Free Republic

As the year draws to an end and President Bush enters his final month in office, there is much commentary about the Administration's record over the past eight years. Unsurprisingly, many of these stories assail and distort the President's record and recycle myths and unfounded allegations that have been leveled for the better part of his two terms. Historical accuracy requires a response to the litany of attacks leveled against President Bush, and while there's not enough space to respond to all of them, here are five of the most egregious:

Economy: Average U.S. income fell when George Bush took office in 2001. Naturally, Democrats and the media unfairly blamed him for it. But now Americans are better off than when Bill Clinton was president.According to the latest data from the Internal Revenue Service, average adjusted gross income in 2006 hit $58,029 in 2006 dollars. It was the first time that average income had exceeded the peak year of 2000, the year before incomes began to decline. The average income in 2006 was 1.2%, or $739, higher than in 2000, when incomes were swollen by capital gains from a roaring market,...

In his new book, "The Age of Turbulence," my longtime friend Alan Greenspan argues that President Bush's economic and budget policies have been fiscally irresponsible. I've known and admired Alan for years, and I believe he was a great chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. But I think his assessment is off the mark. Alan tells of his first meeting with then President-elect Bush on Dec. 18, 2000, at the Madison Hotel in Washington. I recall this breakfast meeting very well, especially Alan's comments on the state of the economy. The Fed chairman told the president-elect and our team that...

The talk of a Republican apocalypse this fall is likely premature, but very well earned. A White House that can't seem to communicate its way out of a paper bag surely can't lead. A Senate which forgets it was elected to cut spending, reduce waste and change Washington should expect to be sent home. This is just reality. But there's more to this story than meets most eyes. There's also a real chance for redemption. Republicans in 2004 won an historic victory, on the wave of an overwhelming coalition of fiscal, defense and social conservatives representing a large majority of...

The Real Bush Record by Gary Benoit By most accounts, George W. Bush is an arch-conservative busily dismantling the liberal, big government legacy of the Clinton-Gore years. But the record compiled by the new administration during its first six months in office shows that the media-generated conservative image is only skin deep. Close observers of presidential politics were given fair warning early on that Mr. Bush would continue the activist role of the federal government. "Government has a role, and an important one," the new president declared in his February 27th speech to a joint session of Congress. "Our new ...

Just heard on AM 870 out here in the High Desert of CA that Bush's Yale GPA was Higher than Kerry's is this true. Does anyone know or can anyone find out? If so, I have all the talking points I'll ever need.

Yesterday I saw some geek wearing a T-shirt that said "Somewhere a town in Texas is missing its Idiot" (or some such) on the back! It got me thinking about the definition of idiocy. I don't have to get the dictionary to know it as well as most people, but it is time the distinctions were discussed. Regarding the constant ape-like chants and missives about how stupid George Bush is, I think it is high time for factual comparisons of idiotic behavioural patterns.Fact: Pres. Bush piloted an F-102 successfull for approx. 4 years and did not crash once! If he...

In Defense of the President's Environmental Record By Max Borders While the environment remains at the bottom of the priority list for US voters, a number of factions continue nevertheless to flail wildly at the President on his green record -- claiming that his administration's work on the environment is poor, or worse: The League of Conservation Voters -- gave President George W. Bush an 'F' on the organization's 2003 Report Card The Children's Environmental Health Network -- gave the Bush Administration an 'F' for "how well it has protected children from environmental threats…" The National Park Conservation Association --...

"Another drag on our economy is the current tax code, which is a complicated mess -- filled with special interest loopholes, saddling our people with more than six billion hours of paperwork and headache every year. The American people deserve -- and our economic future demands -- a simpler, fairer, pro-growth system. In a new term, I will lead a bipartisan effort to reform and simplify the federal tax code."-President Bush, 9/2/04 President Bush's Agenda For A Fairer, Simpler Tax CodeMaking the Tax Code Fairer, Simpler, and Pro-Growth.  President Bush will work with Congress to make the tax code...

