العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolCRITICISM OF GEORGE W. BUSH
'George W. Bush', the 43rd President of the United States, has drawn significant domestic and international criticism since his election in 2000. His level of popular support has declined from 90 percent (the highest ever recorded by The Gallup Organization) immediately after the September 11, 2001 attacks to 26 percent (in a Newsweek poll taken in June 2007[1]), the lowest level for any sitting President in 35 years, rivaling Richard Nixon's unpopularity at the time of the Watergate scandal and his subsequent resignation. A NBC/WSJ poll[2] also taken in June 2007 indicated only 19% of respondents believing that the country is headed in the right direction, the lowest level recorded in 15 years.
His opponents have criticized his role in the controversial 2000 election, his way of fighting the War on Terrorism, his support for the USA PATRIOT Act and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, among many other acts and issues along the way, and there is currently a movement to impeach him. Former President Jimmy Carter has called Bush's presidency "the worst in history"[3], although he later said that comment was "careless or misinterpreted," and that he "wasn't comparing this administration with other administrations back through history, but just with President Nixon's."[4]
In a White House briefing on August 6, 2001, President Bush was informed of the terrorist threat posed by Al Qaeda in a memorandum entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.". Critics allege that these warnings were ignored.[5]
At a press conference held on July, 2007, Bush denied a Unites States National Counterterrorism Center report that stated that Al-Qaeda has "regrouped to an extent not seen since 2001." [6]. Bush said that was "simply not the case." [7]
He has also received criticism for publically using phrases like "bring it on" and "wanted dead or alive", both regarding terrorists. He apologized for these incidents in 2006. [8]
''Main article: Opposition to the Iraq War''
President Bush has taken a significant amount of criticism for his decision to invade Iraq in March 2003 and his handling of the situation afterwards. As President Bush organized the effort, made the case, and ordered the invasion himself, he has borne the brunt of the criticism for the war.[9] A Newsweek poll taken in June 2007 showed a record 73% of respondents disapproving of Bush's handling of the war in Iraq[1].
Critics of the invasion claimed that it would lead to the deaths of thousands of Coalition soldiers and Iraqi soldiers and civilians, and that it would moreover damage peace and stability throughout the Middle East. When this later turned out to be the case, public support for Bush and his policies dropped sharply.
Another oft-stated reason for opposition is the Westphalian concept that foreign governments should never possess a right to intervene in another sovereign nation's internal affairs. Giorgio Agamben, the Italian philosopher, has also offered a critique of the logic of such pre-emptive war.
Anti-war sentiment has led to a number of large protests in the US, among the most visible being the one led by Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, and some reflection in electoral politics. A significant minority of mostly Democratic politicians, such as former Vice President Al Gore, opposed the invasion of Iraq. John Kerry, the Democratic nominee for President in 2004, voted to authorize the invasion, and said during his campaign that he stood by his vote. Howard Dean, a rival for the nomination, ran on an anti-war position, but did not favor quick troop withdrawal. Dennis Kucinich, another candidate for the Democratic nomination, favored replacement of the U.S. occupation force with one sponsored by the UN, as did Ralph Nader's independent presidential candidacy.
Main articles: Guantánamo Bay detainment camp, Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse
Another point of discussion has been whether the detainment and treatment of prisoners in the Abu Ghraib prison and the Guantánamo Bay detainment camp constitutes torture or not. Although a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll "found that sizable majorities of Americans disagree with tactics ranging from leaving prisoners naked and chained in uncomfortable positions for hours, to trying to make a prisoner think he was being drowned."[11]
President Bush has stated that "We do not torture."[12] Yet, many people and governments[13][14][15] don't see it that way and have staged several protests.[16][17][18][19] These sentiments are partly a result of the Pentagon's suggestion that the president can legally torture anyone he deems to be a threat to security,[20] and because the Bush administration has repeatedly tried to stop attempts at limiting torture,[21] including legislation by President Bush to exclude himself from the laws created by the McCain Detainee Amendment. Furthermore many people[22][23][24] are concerned by the Bush Administration's use of Extraordinary rendition, where individuals are sent to other countries where torture can easily occur without any form of oversight. Bush defends this practice on the basis that:[25][26]
A pentagon memo lists many interrogation techniques which were requested and approved during the presidency of George W. Bush on the basis that "The current guidelines for interrogation procedures at GTMO limit the ability of interrogators to counter advanced resistance".[27]. The Bush administrations connections to torture has been one of the main considerations in the movement to impeach George W. Bush.
However, these arguments often suppose that the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse was in some way condoned or ordered by President Bush, when in fact [28] it was in violation of military and administration policies. However, tourture has in several cases become military policy[29] and several high ranking US officials are being charged with war crimes in Germany[30].
The Bush administration has been criticised for failing to support the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Bush administration "has taken the position that disability is neither a human rights issue nor a predicate for international law."[31]
Domestic criticism of Bush has waxed and waned throughout his administration. Before 9/11, Bush was reviled by the bulk of the American left, mostly for his role in the controversial 2000 election, and for perceived shortcomings in his No Child Left Behind program for education.[32] The next major domestic item which Bush faced significant opposition to was his program of tax cuts, codified in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. Both acts ultimately passed, but calls for their repeal lasted until the end of the 2004 campaign. Democratic candidate Howard Dean in particular called for a repeal of the part of the tax cuts which affected the wealthiest Americans in order to fund public health care programs and reduce the federal deficit.[33]
After Bush was re-elected, he made Social Security reform a top priority. He proposed options to permit Americans to divert a portion of their Social Security tax (FICA) into secured investments, creating a "nest egg" that he claimed would enjoy steady growth. This led Democrats to label the program a "privatization" of Social Security. Bush embarked on a 60-day tour to shore up public support for the plan, attacking the political reaction against reforms. Ultimately, however, no consensus on a plan could be reached within the congressional Republican party, and Bush was left without any political will to pass his reforms. The issue was dropped, and the status quo maintained.[34]
Bush has been increasingly forced to defend his actions on many fronts and has been unable to generate widespread support in the nation as a whole.[35] An example of the general displeasure and extent to which many Americans have lost respect and confidence in the President lies in his recent election as the "Biggest Tool of 2006" in an online poll created by Comedy Central.[36]
The Republican Party's defeat in the 2006 US midterm elections is taken as another sign of plummeting public support for President Bush. After the Democratic Party's victory, MSNBC reported that "The war in Iraq, scandals in Congress and declining support for Bush and Republicans on Capitol Hill defined the battle for House and Senate control".[37]
After 9/11, Bush continually signed legislation interpreted as limiting the civil liberties of United States citizens. The two most prominent pieces of legislation are the PATRIOT Act and the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which remove certain privacy rights and the right of habeas corpus. Criticism has come from both sides on this issue. Conservatives have criticized him for increased government spending, including non-defense spending, after running as a candidate who pledged to reduce spending and make government smaller. Liberals have criticized him for eliminating basic civil liberties and for not fulfilling his Constitutional duties to uphold habeas corpus.
