Are 75% of Americans
Right?
A Chronological Review
of
The Bush
Appointistration's Policies
Courtesy of We Will Not Forget
April 6, 2001
"The
political winds have shifted in Washington.
Along
with arsenic, carbon dioxide and mining sludge,
add
campaign contributions to the list of toxins
endangering the public health."
- St.
Louis Today 3/23/2001
Turns
back the clock on safety standards that protect families from potentially life-threatening
contamination such as listeria and food poisoning. Orders meat safety
regulations put on hold within hours of taking office.
Delayed Clinton's executive order regulations on medical records privacy,
with aim of weakening regulations to reflect insurance industry interests
Repealed
ergonomic regulations to protect workers from repetitive stress injuries
(originally proposed by Bush I Labor Secretary, Liddy Dole)
Passed bankruptcy
bill lobbied for by credit card companies who peddle credit cards to teenagers
Advocated
drilling for oil in the ecologically sensitive Alaska National Wildlife Refuge
Makes an
example of a scientist who dared to map out wildlife habitats in ANWAR - fires
him and scrubs his web page
Advocated
tax bill that will give a big tax cut to the wealthiest people in the country;
the wealthiest 1% of the country will receive 40% of the tax cut benefit.
Knowingly lies to the country about the budget and tax cut.
Enlists lobbyists
to dress up in hard hats and pretend to be "working people" at tax
cut photo-op
Refused
to help out California energy crisis with a temporary federal price cap,
even though there is evidence that the energy suppliers are price-gouging
California consumers
Overturned
Clinton administration rule, making it easier for industrial polluters to
get government contracts by not holding them responsible for environmental
damage. The government can no longer reject mining bids, even if they feel the
project will cause irreparable harm.
A federal judge granted the Bush administration's request
to halt processing of new claims for federal black lung
benefits, so miners and their families will be delayed in receiving
benefits.
Undercut
labor and workers by intervening in the Northwest airline mechanics strike
at a critical point in the negotiations.
FCC begins handing out licenses to solidify oligopolistic
control of the media.
Proposes
suspending new environmental regulations on hardrock mining that were
imposed on President Clinton's last day in office, over industry objections.
Proposes
opening up National Monuments for mining and oil exploration
Revokes a
Clinton administration rule that would have reduced the acceptable level of arsenic
in drinking water, arguing the evidence was not conclusive enough to justify
the high cost to states, municipalities and industry of complying with the
proposal.
Backed
off on campaign
promise to cap CO2 emissions, which contribute to global warming
according to the world's top 700 scientists. It is later learned this
policy decision was routed through a Bush aide who lobbied
for car exhaust firms.
Moved
to lift Clinton's orders banning logging and road-building in about a
third of the nation's national forests and reversed course on a campaign
proposal to regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant.
Reverses his
campaign promise and stays mute as OPEC plans to cut oil production - uses the
leverage to manufacuture
scare tactics regarding the energy "crisis" and drill in ANWAR
Kick
starts cold war with North Korea by implying they are not living up to
"all agreements" (we only had one and there was no evidence NK
was not abiding by it)
Intervenes with
subterfuge to make sure McCain-Feingold never sees the light of day. Republicans
try to drown the bill with amendments.
Nudges
McCain out of the bipartisan Patient's Bill of Rights (five years in the making
with universal support) and substitutes the Breaux-Frist plan, which
would expand access to health care but limit patients' rights to sue HMOs for
malpractice. Promises to veto any Patient's bill but "his". (The bill
is patterned after the Texas model, which Bush took credit for but in fact,
fought and refused to sign. It was passed by the Texas Legislators)
The
Supreme Court 5 (yeah, same ones) strikes down
employees right to sue by giving employers the right to force worker
arbitration. Justice John Paul Stevens (gotta love that guy!) writes a
dissenting opinion in which he accuses the majority of "playing
ostrich" to the legislative and historical context of the arbitration law
and its consequences.
Bob
Barr opens hearings into Clinton's executive orders that set aside millions
of acres of pristine lands as national monuments. Evidently frustrated at
the fizzling
of the "Pardon hearings", (outrageously distorted and nonfactual
piling on Clinton, again) Barr yearns to bask in the Big Dog's limelight once
again... (yawn). Meanwhile, Joe Lieberman writes the heads of the
Environmental Protection Agency, the Interior Department and the Agriculture
Department seeking information about their decisions to set aside Clinton
administration regulations. Says he is beginning an investigation into
``the method behind this madness, that is the decision-making process leading
to these damaging actions.'' 3/22/2001
Decides to
leave a bunch of children behind to finance
tax cuts for the rich - Bush intends next month to propose cuts in programs
to provide child care, to prevent child abuse (then declares April, Child
Abuse Prevention Month) and to train doctors at children's hospitals. The
budget documents show that Mr. Bush is planning to eliminate all the money that
Congress provided for an "early learning fund" to improve the quality
of child care and education for children younger than 5. 3/22/2001
Blocked initiative to help protect salmon. Two federal
agencies blocked a Clinton
initiative to help save Pacific salmon. (Where oh where will we find
more salmon genes to splice into our tomatoes??) 3/22/01
Elaine
Chao is just sick and tired of dealing with those sick nuclear workers.