MEMORANDUM FROM: BC'04 POLICY DEPARTMENTINTRODUCTIONPresident Bush has made combating crime a top priority of his administration. During his time in office, President Bush has launched unprecedented efforts to crack down on gun crime, rein in corporate fraud, and reduce criminal recidivism. His innovative law enforcement reforms earned President Bush the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police, the nation's largest police labor organization. Thanks to President Bush's efforts, the violent crime rate is at a 30-year low and Americans everywhere are living safer, less fearful lives.  SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS1. REDUCING CRIME - THE LOWEST CRIME RATE IN 30 YEARSPresident Bush's policies...

The widow of a Bush family confidant says her husband gave the future president an Alabama Senate campaign job as a favor to his worried father. Did they see him do any National Guard service? "Good lord, no." - - - - - - - - - - - - By Mary Jacoby Sept. 2, 2004 | NEW YORK -- Before there was Karl Rove, Lee Atwater or even James Baker, the Bush family's political guru was a gregarious newspaper owner and campaign consultant from Midland, Texas, named Jimmy Allison. In the spring of 1972, George H.W. Bush phoned his...

The Bush presidency Je ne regrette rien Aug 26th 2004 From The Economist print editionAfter a tumultuous first term, George Bush has much to be proud of—and much to reconsiderFOUR years ago, George Bush presented himself at the Republican convention in Philadelphia as a “compassionate conservative”. After the dramas and division of the Clinton years, the Texan dynast, backed by reliable old hands such as his running-mate, Dick Cheney, would provide a more modest, grown-up approach. Abroad, Mr Bush promised a humble but strong foreign policy. At home, there would be a big tax cut, affordable thanks to the large...

I can't recall which thread this was on, and I can't seem to find it with a search, but I am looking for the list of accomplishments of George W. Bush during his term as President. Can someone help me out please? Thanks!

OP-CHART Over the course of last week, we heard a lot from the Democrats about their record of economic achievement. So let's take the advice of a Democrat of yesteryear, Al Smith, the former governor of New York. His trademark phrase was, "Let's look at the record." These charts show the rate of change in real gross domestic product and in employment from 1990 to last June. The shaded areas show recessions. The vertical lines show when President Bill Clinton took office and when he left. Because the economy has momentum, it's useful to look carefully at the trends in...

President Bush embarked on what he called his "Heart and Soul of America Tour" on Friday, outlining some of the big campaign differences between Democrats and Republicans: "They're going to raise your taxes, we're not." President Bush told the crowd that Democrats "somehow believe the heart and soul of America can be found in Hollywood. The heart and soul of America is found right here in Springfield, Missouri," Bush said. The president said he's looking forward to the campaign and getting out among the people in Michigan and Ohio this weekend. "Today you'll hear some reasons why I think you...

II. George Bush’s Record Just as Truman became president in a political, social and legal context that shaped and limited what he could accomplish on black civil rights, George W. Bush took office in a context which limits what he can achieve in the struggle to establish the civil rights of the unborn. He became president under the cloud of the 2000 election recount and the Supreme Court’s resolution in Bush v. Gore. (Sidewalks in Chicago still have black stamps proclaiming “Hail to the Thief.”) Only with his decisive action in response to the attacks of September 11th, and the...

This is a re-post - lest we forget and what must be told about our President Bush - read it carefully and see why the Democrats are fighting back so hard to regain power - from unions to the environmentalists to the United Nations – President Bush has acted for America and Americans. Please pass this on.Presidency of George W. Bush -- the first 35 months · Banned Partial Birth Abortion · Reversed Clinton's move to strike Reagan's anti-abortion Mexico Policy · Killed the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty · Killed U.S. involvement in the International Criminal Court · Killed Clinton's...

Abortion & Traditional Values1. Banned Partial Birth Abortion — by far the most significant roll-back of abortion on demand since Roe v. Wade. 2. Reversed Clinton's move to strike Reagan's anti-abortion Mexico Policy. 3. By Executive Order (EO), reversed Clinton's policy of not requiring parental consent for abortions under the Medical Privacy Act. 4. By EO, prohibited federal funds for international family planning groups that provide abortions and related services. 5. Upheld the ban on abortions at military hospitals. 6. Made $33 million available for abstinence education programs in 2004. 7. Supports the Defense of Marriage Act — and a...

