I got this from www.phillips2000.com
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The Bush Watch
"What You See Is What You'll Get"
July 15
BUSH WANTS TO SWEEP ABORTION UNDER THE RUG
Richard L. Berke reports (New York Times, 6/29/00, p. A20) on strikingly different reactions to the Supreme Court's 5 to 4 decision striking down Nebraska's partial birth abortion ban, noting that "The contrasting strategies -- and remarks from the two rivals -- reflect differing political imperatives. The Bush strategy is to make the abortion issue go away, and, for his campaign, the timing of today's ruling is not propitious. The last thing the Republicans want one month before their nominating convention is another spectacle that turns rancorous over abortion. Not only that, the ruling comes as Mr. Bush is mulling whether he dares pick a running mate who favors abortion rights and how he can finesse the issue in the party platform. ..."
FOR BUSH ABORTION IS A POLITICAL ISSUE, NOT A MORAL PROBLEM
"'This is the worst news that the Bush campaign could get,' said Ann Stone, national chairwoman of the Republicans for Choice PAC.
"The closeness of the ruling, Ms. Stone said, gave Mr. Gore a fresh hook to declare that abortion rights may be endangered, and to shore up his sagging support from women.
"Richard N. Bond, the former Republican Party chairman who for years has counseled the party not to let itself split over abortion, said the best thing Mr. Bush could do was to keep a low profile on the issue. ..."
CONSERVATIVE "LEADERS" ARE KIDDING THEMSELVES AND DECEIVING OTHERS IN SUGGESTING THAT BUSH WILL DO ANYTHING ABOUT ABORTION
"It was no surprise that Mr. Bush, in his remarks, failed to mention the prospect of vacancies on the Supreme Court. While conservative groups have trumpeted the balance of the court as a high-stakes voting issue, Mr. Bush almost never raises it. He does not want to put off moderate and swing voters who may support abortion rights. He also knows, perhaps, that usually only the most partisan voters think about the makeup of the court. ...
"[T]he ruling today may embolden conservatives, some of whom want Mr. Bush, like Mr. Gore, to turn it into a rallying cry to discuss the court itself. But in their determination that Mr. Bush capture the White House, they are reluctant to press him to be outspoken on the issue. ..."
AN IRRELEVANT OUTCOME "JUSTIFIES" DECEPTIVE MEANS
"Gov. Bill Graves of Kansas put it this way: 'Many Republicans are prepared to put aside differences on abortion and other issues in exchange for the greater good: the election of George Bush as president.'"
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June 30
"DUBYA" IS RHETORICALLY "PRO-LIFE" (WITH EXCEPTIONS) BUT WILL DO NOTHING TO STOP EVEN ONE ABORTION
MARA LIASSON: "You know, Governor Bush is pro-life, as you say. But he's probably talked less about abortion than any other Republican presidential candidate in recent memory. And he seems to be sending a message to suburban females that are pro-choice that says, Look, I am pro-life but don't worry. I'm not going to do anything about it once I get into office. How aggressive do you expect a President George Bush to be on this issue?"
GOV. TOM RIDGE: "Well, I think what you see with Governor Bush is what you get. I mean he has not said anything other than there would be no litmus test for the Supreme Court, there would be no litmus tests for his running mate. ..." Source: Fox News Sunday (6/4/00) interview with Pennsylvania GOP Governor Tom Ridge.
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June 15, 2000
HOUSE HEROES RESISTED PRESSURE FROM GEORGE W. BUSH, AL GORE, BILL CLINTON, DENNIS HASTERT, DICK ARMEY, TOM DeLAY, AND THE REST OF THE RED CHINA LOBBY GOP DELIVERS FOR BILL CLINTON AND BIG BUSINESS
Eric Schmitt reports (New York Times, 5/26/00, p. 1) from Washington that "When Representative Tom DeLay came to work on Wednesday, he was still a vote or two shy of the bare-minimum 150 Republicans he needed to help push the China trade bill over the top."
TOM DeLAY, G.W. BUSH, AND COLIN POWELL WHIPPED REPUBLICAN BACK-BENCHERS
"Mr. DeLay, the Republican whip, had lined up lots of help. Gov. George W. Bush of Texas was recruited to cajole several wavering Republicans. So was Gen. Colin L. Powell. Dozens of pro-grade lobbyists and corporate chieftains fanned out on Capitol Hill to buttonhole the last dozen or so undeclared members for what both camps predicted would be a nail-biter.
"Over the next crucial hours, those calls and an array of other influences paid off, as virtually every undeclared Republican, and even a few others who had been written off, broke Mr. DeLay's way. In all, 164 Republicans joined 73 Democrats [who] voted to grant China permanent normal trading status, wiping out economic restrictions rooted in cold-war policy for a quarter century. ..."
