| The Behrend Beacon
Five
significant
achievements
Iltaraft*
iaxcut packages
m 2UOI and 2005
reduced the tax
buidcn an virtually
every American
tcxinumiste pneml
ly agree that the lax
c«s aba helped
>4i mutate a faltering
economy. Critics
contend that any
benefit was more
than offset by the
tong-term cent at
enwvtn* budget
ddicitaandirexput
raintkctn^itm
Pmeriptton
ia Huy
On Dec. H, Utah
signed legislation
tint odded prererip-
Uon-drag coverage
to Medicare. Be
ginning tn 2MJh,
seimics wilt he able
magnipfoiaKcr
agc. atcoslofUbuui
lillannlli,ttatii
expected to cU the
average prcsenp
bon-dmg hill m half
t he new benefitis
expected to curt the
icdcrul Buvcmnxnt
at lead $544 btUkn
am the next ID
yearn
0 War an
In response to the
Sept i | attacks,
Bush launched a
war on tenunsm
that drah a signifi
cant blow tu the
nl~Qaida temmst
network and toppled
the iahhun regime
in AfehanutHi.
Working with
C ongresK, the
ndmi lustration also
created the Home
land Seewity
I tepartment in the
largest reorganiza
tion of government
since World War 0.
4 War In Iraq.
The war was
contmvcrsual, as
many people around
the wedd believed
that LIN. inspec
tions were urilicrcnt
to contain the thrert.
hut w ith war Budi
Mjemeedad in remov
ing and litimatch
capturing Iraqi
leader Saddbm
llunctn. Bush
(idenddieunH)
on Match 19,2003.
Just three weeks
bier, U.S. boapa
stormed into
Baghdad As it
turned out. the war
wus the easy part.
More traopn have
died since Hush
declared motor cany
bat over an May 1,
3XB than in the war
ilsdf. No wanna
of mans cfeabuctinn
have been found
Hush vdws to devd
op stable democracy
in Iraq.
5 No Child UM
MiMl
Ihc education tow
thui Bush mode a
tap legislative poor
ity requires annual
ninth and trading
tests tor elementary
school student* and
seeks to hold holing
schools accountable.
I ’meals w ith children
in paar-pcifanning
schools hove the
option of transfer
ring to another
school. Critics say
the federal govern
ment has failed to
fntkiw through with
funding to carry uU
me new taw.
Hutcheson
Bush on the
President George W. Bush will battle Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts on the
campaign trail, where they will face off on issues from Iraq to the economy.
Here, we look at where Bush stands on the major issues facing the nation.
ABORTION
Bush opposes abortion, but says the country
is net ready In outlaw the procedure He says
his final ia to promote “a culture of btc“ that
would help change public opinion. Meantime,
he supports new restrictions an abortion,
including the recently enacted bon on the proce
dure often called "partial-birth abortion." He
said during the 2000 campaign that he would
not make abortion a litmus-trot issue for any
Supreme Court nominee.
"Durian the past three sears uc'ic
made real (uogress touard building a cul
ture of life inAmerka. ... Working mill the
Congress, n e have refused to sfiend tax-
payers'money m international programs
that promote abortion m erseas. Hi 're
opposed to the desirmtitm of embryos for
stem-cell research. And last Nos ember, it
mis my honor to sign into last a ban on the
hrultd procedure of partial-birth abortion."
(Telephone catl to "March for Life" in
Washington. D.C. Jan. 22. 2(MM>
DEATH PENALTY
Bush favors the death penalty and autho
rized mare than 150 executions w hen he was
governor of Texas He believes that it deters
future crimes. He supported expanding tlx;
federal death penalty' to include terrorism
related crimes.
