It is time to bring up George W. Bush in our conversation about the Debt and the deficit. Judging from their relative silence since transfer of power, Obama and Bush may have made some sort of deal to not speak ill of each other or even mention each others names. Think about it -- do you ever hear Obama reference Bush? Or vice versa? But it is high time to remind the American public of Bush's policies that caused so much of the debt we are debating and not shy away from calling out the Republicans currently in Congress who rubber-stamped Bush's policies a few years back but are now currently outraged at the debt they incurred. And there are many of them.
Perhaps it would bring Bush out of the woodwork to attack Obama, to which I say: bring it on! Bush's reemergence and more visible presence would be a huge reminder in itself, but the discussion of his policies would bring the most benefit to our national discussion. There are many people still (rightfully) angry that no one in the Bush cabinet paid any price for their actions, much like many of us are angry that no one from Wall Street has paid a price for the financial meltdown. But don't hear Obama mention Bush by name, usually using the generic "Republican administration" to reflect on the 8 years prior to his presidency. There is almost no effort in the national debate to talk about Republican-incurred Debt and deficit under Bush. Enough. Let's discuss George W. Bush and why we're dealing with such large numbers in the first place. Here's a few facts to begin with:
Bush's Republican administration increased the federal budget by 104 percent.
In his last term in office, Bush increased discretionary spending by 48.6 percent.
130 current members of congress voted to increase the debt limit under Bush.
President Bush promised to pay off the national debt in his first address to Congress in 2001: "At the end of those 10 years, we will have paid down all the debt that is available to retire. That is more debt repaid more quickly than has ever been repaid by any nation at any time in history."
What really happened: Debt held by the public increased from $3.5 trillion to nearly $6 trillion and gross federal debt rose from $5.6 trillion to nearly $10 trillion.
Two wars (and yes, Obama has continued to add to their initial costs), a Medicare prescription drug plan and multiple tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. ALL on the national credit card, making up the bulk of our issue with the debt and the deficit. And though it's Obama's to deal with and clean up, it was Bush's to start. So was TARP. And so was the housing bubble and Wall Street meltdown, which were already crashing when Bush left office. The housing problem is one of the biggest drags on our economy and though Wall Street has miraculously bounced back to business as usual, the housing market has stayed on the floor, like an anchor on our economy.
I do not envy the job Obama has to right this ship. It is messy, it is calamitous and it is against enemies far more powerful than perhaps ever before in history. But the alarming lack of responsibility for this debt and deficit caused by many of the same Republicans who are hammering against Obama means that the public has somehow forgotten their involvement. How easily they catch amnesia when it's so convenient politically. John Boehner CAUSED these huge problems, and yet he's being taken seriously as someone who will somehow make it all better? Let's not forget those who served faithfully under George W. Bush during the years of government expansion, huge spending and huge debt. Here's a few notable ones:
John Boehner (in Congress since 1990)
Eric Cantor (in Congress since 2001)
Mitch McConnell (in Congress since 1984)
John Kyl (in Congress since 1987)
Of course, not one of them speaks of their role in causing so much of our debt and deficit, and rarely do they invoke the man they served under through his entire presidency: George W. Bush. And let's not forget dear old Dick Cheney, who no doubt helped forge the policies and actions that sent America off the cliff. Anyone remember Donald Rumsfeld? I thought so.
The Republicans didn't have the answer to debt reduction for 8 years under Bush and they have not suddenly gotten wiser. In fact, they now have Tea Party pressure from the extreme Right that is making their job even harder and making them even less effective at what they profess (real fiscal responsibility) and better at what they actually do (dismantling our social safety net and serving the corporatocracy). It is time we shine a spotlight on the damaging policies of President Bush and the Republicans and rescue our country from its collective amnesia before Bush's true legacy -- nearly bankrupting the most powerful country in the world -- brings us to our knees. Remember: raising the debt ceiling is about paying for debts that have already been incurred. Funny how the Republicans who caused those debts are now so against paying for them. As Alec Baldwin wrote in his recent piece on Huffington Post, "It's time to suck it up and pay our bill." It's also time to discuss the large part of what we owe for George W. Bush's bill and remember those Republicans in Congress who are responsible for creating it.
The dynamics of the world economy has changed and the politics need to catch up. Stop applying old solutions to new problems.
We’re at the tail end of a 60 year growth spurt
More countries can provide qualified labor resources for lower costs, hence the drain on jobs and payroll taxes, and the results have led to record profits.
Corporate profits are kept offshore and not taxed (and double taxed to be exact)
Provide US corps incentives to hire US workers.
Increase tax base for low-income people- everbody pays their fare share
no earned income credit
Wall Streeters to pay ordinary income taxes on all capital gains if that’s their main income source
75% of net income from S-corps (non-passive) should also be subject to medicare taxes.
Increase the social security age to 68 – at least
Rein in our military presence around the globe
Rein in financial support to places like Pakistan etc..
Stop nation building other countries. .
Stop spending billions on military aircraft that we don’t need.
Rethink federal benefits
Line-item veto for pork bills
Congressional term limits
States are losing out on much needed sales taxes to pay for goods and services (schools, medicare etc) due to the internet corps that can circumvent collecting the taxes. Not only do states lose out on revenue, but it impacts many of the retail businesses in their state that cannot compete against the likes of Amazon.com.
At what point do they have to accept some responsibility?
That's the job of the opposition party, the Democrats, isn't it?
They, the Democrats, are so busy trying to cover their blue dogs' behinds, the behinds that they are losing anyway, that they don't want to play the one strong card they have.
George W. Bush.
"Those who willfully ignore the past, want to repeat it." Me.
How is it that the mere act of leaving office in '08 confers eternal immunity on the Bush Administration for the total and utter pile of excrement they left behind in the White House???
Suddenly, the Republicans want to be seen as being fiscally and morally righteous, after EIGHT YEARS of dumping debt and international havoc in their wake????
It doesn't magically disappear just because they did.
What is the matter with people????
The only thing I can think is that having been afraid to object while the Bush cabal reigned, they finally found their voice and are lashing out at, not those who cause the mess, but those who took on the apparently thankless job of national janitorial staff, cleaning up after the previous farm animals.
I suspect that the Republicans are secretly hoping that they don't come up with a winning candidate in '12, much as I don't think that they really wanted to follow the disastrous presidency of George W Bush. Riding in the 4th of July Presidential car in a parade is not enough to tempt anyone....................except for maybe Sarah Palin. But, she doesn't realize that there is more to being President than that.
But really, I hope Lib/Dems keep trying to blame Bush for everything all the way up to the 2012 elections. It will just reinforce to Americans in general that their platform is one of blame and fingerpointing while getting nothing of substance done.
we will; credit where credit is due
Tell that to the families of military families who have sons and daughters dead for Bush & Co wars for profit. No, I will most certainly NOT "get over it".
That's right, of course, but 'Bush' resurfaced only once during this debt debacle, and the only question the media had for him was to ask why he had continued reading to the children on 9/11 ( under an attack, secret service orders are to grab the president and rush him out of the building, despite any protest ) and as for any concerns he had himself, for the country--he'd only say he'd be happy to attend the 9/11 anniversary.
That man was America's greatest disaster, by a long shot.
Both Bush's tenures were economical disasters and Clintons's was a major success
We must ensure that history is not similarly re-wriiten for W