2/3 OF GOP ABANDONED ANTI-COMMUNISM
"Normalizing trade with China was a victory for the Clinton administration, but House Republicans had their own reasons for voting three-to-one in favor of the bill. Passage insured that Republicans' corporate benefactors would fully benefit....
"The House Republican leadership closed ranks behind the bill.... But they needed to produce two-thirds of the yes votes, and had a tough sell with many Republicans who balked at rewarding a trade plum to a Communist government with a record of religious persecution and political repression."
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May 31, 2000
G.W. BUSH IS CONSTITUTIONALLY IGNORANT OR INDIFFERENT
Eric Schmitt reports (New York Times, 5/17/00, p. A11) that "Gov. George W. Bush of Texas, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, today sharply criticized a bill backed by Senate Republicans that would set a deadline for withdrawing American ground troops from Kosovo. Mr. Bush called the bill a 'legislative overreach' that would tie his hands if he becomes president. ...
"Until today, momentum seemed to be building among most Senate Republicans for the measure, which would cut off funds for the 5,900 United States forces in Kosovo by July 1, 2001, forcing their withdrawal, unless Congress authorizes an extension. Many Republicans said they assumed that Mr. Bush endorsed the measure, which may be voted on as early as [May 24]. ..."
"'The Clinton-Gore administration has failed to instill trust in Congress and the American people when it comes to our military and deployment of troops overseas, but the governor does not believe this provision is the way to resolve the lack of presidential leadership,' Scott McClellan, a spokesman for Mr. Bush, said. 'Governor Bush views it as a legislative overreach on powers of the presidency.'"
"Top aides to President Clinton have recommended that he veto an $8.6 billion military construction bill if the Senate language is attached. The bill includes $4.7 billion for American military operations in Kosovo, anti-drug efforts in Colombia and other defense spending."
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15 GOP SENATORS WALK THE PLANK FOR DUBYA ON KOSOVO
Eric Schmitt adds (New York Times, 5/19/00, pp. 1, 10) that "In a victory for the Clinton administration, the Senate...narrowly rejected a measure to set a deadline for withdrawing American ground troops from Kosovo. Gov. George W. Bush of Texas had also criticized the measure, but even so 40 Republicans voted for it."
SPENCER ABRAHAM, BILL ROTH, ORRIN HATCH AND OTHER Y2K CANDIDATES IGNORE THE CONSTITUTION
"By a vote of 53 to 47, senators stripped a provision from a military construction spending bill that would have cut off funds for the 5,600 United States troops in Kosovo by July 1, 2001, forcing their withdrawal unless Congress authorized an extension. ...
"Fifteen of the 55 Republicans voted for a Democratic amendment to strike the withdrawal language from the $8.6 billion military construction spending bill. At least two or three Republicans, including Thad Cochran of Mississippi, said they were swayed by the opposition by Mr. Bush, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. ..."
Those 15 Republican Senators who voted (53-47, Roll Call no. 105, 5/18/00) to remove language requiring the United States to withdraw ground troops from Kosovo on July 1, 2001 were: Abraham (Mich.), Lincoln Chafee (R.I.), Cochran (Miss.), DeWine (Ohio), Frist (Tenn.), Hagel (Neb.), Hatch (Utah), Jeffords (Vt.), Lugar (Ind.), Mack (Fla.), McCain (Ariz.), Roth (Del.), Smith (Ore.), Thompson (Tenn.), and Voinovich (Ohio).
"'The intent of the amendment is to restore congressional oversight over the Kosovo mission,' said Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, the provision's chief Democratic sponsor. 'Of course, the administration doesn't like it. They want a free hand to participate in military adventurism whenever and wherever they please. They don't want to hear a peep out of Congress.'"
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BUSH JUDICIAL APPOINTEES KILL PARENTAL NOTIFICATION OF ABORTION
According to the RNC For Life Report (March/April 2000, No. 33), "The Texas law requiring that parents be notified prior to the performance of an abortion on a minor has been virtually nullified by the Texas Supreme Court.
"On March 22, in a 6-3 decision, the Texas Supreme Court vacated a decision by an appellate court upholding a district court ruling that a 17 year-old girl is not mature enough to make an abortion decision without notifying her parents. ..."
GOP JUDGES ARE PRO-ABORTION
"All nine members of the Texas Supreme Court are Republicans. The majority of the court -- led by Chief Justice Tom Phillips and joined by Justices Craig Enoch, James A. Baker, Deborah Hankinson, Harriet O'Neill and Alberto Gonzales -- said the girl's emotional well-being and the long-term family relationship needed to be considered.
"Justice Hecht accused the majority, three of whom -- Baker, Gonzales, and Hankinson -- were appointed by [Texas Governor George W.] Bush to fill vacancies, of exhibiting judicial activism and re-writing the Parental Notification Act...."