"l suftport the death penalty because I
believe, if administered swiftly ami justk.
capital punishment is a deterrent against
future violettee and still save other inno
cent Uses. ... The threat of being put to
death might deter someone from taking
another life." (From "A Charge to Keep,"
Bush's IkWJautttbiogntphyf
DEFICIT
Bush inherited a $217 hiltion ietfcral budget
surplus that has turned into a record $52! bif-
Bon deficit, thanks to an economic recession,
the aftershocks brum Sept. 11, the war with
Iraq, the stock market tumble, increased gov
ernment spewing and tax cuts. He promises to
cut the deficit in half within five years with a
plan that relies heavily on his belief that the
improving economy will bring a big increase in
tax revenues He also wants to impose spending
limits on Congress Bush and his advisers
downplay risk from the deficit by arguing that it
w not so large as a proportion ot the economy.
"The reason we art where >•< are. in
terms of the defk'it. is because tec went
through a rec ession, nv; were attacked, and
we'w fighting a war. And these are high
hunllesfor a budget and for a rountrv to
cnenome. and yet tce’se overcome diem. ...
And as the eeorutmy gets belter, it enables
us to send up a budget to the Congress that
does cut the deficit in half.” (The White
House hie 2. 20041
EDUCATION
Bush’s No Child l eft Behind law seeks to
improve cducutsm by imposing new slandirds
oo schouls and holding them accountable for
failure 'llk low requires annual testing ut modi
and leading fur grades three through eight, and
at least once during high school, hirentscan
transfer then children out of schools w ith coo
sistantly km scares. Critics sny that the federal
pwcmmcnl has tailed to provide adequate fund
mg to help slates meet the law ’s goals, flush
say s that todcral spending ha educatr n has
increased by nearly hO pereert hetwoen 3XIO
and 3XIV He has also increased iederal funding
far charter sc hoots, pdhlic mstitiSsms that oper
ate independently Iran ptihltc school systems
"If the idea is to make sure not one
child is left behind, vr*i belter test. ... He Vr
giu ta Mop this business about just \huf
ftinft kids through the schools in .Ameiini.
Hi> vt got to stuff social (Nonunion and
fot us on whether or mu each child is get
ting the insrrut tirm he or she needs." f.V.
Louts Jan. 5. 2004)
ENVIRONMENT
Bush favors market-based approaches to
environmental protection and has sought to ease
government regulation id business lie aban
doned the KyvXo treaty on global warming
because of concerns that it would damage the
l IS. economy. hut has pledged to find other
ways to reduce emissions that contribute to the
problem. His C Hear Slues initiative gives power
pbiu operators more flexibility in meeting
cmisMons targets Hint are supposed to redixe
cmisjaons of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and
mercury by 70 ncrecnl. lie favors opening 1.5
million acres of the 19 million-acre Arctic
National Wildlife ftefuge to cul and gas explo
ration. He has pledged hi spend $l2 billion on
a hvdragcn-fuci initiative that seeks to make
hvxirogctvpowered cars widely available and
affordable by 3)31.
IHHHMni
mber
'One way lo make sure that the job
supply is steads and growing in the Icmg
lerm is to hare o realistic energy (sober.
c oupled with realistic eminmmental prdk v
... People in this country must umiersumd
dun lee- i an bin e a pro-gmu th agenda, a
pro-job agenda and a pm-envirottmem
agemhi at the sonic time " i 'Thc W hite
House. Se/u lb. 200.1)
GAY MARRIAGE
Hush initially resisted the idea of a constitu
tional amendment hanning gay marriages. bid
changed his position in l-chmary. 1 Ic said a
court ruling in Massachusetts raid gay mar
riages by kx'ul officials in (ahlornia and New
Mexico lef t turn no choice W hite I Inuse aides
say Bush favors an amendment that would bun
gay marriages but let states decide whether to
allow cn if lotions or other arrangements that
stop short of traditional marriage.
"Marriage cannot he severed fmm its
culturul, religious and natural nuns without
weakening the goad influence ttfst* iety.
