Q: I hear Bush supporters say that the reason Kerry focuses on his military record is because he has very little in the way of a Senate record. Is that true?
A: One of the worst distortions on both sides of the Bush-Kerry debate is that both claim the other has accomplished nothing in office. It's a gross distortion on both sides. Our website has plentiful evidence to disprove it. To show just some of it, I picked twenty headlines from Bush's page and twenty from Kerry's:
Top Ten Bills which Kerry introduced in the Senate:
2004: Increase subsidies for women-owned non-profit business
2003: Small Business loans for child care businesses
2003: Tax credits to promite home ownership in distressed areas
2003: Establish a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund
2003: Increase funding to combat the global HIV/AIDS epidemic
2002: Include pickup trucks in CAFE; include hybrids in HOV lanes
2001: Make Election Day a national holiday
2001: Allow same-day voter registration on election day
2001: Invest funds to alleviate the nursing shortage
2001: $500 tax credit for each employee who telecommutes
Bush's Top 20 Accomplishments 2001-2004:
Supports adult stem-cell research with limits on embryonic research. (Jun 2003)
Passed Patriot Act - calling for extension instead of expiration. (Jan 2004)
$23 million more for drug-testing in schools. (Jan 2004)
Reading First program, $412 million to 20 states for phonics (Aug 2003)
Passed "No Child Left Behind" to increase accountability. (Aug 2003)
Increased funding to $200M for charter schools. (Aug 2003)
Provided $1.2B to develop hydrogen fuel. (Aug 2003)
Clear Skies Initiative to improve air quality now. (Aug 2003)
Double funding for abstinence to prevent STDs. (Jan 2004)
Bush Doctrine: pre-emptive strikes for US defense. (Dec 2003)
Senior Rx coverage without government dictates. (Aug 2003)
Largest increase in defense $ in two decades: never too high. (Jan 2002)
Withdrew from ABM Treaty; now $9B for missile defense. (Aug 2003)
New temporary worker program includes illegal aliens. (Jan 2004)
Passed 13 week extension of unemployment benefits. (Aug 2003)
The largest tax relief in history. (Jul 2004)
Called for manned mission to the Moon and Mars. (Jan 2004)
Deny terrorists a base of operation in Iraq. (May 2004)
Created USA Freedom Corps to strengthen culture of service. (Aug 2003)
One of first acts was establishing faith-based initiatives. (Aug 2003)
Top Ten Bills which Kerry co-sponsored that became law:
2003: Fund nanotechnology research & development
2001: Increase SBA loan subsidies for small businesses
2001: Establish Maritime Security grants for ports and vessels
2001: Federalize aviation security
1997: Collect data on birth defects and present to the public
1997: Fund 2,500 Boys and Girls Clubs in underserved areas
1996: Establish an FBI registry of sexual offendors
1996: Educational assistance to survivors of injured federal police
1995: Fund studies of sustainable fisheries
1995: Move the US Embassy to Jerusalem
The first Kerry batch are bills he introduced (his name is on them as the lead sposor, which addresses the Bush contention of "There's no bills with his name on them"). For those who are more into the legislative process, I included 10 more bills which actually became law which have Kerry's name on them.
The Bush list are all his agenda items which were accomplished during his first term (not campaign promises, but policy initiatives or presidential action).
All of the above are detailed with full explanations and source citations at www.OnTheIssues.org/George_W__Bush.htm and www.OnTheIssues.org/John_Kerry.htm
-- Jesse Gordon, Aug. 2004
Responses from readers
Most of the responses to the above (which was sent out as an OnTheIssues newsletter) imply we're biased towards Kerry or towards Bush. As long as we're accused roughly equally on both sides, we feel we're doing our job right. We got more accusations of being pro-Bush on this one, but a good share of pro-Kerry accusations too. All articulate responses appear below.
Our headlines are not editorial judgments -- they express the candidate's issue stance in the candidate's terms. In this case, Bush's accomplishments are as Bush would describe them -- many people wrote in saying "these are not really accomplishments." We acknowledge that non-Bush supporters will consider some of these NEGATIVE accomplishments -- we're listing what Bush promised and implemented, not judging whether they're positive or negative.
-- ed.
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2004 08:31:00 -0500
From: Sarah Fadness, Milwaukee WI
Subject: Re: Have Bush & Kerry accomplished anything?
I feel that I can be somewhat open to the other side, but I have to tell you that
some of these "accomplishments" are bunk.
Tax relief--for whom???
Charter schools? Look at them; teachers without training, principals buying Mercedes, criminals teaching kids...that is no accomplishment.
Patriot act? Taking away even MY civil rights?
Air quality? Check into that, the quality is less.
Faith based initiatives? See the First Amendment.
Defense? Can we be a little reasonable, read the MEMOS first, and then look into how many nuclear weapons we really need?
And finally, NO Child Left Behind is the most disgusting piece of legislation I have ever encountered. As a quality teacher in a quality school, I can tell you nightmare stories about what that junk is doing to public education.
Some people may consider the above accomplishments, and I suppose it all depends on how you look at a given issue, but I consider many of your listed accomplishments to be gigantic steps in the wrong direction for this nation.
Date: 9/17/2004 6:33:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time
To: newsletter@OnTheIssues.org (OnTheIssues News)
It looks like you're providing some excellent material, but your lead commentary is incoherent. I dislike Bush, but your commentary on Kerry's "accomplishments" is obviously an apologetic.
In any common sense meaning, an accomplishment entails the application of some effort to a project that succeeds. Simply "introducing a bill in the Senate" ... which may require some effort ... is not in any sense an "accomplishment", if it never passes.
