The White House website added a page yesterday, "Fact Sheet: President Bush's Accomplishments in 2005."
Can this be the best the leader of the free world can accomplish?
The lengthy list — a mix of empty conservative spin and a padded resume — includes a host of things. Accomplishments? Those are few and far between.
Maybe President Bush is still confused about the meaning of "Mission Accomplished" — the key is that the event has to be accomplished, not planned or proposed or possibly working out if everything goes as planned or proposed.
And as you would expect, the "fact sheet" doesn't list anything remotely negative. Forget illegal wiretapping or questions about propaganda, both here and in Iraq. Reading this "fact sheet," you wouldn't think there was any obstacles left to overcome. If a Democrat created this kind of "fact sheet" imagine how quickly, and viciously, the conservative noise machine would react.
Some examples of Bush's "accomplishments."
-- The President Will Work With Congress To Complete Reauthorization Of The Patriot Act. So, not an accomplishment.
-- Congress Took Action To Reduce Government Spending. This should go on Congress' accomplishments. Although, we all know that the entitlements cut ($39.7 billion) didn't offset the amount of Bush's latest tax cut for the wealthy ($100 billion). I wonder if Bush's rich friends, while making a deposit in a Swiss bank account before flying away for Christmas in the Outback, will think of the poor kid in Topeka eats a ketchup sandwich because his mom can't enforce child support payments from dad.
-- The United States Is Pursuing A Comprehensive Strategy For Victory In Iraq. Is the "accomplishment" that we now have a strategy for victory? After 2,000-plus troops have died? Bush got in trouble once for claiming the Iraq mission was "accomplished" ... maybe this should be nixed from the current list?
-- America Is Fighting Terrorism And Safeguarding The Homeland. The 9/11 Commission gave the White House and Republican-led Congress more failing than passing grades with regard to safeguarding the homeland. Hard to believe that the Bush team is calling this an "accomplishment." And last time I checked, Al Qaeda — as well as its splinter groups, friends and wannabes — are not slowing down. In Iraq, there were more terrorist attacks against the U.S.-led troops in November than in January. Osama Bin Laden is still at large. Other than providing empty conservative spin, what exactly did the Bush team do this year?
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
So an accomplishment list is nothing but positive stuff, eh?
Shock.
If it were my list, I'd fill it with bad spin.
--Suspended two weeks at the campus newspaper
--Achieved a 2.0 his last semester in college, including a D in Computer Graphics
--Couldn't find a job for two months
--In one job interview, forgot to bring design portfolio and his cell phone went off
--Got the following review from a customer: "He was as lost as a goose, he is not fit for this job"
--Pulled over by a highway patrolman for the first time ever
--Finished third to last (76th) in the NFL picks company pool
--Never cleaned his room
--Had mildew behind his toilet
--Payed the gas bill late
--Team went 0-2 in season opening curling tournament, including oversleeping for the third game
--Stays up till 4:30 in the morning writing nonsensical comments on Blogcritics
And let me state on the record that ketchup sandwiches are much tastier than bit-o-string stroganoff.
2 - Back On Welfare
Bush forgot to mention
His big bike ride with Lance
1 more year of sobriety
Read "my pet goat" ~ all by himself this time
His enormously successful campaign to privatize social security
3 - neocondi
Very strong economy, even after 2 major hurricanes. Afghanistan, citizens now show 70% satisfaction. Iraq tyranny replaced with budding democracy. No terrorism in USA in four years.! What a terrible job!
But that is all superceded by mold on his refridgerator in college.
Or maybe you guys just have a bad case of Bush Derangement Syndrome?
4 - chris
I love the "No terrorism in USA in four years.! "
crap! Just cuz there was not any terrorism in the US for almost 8 years following the FIrst World Trade Center bombing, does that mean the Clinton admin was doing an excellent job of fighting terrorism? WRONG