GEORGE W. BUSH 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20520 EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Law Enforcement: I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver's license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been "lost" and is not available. Military: I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam. College: I graduated from Yale University with a low C average. I was a cheerleader. PAST WORK EXPERIENCE: I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in Midland, Texas in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas. The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock. I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry (including Enron CEO Ken Lay), I was elected governor of Texas. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America. I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money. I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history. With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida, and my father's appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President after losing by over 500,000 votes. ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT: I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record. I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of *over one billion dollars per week*. I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury. I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history. I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period. I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period. I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market. In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues every month. I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My "poorest millionaire," Condoleeza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her. I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a U.S. President. I am the all-time U.S. and world record-holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations. One of my best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. History, Enron. My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to assure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision. I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate rip-offs in history. I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed. I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S.. history. I changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. I appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history. I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of the United States government. I've broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history. I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission. I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law. I refused to allow inspector's access to U.S. "prisoners of war" detainees and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention. I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 U.S. election). I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television. I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history. I garnered the most sympathy for the U.S. after the World Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history. I have set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million people), shattering the record for protests against any person in the history of mankind. I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, pre-emptive attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. citizens, and the world community. I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families -- in wartime. In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends. I am the first President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security. I am supporting development of a nuclear "Tactical Bunker Buster," a WMD. I have so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice. During the Iraq War and Occupation thousands of American troops were injured and killed. I did not have the time to attend any of the funerals for our fallen soldiers but I did have the time to attend more than 43 fund-raising events of the Republican party RECORDS AND REFERENCES: All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's library, sealed and unavailable for public view. All records of SEC investigations into my insider trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public view. All records or minutes from meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review. PLEASE CONSIDER MY EXPERIENCE WHEN VOTING IN 2004. PLEASE SEND THIS TO EVERY VOTER YOU KNOW
I'm totally convinced, Carl. Sign me up for the Kerry ticket right away. Better yet, skip Kerry and let's put Hillary in there post haste! This AWOL stuff is just childish; it doesn't matter how many facts you present, this stuff keeps getting recycled anyway. Let's consider some facts, shall we?... What do you really know about George W. Bush’s time in the Air National Guard? That he didn’t show up for duty in Alabama? That he missed a physical? That his daddy got him in? News coverage of the president’s years in the Guard has tended to focus on one brief portion of that time — to the exclusion of virtually everything else. So just for the record, here, in full, is what Bush did: The future president joined the Guard in May 1968. Almost immediately, he began an extended period of training. Six weeks of basic training. Fifty-three weeks of flight training. Twenty-one weeks of fighter-interceptor training. That was 80 weeks to begin with, and there were other training periods thrown in as well. It was full-time work. By the time it was over, Bush had served nearly two years. Not two years of weekends. Two years. After training, Bush kept flying, racking up hundreds of hours in F-102 jets. As he did, he accumulated points toward his National Guard service requirements. At the time, guardsmen were required to accumulate a minimum of 50 points to meet their yearly obligation. According to records released earlier this year, Bush earned 253 points in his first year, May 1968 to May 1969 (since he joined in May 1968, his service thereafter was measured on a May-to-May basis). Bush earned 340 points in 1969-1970. He earned 137 points in 1970-1971. And he earned 112 points in 1971-1972. The numbers indicate that in his first four years, Bush not only showed up, he showed up a lot. Did you know that? That brings the story to May 1972 — the time that has been the focus of so many news reports — when Bush “deserted” (according to anti-Bush filmmaker Michael Moore) or went “AWOL” (according to Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee). Bush asked for permission to go to Alabama to work on a Senate campaign. His superior officers said OK. Requests like that weren’t unusual, says retired Col. William Campenni, who flew with Bush in 1970 and 1971. “In 1972, there was an enormous glut of pilots,” Campenni says. “The Vietnam War was winding down, and the Air Force was putting pilots in desk jobs. In ’72 or ’73, if you were a pilot, active or Guard, and you had an obligation and wanted to get out, no problem. In fact, you were helping them solve their problem.” So Bush stopped flying. From May 1972 to May 1973, he earned just 56 points — not much, but enough to meet his requirement. Then, in 1973, as Bush made plans to leave the Guard and go to Harvard Business School, he again started showing up frequently. In June and July of 1973, he accumulated 56 points, enough to meet the minimum requirement for the 1973-1974 year. Then, at his request, he was given permission to go. Bush received an honorable discharge after serving five years, four months and five days of his original six-year commitment. By that time, however, he had accumulated enough points in each year to cover six years of service. During his service, Bush received high marks as a pilot. A 1970 evaluation said Bush “clearly stands out as a top notch fighter interceptor pilot” and was “a natural leader whom his contemporaries look to for leadership.” A 1971 evaluation called Bush “an exceptionally fine young officer and pilot” who “continually flies intercept missions with the unit to increase his proficiency even further.” And a 1972 evaluation called Bush “an exceptional fighter interceptor pilot and officer.” Now, it is only natural that news reports questioning Bush’s service — in The Boston Globe and The New York Times, on CBS and in other outlets — would come out now. Democrats are spitting mad over attacks on John Kerry’s record by the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. And, as it is with Kerry, it’s reasonable to look at a candidate’s entire record, including his military service — or lack of it. Voters are perfectly able to decide whether it’s important or not in November. The Kerry camp blames Bush for the Swift boat veterans’ attack, but anyone who has spent much time talking to the Swifties gets the sense that they are doing it entirely for their own reasons. And it should be noted in passing that Kerry has personally questioned Bush’s service, while Bush has not personally questioned Kerry’s. In April — before the Swift boat veterans had said a word — Kerry said Bush “has yet to explain to America whether or not, and tell the truth, about whether he showed up for duty.” Earlier, Kerry said, “Just because you get an honorable discharge does not, in fact, answer that question.” Now, after the Swift boat episode, the spotlight has returned to Bush. That’s fine. We should know as much as we can. And perhaps someday Kerry will release more of his military records as well.
