Bush’s Backward Sprint To The Finish
The Wonk Room at Think Progress has the rundown on the changes Bush wants to make as he heads out the door. These are initiatives that kick in in 60 days, and so it is difficult for a new president to reverse them if Bush approves them soon enough.
HEALTH CARE
- Cutting medicaid
- Allowing abortion denials for moral or religious objections
ENVIRONMENT
- Allowing mining near the Grand Canyon
- Discounting global warming when assessing species risks
- Weakening the Endangered Species Act
- Eliminating review of fishing regulations
- Allowing more emissions from power plants
- Opening protected land to energy development
- Allowing factory farms to self-regulate waste
- Altering solid waste definition
CIVIL LIBERTIES
- Allowing guns in national parks
- Allowing broader law-enforcement monitoring
LABOR
- Making it harder to take time off
- Allowing truckers to work 14 hour days
ADMINISTRATION
- Moving political appointees to permanent posts
Here is a pdf of the report.
I predicted you’d post about this, you know.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:34 am
obama runs on no more of the same and gives us another clinton administration. PRICELESS ! LOL !
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:17 am
Jerry, might want to wait until lists are finalized and check the records once they go transparent government. You’ve got a month before you can laugh for anything.
I’m gonna love it in 4 years when all these cons eat their words.
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:23 am
Rush and Hannity won’t say anything about those Bush plans. Instead they will keep reading fron the same script which goes like this: LOW EXPECFATION ,SCHOOL NAME after Obama, OBAMA RECESSION, PLATIDUDE, SLOGANS, BUMPERSTICKERS,Obama wants this economic crisis b/c it’s a terrible thing to waste, Obama voters have low IQ, Where is Obama?,THe Messaih Game,Where is the Change?,.Those are a few ex. of the same words Rush and Sean used in their last radio show.So who is writing the taking points for them?
November 22nd, 2008 at 9:18 am
Isn’t it just amazing that the economic problems of 99.9% of Bush’s two terms is the fault of the past president, while the economic collapse during the remaining 1% of the his term is the fault of the FUTURE president?
It must be nice to be able to avoid so much responsibility!
November 22nd, 2008 at 9:32 am
W is just making sure his legacy is one of complete incompetence buffoonery.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:19 am
OldLefty ~
Well said! Yeah…it’s pretty unbelievable, the last eight years of he!! is somehow all Clinton and Obama’s fault!
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:34 am
You’ve been noticing that too?
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:34 am
I know this isn’t a constructive post, but, I hate this guy (had a more descriptive choice but didn’t think it would make it though the filter). It is SO disgusting that on top of the damage Bush has already done that he is trying to further gut (any remaining) environmental protections in place. He has a freaking one tract mind: destroy
I also cannot believe the number of people who keep spouting this crap about Obama not being about change when he chooses people with experience in Clinton’s administration. First, they complain that Obama doesn’t have experience. Then they complain when he surrounds himself with people who do.(Of course it is also the same people who were screaming the sky was falling and that if elected Obama would appoint Farrakhan and Jesse Jackson) I can’t wait to see what these people come up with next!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:00 am
Was there suppose to be some bad things on this list?
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Well Republicans are all about personal responsibility, and it’s always some other person’s responsibility.
The world’s just Guns’n'Bibles.
Hallelujah, sisters and brothers.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Many republicans must be livid with the President’s latest list of last minute rule making achieving what he could not thrugh legitimate legislative process.Not all republicans are anti-environment, ant poor perople getting adequate health care, or for relaxed safety standards etc. They can wince along with Democrats at seeing this administration for what it is…a pack of lying cheating scoundrels unworthy of the high offices they were entrusted with. Bush will create a large rememberence of himself as the worst President ever…a ugly concrete structure titled “total incompetence” All the pay offs come due now…so the general citizenry be damned…give those special interests all they’ve paid for. Disgusting…but sadly true!