BUSH DEFERRED TO THE COURT
"Governor Bush signed the Parental Notification Act into law, and refers to it frequently when addressing pro-life audiences on the campaign trail. However, when it was passed last year, he went along with the curious provision which assigned to the Texas Supreme Court the authority to write the guidelines rather than spelling them out in the legislation. ..."
NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE IS IN THE BAG FOR BUSH
"Texas Right to Life and its parent organization National Right to Life Committee have thrown their wholehearted support behind George W. Bush in his quest for the presidency, despite his refusal to commit to nominating pro-life judges."
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GOVERNOR DUBYA APPOINTS PRO-HOMO, PRO-ABORTION JUDGE
According to the Republican National Coalition for Life (FaxNotes, 4/20/00), "Pro-life, pro-family Texans were disturbed to learn that George W. Bush has appointed a liberal Democrat supporter of the Houston Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus and also of Planned Parenthood, Martha Hill Jamison, to the 164th District Court in Houston. Judge Jamison is the daughter of former Texas Supreme Court chief justice and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate John Hill, a powerful Texas Democrat.
She was appointed to a bench vacated by a Democrat. Many are questioning why Bush would appoint a former Democrat (she recently 'converted' to the Republican Party) and an apparent liberal at that, when there are many conservative Republicans who could easily have filled that slot."
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BUSH PLEDGES TO EXPAND NAFTA "FROM ALASKA TO CAPE HORN"
Patricia Wilson of Reuters reports from Mexico (USA Today, 4/25/00, p. 7A) that "Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush, standing on an international stage for the first time in his campaign, vowed Monday to broaden trade with Latin America."
"CROSSING A BRIDGE" AWAY FROM CONGRESSIONAL CONTROL OF TRADE POLICY
"'As president, I will look south, not as an afterthought but as a fundamental commitment of my presidency,' the Texas governor told a crowd of 2,500 on one side of a new international bridge linking Mexico and the United States.
"'As president, I will work to create an entire hemisphere of free trade. I will work to extend the benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement from northernmost Alaska to the tip of Cape Horn,' he said."
BUSH PLEDGES TO ENACT THE CLINTON-GORE AGENDA --
"Flanked by Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo at an open-air loading dock a few hundred yards from the U.S. border and the southern Texas city of Laredo, Bush pledged to call on Congress to give him fast-track negotiating authority, so he could 'aggressively pursue' free-trade agreements."
-- INCLUDING FAST TRACK, FTAA, AND RED CHINA TO WTO
"Bush plans to unveil a package of free-trade proposals, including strict enforcement of anti-dumping laws and the admission of China and Taiwan into the World Trade Organization, in a major policy speech later this spring, according to Karen Hughes, his communications director.
"The eight-lane World Trade Bridge was officially opened April 15 at a ceremony in Laredo attended by U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater. ..."
CONTINUING HIS FATHER'S "NEW WORLD ORDER" LEGACY
"Bush noted that NAFTA, which encompasses the United States, Mexico and Canada, had been negotiated while his father was president. He said its success has proved that 'our nations share more than a common border.' ...
"The $128 million bridge is the only crossing open to trucks and commercial vehicles from Laredo, Texas, to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Two older downtown bridges remain open for cars and pedestrians. Laredo is the largest port of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border; it accounts for about 40% of cross-border overland merchandise trade, according to the Commerce Department."
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BUSH UNASHAMEDLY PUSHES FEDERAL CONTROL OF EDUCATION
Jacques Steinberg reports (New York Times, 3/31/00, p. 1) that "George W. Bush likes to say that if elected president he has no intention of serving as the nation's schools superintendent, dispatching the apparatchiks of the federal government to play a role that is better left to school board members. ...
"But their protestations to the contrary, with Mr. Bush or Mr. Gore as president, the federal government would have a more forceful presence in American classrooms than in previous administrations. ...
"Mr. Bush, taking a more hands-on approach than his conservative Republican allies, this week proposed a national reading initiative with the kind of sweep and urgency more likely to roll off the lips of a Democrat. He would spend more than $1 billion a year for five years to train teachers to diagnose illiteracy in young children and to remedy such problems in individual classrooms.
"Yesterday, he proposed nearly $600 million a year in additional aid to education, most of it for teacher training, but also to give teachers tax deductions for out-of-pocket expenses on school supplies. ...
"Mr. Bush is also the first leading Republican to call for increasing the budget and responsibilities of the federal Department of Education, which became a discrete cabinet agency in the Carter administration; for years, the Republican party has called for the department's abolition."
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BUSH "TAX CUT" IS LESS THAN MEETS THE EYE
Glenn Kessler warns (Washington Post, 5/11/00, p. E1): "Attention, wealthy Americans: Don't dream too much about that Bush tax cut just yet.