Main articles: Criticism of government response to Hurricane Katrina
The President came under more criticism when the powerful category 5 Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast region during the early hours of August 30, 2005. In the wake of the hurricane, two levees protecting New Orleans from Lake Pontchartrain collapsed, leading to widespread flooding. In the aftermath of this disaster, thousands of city residents, unable or unwilling to evacuate prior to the hurricane, became stranded with little or no relief for several days, resulting in lawless and unsanitary conditions in some areas. Blame for inadequate disaster response was partially attributed to state and local authorities, but public outcry in the disaster's early hours was largely directed at the Bush administration, mainly FEMA[38] and the Department of Homeland Security[39] alleging weak crisis management and coordination. In fact a Canadian search-and-rescue team actually made it to a New Orleans suburb 5 days before U.S. aid arrived [1]. Additionally, Bush rejected aid from other countries such as Cuba, which offered to send "more than 1500 medical doctors with 37 tons of medical supplies" [2].
Rapper Kanye West said in a relief fund raising concert that "George Bush doesn't care about black people," alleging that Bush did not do anything to help merely because most of the victims were black.[40]
Others have identified political conservatism as the overriding cause of problems in the way the disaster was handled.[41] These critics argue that the alleged unreadiness of the United States National Guard, negligence of federal authorities, and haplessness of officials such as Michael Brown did not represent incompetence on the part of the federal authorities, but were instead natural and deliberate consequences of the conservative philosophy embraced by the Bush administration, especially "sink or swim" policies to force reductions in government expenditure and privatize key government responsibilities such as disaster preparedness[42]
[43], both of which resulted in the systematic dismantling of FEMA by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security[44].
Criticism led to the resignation of FEMA director Michael Brown, and eventually, Bush himself accepted personal responsibility for what he deemed "serious problems in the federal government's response" in a September 15, 2005 press conference. Currently, the administration is investigating itself, yet several politicians have called for either congressional or independent investigations, claiming that the Executive Branch cannot satisfactorily investigate itself.[45][46][47]
Bush has been criticised by national environmental groups for his administration's attacks on and rollbacks of hard won environmental protections going back more than three decades and for its general anti-environmental thrust. These are in areas ranging from the attacks on the endangered species act and the clean air and water acts to climate change and many more. For a comprehensive (to date of the report) list see the National Resources Defence Council's report The Bush Record, NRDC's comprehensive account of the Bush administration's environmental policies from 2001 through 2005. More up-to-date information can be found here. According to MSNBC:
:After four years in office, the George W. Bush administration has compiled an environmental record that is taking our nation in a new and dangerous direction. Last year alone, Bush administration agencies made more than 150 actions that weakened our environmental laws. Over the course of the first term, this administration led the most thorough and destructive campaign against America's environmental safeguards in the past 40 years. [3]
In Texas Chainsaw Management (2007) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argues that "The verdict on George W. Bush as the nation's environmental steward has already been written in stone. No president has mounted a more sustained and deliberate assault on the nation's environment. No president has acted with more solicitude toward polluting industries. Assaulting the environment across a broad front, the Bush administration has promoted and implemented more than 400 measures that eviscerate 30 years of environmental policy." Kennedy has also written a book Crimes Against Nature: How George W. Bush and His Corporate Pals Are Plundering the Country and Hijacking Our Democracy. See also the website BushGreenWatch
The dismissal of U.S. Attorneys controversy is an ongoing political dispute initiated by the
unprecedented dismissal of seven United States Attorneys by the Bush administration's Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2006, and their replacement by interim appointees under provisions of the 2005 Patriot Act reauthorization.
'Quite Unprecedented': Former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White explains why the firing of eight federal prosecutors could threaten the historic independence of federal law-enforcement officials. Julie Scelfo
Gonzales: 'Mistakes Were Made': But Attorney General Defends Firings of Eight U.S. Attorneys Dan; Eggen
Fired U.S. Attorneys
So Is This U.S. Attorney Purge Unprecedented Or Not? Brian Montopoli
Congressional investigations have focused on whether the Department of Justice and the White House were using the U.S. Attorney positions for political advantage. Allegations are that some of the attorneys were targeted for dismissal to impede investigations of Republican politicians or that some were targeted for their failure to initiate investigations that would damage Democratic politicians or hamper Democratic-leaning voters.[48][49]
Clear explanations for the dismissals remain elusive, however, with several administration officials providing contradictory testimony or testimony contradicted by documents subpoened by Congress.