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Almost everything on that list is bad Bryan:
HEALTH CARE
- Cutting medicaid
As if our healthcare system wasn’t messed up enough, now make it even HARDER for people to get treatment.
- Allowing abortion denials for moral or religious objections
This one isn’t so bad if it only pertains to the doctor. If the doctor has an objection, they shouldn’t have to do it. If the local church or county board has an objection, it shouldn’t have any effect on the process though.
ENVIRONMENT
- Allowing mining near the Grand Canyon
Yay, let’s destroy a relatively fragile ecosystem, potentially threaten power production for most of the western US and potentially trash a national landmark.
- Discounting global warming when assessing species risks
This is just stupid. Environmental risks are very real and should not be disregarded.
- Weakening the Endangered Species Act
Conservation is important. We’ve already killed off too many species in our 10,000 year history. If we can protect some creatures, we absolutely should. If not simply for posterity, for the scientific study it would allow to continue.
- Eliminating review of fishing regulations
See above. Conservation will extend our time on this planet, environmental suicide is bone-headed.
- Allowing more emissions from power plants
Yay, make it harder for everyone to breathe! I say allow ONE power plant to produce more harmful emissions, then make the entire Bush family live 5 miles downwind of it. All of Jeb’s kids included. See if he wants to allow more emissions then. (When his pocket isn’t getting lined)
- Opening protected land to energy development
Depends on the type of energy. Solar development, wind and water, sure OK. Low/No environmental impact technologies are fine. Oil/Coal/Nuclear? No farking way.
- Allowing factory farms to self-regulate waste
Yeah, because self regulation works SO well, Enron, AIG, GM, etc…
- Altering solid waste definition
So this allows 1.5 million tons of waste to be exempt from labeling, transportation and disposal standards. That’s showing your love for people’s safety and the environment. If you call a huge chunk of cowpie a klondike bar, it still ain’t gonna taste minty.
CIVIL LIBERTIES
- Allowing guns in national parks
For what? We shooting the protected animals now? Maybe those rude Park Rangers!
- Allowing broader law-enforcement monitoring
So we can all be monitored with no cause, harassed by police indefinitely. Our freedom revoked. Ahhh, leave it to Bush to destroy the Constitution some more. I hear once he’s shredded it enough, he’ll have the scraps pressed into a coaster and rest his coffee mug on it.
LABOR
- Making it harder to take time off
Not allowed to get sick anymore! Can’t use your personal days for it.
- Allowing truckers to work 14 hour days
That’s not really all that bad, most of the drivers I know actually do that anyway.
ADMINISTRATION
- Moving political appointees to permanent posts
That’s right, remove any last shred of democracy and replace it with dictatorship! You da MAN Bush! Teach those citizens that their opinions don’t mean crap. This’ll learn ‘em not to give you a 20% approval rating!
Yah, my responses in bold.
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:59 pm
( Cut Medicaid ) Get rid of federal funded abortions and healthcare for people who choose not to work.Not the ones who need help—just cut it for the sorry ones.That will save millions if not billions
( Mining ) “We need to become more energy self suffient” Barrak Obana 2008
( Abortion ) Personal choice that should be paid for with personal funds.
( More Power Plants ) see Mining Explanation
( Guns ) I carry my gun most everywhere–I don’t hunt or rob stores.I plan to make sure I am not hunted or robbed either.
( Fishing regulation ) Fish eat,swim and make little fish.God has that one covered.
( Farm and Waste Regulation ) The government doesn’t seem to know how to regulate themselves much less farms.I want to eat.
( Boarder Monitoring ) You say with “No Cause” ? Been to a an Emergency Room lately? I see cause everytime I walk into one.
( Appointees ) Show me a President who hasn’t done this.
( Sick Days-trucking) When I get sick I don’t work.I have been driving for 22 years—I can work up to 16 hours by federal law—I wouldn’t mind a 14 hour work day.
November 22nd, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Thank God we can strike down most, if not all, the ridiculous last minute fascist oriented rule changes that this “president” of yours is making.