"The savings aren't as big as advertised, especially for taxpayers with annual incomes of $130,000 to $319,000."
"ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX" UNTOUCHED BY THE "COMPASSIONATE" CANDIDATE
"In crafting Texas Gov. George W. Bush's tax plan, advisers for the Republican presidential candidate proposed to significantly reduce federal tax brackets but decided not to adjust the alternative minimum tax, which is designed to ensure that high-income households and companies don't escape paying taxes. The net result: Millions of taxpayers would find any potential tax savings from the Bush plan eaten up by the minimum tax.
"This little-noticed wrinkle in the plan also helps keep its cost down, making it at least $400 billion less expensive over 10 years than the $2.2 trillion that rival Vice President Gore has claimed on the campaign trail. But it has struck some experts as an odd decision because it undercuts Bush's argument that cutting top rates will 'provide a powerful economic stimulus.'"
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April 15, 2000
WITH GOP CONSERVATIVES IN THE BAG, BUSH SEEKS HOMOSEXUAL SUPPORT
Frank Bruni reports from Los Angeles (New York Times, 4/8/00, p. A9) that "Gov. George W. Bush said today that he had invited a small group of gay Republicans to talk with him at the governor's mansion in Austin, Tex. ...
"[T]he simple fact of the planned meeting, which came only after Mr. Bush wrapped up the Republican presidential nomination, hints at the governor's desire to project a more moderate image in the general election than he did in the primaries. Mr. Bush's remarks on the topic today suggested the same interest.
"'This is a different time,' he said at a campaign stop here this morning, explaining why he was now willing to meet with gays but had previously avoided such an encounter."
PARTY UNITY: HETEROSEXUALS AND HOMOSEXUALS IN THE BIG TENT
"'The campaign is over,' Mr. Bush added, referring to the primaries. 'It's important for me to unify our party. And I welcome the gay Americans who support me, some of whom are members of the Log Cabin Republican club.' ...
"The comments by Mr. Bush, who allied himself strongly with social conservatives in the primaries, are part of a pattern of statements, symbols and gestures by which he seems to be trying to inch back toward the center of the political spectrum."
BUSH LURCHES LEFT ON GUN CONTROL AND EDUCATION
"In the last month or so, Mr. Bush has indicated an incrementally greater receptiveness to gun-control legislation....The governor also announced several new education proposals that underscored a federal role in the nation's public schools and more federal spending. ...
"Mr. Bush did not go into much detail about his planned meeting with gay Republicans, which was largely set up by Charles Francis, a gay public relations consultant in Washington who is the brother of James B. Francis Jr., chairman of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Jim Francis has been a fund-raiser for Mr. Bush for many years.
"Charles Francis said in a telephone interview that he would be among a dozen gay Republicans visiting the governor's mansion, and that the group included Mayor Jim Stewart of Plattsburgh, N.Y., and former Representative Steve Gunderson of Wisconsin. The group also includes some officials with state chapters of the Log Cabin Republicans, Mr. Francis said."
GEORGE SAYS "LET'S HEAR IT" FROM "GAY CONSERVATIVES"
"He said Mr. Bush had long wanted to meet with gay supporters and seemed more eager now that the primaries were over. 'George and I were talking awhile back,' Mr. Francis said, 'and he said, "Why don't I hear more from gay conservatives?" I said, "I really look forward to making that happen."'"
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BUSH PLEDGES TO PRESERVE AND EXPAND FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
BUSH WANTS $5 BILLION MORE FOR EDUCATION
Clifford Levy reports (New York Times, 3/29/00, p. A1) that "Once again mooring a traditionally Democratic issue to the agenda of his Republican presidential campaign, Gov. George W. Bush of Texas today proposed a five-year, $5 billion program to address what he termed a national literacy crisis among children. ...
"Aides to Mr. Bush said his plan would help roughly 900,000 children with poor reading skills, at a cost of $1,000 per child per year for tutoring and other assistance. Besides that $900 million, an additional $100 million a year would go to testing and teacher training."
Frank Bruni reports from Austin, Texas (New York Times, 4/3/00, p. A15) that "Well before Gov. George W. Bush raised the curtain on his latest education proposals last week, his aides and advisers were busily setting the stage.
"They alerted reporters that Mr. Bush would advocate more federal spending and bluntly asked how many Republican leaders in Congress were eager to do likewise. They signaled that the Texas governor would buck the Republican orthodoxy in Washington, a creed of minimal federal meddling in the nation's public schools.
"When Mr. Bush finally spoke, he distilled his approach into a succinct line. 'I won't close down the Department of Education,' he said."