6 of 7 Dismissed U.S. Attorneys Had Positive Job Evaluations Dan Eggen
Ex-aide contradicts Gonzales on firings Dan Eggen
[50] On July 25, 2007 the United States House Committee on the Judiciary voted along party lines 22-17 to issue citations of Contempt of Congress to White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers for their failure to respond to Congressional subpoenas.[51]
Critics argue that the scandal has undermined both the integrity of the Department of Justice and the non-partisan tradition of U.S. Attorneys.[52][53]
U. S. Attorneys: 2 additional prosecutors were considered for ouster Marisa Taylor
[54]
Others have gone so far as to liken the event to Watergate, referring to it as ''Gonzales-gate''.[55]
Many members of Congress from both parties have called the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.[56]
As of June 25, 2007, six senior staff of the Department of Justice have resigned, including the Deputy Attorney General, the Acting Associate Attorney General, the Chief of Staff for the Attorney General, the Chief of Staff for the Deputy Attorney General, the Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and the DOJ's White House Liaison.[57]
Third-in-Command at Justice Dept. Resigns: Mercer to Leave Washington Job but Keep U.S. Attorney's Position in Montana Dan Eggen
There are many examples detractors give of the Bush adminisration's, and Republicans in general, hostility to the poor and a favoring of the rich. "It’s nice to be here among the haves and the have-mores. Some call you the elite. I call you my base," states Bush before a blacktie fundraiser as shown in Michael Moore's documentary Farenheit 911 [4]. His supposed distaste for the working class shows in tax cuts for the very rich, [5] which leading economists have suggested may hurt the poor [6].
What strikes many as very wrong about this is that while there is apparently many billions of dollars to be thrown at the Iraq war, one which many even in the military view as a fiasco, there is apparently not money available to help the poor in the United States. One example is a perceived stinginess toward poor children with regards to health care in a time when health care costs are sky high, "The Bush administration, fighting efforts by states and Congress to expand a popular health insurance program for children in low-income families, is making it more difficult for families to sign up ... 'The ultimate effect of this new policy is that tens of thousands of children who have health insurance will effectively lose that insurance,' said Rachel Klein, deputy director of health policy for Families USA, a Washington-based consumer group"[7].
Another case is food stamps for the poor, "With more than 38 million Americans too poor to buy adequate food, the US Congress has begun to take away the food stamps many of them receive. The Republican majority on the House Agriculture Committee has approved budget cuts that will take "food stamps" away from an estimated 300,000 people and could cut off school lunches and breakfasts for 40,000 children. The action came as the US Government reported that the number of people who are hungry because they can't afford to buy enough food rose to 38.2 million in 2004, an increase of seven million in five years. The number represents nearly 12 per cent of US households" [8].
Bush's critics have questioned his leadership skills regarding some events. One occasion was on the moment of the September 11th World Trade Center attacks: after being told by Chief of Staff Andrew Card that the U.S. was "under attack", Bush continued with the reading lesson with elementary school children for seven minutes. [58][59] Democratic 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry cited Bush's lack of swift action, calling into question the incumbent's leadership capabilities, and concluding: "Americans want to know that the person they choose as president has all the skills and ability, all of the mental toughness, all of the gut instinct necessary to be a strong commander in chief."[60] The 9/11 Commission later released a summary of Bush closed-door testimony, which stated the President's "instinct was to project calm, not to have the country see an excited reaction at a moment of crisis". It went on to say "The President felt he should project strength and calm until he could better understand what was happening."
Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina was also criticized widely by the media, particularly by commentators Frank Rich, David Remnick, Josh Marshall, Arianna Huffington, Greg Mitchell, Andrew Sullivan, and Howard Kurtz.[61] Remnick charges that "to a frightening degree, Bush's faults of leadership and character were brought into high relief by the [Hurricane Katrina] crisis."[62]
George W. Bush's intellectual capacities have been questioned by press, media personalities and politicians on numerous occasions.[63][64] This tendency led to farcical hoaxes such as the U.S. Presidents IQ hoax.[65] A real historiometric study, published in 2006 the scientific journal ''Political Psychology'', estimated the IQs of all US presidents since 1900 by analyzing each president's speeches and publications. The study ranked Bush second to last, with an estimated IQ between 111.1 and 138.5, and a mean of 120 (an IQ considered above average).[66] In an interview, it was noted by the study's director that "Bush may be 'much smarter' than the findings imply" but that he "scores particularly unimpressively for 'openness to experience, a cognitive proclivity that encompasses unusual receptiveness to fantasy, aesthetics, actions, ideas and values.'"[67] As of 2001, no official IQ data for George W. Bush had been made available to the public,[68] and none have been published to date. Bush had better grades in college than both Al Gore (who still did graduate cum laude, contrary to Bush),[69] and John Kerry.[70]
Bush's presidency has re-emerged the use of a term previously applied to his father, "Bushism", to describe Bush's colorful mispronunciations and misuse of words when speaking. Bushisms have been widely popularized and archived across the Internet due to their often humorous nature.[71] Even as early as the 2000 presidential debates, this was the subject of a ''Saturday Night Live'' sketch (see "Strategery").[72] Perhaps his most famous mispronunciation is that of "nu''cular''" instead of "nu''clear''" when referring to nuclear weapons. In addition, he is often disparagingly called "Dubya", a stereotypical Texan pronunciation of the letter "W," which is Bush's middle initial. However, Bush's supporters (such as www.gopfun.com) have been known to refer to him as Dubya also.