The congress may have to act on some, but many can be undone by a real President taking charge in January, and ethical beaurocrats who can slow the implementation of any of the lousy, shallow, distructive, measures until responsible people can take appropriate actions.
November 22nd, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Robert—Some more of that Un-American “Your President” crap.If live within our borders–Bush is Your President also.
Well atleast Jersey backed up his thoughts with statements.
November 22nd, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Dyslexia kicking in here–I’m trying
November 22nd, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Praise the Lord and pass the ammo!!
I may not agree with some on the list totally but all in all I don’t see a whole lot wrong with most of em.
November 22nd, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Good Point Willy—The truth is most here in Liberaland wouldn’t see anything wrong with them either if a Democrat President was doing these things.
If The Iraq War started under a Democrat it would be called “Much Needed Humanatarian Intervention”—If the economy fell under a Democrat it would be called a “Unforseable Global Ecoconmic Crisis”.
November 22nd, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Great points again Bryan. Their hate for President Bush these past eight years has totally blinded them to any common sense.
They claim to be the party of tolerance and humanitarians and want to help the oppressed and downtrodden. But they call our President “Hitler” and other vile names when W actually freed tens of millions of Iraqi’s from an dictatorial mad man who murdered his own people. Makes you wonder what the liberals really believe in.
November 22nd, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Bryan:
( Cut Medicaid ) Get rid of federal funded abortions and healthcare for people who choose not to work.Not the ones who need help—just cut it for the sorry ones.That will save millions if not billions
If only legislature of that type could actually be that selective, but it won’t be and you know it just as well as I. Many people that NEED Medicaid are going to be harmed by this.
( Mining ) “We need to become more energy self suffient” Barrak Obana 2008
Yes, that includes ALTERNATIVE energy sources, not polluting and destructive ones. Build Solar Panels on the roof of every building in America, but windmills up everywhere. Etc. Relying on the same old inefficient and destructive methods is a great way to keep our country behind the rest of the technological world. Yeah, Coal is easier. But it’s not better.
( Abortion ) Personal choice that should be paid for with personal funds.
Not always. Sometimes there’s breach problems, issues with blood types (mother’s body rejects baby, etc.) A lot can go wrong, and it’s not always a much of a choice.
( More Power Plants ) see Mining Explanation
see Rebuttle
( Guns ) I carry my gun most everywhere–I don’t hunt or rob stores.I plan to make sure I am not hunted or robbed either.
As far as I know, your permit covers that. I don’t see special legislation as necessary.
( Fishing regulation ) Fish eat,swim and make little fish.God has that one covered.
Not really. Overfishing has severely threatened Salmon populations for example. Regulation is needed to prevent massive damage to the ecosystem.
( Farm and Waste Regulation ) The government doesn’t seem to know how to regulate themselves much less farms.I want to eat.
Well, I agree with your statement here, but the answer isn’t to just ignore the issue. That’s like saying ‘my kids’s going to do drugs anyway, so I might as well buy him some crack’. We shouldn’t encorage bad behavior anywhere.
( Boarder Monitoring ) You say with “No Cause” ? Been to a an Emergency Room lately? I see cause everytime I walk into one.
“A man who is willing to give up liberty for security deserves neither.”
( Appointees ) Show me a President who hasn’t done this.
Doesn’t matter, it doesn’t make it right. See answer to Farm regulation above.
( Sick Days-trucking) When I get sick I don’t work.I have been driving for 22 years—I can work up to 16 hours by federal law—I wouldn’t mind a 14 hour work day.
When you get sick, you can use sick bank days or vacation time to supplement your income while you are out of work. Bush would make this hard to do.
November 22nd, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I respect your opinion.
