It would be difficult for a president to express more disregard for the environment than George W. Bush. Bush refused to act on global warming, declaring the Kyoto treaty dead. He refused to continue the Superfund program, sticking Americans with a multi-billion-dollar tab for cleaning up corporate toxic waste. He refused to enforce the Clean Air Act and shelved years worth… return to article
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Reader Comments (16)Page 1 of 1 pagesI enjoy reading these well thought out artilces. I am a reformed Bush supporter who starting to see through the fog as to where we are headed. It can be hard to see past the Orwellian terms they use to hide intentions. If only people would get out of their televison induced stupors, then we can progress as a country. The end may be closer than we think.
Posted by Big Bear on Oct 29, 2004 at 6:59 PM Everyone needs to see the “Ownership Society” idea for what it really is: government withdrawing from its necessary role as arbiter and regulator, leaving individuals to fend for themselves against monolithic corporate interests. Its proponents are those who are already priviliged and least in need of government assistance. Its victims are the middle class, working class and poor.
Posted by Pete Anderson on Oct 29, 2004 at 7:25 PM I do think the idea of an ownership society is legitimate on paper. Just as communism seems to be a feesable alternative, but they are the extremes of both sides. If we could just find a place in the middle for us all to enjoy the same experience without sacrificing the good of the whole. Capitalism and ownership bring about competition and progress of a society. Collectivism leaves no one behind as we all look out for each other. Being naive about the world at large leaves me up in the air as to how this balance can be achieved. This is where the ownership society may help, but it does not have to do with property rights and monetary privelidge. It think this is where an individual has to take ownership for how they treat people. Knowing that what goes around comes around. In this dog eat dog world, the elite did not get there without stepping on some toes. Maybe it is time those that keep these people in power, take the power back.
Posted by Big Bear on Oct 29, 2004 at 7:36 PM I think arguing values is exactly wrong. Bush and Company are not acting from values, the “ownership society” is a meaningless slogan that is meant to hide the fact that they actually want to use the government to redistribute income and wealth upwards.
To take a couple of examples, if these folks really believed in the free market, when it comes to Social Security they would say everyone is on their own. If you don’t save during your working years, too bad for you. That is absolutely NOT what they are saying. They are proposing government mandated savings accoutns. These accounts coincidentally will mean a fortune in commissions and fees for their contributors in the financial industry.
For a second example take Medicare. Bush actually proposed a large expansion of Medicare with his prescription drug benefit. Of course, much of the money happens to go to his friends in the pharmaceutical industry. (Free-marketers would be opposed to drug patents—the creation of governments, not nature.) He also proposed expanding individual choice in Medicare by guess what—increasing subsidies to the insurance industry so that it can better compete with the traditional Medicare program.
The “ownership society’ is in fact empty rhetoric. There is aboslutely no reason for prgressives ever to accept this rhetoric as an accurate description of the Republican agenda—it isn’t. We should focus on what they do—use the government to give money to their rich friends, not what they say.
Dean baker
Posted by Dean Baker on Oct 29, 2004 at 8:18 PM DU - Depleted Uranium
They are destoying the world we live in.
The Trojan Horse of Nuclear Warhttp://www.mindfully.org/Nucs/2004/DU-Trojan-Horse1jul04.htm
Depleted Uranium Situation Requires Action By President Bush and Prime Minister Blair
http://traprockpeace.org/doug_rokke_12july04.html
DU & Health Facts and Helpful Information PFD.
http://traprockpeace.org/du_health.pdf
What the U.S. Govt Know about DU? PFD.
http://traprockpeace.org/moret_25nov03.pdf
The Illegality of DU Weaponry PFD.
http://traprockpeace.org/karen_parker_du_illegality.pdf
World Uranium Weapons Conference
Oct 16-19 - University of Hamburg, Germany
http://traprockpeace.org/depleted_uranium_hamburg03.html#law
3 Questions from Doug Rokke, Ph.D. to the Department of Defense
concerning its use of radioactive weapons
“No available technology can significantly change the inherent chemical and
radiological toxicity of DU. These are intrinsic properties of uranium.”
http://traprockpeace.org/rokke_du_3_ques.html
Depleted Uranium (so-called) and Casualties of the Gulf Wars
http://traprockpeace.org/depleted_uranium.html
“Depleted Uranium Casualties: Care Denied”
http://traprockpeace.org/rokke_du_care_denied.html
Traprock Peace Center www.traprockpeace.org
Posted by Joni Job on Oct 30, 2004 at 5:02 PM I am shocked and somewhat appalled at the lack of concern from the American public on the environmental issues that face us in this upcoming election as a result of the present administration’s policies.
I am a Christian and a moderate thinking republican, one that will definitely not vote for Bush for re-election this year. While I do support the president in prayer and in some of his social policies, I am not satisfied with his, nor many of his advisor’s policies and overall performance. (Isn’t that how redponsible voters are supposed to think??)
At the forefront of my concerns, is the degradation of the environment. What good is the additional national security, if we poison our soil, air, and water supply? What responsible leader could possibly not understand the crucial importance of preserving our environment, the only source for providing the staples sustain our lives?
I could probably write a book on this, but as a favor to your readers, I’ll just end with this.
“The nations were angry; and Your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding Your servants the prophets and Your saints and those who reverence Your name, both small and great—and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” [Revelation 11:18, NIV]
What else need I say??