Cuvtrmiu m. by recognizing and prone ting
marriage, serves the interests of oil ... The
ameminuni should fttlh protect marriage,
white leaving the shite legislamn's free to
make their own choices in defining legal
urnmgements other than marriage." (The
While House. Teh. 24, 2004)
HEALTH CARE
Hush advocates new tax credits of up lo
$1 .UH) lev uxhvidttuls and St,(XK) lor latuilics
to help uninsured Americans pay for health
insurance lie would also let small businesses
hand together to negotiate group rates from
health-insurance companies. Another proposal
seeks to Ixikl dow n medical costs by limiting
damage aw ards in lawsuits against doctors raid
other health-care providers. l ie would cap rnw
ccononuc damages for issues such as "pain and
sutlcnng at S2SH,IXXI and put what he calls
“reasonable" limits on punitive damages.
< hit goal is to ensure that .kmericuns
i an i hoose amt afford private hetthh-care
i merage that less fits their uutrvidmil metis.
... A govenmtem-rttn health t ate system is the
w rong pres* rijMion. Hyketpmg nests under
< otmvl. cxfkmding access, anti helping more
Amcrimns ttffoni irnvmge. ire will preserve
the system of private medicine, that makes
America's health can■ the best in the world.
iStait if the l/nion sjteeth. Jan. 20. 2004)
IMMIGRATION
Hush has urged < empress to create a new tem
porary-worker program that would let nncsfißKit
cd ft nullum foreigners who ate in (he country
illegally gum legal slants fix' program. open to
immigrants I mm any country. would let tempo
rary workers stay fix u|)to three years, with the
IHRMHIMR
BUSH ON THE ISSUES
KNIGHT RIDDER/TRIBUNE
possibility «t extensions. Linployers would hove
to certify fist no Americans were available for
jobs filled by temjxirary workers.
"lists next temporary-worker program
will suengdien both the American and
Mexican economies. The United Slates will
benefit fhmt the• labor of hard-working immi
grants. Mexico will benefit as productive citi
zens are aide at return home with mimes to
invest and spend in their nation 's economy"
/Crawford. 7Late March 6. 2004).
IRAQ
thish contend thot the war m Iraq was ncccs
sary because Saddim 1 tusscuis regime was "a
grave and gathering danger' to the Untied States,
even il l s liuufw <ki net find weapons of mass
destruction. He has vowed to stay in Iraq as king
as it establish a static democracy. He
lakes issue with entics who say that he failed lo
w in international support lev the war, noting that
mote if*in 41) notions have agreed to help the l .S.
effort in sume way. The White I louse bst ut" attics
in Iraq includes Ixilrca, Xfkroncsra, Angola and
several other countries write assistance Is hnKUxL
"l had it i filin' to make• either to
take the word of u meatman, or hike aitiim
to defend our eoumty. Fated with that
( futii e. I teill defend America every time."
(Dallas. March S, 21104)
ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT
Hush has gone further than any other US.
president in calling for erratum of an mdependent
I’alcstmian dote, hut he has also maintained ckwc
tics with Israeli Prime Minister Arid Shansi.
After initially masting calls for l S involvement
in the riradi-l’alcstinian dispute, Hush jumped
into the fray in 2(XB by endonang a "roadmap lor
peace." Ihc plan inquiries Israelis and lAilcstuiums
to take a senes ol steps to tsisc tensssw, bU it has
been largely ignored. 'lhc Hush udmiinstiution
has protested the cunslraction by Israelis of a
fence around lhlestiruan areas tat has avoided a
direct conf nmlatton cm the issue.
”America is conumncd. and I am per
sanally eontmiued. to implementing our
matt map Uncani peace, (her efforts are
guided try clear princiftles: W4> believe that
all people in the Middle Fast Arab and
Israeli alike - deserve to the in dignity,
under free and honest governments." (The
White House. March 14. 2003)
JOBS
the economy has suffered a net loss of about
1 nullum jobs since Hush look oDfkc.