Bush critic Georgie Anne Geyer found his behavior shocking[73]
and Sean-Paul Kelley, founder of the left-wing blog The Agonist, found his behavior appalling[74]. Mishaps include an unexpected shoulder rub he gave German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the G-8 summit,[75][76] an incident where Bush wiped his glasses on an unsuspecting woman's dress on ''The David Letterman Show'',[77] an incident when he ruined a rented house in Montgomery, Alabama and never paid the damage fine,[78][79] and a time when he flashed the finger in front of a camera during his time as governor.[80]
Another more recent example is during a commemorative ceremony in which Bush presented the mothers of fallen soldiers with a Presidential coin, in which he jokingly commented to one of them "now don't go sell it on eBay".[81]
★ Fahrenheit 9/11
★ George W. Bush insider trading allegations
1. How Low Can Bush Go?
2. Republicans abandoning Bush
3. Carter: Bush's presidency has been 'worst in history'
4. "Carter: Anti-Bush remarks 'careless or misinterpreted'", Associated Press, May 21, 2007. Retrieved May 21, 2007
5. Bush ignored 9/11 Warnings Jason Leopold
6. US concern at al-Qaeda strength
7. Bush denies al-Qaeda has renewed
8. Regrets? Confessions? Bring 'em on! Leslie Savan
9. Bush, Not Iraq War Critics, "Could Not Be More Wrong" John Hickman
10. How Low Can Bush Go?
11. Poll: Most object to extreme interrogation tactics Toni Locy
12. Bush: ‘We do not torture’ terror suspects
13. Public Believes U.S. Government Has Tortured Prisoners Darren Carlson
14. Americans Frown on Interrogation Techniques Darren Carlson
15. China, Others Criticize U.S. Report on Rights Edward Cody
16. Guantanamo protest at US embassy
17. As Torture Survivors Watch, Activists Stage Arrests Near White House Lena Sun
18. Guantanamo prison draws protests worldwide Esteban Israel
19. 80 Arrested Protesting Guantanamo Detentions Carol Leonnig
20. US 'not bound by torture laws'
21. Congress presses for torture ban
22. Exporting Torture: US Rendition and European Outrage Chandra Lekha Sriram
23. US Consul's gaffe provokes outrage in Scotland
24. U.S. Treatment of Terror Suspects and U.S.-EU Relations Mary Crane
25. Press Conference of the President George W. Bush
26. US suspects 'face torture overseas' Dan Isaacs
27.
28. Summary of International and U.S. Law Prohibiting Torture and Other Ill-treatment of Persons in Custody (Human Rights Watch, 24-5-2004) Human Rights Watch
29. General Granted Latitude At Prison
30. Exclusive: Charges Sought Against Rumsfeld Over Prison Abuse
31. Human Rights for the Disabled Thornburgh, Dick and Reich, Alan
32. Bush stumps for 'No Child Left Behind'
33. Tax Reform Bruce Bartlett
34. Bush's Social Security Sleight of Hand Allan Sloan
35. Bush Approval Ratings
36. Bush 'Wins' Poll
37. Democrats win control of Senate
38. Report: Criticism of FEMA's Katrina response deserved
39. Chertoff: Katrina scenario did not exist
40. Kanye West's Torrent of Criticism, Live on NBC
41. Framing Katrina
42. In the Black(Water)
43. Halliburton gets another Million for Hurricane Katrina clean-up
44. Destroying FEMA
45. Leaders Lacking Disaster Experience
46. CRONYISM in the Bush Administration
47. How Many More Mike Browns Are Out There?
48.
Charges may result from firings, say two former U.S. attorneys David Bowermaster
49.
Voter-Fraud Complaints by GOP Drove Dismissals Dan Eggen
50.
Deputy AG 'not fully candid,' ex-Justice aide testifies
51. Bush Aides in Contempt; Will They Be Prosecuted?
52.
Ex-U.S. Official: Fired Prosecutors Were 'Smeared'
53.
Former Justice Official: Fired U.S. Attorneys Among the Best
54.
Statement of Sen. Patrick Leahy: On S. 214, Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act Of 2007 Patrick Leahy
55.
{{cite news |accessdate=2007-06-15 |url= http://www.onthemedia.org/episodes/2007/06/15/segments/80679
|title= Gonzales-gate |first = Bob |last = Garfield |date=June 15,2007 |work = On the Media | publisher = National Public Radio {NPR }}
56. See references on Alberto Gonzales#Calls_for_resignation.2C_firing.2C_and_no-confidence_resolution
57.
Official Close to Attorney Firings Quits Lara Jakes Jordan
58. The drama in Sarasota
59. On 9/11, a Telling Seven-Minute Silence
60. Kerry questions Bush's wartime leadership
61. The Politics of Katrina
62. Under water
63. Pundits Renounce The President
64. Blair 'feels betrayed by Bush on Lebanon'
65. President Bush Has Lowest IQ of all Presidents of past 50 Years
66. Presidential IQ, Openness, Intellectual Brilliance, and Leadership: Estimates and Correlations for 42 U.S. Chief Executives, Simonton, Dean Keith, , , ''Political Psychology'',
67. Bush IQ low on presidential league Roger Dobson
68. Bush gets bad rap on intelligence
69. Gore's Grades Belie Image of Studiousness
70. Who is smarter, Kerry or Bush?
71. Bush, in his own words
72. Serious 'Strategery' As Rove Launches Elaborate Political Effort, Some See a Nascent Clintonian 'War Room' Dana Milbank
73. Georgie Anne Geyer: A spreading terror
74. Bush in the Bunker Sean-Paul Kelley
75. Cowboy george: Bush's unexpected squeeze of the German chancellor has the Internet howling
76. Bush: Liebes-Attacke auf Merkel (Bush: Love Attack on Merkel!)
77. Bush Uses Woman's Clothing As Kleenex
78. Alabama Getaway
79. George W. Bush's missing year
80. Bush's One-Fingered Victory Salute
81. Bush to mother: Don't sell on eBay
★ "The Worst President in History?", 2006, Rolling Stone article by Princeton University historian Sean Wilentz
★ "He's the Worst Ever", Dec. 3, 2006, The Washington Post column by Columbia University historian Eric Foner
★ Halberstam, David, "The History Boys", ''Vanity Fair'', August 2007; Halberstam's final essay ("debunks the Bush administration's wild distortion of history")
★ "Faux Pas"
★ "Fascist America, in 10 easy steps" argues Bush is destroying constitutional freedoms.