DUBYA'S VISION THING IS "ME, TOO" CONSERVATISM
Investor's Business Daily editorializes (4/3/00, p. A24) that "Bush is throwing good money after bad. We've spent trillions of dollars on education since the 1960s. What exactly do we have to show for it? Test scores that went into deep decline and are only now inching upward. Dropouts have soared, as have the number of colleges that have been forced to provide remedial reading and math classes. ...
"Does Bush really think that throwing a few billion at education just for The New York Times editorial board is going to satisfy the statist quo?
"It certainly didn't impress Gore, who pointed out that Bush's sudden interest in federal education spending conflicts with his tax-cut philosophy. A valid observation. But illiteracy is a 'national emergency,' says Bush. Indeed, it is. But who is responsible for that? The federal government? Hardly.
"We are back to Bush's 'compassionate conservatism,' which is neither compassionate nor conservative in the end, for it copies the very conventional thinking that created these emergencies in the first place."
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March 15, 2000
BUSH, GORE, AND CLINTON ARE UNITED IN SUPPORT OF TRADE SUBSIDIES FOR RED CHINA
Regarding the bipartisan push to give Red China membership in the World Trade Organization and permanent "Most Favored Nation" status, The New York Times (3/9/00, p. A1) reports that President Clinton "is getting little help from Vice President Gore, who, to appease labor unions that vociferously oppose the deal, said three weeks ago that he would negotiate something better if elected to office. Mr. Gore later reiterated his support for the deal the administration struck, but his aides did not return calls on the subject today.
"Ari Fleischer, a spokesman for the presumed Republican nominee, Gov. George W. Bush of Texas, said Mr. Bush remains a 'vocal supporter' of China's entry into the trade organization, because 'it is in our interest, and it is in the interest of the Chinese to grow an entrepreneurial middle class.'
"But he said the governor did not yet have a position on tying passage of the bill to providing new arms for Taiwan, a movement that several Republicans are considering as the price for their support."
BUSH'S WOLFOWITZ BOOSTS CLINTON'S AID FOR RED CHINA
"Mr. Clinton was introduced today [at Johns Hopkins University's foreign affairs graduate school] by Paul Wolfowitz, dean of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies. But Mr. Wolfowitz, who is one of Governor Bush's leading foreign policy advisers, did not mention that Mr. Bush has been more vocal in his support of the bill [proposing permanent Most-Favored-Nation trade status for Red China] than Mr. Clinton's own vice president."
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January 31, 2000
BUSH AND McCAIN AGREE ABOUT HOMOSEXUALS IN THE MILITARY
E.J. Dionne Jr. editorializes (Washington Post, 1/14/00, p. A27) with regard to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy: "Here's big news that isn't reported this way: The two front-running Republican candidates for president believe gays and lesbians should be able to serve in our nation's armed forces.
"That's what George W. Bush and John McCain are saying when they support the current 'don't ask, don't tell' policy that lets homosexuals serve in the military as long as they don't disclose their sexual orientation. ...
"Gary Bauer and Alan Keyes, the tribunes of social conservatism in the presidential race, don't think Bush and McCain are nearly conservative enough and would restore the old ban on gays in the military -- which, after all, was the mainstream position in politics only a decade ago.
"But neither Keyes nor Bauer is going to win the Republican nomination judging from what conservative Republicans are telling pollsters; Bush and McCain are the candidates of the conservative mainstream."
WHO SPEAKS FOR CONSERVATIVES?
"'It's extraordinary that "don't ask, don't tell" is now the conservative position,' says David Mixner, a prominent gay rights activist. 'I think the American people are more comfortable with the idea that gay and lesbian soldiers serve with honor and distinction and have gotten over a lot of fears.' ...
"That Bush and McCain are comfortable saying what they're saying about gays in the military, and that Gore and Bradley are willing to press even further, is the best evidence that Mixner is right."
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January 15, 2000
BUSH ADVISER BELIEVES RED REGIME IN CHINA CAN BE PERSUADED TO SUBSTITUTE "DEMOCRACY" FOR MAOIST IMPERIALISM
One of George Bush's top foreign policy advisors, Paul Wolfowitz (touted as Bush's top choice for Secretary of Defense), currently a professor of international relations at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, asserts (Commentary, January 2000, p. 46) that "In the case of China, our limited influence on that country is more likely to be effective if we take the milder course that President Reagan followed in dealing with authoritarian regimes like the Philippines and South Korea than the approach he took toward our ideological rival in the cold war, the Soviet Union."
IS RED CHINA MORE LIKE THE PHILIPPINES UNDER MARCOS THAN THE SOVIET UNION UNDER ANDROPOV?
This is an extraordinarily unsound perspective.
South Korea and the Philippines have, throughout recent decades, been friends of the United States of America, whereas Communist China has declared us to be its main enemy. The issue is only partially related to Red China's authoritarianism. The key question for U.S. decisionmakers must be: Does our policy help Communist China pose a greater or lesser threat to U.S. vital interests?