Administration officials express confidence that
modest recent job gams ~ about 1.7 million
over die past year w ilt increase as the econo
my improves. Uvcnsu. the White House hacked
away from its prediction that the economy would
issues
Friday, October 29,2004
gain 26 million jobs das year Budi contends
Sat job growth is a direct rcsidt of his tan cuts.
llc has released a six-point plan to encourage
asmcnt, implementing a nroduccr-Mcndty ener
gy policy, expanding lade, rcstncting lawsuits
ngahwt buamess and ckvclcrs, reducing govern
ment rrgulatKin and cutting health aMi
"We’llkeep this garemmenr tm the side
of growth and job creatiott, so American
businesses can compete ami prosper. Well
(th us tm job training anti education, so
Americans can improve their skills and
impnne their lives. Well get the policies
right, and the American people will da the
rest." (Cleveland. Match 111, 2004)
SOCIAL SECURITY
Overhauling Social Security is near the top
of Bush's second-term agendo. Ilk plan would
let younger workeis unrest a small part of their
Social Security tames in the stock market or
other private investments. Older wxbn would
he allowed to stay in the current system. Under
the currraH system, younger workers pny for
benefits to aider retirees l ndcr Bash's phm,
workers would set aside money for their own
retirement Bush has nut ssid how he wadd
deal with huge transition casts to make sure
retirees get their benefits while younger work
ers sock away cash for their own retirements.
"Today, young workers who pay into
Socitd Security might as well he saving
their money in their mattresses. ... Personal
savings (mounts will transfixin Social
Security ,fmm a government IOV into per
sonal property and real assets: property
that workers will men in their own names
and that they can pass along to their chil
dren." (The White House. May 2, 2001)
Bush contends that the tax cuts he purihed
through Congress putted the economy out of
recession and started a new giowth cycle Now
he wants Congress to permanently extend the
tax cuts before they expire in 2011. According
to White House budget officials, the lost rev
enue from Bush's lax cuts accounts for about
one-fourth of die record $521 billion deficit, but
Bush contend, that the loss will be more than
offset by increased revenue as the ocooomy
strengthens- Ik also has more tax cuts in mind
for his second term, including expanded lax
breaks for certain savings accounts.
'With the largest tax relief since Ranald
Reagan was president. Vc leji more
money in the hands that earned it. By
spending and investing and helping create
neve jobs, the American peoftle have used
their money jar better than the government
would tune " (Los Angeles. Manh J, 2004)
TRADE
Bush is an outspoken advocate of free bade
who has pushed for trade agreements with coun
tries around the world His second-tesrm goals
include a proposal to link the entire Western
Hemisphere in a pad similar In the North
American free Trade Agreement. But Bush has
sometimes deviated from his free-trade princi
ples In a move that critics considered blatantly
political, he imposed lands on foreign steel in
3X12 to protect the I S steel industry. He lifted
them late last year lo avoid a trade war with
liurape and sanctions from the Worldlrade
Organization, which ruled the tariffs illegal
" Instead of building barriers to mute,
ivc must break down those barriers so that
gttod products, American produets, are wel
comed and sold an every continent.... One
in five factory jobs in thh ettumry directly
depends on trade. The surest may to threat
en those jobs is a polity of etnnomU isokt
tion.” (Cleveland. Manh iO, 2004)
VETERANS
Hush says that his administration has cut the
average lime for processing veterans’ disability
claims tw JO pcrecnL He hopes to eliminate the
waiting list for veterans' health-care services by
this summer. Although Bush says health-care
funding for veterans has also increased by JO
percent since he took office, the funding has not
satisfied veterans groups. Hath the Veterans af
foreign Wats and the American Ixgtan called
Bush's proposed 2005 health-care budget of
$29.5 billion inadequate.
"Many veterans have observed dial the
government seemed to work a lot more ejfi
ciemly when it warned iomcitung from
them. When the Draft Board gin your file,
it worked efficiently. But now . when you
need health eure.fiirms get lost and
answers come late. That is no way to treat
Anterica's veterans, and that is going to
change ” (Milwaukee. Aug. 20, 2001)
•- Ron Hutcheson, Knight Bidder
Washington correspondent