His opponents have criticized his role in the controversial 2000 election, his way of fighting the War on Terrorism, his support for the USA PATRIOT Act and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, among many other acts and issues along the way, and there is currently a movement to impeach him. Former President Jimmy Carter has called Bush's presidency "the worst in history"[3], although he later said that comment was "careless or misinterpreted," and that he "wasn't comparing this administration with other administrations back through history, but just with President Nixon's."[4]
Criticisms of administration
Foreign policy and national defense
Al Qaeda
In a White House briefing on August 6, 2001, President Bush was informed of the terrorist threat posed by Al Qaeda in a memorandum entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.". Critics allege that these warnings were ignored.[5]
At a press conference held on July, 2007, Bush denied a Unites States National Counterterrorism Center report that stated that Al-Qaeda has "regrouped to an extent not seen since 2001." [6]. Bush said that was "simply not the case." [7]
He has also received criticism for publically using phrases like "bring it on" and "wanted dead or alive", both regarding terrorists. He apologized for these incidents in 2006. [8]
Iraq
''Main article: Opposition to the Iraq War''
President Bush has taken a significant amount of criticism for his decision to invade Iraq in March 2003 and his handling of the situation afterwards. As President Bush organized the effort, made the case, and ordered the invasion himself, he has borne the brunt of the criticism for the war.[9] A Newsweek poll taken in June 2007 showed a record 73% of respondents disapproving of Bush's handling of the war in Iraq[1].
Critics of the invasion claimed that it would lead to the deaths of thousands of Coalition soldiers and Iraqi soldiers and civilians, and that it would moreover damage peace and stability throughout the Middle East. When this later turned out to be the case, public support for Bush and his policies dropped sharply.
Another oft-stated reason for opposition is the Westphalian concept that foreign governments should never possess a right to intervene in another sovereign nation's internal affairs. Giorgio Agamben, the Italian philosopher, has also offered a critique of the logic of such pre-emptive war.
Anti-war sentiment has led to a number of large protests in the US, among the most visible being the one led by Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, and some reflection in electoral politics. A significant minority of mostly Democratic politicians, such as former Vice President Al Gore, opposed the invasion of Iraq. John Kerry, the Democratic nominee for President in 2004, voted to authorize the invasion, and said during his campaign that he stood by his vote. Howard Dean, a rival for the nomination, ran on an anti-war position, but did not favor quick troop withdrawal. Dennis Kucinich, another candidate for the Democratic nomination, favored replacement of the U.S. occupation force with one sponsored by the UN, as did Ralph Nader's independent presidential candidacy.
Torture
Main articles: Guantánamo Bay detainment camp, Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse
Another point of discussion has been whether the detainment and treatment of prisoners in the Abu Ghraib prison and the Guantánamo Bay detainment camp constitutes torture or not. Although a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll "found that sizable majorities of Americans disagree with tactics ranging from leaving prisoners naked and chained in uncomfortable positions for hours, to trying to make a prisoner think he was being drowned."[11]
President Bush has stated that "We do not torture."[12] Yet, many people and governments[13][14][15] don't see it that way and have staged several protests.[16][17][18][19] These sentiments are partly a result of the Pentagon's suggestion that the president can legally torture anyone he deems to be a threat to security,[20] and because the Bush administration has repeatedly tried to stop attempts at limiting torture,[21] including legislation by President Bush to exclude himself from the laws created by the McCain Detainee Amendment. Furthermore many people[22][23][24] are concerned by the Bush Administration's use of Extraordinary rendition, where individuals are sent to other countries where torture can easily occur without any form of oversight. Bush defends this practice on the basis that:[25][26]
[...] the United States government has an obligation to protect the American people. It's in our country's interests to find those who would do harm to us and get them out of harm's way. And we will do so within the law, and we will do so in honoring our commitment not to torture people. And we expect the countries where we send somebody to, not to torture, as well. But you bet, when we find somebody who might do harm to the American people, we will detain them and ask others from their country of origin to detain them. It makes sense. The American people expect us to do that.
A pentagon memo lists many interrogation techniques which were requested and approved during the presidency of George W. Bush on the basis that "The current guidelines for interrogation procedures at GTMO limit the ability of interrogators to counter advanced resistance".[27]. The Bush administrations connections to torture has been one of the main considerations in the movement to impeach George W. Bush.
However, these arguments often suppose that the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse was in some way condoned or ordered by President Bush, when in fact [28] it was in violation of military and administration policies. However, tourture has in several cases become military policy[29] and several high ranking US officials are being charged with war crimes in Germany[30].
Other human rights
The Bush administration has been criticised for failing to support the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Bush administration "has taken the position that disability is neither a human rights issue nor a predicate for international law."[31]
Domestic policy
Domestic criticism of Bush has waxed and waned throughout his administration. Before 9/11, Bush was reviled by the bulk of the American left, mostly for his role in the controversial 2000 election, and for perceived shortcomings in his No Child Left Behind program for education.[32] The next major domestic item which Bush faced significant opposition to was his program of tax cuts, codified in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. Both acts ultimately passed, but calls for their repeal lasted until the end of the 2004 campaign. Democratic candidate Howard Dean in particular called for a repeal of the part of the tax cuts which affected the wealthiest Americans in order to fund public health care programs and reduce the federal deficit.[33]
After Bush was re-elected, he made Social Security reform a top priority. He proposed options to permit Americans to divert a portion of their Social Security tax (FICA) into secured investments, creating a "nest egg" that he claimed would enjoy steady growth. This led Democrats to label the program a "privatization" of Social Security. Bush embarked on a 60-day tour to shore up public support for the plan, attacking the political reaction against reforms. Ultimately, however, no consensus on a plan could be reached within the congressional Republican party, and Bush was left without any political will to pass his reforms. The issue was dropped, and the status quo maintained.[34]
Bush has been increasingly forced to defend his actions on many fronts and has been unable to generate widespread support in the nation as a whole.[35] An example of the general displeasure and extent to which many Americans have lost respect and confidence in the President lies in his recent election as the "Biggest Tool of 2006" in an online poll created by Comedy Central.[36]
The Republican Party's defeat in the 2006 US midterm elections is taken as another sign of plummeting public support for President Bush. After the Democratic Party's victory, MSNBC reported that "The war in Iraq, scandals in Congress and declining support for Bush and Republicans on Capitol Hill defined the battle for House and Senate control".[37]
Civil liberties and expanding government
After 9/11, Bush continually signed legislation interpreted as limiting the civil liberties of United States citizens. The two most prominent pieces of legislation are the PATRIOT Act and the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which remove certain privacy rights and the right of habeas corpus. Criticism has come from both sides on this issue. Conservatives have criticized him for increased government spending, including non-defense spending, after running as a candidate who pledged to reduce spending and make government smaller. Liberals have criticized him for eliminating basic civil liberties and for not fulfilling his Constitutional duties to uphold habeas corpus.
