George W. Bush: Promises, Promises

The Pledges The President Made Three Years Ago Now Seem Easier Made Than Kept

(CBS) 
As for making his tax cuts permanent. It’s a guaranteed applause line in Mr. Bush’s political speeches, but with democrats in control of Congress, the prospects aren’t promising.

As for some other promises Mr. Bush made in his acceptance speech:

He vowed to create American opportunity zones. A White House spokesman could cite only one established in this second term. It’s the Gulf Opportunity Zone established as part of the rebuilding program after Hurricane Katrina.

Mr. Bush pledged to double the number of people served by “our principal job training program and increase funding for our community colleges.” There’s more funding for the schools, but the job training pledge fell short of Mr. Bush’s goal.

He promised that in a new term, “I will ensure every poor county in America has a community or rural health center.” A spokeswoman for the Health Resources and Services Administration says that of the 200 high-poverty counties, grants for health centers have been disbursed to 79 of them. The 2008 budget contains funding to bring the number of such counties served to 120 - still short of Mr. Bush’s pledge.

The President vowed to “change outdated labor laws” to offer the options
of comp-time and flex-time in lieu of overtime pay. Such changes have yet
to be enacted.

His efforts to win reauthorization of his “No Child Left Behind Act” have also yet to be realized and congressional opposition to the program is substantial.

Mr. Bush spent much of this year pursuing so-called reform of the nation’s immigration laws. Like his efforts on Social Security, he encountered a wall of resistance and had to give it up. In fairness, the President never mentioned the immigration issue in his convention speech three years ago.

So much for the “political capital” Mr. Bush spoke of two days after his re-election.

“I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it. It is my style. That's what happened in the -- after the 2000 election, I earned some capital. I've earned capital in this election -- and I'm going to spend it for what I told the people I'd spend it on, which is -- you've heard the agenda: Social Security and tax reform, moving this economy forward, education, fighting and winning the war on terror.”

Mr. Bush asserts the U.S. is winning the war on terror, but it’s an open-ended commitment with no end in sight.

Asked to explain the difficulty Pres. Bush has had in delivering on the promises he made, White House spokesman Scott Stanzel pointed to Congress. At first it was closely-divided and now, he says, it’s in the control of Democrats.

In such a circumstance, he said “achieving significant policy reforms can be a real challenge.”

“At the end of the day,” said Stanzel in a statement to CBS News, “when Congress finally takes on these big issues in a serious manner, the result will likely look much like what the President proposed.”

He said the defeats would not stop Mr. Bush from tackling the big issues. “He will continue to do so until his last day in office,” said the spokesman.

We’ll check again in 16 months and 18 days - the amount of time left in Mr. Bush’s presidency.

[sgtrds]

Sure..your limp wristed attempt to recover from the truth is a waste of time. Your kind never rises to anything honorable, all you are is a backstabbing cheat that gossips about people who cant defend themselves. People like you are well known out in the real world. Your the sniveling crybaby without the courage to stand up for what is right. We know you.

Posted by pwrslm at 08:05 AM : Sep 04, 2007

"Limp wristed"? "Cheat"? "Gossip"?

Oh my god! I''ve been cut to the quick by your obviously superior wordsmanship! How shall I ever face the world know that the all knowing and all wise pwrslm has such a low opinion of me? How can I face my wife, my children and my friends without hanging my head in abject shame?

LOLOLOLOLOL!! You''re such a TOOL!

[kansas1946]

Hey, Mark, guess what? Bush created one of the most conservative Supreme Courts the US has ever seen, and it will only get better as the remaining liberal skunks get old and retire.
*********************
Bush is gone in a little over a year. Just who exactly is going to appoint these conservative judges when anyone retires?