As John Kerry embarks on an ill-advised assault on the economy, it’s imperative we conservatives and right-of-center bloggers are armed with the facts to counter all the misinformation that’s bound to pollute the Internet in the coming weeks and months. Therefore, with National Review’s Real Reagan Record as our inspiration, we offer Kerry Crushers, The Real Bush Record. We hope you all find this data useful.Introduction The U.S. economy is firing on all cylinders. Under President Bush's leadership, we have created 1.4 million jobs since August and the economy is growing at its fastest rate in 20 years. Despite this...

Below is a list of President Bush's pro-life efforts and accomplishments in regard to protecting children in the womb and promoting the sanctity of life.  I include some accomplishments in other areas but mostly focus on his pro-life record. This list is by no means comprehensive.  When considering other issues much more could be added to the list of positive things that Bush has done since he has been in office. I started to compile this list shortly after the President was reinaugurated after hearing from many, who consider themselves pro-life, that Bush was not really pro-life. I disagreed and...

It would be astonishing if anyone who has read the Bob Woodward book, Plan of Attack, and watched the public hearings of the 9/11 Commission still does not understand why President Bush invaded Iraq. The commission, under the watchful eye of the media, is inspecting every bit of information that went to the president before 9/11, and dissecting his reaction and that of his administration to fearful but ambiguous warnings. His critics assert that the president should have acted when he was told, in a briefing on August 6, 2001, that bin Laden wanted to attack within the United...

"More and more people understand that being a patriot is more than just putting your hand over your heart and saying the Pledge of Allegiance to a nation under God. They're saying -- more and more people understand that serving something greater than yourself in life is a part of being a complete American" -- President George W. Bush We're announcing the re-launch of an updated ConservativesForBush.com, a website dedicated to highlighting the policies of President Bush, and conservative support for those policies. The website is the product of a group of Freepers who have pooled their support for...

I take great exception to recent attacks on President Bush. It is easy to attack him with no facts. President Bush inherited a recession from President Clinton which, on top of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, affected the economy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site shows 2.4 million jobs have been created under Bush. In addition, the number of employed workers is at an all-time high of 138.5 million. The current 5.6 percent unemployment rate is below the unemployment averages during the Clinton administration in the '90s. Taxpayers received a tax cut under President Bush. According to the IRS Web...

A moderate friend – aka "swing voter" – recently sent me a letter, in which he raised his objections about President Bush. Moderate Friend: Bush has made no major move to address environmental issues at all. The No. 1 thing a president could do environmentally is lead the charge to get us off fossil fuels. Larry Elder: You must remember to compare benefits vs. costs. For the foreseeable future, the only affordable alternatives are coal, natural gas, oil or nuclear. Renewable sources – solar, wind, etc. – so favored by the left remain prohibitively expensive. A nation becomes weaker, not...

<p>March 15, 2004 -- The liberal media's bias against President Bush is as legendary as it is insidious, so his bid for reelection is sure to be a heavy lift. Are the Bush folks up to it?</p> <p>So far, it seems not.</p>

December 2000 Al Gore challenges election results delaying the Bush administration preparation for office for more than 30 days. January 2001 Clinton staffers vandalize and sabotage the White House leaving behind unusable computers, pornography on the computers and walls, and unusable telephone systems from the cutting of cables and wires. Executive order by President Bush establishes the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Energy crises hits the western part of the United States- rolling black outs hit California and energy costs soar. March 2001 President Bush proclaims Education and Sharing Day, USA President Bush proclaims National Child Abuse...

Spotted at Rightnation.us and GOPUSA.com reprinted here for your pleasure. I encourage people who support Bush to learn how effective our President has been, and liberals ought to browse this too. Just remember, the liberal media can't cover up the truth of his accomplishments. The Bush Administration 2001-2004 Abortion & Traditional Values 1. Banned Partial Birth Abortion — by far the most significant roll-back of abortion on demand since Roe v. Wade. 2. Reversed Clinton's move to strike Reagan's anti-abortion Mexico Policy. 3. By Executive Order (EO), reversed Clinton's policy of not requiring parental consent for abortions under the Medical...