Response to Hurricane Katrina
Main articles: Criticism of government response to Hurricane Katrina
The President came under more criticism when the powerful category 5 Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast region during the early hours of August 30, 2005. In the wake of the hurricane, two levees protecting New Orleans from Lake Pontchartrain collapsed, leading to widespread flooding. In the aftermath of this disaster, thousands of city residents, unable or unwilling to evacuate prior to the hurricane, became stranded with little or no relief for several days, resulting in lawless and unsanitary conditions in some areas. Blame for inadequate disaster response was partially attributed to state and local authorities, but public outcry in the disaster's early hours was largely directed at the Bush administration, mainly FEMA[38] and the Department of Homeland Security[39] alleging weak crisis management and coordination. In fact a Canadian search-and-rescue team actually made it to a New Orleans suburb 5 days before U.S. aid arrived [1]. Additionally, Bush rejected aid from other countries such as Cuba, which offered to send "more than 1500 medical doctors with 37 tons of medical supplies" [2].
Rapper Kanye West said in a relief fund raising concert that "George Bush doesn't care about black people," alleging that Bush did not do anything to help merely because most of the victims were black.[40]
Others have identified political conservatism as the overriding cause of problems in the way the disaster was handled.[41] These critics argue that the alleged unreadiness of the United States National Guard, negligence of federal authorities, and haplessness of officials such as Michael Brown did not represent incompetence on the part of the federal authorities, but were instead natural and deliberate consequences of the conservative philosophy embraced by the Bush administration, especially "sink or swim" policies to force reductions in government expenditure and privatize key government responsibilities such as disaster preparedness[42]
[43], both of which resulted in the systematic dismantling of FEMA by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security[44].
Criticism led to the resignation of FEMA director Michael Brown, and eventually, Bush himself accepted personal responsibility for what he deemed "serious problems in the federal government's response" in a September 15, 2005 press conference. Currently, the administration is investigating itself, yet several politicians have called for either congressional or independent investigations, claiming that the Executive Branch cannot satisfactorily investigate itself.[45][46][47]
Environment
Bush has been criticised by national environmental groups for his administration's attacks on and rollbacks of hard won environmental protections going back more than three decades and for its general anti-environmental thrust. These are in areas ranging from the attacks on the endangered species act and the clean air and water acts to climate change and many more. For a comprehensive (to date of the report) list see the National Resources Defence Council's report The Bush Record, NRDC's comprehensive account of the Bush administration's environmental policies from 2001 through 2005. More up-to-date information can be found here. According to MSNBC:
:After four years in office, the George W. Bush administration has compiled an environmental record that is taking our nation in a new and dangerous direction. Last year alone, Bush administration agencies made more than 150 actions that weakened our environmental laws. Over the course of the first term, this administration led the most thorough and destructive campaign against America's environmental safeguards in the past 40 years. [3]
In Texas Chainsaw Management (2007) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argues that "The verdict on George W. Bush as the nation's environmental steward has already been written in stone. No president has mounted a more sustained and deliberate assault on the nation's environment. No president has acted with more solicitude toward polluting industries. Assaulting the environment across a broad front, the Bush administration has promoted and implemented more than 400 measures that eviscerate 30 years of environmental policy." Kennedy has also written a book Crimes Against Nature: How George W. Bush and His Corporate Pals Are Plundering the Country and Hijacking Our Democracy. See also the website BushGreenWatch
Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy and refusal to testify before Congress
The dismissal of U.S. Attorneys controversy is an ongoing political dispute initiated by the
unprecedented dismissal of seven United States Attorneys by the Bush administration's Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2006, and their replacement by interim appointees under provisions of the 2005 Patriot Act reauthorization.
'Quite Unprecedented': Former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White explains why the firing of eight federal prosecutors could threaten the historic independence of federal law-enforcement officials. Julie Scelfo
Gonzales: 'Mistakes Were Made': But Attorney General Defends Firings of Eight U.S. Attorneys Dan; Eggen
Fired U.S. Attorneys
So Is This U.S. Attorney Purge Unprecedented Or Not? Brian Montopoli
Congressional investigations have focused on whether the Department of Justice and the White House were using the U.S. Attorney positions for political advantage. Allegations are that some of the attorneys were targeted for dismissal to impede investigations of Republican politicians or that some were targeted for their failure to initiate investigations that would damage Democratic politicians or hamper Democratic-leaning voters.[48][49]
Clear explanations for the dismissals remain elusive, however, with several administration officials providing contradictory testimony or testimony contradicted by documents subpoened by Congress.