[inventagod]

I am seeing ORANGE over the disregard Bu$hCo and CONgress have displayed over the will of the voters.
There WILL be a bloodbath in CONgress in 2008, no matter WHAT Diebold does for their favorite RepugliCONs...Guaranteed!
There is an internet call for a General Strike on 9/11. Please do what you can on that date.
For more info:
http://www.strike911.org/

[pwrslm]

The Real Reason We''''re In Iraq:
Posted by j4401

%u201CThe first rationale presented for the war was to destroy Iraq%u2019s weapons of mass destruction.%u201D This familiar Democratic claim is itself probably the biggest lie of the Iraq War, rather than anything the president or his administration has said. In fact, the first %u2013 and last %u2013 rationale presented for the war by the Bush administration in every formal government statement about the war was not the destruction of WMDs but the removal of Saddam Hussein, or regime change.



This regime change was necessary because Saddam was an international outlaw. He had violated the 1991 Gulf War truce and all the arms control agreements it embodied, including UN resolutions 687 and 689, and the 15 subsequent UN resolutions designed to enforce them. The last of these, UN Security Council Resolution 1441, was itself a war ultimatum to Saddam giving him %u201Cone final opportunity%u201D to disarm %u2013 or else. The ultimatum expired on December 7, 2002, and America went to war three months later.



Contrary to everything that Al Gore and other Democrats have said for the last four years, Saddam%u2019s violation of the arms control agreements that made up the Gulf War truce %u2013 and not the alleged existence of Iraqi WMDs %u2013 was the legal, moral and actual basis for sending American troops to Iraq.

[pwrslm]

Then I guess we can count on you to shut up about Clinton & Obama & Edwards & Pelosi until they show up to defend themselves.

Get your head out of the sand.
Posted by realpatriot1

If you consider the source, someone who is constantly spreading gossip and political rhetoric, who is prone to attack people personally behind thier backs when they are not able to defend themselves, I really dont thing your slandering me has any meaning. If you infer that my head is in the sand, then thats only because I refuse to accomodate your lies and misinformation.

[j4401]

The Real Reason We''re In Iraq:

An influential group of conservatives convinced President George W. Bush that it was in America''s best interests to conquer Iraq as a first step toward dominating the oil-producing nations in the Middle East. There was no "exit plan" because we never intended to exit. The plan was, and is, to build military bases in Iraq and stay there forever. Our leaders see Iraq as a place to make money. So Bush & Co. have set up their friends to cash in on the rebuilding of Iraq.

[yamuttya]

While this discussion is interesting there are really just a few words that sum it all up......

the worst,.......ever !

Next topic ?

[ov442]

its all because the way GWB goes about his plans is terrible, corrupt and bears little benefit for the people he says it will.

Its all for the rich. Wall street would have had a windfall 10 times the oil industry if they had gone with his plans.

[abbe91]

"Bush has not accomplished ALL of his goals/promises, because the USA is not a monarchy or a military dictatorship. The US President does not control everything."

That''s what veto and signing statements are for.
Queen George wants all of his goals accomplished (not the ones made public, of course) and you pointed out the way to do it.

[abbe91]

"...the man that had to deal with 9-11 for us.
Posted by pwrslm at 08:00 AM : Sep 04, 2007"

God knows how deep he had to deal with it. Fortunately he had Marvin to help him.

[abbe91]

Why didn''t he drive a truck in a KBR convoy to show how safe this is ?

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/complete/la-na-convoy3sep03,0,2378116.story?track=mostviewed-storylevel

[realpatriot1]

pwrslm,

Then I guess we can count on you to shut up about Clinton & Obama & Edwards & Pelosi until they show up to defend themselves.

Get your head out of the sand.

[pwrslm]

As far as I''''m concerned, your whining about Bush not being here to defend himself is the most "limp-wristed" thing I''''ve read on this site
Posted by realpatriot1

your right

Its a point of honor that real men understand.

Its pretty obvious that you dont.

[realpatriot1]

pwrslm,

As far as I''m concerned, your whining about Bush not being here to defend himself is the most "limp-wristed" thing I''ve read on this site. Why does Bush need to be here to defend himself when he has loyal foot soldiers like you to defend everything he does no matter how unprincioled it is. You seem to be under the illusion that Bush is a conservative.