Pres elect Obama is proposing a stimulus package in the near future. Instead of doling out checks. As done in the past.I propose a Federal Debit Card (FDC) Perhaps beginning with $500 per person. $50 Billion would open 100 million accounts.This is a much better option because (1)the money doesn’t leave the Federal coffers until it is actually “SPENT”, a true stimulus to the economy.(2) It would give the little guy,the single moms a place to put aside some money for daily expenses without the killer fees that the banks are charging. (3)If a person makes a steady minimum deposit, of say $10 a month the account stays open and they get a star on their credit report. (4) Deposits held by the government are used to fund instrastructual projects issue bonds etc. to cover the costs of maintaining the program.(5) Put a VISA or MASTERCARD logo on it and pay Citi-Corp to maintain it, REHIRE those 53000 people they just laid off. (6) Put Obama’s picture on the card (or maybe yours) if you help with this idea. The Federal Reserve is lending money at 1% everyday, so I know this can be done Why not show a little faith in the American People for “A Change We Can Really Believe IN! thanks john newton. myspace.com/realtynetwork
November 22nd, 2008 at 4:32 pm
“…W actually freed tens of millions of Iraqi’s from an dictatorial mad man who murdered his own people.”
When are we going to free the North Koreans? Oh wait, they’ve got nukes, so it might be a really painful exercise, so in that case idealism and principle doesn’t really mean so much.
November 22nd, 2008 at 4:50 pm
“Robert—Some more of that Un-American “Your President” crap.If live within our borders–Bush is Your President also.”
Do you know Bachmann from Minn.??
Nice try.
I have a choice…Bush wasn’t my president since he stole the election in 2000. I didn’t accept his cheating then, and I don’t now. You may not like it, but I’m consistent.
President Obama and an ethical congress will reverse the perverse use of powers of the Bush administration as rapidly as we can….but, within the laws and ethics of the country we love.
Bryan, were you channeling Tail Gunner Joe with those “unAmerican” crap lines? Or, did you just listen too long to Bachmann try and lie herself out of swallowing her entire foot.
November 22nd, 2008 at 4:56 pm
When are we going to free the North Koreans?
Rocky the Liberal Rottweiler
There’s no oil there.
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
“…W actually freed tens of millions of Iraqi’s from an dictatorial mad man who murdered his own people.”
The ever grateful Iraq people just burned his ephogy in the same square that they tilted the Saddam statue a few years ago…seems the people believe that Saddam and Bush share the same values….
So, if W helped them…..they resent him for it…..thanks, George…”ya done it, again!”
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:08 pm
It’s because the tactics are similar. Bush wanted to finish his daddy’s war, so he made excuses up to go and do it. No actual evidence, no reason for it, they hadn’t threatened an ally state, and there was negligible terrorist activity in Iraq – until Bush got there.
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:13 pm
he whole “War On Terrorism” thing was a cliche shortly after it started. It was like watching the British Army line up and attack those “nasty heathens” who hid behind trees and shot back. We wanted to line up and use our armies to accomplish what they were not designed to do….fight terrorism. Armies can’t win against terrorists….they feed the terrorist movement. Terrorists are fought best by taking away the cause of their mission. Thank God, Obama knows this and will reshape our strategy against the terrorist movement.
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:19 pm
More Liberal clap-trap. You didn’t cry when Clinton sent troops into Kosovo, or Bosnia. We still have troops over there.
Where is your cry for humanitarian help to the oppressed people? Did you not care for the Iraqi people?
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Robert,
What is the cause of their mission? Pray tell, please tell me. I’m waiting with baited breath. And how do you fight that cause?
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:23 pm
No I didn’t since it was a peace keeping force…and not one soldier was killed…and we had an exit strategy…our troops that remain there are considered an “epiditionary force” of extremely limited numbers and mission.
Willy, I did, and do….especially for the refugees that still haven’t returned to Iraq, the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi people we have killed, and the many children that are orphans due to our butality…..
was it necessary? Well, we could have handled it differently…very differently…
I also care for the four thousand men and women we sent there to get killed and all their families….
Viet Nam was the same crap…yeah, it was crap then, and it’s Bush’s crap now….
I’m a vet and saw it then…and I’m seeing it again, now…..