Free market totalitarianism is not the answer. Wolfowitz is wrong in presupposing that Communist China is not an ideological rival.
Mr. Wolfowitz's thinking gives us a pretty good clue of the theoretical rationale for the pro-Red China policy now being contemplated by the prospective Bush administration. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
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December 31, 1999
BUSH AND McCAIN BACK CLINTON AND GORE ON TRADE AID FOR RED CHINA
John Broder notes (New York Times, 11/16/99, p. A10) that "Gov. George W. Bush of Texas and Senator John McCain of Arizona gave qualified endorsements of the trade deal, saying that bringing China into the global trading scheme would help moderate its economic and political behavior. ...
"The two Democratic candidates, Vice President Al Gore and former Senator Bill Bradley, applauded the trade agreement, although aides said that Mr. Bradley would reserve final judgment until he had a chance to study its terms. Both candidates are seeking a way to embrace free trade with China while not alienating important Democratic constituencies -- including organized labor and some human rights advocates -- who oppose it. ..."
BAUER AND FORBES OPPOSE PERMANENT TRADE ADVANTAGES FOR RED CHINA
"'The more heated debate will be within the Republican Party,' said Gary Bauer, a Republican presidential candidate and vehement opponent of the trade deal. 'There will be a Reagan wing making my argument, and the trade wing -- the Bush wing -- unfortunately siding with Clinton and Gore on this.'
"Mr. Bush said in a statement that he has consistently supported membership of China in the World Trading [sic] Organization, a position also advocated by his father, former President Bush. ...
"Mr. Forbes, a millionaire magazine publisher who is largely financing his own campaign, said last week in a speech on China policy that he strongly opposes allowing China to join the global trade group."
FORBES BACKS TAIWAN FOR WTO
"'Let me be clear,' Mr. Forbes said in an address at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, Calif.: 'Yes to Taiwan in the W.T.O. No to China. Beijing hasn't earned it, and we shouldn't give it. Period. It is time for our government to reward freedom and democracy -- not force and demagoguery -- and let us never forget it.' ..."
AFL-CIO IS RIGHT, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS WRONG
"John Sweeney, the A.F.L.-C.I.O. president, criticized the agreement as a 'grave mistake' and accused the administration of being 'disgustingly hypocritical' in claiming that trade deals help to moderate Chinese behavior."
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DOES DUBYA AGREE WITH MOMMA AND MRS?
Cokie Roberts interviewed both Mrs. Barbara Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush on the December 19 edition of ABC-TV's This Week with Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts:
BARBARA BUSH BELIEVES THERE'S NOTHING A PRESIDENT CAN DO TO CURB ABORTION
COKIE ROBERTS: "The other area of advice that you could give is on talking about issues and of course the one that's been so touchy in the Republican Party has been the issue of abortion, where you said at one point, 'Just get it outta that platform.'"
BARBARA BUSH: "I believe that. I believe that it's a -- I believe in state's rights, and I don't think it should be in a national platform. Nothing a President can do about it anyway, in all honesty, Cokie. The law is there, and I just think it should not be, and you shouldn't answer that question 'cause I'm getting into trouble for you." ...
LAURA BUSH FAVORS FEDERAL ROLE SUBSIDIZING "THE ARTS"
COKIE ROBERTS: "The other thing that I noticed, Mrs. Bush, is how much you've been involved in all of the Texas arts, and all that, and I was at your house this morning and saw how you're supporting the artists. How do you feel about funding for the arts?"
LAURA BUSH: "Well, I think funding, national funding from -- for the arts is important. I think that it's very important, particularly for smaller, rural areas that don't have a big funding base of their own. I think the NEA grants were announced to -- today or yesterday, I read them [ph] in Texas, and a lot of that funding, of course, goes to the symphony orchestras, and the art museums, and different things that need funding. I think it's -- I think it's fine."
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November 15, 1999
"CONSERVATIVE LEADERS" PROSTITUTE THEIR "PRINCIPLES" SHILLING FOR BUSH
According to Richard L. Berke (New York Times, 11/7/99, p. 1): "Fearful that Gov. George W. Bush's stand on abortion could cost him crucial support, prominent conservative leaders are working aggressively behind the scenes to persuade their followers to put aside misgivings and rally behind the Texas governor."
PRO-LIFE STANCE NOT A LITMUS TEST FOR THOSE WHO WANT A FRONT ROW SEAT IN THE BIG TENT
"While Mr. Bush opposes abortion, he has taken pains not to appear to be a single-issue crusader. He rarely uses the word 'abortion.' He said there would be 'no litmus test' for judicial nominees. And last month, in a speech to the Christian Coalition, he mentioned abortion only in passing."
