WH List Of Accomplishments -- A Mix Of Spin And A Padded Resume

[JABBS]

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?

-- President Bush Proposed A Comprehensive Immigration Reform Plan To Enhance America's Homeland Security. Ah, yes. That's what he did. But it's a proposal, not an accomplishment. I propose that JABBS should have 1 million hits a day. Doesn't mean it's going to happen.

-- We Remain On Track To Cut The Budget Deficit In Half By 2009. Of course, "we" didn't create the $2 trillion-plus deficit of 2001-2005. Bush and the Republican-led Congress did.

-- President Bush Has Called On Congress To Make Tax Relief Permanent. Another major non-accomplishment, and if it is accomplished, it will remain a major non-accomplishment.

-- President Bush Signed Into Law The Highway Bill. Well, this was technically an "accomplishment." It was also one of the most pork-laden pieces of legislation in the history of the country.

-- President Bush Signed Into Law The First National Energy Plan In More Than A Decade. Same "accomplishment," different department. Instead of funding the Packard Museum and the Bridge to Nowhere, the Energy legislation provided more corporate welfare to all of Bush's energy friends. Meanwhile, I'm still paying $2.15 for a gallon of regular.

-- The President Nominated Well-Qualified Candidates To The U.S. Supreme Court. Except for Harriet Miers, who isn't mentioned on the "fact sheet."

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This item first appeared at Journalists Against Bush's B.S.