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Besides…this is about Bush’s changing regulations, rules, and appointing non qualified people to career jobs…..and he’s doing it.
Thank God Obama and the congress can undo most of the regulations and rules in the first several months of office.
The rest will be the responsibility of slow downs by ethical beaureucrats who can slow down a sunset when they want to…
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Robert–I agree that you are consistent,saying Bush is not Your President makes you consistently Un-American.We elect our Presidents here–whether you voted for The President or not–he is still Your President.That Robert is American—you don’t have to like him or agree with him–He is still Your President.
Jersey–Have you never seen a clip where Kerry/Gore/Clinton all say Saddam needed removing from power?Or have you just ignored them because you hate Bush? Thanks for your response earlier,you made some good points.As far as abortions go–like I have always stated here,mothers health or rape shouldn’t apply.I am refering to the women who use abortion as birth control then expect me and you to pay for it.
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Robert,
Viet Nam was lost over here. A former North Vietnamese general said several years after we left Vietnam that they could never defeat America militarily. They could only defeat us over here in America. All the war protests and riots, etc. actually played right into the hands of the enemy. I see the very same thing over the Iraq war, exect not in such a big manner as in the ’60’s.
I truly care about all the soldiers that were killed in Iraq and their families. I knew one of the soldiers that was killed over there and I grieve for him, his family and every other soldier and family.
Unfortunitly, as in all wars, innocent civilians come in the line of fire and become casualties. That is unavoidable. But, you’ve got to remember that the terrorists put themselves in between us and the innocents, such as the cowards that they are. What are we to do? Wars are brutal, but to call the work of our soldiers brutality, you, sir are spitting in the face of every soldier that wears the uniform of the United States of America and that offends me.
Please tell me how do you handle a brutal dictator?
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Willy, we won over here…I just wish we had done more.
It would have saved more lives.
I know a few that have died in Iraq. I know more that died in Viet Nam.
Civilian casualties are not necessary….especially if we don’t fight unnecessary wars. America was not threatened by either Viet Nam or Iraq. In Viet Nam, it was the conservative “domino theory” and in Iraq, it was George’s ego…both lies driven by the military industrial complex because war is good money.
Brutel dictator? Well, how about isolating him and strangling him economically. Better yet, subverting him by aligning him to our side, then sending in the CIA to set up insurgencies. We’ve done those things before. I frankly like the English “black Operations” approach to regime change.
Then again, there is the UN. The UN is only as strong as we help it to be. If our motives are just and the cause is common to many nations, the UN is very effective in getting things changed. However, we need to not have people as our reprsentatives who believe in the UN rather than it’s destruction.
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:57 pm
The UN is a joke. How many UN violations did Saddam have against him? 12 I think. Boy those sanctions did the trick allright.
And many people forget. Iraq was not a sovreign nation pre- the first gulf war. When a sovreign country invades another sovreign country (Kuwait), the invading country loses their sovreignty.
November 22nd, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Dear Alan
Bush is a weired American just like Obama. Look Bush appointed President clinton with his Dad to raise money for Sunami. Now Obama Hired Hillary as Sec of State. He know that Hillary is married and he will get his husband too.
I do not see anything wrong with it. Men come with their wives. Obama, Biden etc. are not divorsing their wives. As soon as a woman get into big job then everyone jumps on her spouce. She is a super smart woman. Her husbend was a womanizer. He is 63 years old.Have some respect.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:07 pm
T.Mason ~
Appparently you get your opinion about the UN being a joke from the Bush Administration.
You know…like that little thing called the United Nations International War Law..you know..the one Bush ignored…you know…the law that if any other country ignores then we call them terrorists…yeah that’s the one!
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:23 pm
No, I’m not ignoring them, I disagree with them. Or at least, I disagree with the method used. Was Saddam tyrannical? Sure. Was he unfair to his citizens? Again, yes. Should he have had power? No, nobody is saying he was a good influence. Should we have made up an excuse to go after him? Absolutely not. I want America, my homeland, to stand for truth and justice and all that is good in the world. My british buddies are just now starting to talk about the United States like a country to be respected. The international view of us is a very arrogant, bully state with corrupt government. I find it hard to disagree at the moment. I’m pretty sure we both want the same thing in fact. But blindly supporting a President who has done terrible things just because he’s the President is not what a good American would do.