GRASS-ROOTS "FOLLOWERS" OF CELEBRITY CONSERVATIVES MUST LEARN TO SETTLE FOR LESS
"Now, in a flurry of newsletters, speeches and one-on-one conversations, many conservative leaders are mounting what they call a 'pre-emptive strike' intended to tamp down stirrings of unrest in their ranks and prevent Mr. Bush's strategy from unraveling. ...
"Conservatives are trying this newly pragmatic approach on issues including school prayer, gay rights and international affairs. But their biggest push is on abortion, one of the most divisive topics in Republican politics."
DO THEY WORRY ABOUT BEING CONSIDERED WHEN BUSH PICKS HIS CABINET?
"In appeals to the politically active members of their groups -- the ones most likely to vote in the Republican primaries -- the conservative leaders make clear that they believe Mr. Bush can win the election if he is left politically unfettered on the issues -- and that he will support their causes once in office."
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The Bush Watch
"What You See Is What You'll Get"
July 15
BUSH WANTS TO SWEEP ABORTION UNDER THE RUG
Richard L. Berke reports (New York Times, 6/29/00, p. A20) on strikingly different reactions to the Supreme Court's 5 to 4 decision striking down Nebraska's partial birth abortion ban, noting that "The contrasting strategies -- and remarks from the two rivals -- reflect differing political imperatives. The Bush strategy is to make the abortion issue go away, and, for his campaign, the timing of today's ruling is not propitious. The last thing the Republicans want one month before their nominating convention is another spectacle that turns rancorous over abortion. Not only that, the ruling comes as Mr. Bush is mulling whether he dares pick a running mate who favors abortion rights and how he can finesse the issue in the party platform. ..."
FOR BUSH ABORTION IS A POLITICAL ISSUE, NOT A MORAL PROBLEM
"'This is the worst news that the Bush campaign could get,' said Ann Stone, national chairwoman of the Republicans for Choice PAC.
"The closeness of the ruling, Ms. Stone said, gave Mr. Gore a fresh hook to declare that abortion rights may be endangered, and to shore up his sagging support from women.
"Richard N. Bond, the former Republican Party chairman who for years has counseled the party not to let itself split over abortion, said the best thing Mr. Bush could do was to keep a low profile on the issue. ..."
CONSERVATIVE "LEADERS" ARE KIDDING THEMSELVES AND DECEIVING OTHERS IN SUGGESTING THAT BUSH WILL DO ANYTHING ABOUT ABORTION
"It was no surprise that Mr. Bush, in his remarks, failed to mention the prospect of vacancies on the Supreme Court. While conservative groups have trumpeted the balance of the court as a high-stakes voting issue, Mr. Bush almost never raises it. He does not want to put off moderate and swing voters who may support abortion rights. He also knows, perhaps, that usually only the most partisan voters think about the makeup of the court. ...
"[T]he ruling today may embolden conservatives, some of whom want Mr. Bush, like Mr. Gore, to turn it into a rallying cry to discuss the court itself. But in their determination that Mr. Bush capture the White House, they are reluctant to press him to be outspoken on the issue. ..."
AN IRRELEVANT OUTCOME "JUSTIFIES" DECEPTIVE MEANS
"Gov. Bill Graves of Kansas put it this way: 'Many Republicans are prepared to put aside differences on abortion and other issues in exchange for the greater good: the election of George Bush as president.'"
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June 30
"DUBYA" IS RHETORICALLY "PRO-LIFE" (WITH EXCEPTIONS) BUT WILL DO NOTHING TO STOP EVEN ONE ABORTION
MARA LIASSON: "You know, Governor Bush is pro-life, as you say. But he's probably talked less about abortion than any other Republican presidential candidate in recent memory. And he seems to be sending a message to suburban females that are pro-choice that says, Look, I am pro-life but don't worry. I'm not going to do anything about it once I get into office. How aggressive do you expect a President George Bush to be on this issue?"
GOV. TOM RIDGE: "Well, I think what you see with Governor Bush is what you get. I mean he has not said anything other than there would be no litmus test for the Supreme Court, there would be no litmus tests for his running mate. ..." Source: Fox News Sunday (6/4/00) interview with Pennsylvania GOP Governor Tom Ridge.
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June 15, 2000
HOUSE HEROES RESISTED PRESSURE FROM GEORGE W. BUSH, AL GORE, BILL CLINTON, DENNIS HASTERT, DICK ARMEY, TOM DeLAY, AND THE REST OF THE RED CHINA LOBBY GOP DELIVERS FOR BILL CLINTON AND BIG BUSINESS
Eric Schmitt reports (New York Times, 5/26/00, p. 1) from Washington that "When Representative Tom DeLay came to work on Wednesday, he was still a vote or two shy of the bare-minimum 150 Republicans he needed to help push the China trade bill over the top."