6 of 7 Dismissed U.S. Attorneys Had Positive Job Evaluations Dan Eggen
Ex-aide contradicts Gonzales on firings Dan Eggen
[50] On July 25, 2007 the United States House Committee on the Judiciary voted along party lines 22-17 to issue citations of Contempt of Congress to White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers for their failure to respond to Congressional subpoenas.[51]
Critics argue that the scandal has undermined both the integrity of the Department of Justice and the non-partisan tradition of U.S. Attorneys.[52][53]
U. S. Attorneys: 2 additional prosecutors were considered for ouster Marisa Taylor
[54]
Others have gone so far as to liken the event to Watergate, referring to it as ''Gonzales-gate''.[55]
Many members of Congress from both parties have called the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.[56]
As of June 25, 2007, six senior staff of the Department of Justice have resigned, including the Deputy Attorney General, the Acting Associate Attorney General, the Chief of Staff for the Attorney General, the Chief of Staff for the Deputy Attorney General, the Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and the DOJ's White House Liaison.[57]
Third-in-Command at Justice Dept. Resigns: Mercer to Leave Washington Job but Keep U.S. Attorney's Position in Montana Dan Eggen
Hostility toward the Poor
There are many examples detractors give of the Bush adminisration's, and Republicans in general, hostility to the poor and a favoring of the rich. "It’s nice to be here among the haves and the have-mores. Some call you the elite. I call you my base," states Bush before a blacktie fundraiser as shown in Michael Moore's documentary Farenheit 911 [4]. His supposed distaste for the working class shows in tax cuts for the very rich, [5] which leading economists have suggested may hurt the poor [6].
What strikes many as very wrong about this is that while there is apparently many billions of dollars to be thrown at the Iraq war, one which many even in the military view as a fiasco, there is apparently not money available to help the poor in the United States. One example is a perceived stinginess toward poor children with regards to health care in a time when health care costs are sky high, "The Bush administration, fighting efforts by states and Congress to expand a popular health insurance program for children in low-income families, is making it more difficult for families to sign up ... 'The ultimate effect of this new policy is that tens of thousands of children who have health insurance will effectively lose that insurance,' said Rachel Klein, deputy director of health policy for Families USA, a Washington-based consumer group"[7].
Another case is food stamps for the poor, "With more than 38 million Americans too poor to buy adequate food, the US Congress has begun to take away the food stamps many of them receive. The Republican majority on the House Agriculture Committee has approved budget cuts that will take "food stamps" away from an estimated 300,000 people and could cut off school lunches and breakfasts for 40,000 children. The action came as the US Government reported that the number of people who are hungry because they can't afford to buy enough food rose to 38.2 million in 2004, an increase of seven million in five years. The number represents nearly 12 per cent of US households" [8].
Criticisms of personality
Leadership
Bush continues reading with children for seven minutes after being informed about the September 11, 2001 attacks, which has become a point of criticism by many of his opponents.
Bush's critics have questioned his leadership skills regarding some events. One occasion was on the moment of the September 11th World Trade Center attacks: after being told by Chief of Staff Andrew Card that the U.S. was "under attack", Bush continued with the reading lesson with elementary school children for seven minutes. [58][59] Democratic 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry cited Bush's lack of swift action, calling into question the incumbent's leadership capabilities, and concluding: "Americans want to know that the person they choose as president has all the skills and ability, all of the mental toughness, all of the gut instinct necessary to be a strong commander in chief."[60] The 9/11 Commission later released a summary of Bush closed-door testimony, which stated the President's "instinct was to project calm, not to have the country see an excited reaction at a moment of crisis". It went on to say "The President felt he should project strength and calm until he could better understand what was happening."
Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina was also criticized widely by the media, particularly by commentators Frank Rich, David Remnick, Josh Marshall, Arianna Huffington, Greg Mitchell, Andrew Sullivan, and Howard Kurtz.[61] Remnick charges that "to a frightening degree, Bush's faults of leadership and character were brought into high relief by the [Hurricane Katrina] crisis."[62]
Intellectual and psychological ability
George W. Bush's intellectual capacities have been questioned by press, media personalities and politicians on numerous occasions.[63][64] This tendency led to farcical hoaxes such as the U.S. Presidents IQ hoax.[65] A real historiometric study, published in 2006 the scientific journal ''Political Psychology'', estimated the IQs of all US presidents since 1900 by analyzing each president's speeches and publications. The study ranked Bush second to last, with an estimated IQ between 111.1 and 138.5, and a mean of 120 (an IQ considered above average).[66] In an interview, it was noted by the study's director that "Bush may be 'much smarter' than the findings imply" but that he "scores particularly unimpressively for 'openness to experience, a cognitive proclivity that encompasses unusual receptiveness to fantasy, aesthetics, actions, ideas and values.'"[67] As of 2001, no official IQ data for George W. Bush had been made available to the public,[68] and none have been published to date. Bush had better grades in college than both Al Gore (who still did graduate cum laude, contrary to Bush),[69] and John Kerry.[70]
Personal behavior
Bush's presidency has re-emerged the use of a term previously applied to his father, "Bushism", to describe Bush's colorful mispronunciations and misuse of words when speaking. Bushisms have been widely popularized and archived across the Internet due to their often humorous nature.[71] Even as early as the 2000 presidential debates, this was the subject of a ''Saturday Night Live'' sketch (see "Strategery").[72] Perhaps his most famous mispronunciation is that of "nu''cular''" instead of "nu''clear''" when referring to nuclear weapons. In addition, he is often disparagingly called "Dubya", a stereotypical Texan pronunciation of the letter "W," which is Bush's middle initial. However, Bush's supporters (such as www.gopfun.com) have been known to refer to him as Dubya also.
