George W. Bush

The Effects Of A Government Shutdown After March 4

Ronald Leave a comment

How quickly people forget what happens if the government, which we all take for granted, was to “shut down”!

Of course, the defense of the United States continues, and air traffic controllers still are on the job, but in so many ways, the country and its citizens suffer if the government runs out of money and cannot come up with a compromise budget bill to support government expenditures.

In 1995, Newt Gingrich and the Republicans in Congress forced a government shutdown, which went on for two weeks, and ended up with President Bill Clinton winning the public relations battle, and going on to win a second term, and seeing the Republican party lose seats in the Congress, as a result.

But the memory of Americans is very limited as to what a government shutdown actually entails.

Here are the facts:

Health care–disease monitoring, clinical research, and toxic waste cleanup came to a halt.

Law Enforcement–delays in applications being processed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; delay in delinquent child support cases; cancellation in recruitment and testing of federal law enforcement officials, including border control and immigration officials.

Parks, Museums and Monuments–seven million tourists to 386 National Park Service sites prevented by closures; 2 million visitors to national museums and monuments also prevented by shutdowns; effect on local communities economically due to these closures.

Visas and Passports–20-30 thousand visa applications by foreigners unprocessed every day; 200,00 applications for passports delayed; tourist industries and airlines suffered millions of dollars in lost revenue.

Veterans Services–health, welfare, finance and travel cut back dramatically.

Federal Contractors–lost revenue in the millions of dollars, and many people furloughed without a pay check.

A shutdown would affect the American economy at a delicate moment, while in 1995, the economy was flourishing, and still the shutdown had a deleterious effect, and left a sour taste in many people’s mouths!

How can a government shut down? Only when its leader are so irresponsible as Newt Gingrich and the Republicans were then, and even worse, as John Boehner, Mitch McConnell and other GOP leaders are today, at a time when economic growth and stability should be the priority, but is obviously not the case.

To avoid a shutdown will probably require a miracle, and the Republican Party will again acquire the image as the anti government party, which yet wishes to govern!

Hopefully, the American people will turn on the party which is promoting suffering and mean spirit as their answer to the economic collapse caused by their party under President George W. Bush!

A Look At Post Presidencies On Presidents Day

Ronald Leave a comment

As we celebrate Presidents Day, on the third Monday of February, it is significant to look at post Presidencies and their impact.

Among earlier Presidents, a few stood out in public office after the Presidency.

John Quincy Adams served nearly 18 years in the House of Representatives from Boston, and led the fight against slavery and the “gag rule” which banned discussion of slavery on the floor of the House.

Andrew Johnson served briefly back in the Senate where he had been the only Southerner to remain loyal to the Union, of all the Senators from the Confederate States.

William Howard Taft served nine years as Chief Justice after almost a decade out of the White House, and came up with the plans for the Supreme Court Building.

Herbert Hoover served President Truman in reorganization of the executive branch as the head of the Hoover Commission after World War II.

Richard Nixon wrote numerous books on foreign policy, and became regarded as an elder statesman who was asked for advice by every President, despite the disgrace of the Watergate Scandal.

Jimmy Carter has been heavily involved in Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center, engaged in promoting diplomacy and free elections and better living conditions all over the world, and has also been a prolific author.

George W Bush has been involved in Haitian relief and other activities, and his father,  George H W Bush, now will be honorary co chairman of the University of Arizona Civility Institute, an outgrowth of the violence which led to the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords last month, sharing that responsibility with Bill Clinton.

And Bill Clinton has been a “whirlwind” of activity with the Clinton Global Initiative, which aims to help the promotion of prosperity and human rights all over the world, with the support of the business community, and he also was involved in the Haitian relief after last year’s earthquake, and now is to be part of the Civility Institute activities at the University of Arizona.

In fact, this evening on MSNBC, Chris Matthews will host an hour review of the many activities of Bill Clinton since his Presidency ended 20 years ago.

So on this day when we commemorate Presidents, let’s remember the contributions of former Presidents as well!

The Promotion Of Jeb Bush For The Presidency

Ronald Leave a comment

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush has made it crystal clear that he is NOT interested in running for President in 2012, or has he? 🙂

One gets the feeling that he has NOT given up completely on the idea, and when one considers much of the Republican field is seen clearly as losers, unable to win the country over Barack Obama in 2012, one can understand why Jeb’s name keeps on coming up. He could be looking for a so called “draft” like Dwight D. Eisenhower had in 1951 to convince him to run in 1952.

If one looks rationally at the multitude of possible candidates, only three seem at all realistic–Mitt Romney, Jon Huntsman, and Jeb Bush.