Nor is it any kind of achievement to sign on as a co-sponsor for a bill that passes. The amount of effort required to be a co-sponsor is very close to zero, so granting Kerry any credit for its passage is not just a stretch, it's a joke.
I could fault the Bush list as well, but your feeble defense of Kerry's record was so obvious that it puts a dent in your overall credibility.
-- Bill Westmiller
From: "Tom Moore"
Subject: Re: Have Bush & Kerry accomplished anything?
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2004 09:24:01 -0600
I'm no Kerry fan but you missed quite a bit on Bush. Gigantic Deficit, dead
soldiers for little purpose, pushed HC fuel projects avoiding push on
renewable and efficiency, Iraq and Afghanistan in shambles, reduce vet
benefits, inadequate supplies to soldiers and pay cuts for dangerous
assignments, blocked drugs from Canada with bull shit excuses , gave
Humers big tax breaks, big tax breaks to the very wealthy, presided over
massive outsourcing. I could go on but...
Subject: Re: Have Bush & Kerry accomplished anything?
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2004 5:08:44 +0000
bull ----! Use correct facts, and its obvious this organiztion is liberal. You are either for Bush or just another predator.
-- Dennis
Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2004 23:14:52 -0400
Subject: Re: Have Bush & Kerry accomplished anything?
From: Michael R. Fitzgerald, Jacksonville, Florida
You forgot a few.
Bush:
1. Lied to the public.
2. Lied again.
3. Lied some more.
4. Lied even more.
5. Lied when it would have been to his advantage to tell the truth.
1. Starting a war on false premises with a cost of 1,000 American lives and $200 billion.
2. Running the biggest deficit in U.S. history. This will, of course, pass on to our children the costs of providing additional wealth to America's richest people. Why are people like George Soros and Warren Buffet -perhaps the world's two most successful investors - publicly critical of the administration's financial policies.
3. Changed US foreign policy from one based on law and Christian values to one of preemptive attacks on anyone it wants to regardless of the facts? Did Jesus Christ say "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" or did he say "do unto others before they do it to you even if their not planning to do it".
4. With the Patriot Act made it possible to lock up all kinds of Americans for all sorts of reasons. Unfortunately, most of the people who have been locked up to date have been proved innocent.
5. Declares we are at war, but doesn't follow the Geneva convention. The reason the Geneva conventions were written was to reduce barbarism and the reprisals that follow.
6. Reduced foreign support for US policy to the lowest level since we entered World War II.
7. Made us hated in many parts of the world.
Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2004 16:33:50 -0700
From: "Blair P. Houghton"
Subject: Re: Have Bush & Kerry accomplished anything?
Accomplishments?
The largest tax relief in history. (Jul 2004)
Relief for whom? Zero job creation, sub-inflation market performance, and declining wages sucked up the value of this "relief" for 90% of Americans.
Deny terrorists a base of operation in Iraq. (May 2004)
THERE WERE NO TERRORISTS OF SIGNIFICANCE IN IRAQ UNTIL BUSH ATTACKED THERE.
Called for manned mission to the Moon and Mars. (Jan 2004)
When we get to the Moon and Mars, that will be an accomplishment. Until then, this is an unfunded mandate piggybacking on existing programs and reducing their efficiency.
Double funding for abstinence to prevent STDs. (Jan 2004)
How do you "fund abstinence?" Pay kids not to have sex? That's like funding thirst.
New temporary worker program includes illegal aliens. (Jan 2004)
Depending on whom you ask, that isn't an accomplishment either.
$23 million more for drug-testing in schools. (Jan 2004)
I didn't realize that drug testing was necessary in schools. How about we spend $23 million making school more interesting and educational so the kids don't think drugs are an alternative?
Passed Patriot Act - calling for extension instead of expiration. (Jan
2004)
Gutted by the Supreme Court.
Bush Doctrine: pre-emptive strikes for US defense. (Dec 2003)
How is this an accomplishment? It's a belligerent saber-rattle that he used to justify an attack on someone who had no means and no intent on attacking us.
Reading First program, $412 million to 20 states for phonics (Aug 2003)
Any chance he spent $49.95 on a set of tapes for himself?
Passed 'No Child Left Behind' to increase accountability. (Aug 2003)
Unfunded mandate. States cut teacher pay and class hours to cover cost of NCLB.
Increased funding to $200M for charter schools. (Aug 2003)
Charter schools have been proven to be less effective at education than mainstream public schools.
Provided $1.2B to develop hydrogen fuel. (Aug 2003)
Can't comment on this one as I hadn't heard a thing about it until now.
Clear Skies Initiative to improve air quality now. (Aug 2003)
Polluters can collect credits from non-polluting companies to continue polluting unabated.
Senior Rx coverage without government dictates. (Aug 2003)
Lied about cost: It will cost $150 BILLION more than he claimed. And "without government dictates" means the drug co's can charge anything they want on top of that.
Withdrew from ABM Treaty; now $9B for missile defense. (Aug 2003)
That's only an accomplishment if you are actively involved in Star Wars development.
Passed 13 week extension of unemployment benefits. (Aug 2003)
The President doesn't "pass" anything. And the second time it came up, he failed to get it through a congress owned by his own party. And how is cleaning up the mess you created through negligence and greed an "accomplishment" anyway?
Created USA Freedom Corps to strengthen culture of service. (Aug 2003)
Nobody has ever known anyone who joined the "USA Freedom Corps".
One of first acts was establishing faith-based initiatives. (Aug 2003)
Is this a list of accomplishments or a list of violations of the
Constitution?
Supports adult stem-cell research with limits on embryonic research.
(Jun 2003)
Doesn't care if people die from curable diseases.
Largest increase in defense $ in two decades: never too high. (Jan 2002)
Are you sure you're non-partisan?