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- President Bush said Saturday the choice for voters this November is clear: lower taxes to stimulate growth or higher taxes that will stunt job creation. Bush defended his record on the economy and implied that Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry would raise taxes and hurt the economy. "Raising taxes will make it harder for people to find work," Bush said during a news conference in Crawford, Texas, with Mexican President Vicente Fox. Bush did not mention Kerry by name. His comments came a day after a Labor Department report showed the economy added only 21,000 jobs...

"George W. Bush is a deserter..." – Film director Michael Moore at a Jan. 17 rally for presidential candidate Wesley Clark. "I would call it AWOL." – Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe in a Jan. 25 interview with CNN. "The issue here as I have heard it raised is, was he present and active on duty in Alabama at the times he was supposed to be?" – Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, during a Feb. 8 news conference in Virginia. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are many issues on which President Bush's supporters and detractors can have an honest, but respectful, disagreement...

As Bush's military service re-emerges as an issue, here is what we know—and don't know When George W. Bush was running for President four years ago, stories raising questions about his Vietnam-era service in the Texas Air National Guard never got much traction. In the Republican primaries, John McCain forbid his staff to exploit the fact that while their guy was being beaten senseless in the Hanoi Hilton, Bush was safe at home, protecting Houston from foreign attack. Al Gore steered clear too. It was not until a week before Election Day in November 2000 that Gore surrogates accused Bush...

Secretary of State Colin Powell blasted Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe on Friday for claiming that President Bush went AWOL from the National Guard in 1972, saying the DNC chief's attack was "scurrilous." Asked about McAuliffe's allegation, the former Joint Chiefs Chairman and Vietnam veteran told radio host Sean Hannity that Democrats should "get on to the issues of the day and not reach back to these kinds of scurrilous attacks, especially against a Commander-in-Chief who is fighting wars right now in active theaters in Afghanistan and in Iraq and on the global war against terrorism." "It's very disturbing...

Monday, July 3, 2000 Bush didn't have much of a chance to see action The Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas -- When George W. Bush joined the Texas Air National Guard in 1968, there was little chance he would ever see Vietnam from the cockpit of his F-102 Delta Dagger jet fighter. When the plane was in demand overseas, Bush was not yet qualified to fly it. By the time he passed his final combat flight test in June 1970, the Air Force was pulling the jets out of Southeast Asia. Bush, the Texas governor and presumptive Republican presidential nominee, said...

<p>Politics makes strange bedfellows, and it does funny things to birds, too. Some of our doves, accustomed to flying on only one wing — the left — are auditioning as hawks.</p> <p>Over 40 years the Democrats have raised sneering at military service and sacrifice to an art form. The mere sight of a uniform, especially if bedecked with medals and service ribbons, often sends liberals into something close to cardiac arrest. Add a flag or two and a little martial music and some Democrats (a former president and his mouthy wife come to mind) imagine they're back at the Nuremberg rally.</p>

<p>Michael Moore, the documentary filmmaker, started it, labeling President Bush a military "deserter" during an appearance last month with Democratic presidential candidate Wesley K. Clark.</p> <p>Less incendiary was Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe, who charged Sunday that Bush had been AWOL, absent without leave, while a fighter pilot in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War.</p>

In recent days, Democrats have ratcheted up their attacks on President Bush, using the slanderous lie that Bush was "AWOL" or a "deserter" from his service in the Texas Air National Guard back in the early 1970s. Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAulliffe says George W. Bush "never served in our military in our country," although, clearly, Bush did. Former Sen. Max Cleland, who ought to know better, is telling a lie about Bush's service, claiming "Bush was AWOL and was kicked out of the Alabama National Guard." Neither part of Cleland's statement is true. And Sen. John Kerry, current...

Do you know that George W. Bush is the only president to have graduated with a Harvard Business School Masters in Business Administration? I read a fantastic column from today's American Thinker addressing just how tough it is to earn one - and you do earn it. No preference is shown and none are given away, because the program's integrity is so important. They kick out average-performing, big-name sons that don't cut the mustard. The Thinker writes "There is simply no way on earth" that the son of an ambassador, former Congressman and twice-beaten Senate candidate "or anyone else, could...