All three are competent and qualified, and are not connected to the loony side of the GOP, including the Tea Party Movement.

Of course, that makes it more difficult for them, as the Tea Party Movement, and the impact of Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann and other loonies like them, may be enough to prevent any of the three above from being the GOP nominee.

But if the goal in politics is to WIN, then one of these three might just be the right guy for the moment!

The problem that Romney and Huntsman face, however, is their Mormon religion, which turns off evangelical Christians. But both have backgrounds and qualifications that make them prime possibilities for President, although Huntsman is not yet well known.

But Bush has the advantages of having been, overall, a popular governor of the fourth largest state, Florida; having an appeal to Hispanics and Latinos since he is seen as open minded on the immigration issue; and seen as smarter and brighter than his brother George by far!

Don’t forget that originally the Bush family plan was that Jeb would win the governorship of Florida in 1994 and then run for President in 2000, but Lawton Chiles ruined that, and Jeb had to wait until 1998, and by then brother George had already been Governor of Texas for four years, so George got the advantage to run for President.

The National Review, a conservative journal of great reputation, and its editor, Rich Lowry, make the case for Jeb in 2012, arguing that he has a better chance of uniting a party that has no strong leader yet; that for Jeb to wait to 2016 will make him seem “old news”, and that many newer candidates will come along by then, including Florida Senator Marco Rubio; that the rehabilitation of brother George has already begun, so being a Bush is not as negative as it was in 2008; and that waiting is always a mistake, and that one must be aggressive in going for an opportunity to run, as such examples as Bill Clinton and Barack Obama proves.

So with such a large and mostly weird, loony list of possible candidates, or those who simply have no national appeal, the likelihood that Jeb Bush will yet be heard from for 2012 grows!

A Salute To George W. Bush On Immigration Controversy! :)

Ronald Leave a comment

Former President George W. Bush has come under attack for many of the actions of his administration, including his handling of the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, Hurricane Katrina, the doubling of the national debt, and the handling of the economic recession in his last year in office.

Despite all this, and with his declaration that he has bowed out of politics, the former President has now come out in strong support of immigration reform, and has deplored the sickening prejudice being visited against Hispanics and Latinos.

He has been courageous in speaking up for a rational immigration policy, and it must be pointed out that he worked to create a system to move illegal immigrants toward a plan for eventual citizenship, rather than call for the mass deportation that some Republicans advocate.

On this issue, George W. Bush has been a statesman, and he makes it clear that he hopes very soon the irrationality and hate will subside, and action can be taken on this issue, which has been poisoning the political atmosphere of his party, which is acting self destructive by not realizing that to alienate the growing Hispanic and Latino population is suicidal for the Republican Party’s long term future!

Rudeness And Disrespect Toward President Obama: Bill O’Reilly’s 43 Interruptions In Pre Super Bowl Interview On Fox! :(

Ronald 2 Comments

Fox News Channel talk show host Bill O’Reilly conducted an interview with President Obama last night before the Super Bowl.

President Obama was gracious enough to go into the “lion’s den”, a channel which has systematically distorted his life and record in office, and has spread rumors and misinformation on a regular basis to the American people! 🙁

Why he agreed to this interview is beyond the understanding of the author, as O’Reilly proceeded to interrupt the President constantly, never permitting him to finish even one answer without cutting in.

Altogether, O’Reilly interrupted Obama a total of 43 times, an unbelievable number! 🙁

Is there any excuse for this kind of behavior, a lack of respect and a demonstration of total rudeness, something never seen before in person with any President except this one? Sure, there were critics of other Presidents, including George W. Bush and Richard Nixon for instance, but NEVER in a personal interview with the President! 🙁

What kind of message does this disrespect and rudness and constant interruptions send to younger Americans, and really all Americans? Is it that it is perfectly fine to be disrespectful and rude toward authority? Do we really want that kind of lack of civility to be promoted by media people? 🙁

This kind of misbehavior by Bill O’Reilly should lead to an apology, which certainly is NOT forthcoming, and a decision by Obama to refuse to be interviewed if the respect for his office cannot be guaranteed!

Children Of Republican Leaders And Gay Rights! Setting The Trend Of the Future!

Ronald Leave a comment

The surprising news to many, and the shocking news to others, is that one of the twin daughters of President George W. Bush, Barbara Bush, has come out for gay marriage rights and has allowed herself to be part of a taped endorsement campaign for such rights in New York!

This development comes on the heels of Megan McCain, daughter of 2008 Presidential candidate and Senator John McCain of Arizona, also endorsing gay rights and marriage.