No, I strongly agree with you there actually. I guess I’m not a ‘typical lib’ in that sense. I don’t share the view that most cons have on the beginning of life (I think an independent heartbeat is when you can assume the fetus to have life of it’s own, before that it’s still a formative process of the mother) but I am against abortions of convenience. I hope more mothers learn to accept responsibility for the result of unprotected sexual encounters. But I do not have a womb myself and because of that I do not feel I can dictate what a woman does with her body. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, but no I don’t want to pay for it either.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:35 am
The last days of presidential terms seems to be a true test of the character of the individual we elect. Bill Clinton paid off some debts and “chits” abusing the pardon right of a retiring president. The papers and t.v. were aghast at his behavior and spread stories all over the media.
I do not recall Bush 41 with such abuses….except for the last of the “arms trade for hostages” people. Beyond that, it doesn’t strike my memory cells…but, I may just be old….correct me if I am in error on 41.
I find it sad that Bush 43 is attempting to do what he couldn’t do by legislation and/or openly earlier in his last term. Appointments to career postions being given to political people rather than people with the technical knowledge that is appropriate to the area concerned are already cropping up daily. Rules following his private agenda of belief based government and his corperate bent in rule/regulation revision borders on supporting the concept of fascism…corperate takeover of the government. Sad.
Fortunately, many things can be undone or ignored until proper action is taken under a new administration.
It was Bush’s last opportunity to execute a transition from office with some semblence of dignity and grace…instead, it will be political hack actions that will actually make Clinton’s improper acts appear minor in comparison. He will end up destroying the last of his skimpy image and legacy still considered positive…at least a smidgeon’s worth, anyway.
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:11 am
“And many people forget. Iraq was not a sovreign [sic] nation pre- the first gulf war. When a sovreign [sic] country invades another sovreign [sic] country (Kuwait), the invading country loses their sovreignty [sic].”
Huh? Got a source for that one?
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:15 pm
T. Mason,
The UN is a joke. How many UN violations did Saddam have against him? 12 I think. Boy those sanctions did the trick allright.
Yep, the sanctions did the trick (along with the inspections). The UN did succeed in getting Iraq to eliminate the WMDs. The UN was successful in accomplishing, without war, what Bush went to war for, unneccesarily.
How is that a ‘joke’?
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I may have this wrong but I don’t think so—the resolutions against Saddam was because he wasn’t allowing UN Inspections.Again Gore,Kerry,Clinton and Bush said Saddam needed to be removed from power.
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:50 pm
To be removed from power does not mean going to war by invasion. This war was personal and political.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:11 am
I knew BUSH would leave alot of mess that has to be reverse. I am quite sure this will take up alot of OBAMA,S time when he get to THE WHITE HOUSE.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:25 am
lets remember that this is just a more compact time frame but the same old stuff from the good old boys – we knew they would not go out to pasture quietly-they burned everything to the ground but it was their final barnfire-we wont live in the past anymore-bush’s greatest achievement in office was getting obama elected-they took everything possible left in the old model of how things go-the good news is it gets rebuilt with a new vision-nothing changes when EVERYONE is fat & happy-we needed that kick in the butt-something for the next 100yrs!!!!-see you in the very near future-been waiting 40yrs for this—pete
November 24th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Liberalism is a Mental Disorder. Always hit the MUTE button as Lips start moving
November 24th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I’m disappointed that Obama is already backing off a tax increase for the wealthy.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
George Bush is doing everything he can to cement his reputation as the worst president this country has had to suffer under.Just a reminder to Jim from Jersey: remember George Bush is incapable of making a mistake!!
November 25th, 2008 at 1:25 am
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