(CNSNews.com) - Sen. John F. Kerry, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, Tuesday "defended" President Bush's choice to serve in the National Guard -- but then, in the same breath, Kerry appeared to equate National Guard service with draft-dodging. In an interview on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes show Tuesday night, Sean Hannity asked Kerry if Democrats such as Party Chairman Terry McAuliffe are being fair in criticizing President Bush's National Guard service. Bush learned to fly fighter jets while serving in the National Guard, but he was never called for active duty. McAuliffe infuriated Republicans Sunday when he accused...

Bush A Military "Deserter?" Calm Down, Michael Clark backer Michael Moore calls President Bush a "deserter" for missing Air National Guard drills 31 years ago. Puh-lease! January 23, 2004Modified: January 23, 2004 eMail to a friend Printer Friendly Version Summary This one has been around since Bush’s campaign against Al Gore, when a Boston Globe story appeared saying the newspaper could find no record of Bush attending required Air National Guard drills for a full year in 1972-73. Bush says he missed some weekend drills during the period in question, but attended others and later attended extra drills to make...

<p>The White House struck back yesterday at Democratic critics questioning President Bush's record of military service at the height of the Vietnam War, saying the issue "represents the worst of election-year politics."</p> <p>"It is outrageous and baseless," presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said in response to suggestions that Mr. Bush shirked his military duties when he was in the Texas Air National Guard in 1972.</p>

The Real Military Record of George W. Bush: Not Heroic, but Not AWOL, Either By Peter Keating and Karthik Thyagarajan AUTHORS RESPONSE This piece has generated intense reaction from readers, including many postings to the Georgemag.com forum. The authors have responded with a detailed explanation of the evidence for the original story. Read the response now NEW: Peter Keating offers further response For more than a year, controversy about George W. Bush's Air National Guard record has bubbled through the press. Interest in the topic has spiked in recent days, as at least two websites have launched stories essentially calling...

Bush's Guard Attendance Is Questioned and Defended Politics/Elections Front Page News Source: New York Times Published: 11/03/00 Author: JO THOMAS Posted on 11/02/2000 22:24:51 PST by kattracks Two Democratic senators today called on Gov. George W. Bush to release his full military record to resolve doubts raised by a newspaper about whether he reported for required drills when he was in the Air National Guard in 1972 and 1973. But a review of records by The New York Times indicated that some of those concerns may be unfounded. Documents reviewed by The Times showed that Mr. Bush served in at...

  Democratic Senators Sound Off Like many georgemag.com forum users in recent weeks, Democratic officials have lingering questions for Texas Governor George W. Bush about his period of military service in the Texas Air National Guard. Hear what Senators Bob Kerrey and Daniel Inouye said by teleconference to a rally of veterans, congressmen and military officials in Tennessee on November 2, 2000. Both senators are decorated war veterans who were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Senator J. Robert Kerrey Senator Daniel K. InouyeThe Original Story (Published 10/10/00) The Real Military Record of George W. Bush: Not Heroic, but...

[ED. NOTE: In the last few months, FReeper Southack put together a list of Bush administration achievements over its first three years in office, and tirelessly posted it whenever an opportunity presented itself. Southack gave me permission to take that list, organize it by topics, and enhance it with further research from whitehouse.gov and other sources. This thread is posted in gratitude to and in honor of Southack.]Abortion & Traditional Values Banned Partial Birth Abortion — by far the most significant roll-back of abortion on demand since Roe v. Wade.Reversed Clinton's move to strike Reagan's anti-abortion Mexico Policy.By Executive Order...

WASHINGTON - President Bush spelled out his 2004 agenda for Congress and the nation Tuesday night, but there already was plenty on his to-do list remaining from the 2000 election. A Knight Ridder analysis shows that Bush has fulfilled about 46 percent of the promises he made during the 2000 campaign, leaving a lot of work in the last year of what he hopes is only his first term. Bush has had some big wins. He pushed two big tax cuts through Congress, added prescription drug coverage to Medicare and won passage of his plan to overhaul education. He's also...