Additionally, the lesbian daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, Mary Cheney, has also been a major figure in promoting the concept of gay marriage.

So a former President, a former Vice President, and a Presidential nominee have children who have come out for gay rights in the midst of right wing conservative Christian groups bitterly opposing any such concept, and boycotting the upcoming Conservative Political Action Conference because a gay group has been invited to participate!

Realize also that former First Ladies Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush came out for abortion rights after their husbands left the Presidency, and that Laura Bush has already supported her daughter Barbara, before the fact, in an interview recently that included discussion of gay marriage and gay rights.

The fact that the family members of these top Republican leaders come out for the civil rights of women and gays makes one wonder if their husbands and fathers simply mouthed what they had to say to keep political backing when they were running for the Presidency, and the belief is that assumption is totally correct!

Every poll shows younger Americans have no problem with gay rights and gay marriage, and therefore, the Republican right wing is fighting a rear guard action that will, in the long run, isolate them, just as their vehement opposition to illegal immigrants gaining eventual rights of citizenship has alienated most Latinos and Hispanics from the party.

If the GOP allows the extreme right wing and Christian Right to control their destiny, they will see themselves disintegrate as a respectable and competitive political party for the long run of the American future!

Stop vilifying Latinos and Hispanics, and stop demonizing gays, or else you will be part of the dust bin of history! And keep religion out of government, where it belongs, as all that occurs when religion is allowed to control government decisions is the promotion of hate and intolerance, which ironically, Jesus Christ would not have approved were he here to observe what so called “devout” Christians claim are his teachings, a total distortion of his message of peace, love, and tolerance of others!

The Supreme Court Image Being Destroyed By Inappropriate Actions By Three Of Its Membership! :(

Ronald Leave a comment

The Supreme Court of the United States is the final arbiter of the Constitution, and its members have a responsibility to pursue appropriate behavior in statements and actions outside of their direct work on the Court.

But now we are witnessing totally unprofessional, unethical behavior and open bias on the Court by its three most conservative members: Antonin Scalia, appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1986; Clarence Thomas, appointed by George H W Bush in 1991; and Samuel Alito, appointed by George W. Bush in 2006!

All certainly have a right to their views of the Constitution, but all three have by word or deed acted inappropriately, and in so doing, have undermined the image and respect of the Court, which is so crucial for its continued stature.

Never in history have we seen Supreme Court Justices be so openly political! 🙁

Justice Scalia allowed himself to be exploited by the Tea Party Movement and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, in agreeing to speak about the Constitution at an openly political meeting on Capitol Hill. This is not the role for a Supreme Court Justice, as also it is not appropriate for him to speak before conservative groups and attack liberal doctrines, as for instance claiming that women and gays are not protected by the Constitution in an interview published in a legal magazine. How can he be seen as being objective and open minded when cases on such matters come before the Court in the future? Should he come into cases with preconceived notions? 🙁 The answer is NO! 🙁

At the same time, Justice Thomas also openly speaks his mind in public events, even though he never asks questions in oral arguments. Additionally, his wife, Virginia Thomas, has been openly involved in Tea Party and conservative causes, including the group Liberty Central, which benefited from the Citizens United Case last January, allowing corporations unlimited rights, for the first time in a century, to contribute to and fund political causes.

Finally, Justice Alito openly mouthed “not true”, when President Obama criticized the Citizens United Case in his State of the Union address a year ago, and has spoken before conservative fundraisers, as has both Scalia and Thomas.

The dignity and prestige of the Court are at stake, as the Court becomes politicized, not part of the purpose of the Founding Fathers, when they decided we needed a Supreme Court in Article 3 of the Constitution, and in the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1789.

Speculation About Who Will Replace Defense Secretary Robert Gates Later In 2011

Ronald Leave a comment

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, first appointed by George W. Bush in 2006, and agreeing to stay on when President Barack Obama asked him to do so for the country, clearly is leaving the government sometime this year.

The appointment of his successor will be crucial, not only involving the war in Afghanistan, and the continuing troop presence in Iraq, but also the issue of Pentagon spending.

So the question arises who should be replacing Gates, and two candidates come to the forefront, although obviously a less political choice could come from within the defense establishment or the Obama administration.

The two “political” choices that come to mind are former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, who was against the war in Iraq, and Independent Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who has been a “hawk” on both Iraq and Afghanistan, and has announced he will not be seeking another term in the Senate in 2012.

It seems to the author that Hagel is the better choice, but Lieberman also carries a lot of weight in the Senate and the defense establishment.

