by hurricanes"). [Economic Policy Institute]
• 2.8 million manufacturing jobs have been lost in the United States in the last 5 years. [House Democrats.gov]
• Deficits and Tax Cuts: By 2007 the federal deficit is expected to top $380 billion. Under Bush's budget the wealthiest Americans will receive $1.5 trillion dollars in permanent tax cuts over the next 10 years. The budget includes only a one year provision for tax breaks for the middle class under the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) relief. [House Democrats.gov]
• While extending tax cuts that cost trillions of dollars, Bush's budget includes cuts to funding that helps small manufacturers to compete and keep jobs in the U.S., funding to help small businesses and funding for federal job training programs. [House Democrats.gov]
• After adjusting for inflation, the current minimum wage of $5.15 an hour is at its lowest level in 50 years. 86% of Americans support an increase in the minimum wage. As of July 11, 2006 House Republicans voted 5 times in less than two weeks to block a vote on legislation to increase the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. [House Democrats.gov]
• Gas prices continue to increase: The price of regular, unleaded gasoline has risen 65% since Bush began his second term in January 2005, while in 2005 ExxonMobil alone reported a record breaking profit of $36.1 billion. [www.democrats.org]

Bush and Health Care

• 45 million Americans now lack health insurance. In 2005 health insurance premiums rose by 11%. [House Democrats.gov]
• The Bush budget contains a $74 billion tax credit that benefits less than 2 million people and according to House Democrats.gov, "The President's proposals are designed to cap federal, state and employer contributions to health care, thereby shifting the cost and risk to families. Consumers will face increasing co-payments, deductibles and premiums, or see reductions in their benefits."

Bush and Education

• $156,043,600 Funding Shortfall. George Bush has requested $156,043,600 less than is needed to fully fund No Child Left Behind for 2005 in North Carolina. This shortfall will make it difficult for schools in North Carolina to meet the educational needs of its students. [Children's Defense Fund, "Nearly Every School District In America Left Behind By President's Education Budget," 4/30/04]
• College Tuition Increased by $966. Since Bush has taken office, tuition in North Carolina has increased by $966 at four-year public universities. [American Association of State Colleges and Universities; National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges; Based on College Board Tuition Increase]

Bush and Homeland Security

• Despite Increasing Terrorism, Bush Proposed To Cut America's Homeland Security Funding. In a 2006 budget memo it was revealed that Bush seeks to cut DHS funding by $1 billion. [Editorial, Sun Sentinel, 4/05/04; Washington Post, 5/27/04]
• Bush Cut Port Security Grant Funding by 75 Percent. Bush cut port security grant funding by 75 percent in his 2005 budget, to $50 million from $200 million in his 2004 budget. [Budget of the United States, www.omb.gov; Journal of Commerce, 3/24/03]
  

Get More at These Links

Keep an eye on what the not so "Grand Ol' Party" (the Republicans) are up to with these links.

www.MoveOn.org "Democracy in Action"

MoveOn is working to bring ordinary people back into politics. It has a nationwide network of more than 1.7 million online activists. It was started in 1998 by two two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs disgusted with how Congress handled President Clinton's impeachment. MoveOn recently sponsored a "Bush in 30 Seconds" ad contest. You can sign up for MoveOn's biweekly action bulletin.

 

http://daily.misleader.org

Misleader: A Daily Chronicle of Bush Administration Distortion is a project of MoveOn.org. It provides an accurate daily chronicle for journalists of misrepresentations, distortions and downright misleading statements by President Bush and the Bush Administration. You can sign up to receive "The Daily Misled" by email.

www.democrats.org

The Democratic National Committee regularly issues special reports on the failures of the Bush Administration and the Republican Party. You can find statistics and other information based on your particular issue of interest or by state. You can also sign up for email alerts on the homepage. The DNC is running several campaigns around the "Kicking Ass/Kick 'Em Out" theme.

Contrast Democrats and Republicans on the Issues

 

www.mob.org

The MOB (Mothers and Others Opposing Bush) believes this Administration's policies endanger our families and our country. The group's mission ins to get the facts out, get the voters out, and get this administration out of office.

Join the Davidson County Chapter of the MOB

 

www.democraticunderground.com

Democratic Underground (DU) was founded on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2001, to protest the illegitimate presidency of George W. Bush and to provide a resource for the exchange and dissemination of liberal and progressive ideas. Since then, DU has become one of the premier left-wing websites on the Internet, publishing original content six days a week, and hosting one of the Web's most active left-wing discussion boards.

Local Hege Humor

Check out the Hippo Times Advice Column by Sheriff Hege (Yes, it's fake, but Republicans don't seem to have a sense of humor and have threatened the Hippo Times with legal action.)

Liberal Columnists and Humorists

You'll find plenty of criticism of the GOP (and some laughs too) at these sites.

Democratic Talk Radio. Rush Who? Check out these folks!

Al Franken. Franken is a Saturday Night Live alum and the author of "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot" and "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right."

Jim Hightower. National radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of "Thieves In High Places: They've Stolen Our Country And It's Time to Take It Back," Jim Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be - consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks.

Molly Ivins. A Texas columnist who's covered the Bushes for many years. Author of "Shrub: The Short But Happy Political Life of George W. Bush" and "Bushwhacked : Life in George W. Bush's America"