Dying workers will face inevitable delays in compensation. More
compassionate conservatism at work. 3/23/2001
Care for a
game of Monopoly? Bush will nominate leading critic of Clinton's
anti-trust policies to head the Federal Trade Commision. 3/23/2001
Viacom
purchases Black Entertainment Television. First order of business: Fire
Tavis Smiley. After leading a successful campaign against the GOPs attacks on
Black Colleges (see First 60 Days above), Smiley was almost as dangerous as,
well, Jesse Jackson to the right-wingers. 3/23/2001
Uses
stealth legal maneuvering to overturn the Forest Service Roadless Area
Conservation Rule, previously enacted by the Clinton administration to protect
58.5 million acres of National Forest from road construction and logging.
3/24/2001
Mobilizes
the White House troops to oppose a ban on soft money, while
"officially" supporting it - again, courtesy of the Karl Rove
double-dealing propaganda machine.3/24/2001
Europe declares
Bush, "Nature's Worst Enemy." (we couldn't agree more) 3/25/2001
Treasury Secretary
Paul O'Neill (one of the many corporate millionaires in the Bush's
Administration) finally caves in to pressure and decides to sell his $100
million dollars worth of Alcoa stock. Seems perplexed that the issue of 'conflict
of interest' was "ongoing". (his confusion is understandable..
this is, afterall, the 'oil and gas' administration)
The White
House scrubs vital public information regarding ANWAR from government web
sites.
The
Forest Service Chief (a major proponent of saving old growth forests and
the roadless policy) steps down over Bush policies. Timber lobbyists say they
will return the position to a "resource professional". 3/27/2001
Bush signals
his intent to withdraw U.S. signature from the global warming treaty, signed in
Kyoto, Japan in 1997. Christy Whitman, who
earlier pleaded with Bush to "appear
engaged" regarding U.S. committment to combat global warming (read
her letter to Bush), now stands firmly behind him stating, "The
Kyoto Treaty is dead." 3/28/2001
Rescinds
a Clinton administration proposal to increase public access to information
about the potential consequences of chemical plant accidents. Sites
"national security" issues as reason to keep the public 'deaf and
dumb'. 3/28/2001
A
Republican lawmaker urged the Bush administration to consider exploring for
oil, natural gas, and coal in a half-dozen U.S. national monuments declared by
former President Clinton after a government agency said the sites may contain
``high'' or ``moderate'' amounts of fuel. 3/28/2001
Let
them drink arsenic ! Bush spokesperson announces the "pResident"
will hold NO FORMAL NEWS CONFERENCES. Says he doesn't think the people
"give a whit". 3/28/2001
Places Diana
Furchtgott-Roth, a conservative economist who says there is no gender gap in pay, in a top
position at the Council of Economic Advisers. (read her
"equal pay" rant) 3/28/2001
Appoints Kay
Coles James, (an anti-choice, anti-gambling activist from the Heritage
Foundation) who opposes affirmative action, to direct the Office of Personnel
Management and oversee labor and discrimination rules within the federal work
force. James wants to limit the definition of "rape" and states that
"women should be responsible for their own behavior". 3/28/2001
Gale
Norton sends out letters to state officials asking for suggestions for
opening up national monuments for oil, drilling, coal mining and foresting.
3/29/2001
Asian
groups and governments slam Bush over backing away from Kyoto global
warming treaty calling it,"the most serious environmental policy crisis in
years." This comes four days after European countries declared Bush, "nature's
worst enemy." 3/29/2001
Ordered
the suspension of a Clinton rule that would have significantly strengthened
the government's ability to deny contracts to companies that have violated
workplace safety, environmental and other federal laws. 3/31/2001
European
Labour MPs call for international boycott of US products in response to
Bush's "lethal threat to the environment". 4/1/2001
Dick
Cheney, who has no trouble buying medication
for his ailing
heart with his millions from Haliburton, steps
onto the Senate floor to VOTE
DOWN an amendment to Bu$h's budget that would have increased prescription
drug coverage for seniors. His rich buddys still need that tax cut - Dow and Nasdaq
tanked again today the minute Bu$h opened his mouth about China. 4/3/2001
The
"uninsured" also get left behind. Bush's budget will cut 86% out
of the budget for community access programs. White House responds these
programs will be "phased out". Perhaps Bu$h will advocate
"faith-based prayer" for poor, sick people. 4/3/2001
Announces plans to stop
salmonella testing on the beef served to children in the nation's schools
after lobbying by the meat industry. Officials say that "zero Samonella
policy" is not "scientifically justified". Says they will "irradiate"
the meat instead. (I guess they figure the arsenic in the water will
kill the bacteria?) 4/4/2001
After
public outcry, White House backs off on plan to stop salmonella testing.
4/5/2001
Oil
giant Chevron decides to name an OIL TANKER after Nat'l Security Adviser,
Condoleeza Rice in honor of her former position as board member and
stockholder. The Oil and Gas Administration strikes again. 4/5/2001
Axes the
Clinton/Gore alternative energy research and energy efficiency program.
This in the midst of our "energy crisis". 4/6/2001
Axes work
training and outplacement programs for dislocated workers. 4/6/2001