The more I read of Carl's original post, the more I'm convinced that it's mostly partisan drivel. I can come up with a solid rebuttal for just about every point, but why bother?
Hey, that's a better record than what we have up here (past five Prime Ministers). Military Service: None. Their rich fathers paid their way out of the army and they never served a day. Law Enforcement: Most were alcoholics but were able to pass go and collect $200 because they were high society figures. Education: The majority of their degrees were conferred as part of a donation gesture. They give the university $1 Million and in return get an MBA or LLB. Accomplishments as Leaders: Did away with the economy on meaningless capital expenditures. Turned their backs on just about every nation (especially the USA). Forced the majority of country's doctors, nurses, engineers and professors to seek employment south of the border. Provided an "open door" immigration policy for terrorists and anti-Americans to operate their bases. Royally screwed the nation's health care system. Now looking for alternatives. .................yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
Who really cares what happened 30 years ago. You sound like you are still sore that Gore lost. All we heard about today was the assault weapons ban. To hear Kerry talk people will be dropping like flies because criminals will be able to get those nasty military style assault weapons. I saw pictures today of the democrats holding up a street sweeper shotgun and saying that they are now legal to own. The street sweeper is regulated under the National Firearms Act of 1932 and the gun control act of 1968, it is a destructive device and did not fall under the AW ban, any law abiding citizen in 40+ states can own a street sweeper, a fully automatic machinegun, a silencer (suppressor), or a rocket launcher. All it requires is a $200.00 check made out to the B.A.T.F. and you have to pass a local and F.B.I. background check and you are good to go. There are over 100,000 legally registered machineguns that are on the streets now and your own neighbor could have one and you may not know it because the NFA is considered a tax and the federal government can not give out an individuals tax information. How many of the readers of this forum knew that machineguns were legal or how many know that flame throwers are not even regulated and anyone can own one. My point is that Kerry and all the others who think they know what is best for you and me do not have a clue as to what is legal and what is not. Bush is going to get this retired cops vote so at least I know I will cancel out yours. Badger
Re: Re: For the undecided voter - Bush resume... Well OF COURSE it is "partisan drivel"! It was sort of a joke resume, OK? Nevertheless, it is always interesting to see the kind of response this type of prodding brings from the conservatives on the board. Cyrus, your responses (unlike some others on this board) are nearly always intelligent and articulate, and actually make me pause and think about my commitment to Kerry. So how's that for an honest response? Nevertheless, I do not trust Bush, I think he is an arrogant fool who has a silver spoon in his mouth, is a disgrace to his father (who I DO respect, and voted for), and is in bed with all sorts of bad apples ranging from Saudi terrorist/monarchists to corporate rapers of our nation's middle class security. Is Kerry a better choice? Good God - let's hope so!
Re: Re: Re: For the undecided voter - Bush resume... But your post wasn't for the undecided voter, was it? By definition, individuals who are undecided don't already share your vision and your presuppositions. If they are considering voting for Bush, then they obviously don't already dismiss him as a caricature. Attempts to portray him in that way will seem stridently partisan and won't be credible. They are more likely to discredit you than him. I think that if political rhetoric is going to be effective, it needs to reach out to undecided voters with sympathy and respect. It needs to acknowledge the reasons why a person might intelligently and sincerely consider voting for the opponent. Then a pursuasive argument needs to be presented that the favored candidate better addresses those legitimate concerns. Frankly, I see very little of that in contemporary American political rhetoric. What we have is political propaganda that reads as if the writers were masturbating with one hand and typing with the other. It's all about energizing the true-believers. It's all about whipping up solidarity and passion. And somehow, the undecided voter is completely forgotten and ignored. Indecision isn't even on the radar screen. American politics is looking more and more like the disfunctional social interactions that dominate so many internet newsgroups. Politics as flame-war....
Re: Re: Re: Re: For the undecided voter - Bush resume... Not a whole lot different from American politics 149 years ago, when Charles Sumner was caned into unconsciousness by Preston Brooks on the floor of the US Senate.... Different times, different tools - similar emotions. And just as much at stake, namely the very freedoms and constitution that we all love and cherish.
Re: Re: Re: For the undecided voter - Bush resume... Sometimes it's hard to tell what's a joke and what's not; especially since the political forum gets a little heated from time to time...didn't mean to ruffle any feathers. Cy
Re: Re: Re: Re: For the undecided voter - Bush resume... Well, I guess it was a little bit "joke" and a little bit "provocation" then..... Appreciated your response to the "resume" by the way.....
