March 15, 2004

the truth is of the moment the believer is to blame

* Washington Post editorial on Bush's lack of truth so far in his campaign ads. excerpt:

"But voters are entitled to a minimum level of honesty in the argument. On that score, Mr. Bush's initial attacks fall short. For example, the respective views of the two candidates on the proper use of intelligence in the war on terrorism are a legitimate -- indeed a critical -- issue in the first election of a president after Sept. 11, 2001. Yet Mr. Bush's attack on a Kerry proposal nine years ago to cut the intelligence budget does more to distort than to illuminate. When Mr. Kerry proposed a $1.5 billion cut over five years in the intelligence budget, the United States was reaping the "peace dividend" from the Cold War, and the center of congressional debate was not whether cuts could be made but how much could be cut from Pentagon and CIA spending. Mr. Kerry's proposed 1 percent cut was not a 'gutting,' as Mr. Bush alleged."

* Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Bush's Crimes Against Nature.

"George W. Bush will go down in history as America's worst environmental president. In a ferocious three-year attack, the Bush administration has initiated more than 200 major rollbacks of America's environmental laws, weakening the protection of our country's air, water, public lands and wildlife. Cloaked in meticulously crafted language designed to deceive the public, the administration intends to eliminate the nation's most important environmental laws by the end of the year.

"Under the guidance of Republican pollster Frank Luntz, the Bush White House has actively hidden its anti-environmental program behind deceptive rhetoric, telegenic spokespeople, secrecy and the intimidation of scientists and bureaucrats. The Bush attack was not entirely unexpected. George W. Bush had the grimmest environmental record of any governor during his tenure in Texas. Texas became number one in air and water pollution and in the release of toxic chemicals. In his six years in Austin, he championed a short-term pollution-based prosperity, which enriched his political contributors and corporate cronies by lowering the quality of life for everyone else. Now President Bush is set to do the same to America. After three years, his policies are already bearing fruit, diminishing standards of living for millions of Americans. "

* Kerry proposes to debate Bush monthly until the election, on the "the great issues before us."
Of course, Bush's people dismissed the idea, stating "Senator Kerry should finish the debate with himself before he starts trying to explain his position to voters."

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