Posted by Terry Stagman on Oct 30, 2004 at 6:10 PM November 2, 2004 was a great day for America!
George Bush received more votes than any President in our nation’s history.
George Bush received a majority of the votes cast - while Bill Clinton always received less than 50%.
Republicans have expanded their hold on both the Senate and the House.
Tom Daschle has been given his pink slip.
With the Executive and Legislative branches nailed down, our next acquisition will be the Supreme Court.
We have collectively told the looney left to go away and let the grown-ups run the country. Or, in the immortal words of Theresa Heinz Kerry, we told you all to “Shove it!”.
I know that you people thought it was really cool when that looney bitch sneaked into the Republican convention with her useless protest against Dick Cheney. In fact, she was profiled in a positive light on this very site. But I told you then to laugh it up while you could, because the time was coming when you would all have your sorry asses handed to you. I was right, you were wrong. Deal with it!
So, goodbye George Soros, MoveoOn.org, Michael Moore, Tom Daschle, Jimmy Carter, Dan Rather, Al Gore, Bruce Springsteen, Ben Afleck, Barbara Streisand, Garrison Keilor, France, Germany, other assorted socialists Euro-trash, and all of the other nutjobs who now hang their heads in shock, depression, and disgust. But most especially, goodbye to the two Johns and their clueless wives. You gave it your best shot, and you lost - big time. The power you thought was your birthright has eluded you yet again, and your misery is music to my ears.
Buh-bye to all of you, and good riddance.
The Patriot
Posted by Patriot on Nov 3, 2004 at 9:19 PM Patriot,
The name you choose says a lot about you - anyone who disagrees is, by logic, unpatriotic!!
Well - I do hope that you are not of drafting age, or that you have a son or daughter in the armed forces.
I do hope that you do not work for one of the huge multinationals who a non-union and barely pay minimum wage.
I do hope you are not black.
Or that anyone in your family is at risk of aids.
I do hope that you have adequate medical insurance.
I do hope you or any member of your family is a young pregnant woman who may need an abortion.
I do hope that you don’t want more than a cursory education for your children, and that you want them to be taught the Creationist view of the Origins of Humankind.
Oh hell - I just hope you get your just reward - and that it is as painful for you as it is for the families of those who died in Sept 11, or in Afghanistan, or in Iraq.
You are incredibly ignorant - and worst still, you wallow in your ignorance.
Posted by AJ on Nov 4, 2004 at 3:14 AM AJ,
I do hope you don’t expect to ever be taken seriously in this life.
Patriot
Posted by Patriot on Nov 4, 2004 at 4:09 AM Patriot,
It has come down to it. Obviously that days of comprehending and respecting one another’s standpoints are over. if my misery is music to your ears, then hoepfully they dont get shot off in the next civil war. see you on the battlefield bitch
Posted by expatriate on Nov 4, 2004 at 9:03 PM expatriate warned: “see you on the battlefield bitch”
——-
Said the fly to the spider.
Patriot
Posted by Patriot on Nov 4, 2004 at 10:04 PM I love what the patriot has to say. He has focused on the one election. He forgets, however, that Berlusconi of Italy and Blair for Britain are up for elections soon. My oh my. What will happen when those killer ‘B’s get ousted? Thank jesus that Poland is still with us. And of course, all those fictional friends that the patriot will conjure up to help the U.S. fight wars. I can’t wait until we become dictators to the world. How about you patriot?
Posted by hoan on Nov 5, 2004 at 2:39 AM Patriot,
Well, that was a considered posting. Hm, must have taken you a long time to come up with that.
You think it over - for the next 4 years.
The come back and tell us all what a super life you are having.
Especially when we go to war with Iran, and the economy has collapsed, and there is greater unemployment, and poorer schooling, and prescription drugs are more expensive, etc.
Good luck to you.
Posted by AJ on Nov 5, 2004 at 11:05 AM Patriot,
Yet again I see you posting your Fox news education on these message boards. Forever trying to pretend your intelligence is greater than the fourth grade mentalitty it seems you cannot break away from. Name calling and one sentence quips that come off of some pre-printed neocon pamphlet, sad…so sad. What’s more pathetic is that you seem to still be unhappy. Is this because you’re not so stupid and you see that your “side” is done with you? I also enjoy the fact that you run so quickly from these messages when people with real intelligence and real patriotism stand up to you. You can’t take it can you? That’s when you get angry, when you realize that even on the winning side, you’re still an idiot.
Posted by yours truly on Nov 7, 2004 at 2:43 PM Patriot,
Since others might question the fact that I call you an idiot (though you prove it time and time again on your own)I have some proof that you cannot think well enough in each post for new thoughts to come forth (other than the short quips from your pamphlet). I do have to give you credit for being smart enough to copy and paste. It seems your long post above is your same post from the day before in the comment area after “The Choice is Yours” article by Joel Bleifuss. Nov 3, 2004 @ 3:27pm. Enjoy your ignorance patriot, it will be the only bliss you experience.
Yours truly
Posted by yours truly on Nov 7, 2004 at 3:10 PM Ownwership society, my ass. Has no one ever heard the old saying: That which you own becomes your master?
Ownership is a trap. It is not the American dream, it is the American nightmare!
Posted by Dot Dedman on Nov 7, 2004 at 10:19 PM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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