It all comes down to whether Lieberman is willing to consider alternatives to his hawkish attitude if he becomes part of the Obama team, and is willing to leave the Senate before the 2012 election. Being so independent and stubborn can be both a positive and a negative, depending on the circumstances.

It is ironic that a Republican such as Hagel, seen as more “dovish” generally, but also a Vietnam war veteran, would probably have more opposition in the Senate confirmation process, but would probably fit in better with the President, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and other top Obama Administration figures in the so called “war room”.

Again, it may be that neither will be selected, or even want the position of Secretary of Defense, but either, if chosen, would have a dramatic effect on the budget and the war planning that always goes on in the Pentagon, as well as the political fortunes of the Obama re-election effort!

The Republican House Of Representatives Repeal Of The Obama Health Care Law: What It Means!

Ronald 1 Comment

The Republican controlled House of Representatives has just voted to repeal the Obama Health Care legislation.

In so doing, the GOP has made clear it has no desire to protect the health of the American people, but rather cares more about the insurance companies, the corporations, and keeping their own excellent health care.

They demonstrate that they do not care about 129 million people with pre-existing conditions, many of them unaware because they have not been able to afford health care!

They show that they do not care about the cost of prescription drugs to senior citizens, and the slow closing of the “donut hole”.

They make it clear they do not care about children being able to be under their family’s medical plan, if the family has one, to age 26, at a time when many young people cannot find work and cannot be protected, therefore, for health care.

They indicate they do not care about people bring thrown off their health care plan once they get sick.

They leave no doubt that they do not care whether someone has a lifetime limit on health care coverage, including children who have serious health issues.

They demonstrate all of this and more, that they are a party which only cares about the rich and the corporations, that they have no humanity or empathy for the sick, that they do not concern themselves with the sustaining of life, and would rather demagogue the issue of health care than come up with a real alternative that allows the most advanced nation in the world to protect people’s health, as every other democracy in the world has.

They have shown how far right the Republican party has gone, considering that Theodore Roosevelt first proposed national health care in the 1912 Presidential campaign; that President Dwight D. Eisenhower first promoted and supported a cabinet agency of Health, Education and Welfare in 1953; that President Richard Nixon proposed a national health care plan in the early 1970s; that Senator and later Presidential candidate Bob Dole offered an alternative health care plan to that of Bill Clinton in the early 1990s; and that President George W. Bush and his party instituted a prescription plan in the early 2000’s.

Now the GOP has nothing to offer except negativism, and mean spiritedness, and most of its membership is monstrous and nasty and leaves the image of “to hell with the American people”!

One can be assured that their negativism will go no further in success, and that the American people will surely reject them once they understand what Barack Obama and the Democrats have been trying to do—promote health care for all as any civilized nation should have done long ago!

Budget Cuts In The Real World: Total Confusion Of Americans!

Ronald Leave a comment

A CBS News Poll demonstrates the difficulties involved in the need to cut government spending.

77 percent want spending cut to deal with the deficit and the national debt, while only 9 percent want to raise taxes.

But ask people what should be cut, and then one realizes just how difficult it is going to be for either the Republican House or the Democratic Senate and President Obama to come to grips with the crisis.

63 percent say to cut cut Social Security for the wealthy, but how is the issue of what is “wealthy” to be determined, particularly in a nation where tax cuts for the wealthy have been part of policy under Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Republican Congresses, and was part of the Obama tax deal with the GOP in December? Interesting that people want the wealthy to lose benefits, and yet the Republican Party is bitterly opposed to any such idea.

58 percent support reducing money for projects in their area, what is now called “earmarks”, but is that really true when such “pork” helps creates employment, boosts the economy, and promotes infrastructure improvement and public works which people like and want?

55 percent want farm subsidies reduced, such as for tobacco, cotton, and dairy, but will GOP representatives and senators whose constituents want it and vote for the Republican party, really vote for that?

52 percent want to reduce defense spending, but it could be argued that it could undermine our national security, and would force the closing of naval, air and military bases in many states, affecting the economy in a detrimental way.

Other areas to cut spending get a negative reaction, such as 48-45, people are against eliminating the mortgage interest deduction; 54-43 against raising the retirement age; 56-41 against reducing money for student loans; 65-33 against raising taxes; 67-27 against reducing health care and education spending (which the Republicans want to do, including repealing the Obama Health Care plan); and 69-26 against taxing health care benefits.

So what it comes down to is that Americans want to “have their cake and eat it too!”, pay no more in taxes but only hurt others rather than themselves!

In other words, the American people don’t want to face reality, and that makes the job of the politicians extremely difficult over the next two years of the 112th Congress!