Real conservatives have consistent principles, like the Reagan officials who want Bush inpeached.
Real conservatives would honor subpoenas and defend their case. Real conservatives would honor prior bipartison aggreements to match tax cuts with spending cuts of equal value. Real conservatives wouldn''t have to prove their manhood with "Mission Accomplished" and "Bring it On". Real conservatives wouldn''t look to Dubai to administer port security or allow troops to go into battle without sufficient personnel or equipment.

I may not be a conservative but I know the real thing when I see it. If you''re looking for a limp wrist you need not look any further than the White House.

When are you republicans going to realize that this buffoon is destroying your party and is a lame duck. You don''t have to defend him when everyone knows he''s a failure. But if you want to *** your party''s recovery from his leadership, far be it from me to get in the way.

Most Democrats are moving away from the Clintons; even if she is the front runner, most Dems don''t want her but haven''t coalesced behind one challenger.

[pwrslm]

The problem the pwrslm has
Posted by SgtRDS

Sure..your limp wristed attempt to recover from the truth is a waste of time. Your kind never rises to anything honorable, all you are is a backstabbing cheat that gossips about people who cant defend themselves. People like you are well known out in the real world. Your the sniveling crybaby without the courage to stand up for what is right. We know you.

[pwrslm]

This is a cheap shot, similar to many the DNC has taken at Bush. Its interesting to note than CBS fails to provide any balance in its reporting, just as many of the posters here refuse to respect the Office of the President because of personnal hatred of the man that had to deal with 9-11 for us. In reality, given the cards he was played, he has done a great service to America.

[sharncedar]

The problem with this assumption is that it doesn''''t take into account that Bush is mentally ill
Posted by SgtRDS at 01:16 AM : Sep 04, 2007

I spent my labor day getting thrown off of a beach that is apparently owned and controlled by the rich. So I would contend that Bush is not so much insane as an exact member of his class, a large class of Americans, who are the self-proclaimed entitled. Before I was removed from their beach, I spent time with these people, and they are all very much like Bush, with an arrogant and completely self-centered outlook on life. They believe they are better than other people, naturally, and their purpose in life is to lead a self-absorbed lifestyle at the expense of everyone else. They don''t see the people they are hurting, they don''t acknowlege the destruction they are causing our country. "Have another fancy sandwich, Brian, isn''t the beach nice today, *** where are those Latino servants with my sandwiches ... don''t these Latinos make better servants than the blacks? They are so friendly. What lovely weather, this is a really nice beach."

Bush would fit right in. He is completely ignorant, and they are completely ignorant, and until they are broken in pieces we will never be free.

[luvny-2009]

S_Temper do you think just we Americans know Bush is a MORON. You need to take your blinders off, Bush is hands down the worse president we have ever had and he will go down in history as such. He has caused more hate and violence, he right up there with the worst of them!

[yamuttya]

yamuttya, aren''''t you a Canadian? Why are you attacking US politiciansPosted by S_Temper at 02:08 AM : Sep 04, 2007
+ report abuse

Yes you know Im Canadian !
(but like most Nazis, you seem to think the world should cater only to, or care about your viewpoints.
Posted by brianbwb at 02:34 AM : Sep 04, 2007)
but as BWB points out your bona fides are in question.
Do you really expect the rest of the world to watch American psychos like you re-elect Amrican psychos like Bush and stand mute ?
Are you completely nuts ?
You republican morons are ruining the planet ?
" Nuff Said ?

[brianbwb-2009]

"brianbwb, eat me. I don''''t take your comments seriously. You are WAY out in left field.
Posted by S_Temper"

You obviously have me mistaken for a Republican, I don''t swing that way.

My comments are mine, You are no one about whom I care whether or not you take them seriously, but like most Nazis, you seem to think the world should cater only to, or care about your viewpoints.