Bush critic Georgie Anne Geyer found his behavior shocking[73]
and Sean-Paul Kelley, founder of the left-wing blog The Agonist, found his behavior appalling[74]. Mishaps include an unexpected shoulder rub he gave German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the G-8 summit,[75][76] an incident where Bush wiped his glasses on an unsuspecting woman's dress on ''The David Letterman Show'',[77] an incident when he ruined a rented house in Montgomery, Alabama and never paid the damage fine,[78][79] and a time when he flashed the finger in front of a camera during his time as governor.[80]
Another more recent example is during a commemorative ceremony in which Bush presented the mothers of fallen soldiers with a Presidential coin, in which he jokingly commented to one of them "now don't go sell it on eBay".[81]
See also
★ Fahrenheit 9/11
★ George W. Bush insider trading allegations
References
1. How Low Can Bush Go?
2. Republicans abandoning Bush
3. Carter: Bush's presidency has been 'worst in history'
4. "Carter: Anti-Bush remarks 'careless or misinterpreted'", Associated Press, May 21, 2007. Retrieved May 21, 2007
5. Bush ignored 9/11 Warnings Jason Leopold
6. US concern at al-Qaeda strength
7. Bush denies al-Qaeda has renewed
8. Regrets? Confessions? Bring 'em on! Leslie Savan
9. Bush, Not Iraq War Critics, "Could Not Be More Wrong" John Hickman
10. How Low Can Bush Go?
11. Poll: Most object to extreme interrogation tactics Toni Locy
12. Bush: ‘We do not torture’ terror suspects
13. Public Believes U.S. Government Has Tortured Prisoners Darren Carlson
14. Americans Frown on Interrogation Techniques Darren Carlson
15. China, Others Criticize U.S. Report on Rights Edward Cody
16. Guantanamo protest at US embassy
17. As Torture Survivors Watch, Activists Stage Arrests Near White House Lena Sun
18. Guantanamo prison draws protests worldwide Esteban Israel
19. 80 Arrested Protesting Guantanamo Detentions Carol Leonnig
20. US 'not bound by torture laws'
21. Congress presses for torture ban
22. Exporting Torture: US Rendition and European Outrage Chandra Lekha Sriram
23. US Consul's gaffe provokes outrage in Scotland
24. U.S. Treatment of Terror Suspects and U.S.-EU Relations Mary Crane
25. Press Conference of the President George W. Bush
26. US suspects 'face torture overseas' Dan Isaacs
27.
28. Summary of International and U.S. Law Prohibiting Torture and Other Ill-treatment of Persons in Custody (Human Rights Watch, 24-5-2004) Human Rights Watch
29. General Granted Latitude At Prison
30. Exclusive: Charges Sought Against Rumsfeld Over Prison Abuse
31. Human Rights for the Disabled Thornburgh, Dick and Reich, Alan
32. Bush stumps for 'No Child Left Behind'
33. Tax Reform Bruce Bartlett
34. Bush's Social Security Sleight of Hand Allan Sloan
35. Bush Approval Ratings
36. Bush 'Wins' Poll
37. Democrats win control of Senate
38. Report: Criticism of FEMA's Katrina response deserved
39. Chertoff: Katrina scenario did not exist
40. Kanye West's Torrent of Criticism, Live on NBC
41. Framing Katrina
42. In the Black(Water)
43. Halliburton gets another Million for Hurricane Katrina clean-up
44. Destroying FEMA
45. Leaders Lacking Disaster Experience
46. CRONYISM in the Bush Administration
47. How Many More Mike Browns Are Out There?
48.
Charges may result from firings, say two former U.S. attorneys David Bowermaster
49.
Voter-Fraud Complaints by GOP Drove Dismissals Dan Eggen
50.
Deputy AG 'not fully candid,' ex-Justice aide testifies
51. Bush Aides in Contempt; Will They Be Prosecuted?
52.
Ex-U.S. Official: Fired Prosecutors Were 'Smeared'
53.
Former Justice Official: Fired U.S. Attorneys Among the Best
54.
Statement of Sen. Patrick Leahy: On S. 214, Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act Of 2007 Patrick Leahy
55.
{{cite news |accessdate=2007-06-15 |url= http://www.onthemedia.org/episodes/2007/06/15/segments/80679
|title= Gonzales-gate |first = Bob |last = Garfield |date=June 15,2007 |work = On the Media | publisher = National Public Radio {NPR }}
56. See references on Alberto Gonzales#Calls_for_resignation.2C_firing.2C_and_no-confidence_resolution
57.
Official Close to Attorney Firings Quits Lara Jakes Jordan
58. The drama in Sarasota
59. On 9/11, a Telling Seven-Minute Silence
60. Kerry questions Bush's wartime leadership
61. The Politics of Katrina
62. Under water
63. Pundits Renounce The President
64. Blair 'feels betrayed by Bush on Lebanon'
65. President Bush Has Lowest IQ of all Presidents of past 50 Years
66. Presidential IQ, Openness, Intellectual Brilliance, and Leadership: Estimates and Correlations for 42 U.S. Chief Executives, Simonton, Dean Keith, , , ''Political Psychology'',
67. Bush IQ low on presidential league Roger Dobson
68. Bush gets bad rap on intelligence
69. Gore's Grades Belie Image of Studiousness
70. Who is smarter, Kerry or Bush?
71. Bush, in his own words
72. Serious 'Strategery' As Rove Launches Elaborate Political Effort, Some See a Nascent Clintonian 'War Room' Dana Milbank
73. Georgie Anne Geyer: A spreading terror
74. Bush in the Bunker Sean-Paul Kelley
75. Cowboy george: Bush's unexpected squeeze of the German chancellor has the Internet howling
76. Bush: Liebes-Attacke auf Merkel (Bush: Love Attack on Merkel!)
77. Bush Uses Woman's Clothing As Kleenex
78. Alabama Getaway
79. George W. Bush's missing year
80. Bush's One-Fingered Victory Salute
81. Bush to mother: Don't sell on eBay
External links
★ "The Worst President in History?", 2006, Rolling Stone article by Princeton University historian Sean Wilentz
★ "He's the Worst Ever", Dec. 3, 2006, The Washington Post column by Columbia University historian Eric Foner
★ Halberstam, David, "The History Boys", ''Vanity Fair'', August 2007; Halberstam's final essay ("debunks the Bush administration's wild distortion of history")
★ "Faux Pas"
★ "Fascist America, in 10 easy steps" argues Bush is destroying constitutional freedoms.
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