TOM DeLAY, G.W. BUSH, AND COLIN POWELL WHIPPED REPUBLICAN BACK-BENCHERS
"Mr. DeLay, the Republican whip, had lined up lots of help. Gov. George W. Bush of Texas was recruited to cajole several wavering Republicans. So was Gen. Colin L. Powell. Dozens of pro-grade lobbyists and corporate chieftains fanned out on Capitol Hill to buttonhole the last dozen or so undeclared members for what both camps predicted would be a nail-biter.
"Over the next crucial hours, those calls and an array of other influences paid off, as virtually every undeclared Republican, and even a few others who had been written off, broke Mr. DeLay's way. In all, 164 Republicans joined 73 Democrats [who] voted to grant China permanent normal trading status, wiping out economic restrictions rooted in cold-war policy for a quarter century. ..."
2/3 OF GOP ABANDONED ANTI-COMMUNISM
"Normalizing trade with China was a victory for the Clinton administration, but House Republicans had their own reasons for voting three-to-one in favor of the bill. Passage insured that Republicans' corporate benefactors would fully benefit....
"The House Republican leadership closed ranks behind the bill.... But they needed to produce two-thirds of the yes votes, and had a tough sell with many Republicans who balked at rewarding a trade plum to a Communist government with a record of religious persecution and political repression."
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May 31, 2000
G.W. BUSH IS CONSTITUTIONALLY IGNORANT OR INDIFFERENT
Eric Schmitt reports (New York Times, 5/17/00, p. A11) that "Gov. George W. Bush of Texas, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, today sharply criticized a bill backed by Senate Republicans that would set a deadline for withdrawing American ground troops from Kosovo. Mr. Bush called the bill a 'legislative overreach' that would tie his hands if he becomes president. ...
"Until today, momentum seemed to be building among most Senate Republicans for the measure, which would cut off funds for the 5,900 United States forces in Kosovo by July 1, 2001, forcing their withdrawal, unless Congress authorizes an extension. Many Republicans said they assumed that Mr. Bush endorsed the measure, which may be voted on as early as [May 24]. ..."
"'The Clinton-Gore administration has failed to instill trust in Congress and the American people when it comes to our military and deployment of troops overseas, but the governor does not believe this provision is the way to resolve the lack of presidential leadership,' Scott McClellan, a spokesman for Mr. Bush, said. 'Governor Bush views it as a legislative overreach on powers of the presidency.'"
"Top aides to President Clinton have recommended that he veto an $8.6 billion military construction bill if the Senate language is attached. The bill includes $4.7 billion for American military operations in Kosovo, anti-drug efforts in Colombia and other defense spending."
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15 GOP SENATORS WALK THE PLANK FOR DUBYA ON KOSOVO
Eric Schmitt adds (New York Times, 5/19/00, pp. 1, 10) that "In a victory for the Clinton administration, the Senate...narrowly rejected a measure to set a deadline for withdrawing American ground troops from Kosovo. Gov. George W. Bush of Texas had also criticized the measure, but even so 40 Republicans voted for it."
SPENCER ABRAHAM, BILL ROTH, ORRIN HATCH AND OTHER Y2K CANDIDATES IGNORE THE CONSTITUTION
"By a vote of 53 to 47, senators stripped a provision from a military construction spending bill that would have cut off funds for the 5,600 United States troops in Kosovo by July 1, 2001, forcing their withdrawal unless Congress authorized an extension. ...
"Fifteen of the 55 Republicans voted for a Democratic amendment to strike the withdrawal language from the $8.6 billion military construction spending bill. At least two or three Republicans, including Thad Cochran of Mississippi, said they were swayed by the opposition by Mr. Bush, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. ..."
Those 15 Republican Senators who voted (53-47, Roll Call no. 105, 5/18/00) to remove language requiring the United States to withdraw ground troops from Kosovo on July 1, 2001 were: Abraham (Mich.), Lincoln Chafee (R.I.), Cochran (Miss.), DeWine (Ohio), Frist (Tenn.), Hagel (Neb.), Hatch (Utah), Jeffords (Vt.), Lugar (Ind.), Mack (Fla.), McCain (Ariz.), Roth (Del.), Smith (Ore.), Thompson (Tenn.), and Voinovich (Ohio).
"'The intent of the amendment is to restore congressional oversight over the Kosovo mission,' said Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, the provision's chief Democratic sponsor. 'Of course, the administration doesn't like it. They want a free hand to participate in military adventurism whenever and wherever they please. They don't want to hear a peep out of Congress.'"
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BUSH JUDICIAL APPOINTEES KILL PARENTAL NOTIFICATION OF ABORTION
According to the RNC For Life Report (March/April 2000, No. 33), "The Texas law requiring that parents be notified prior to the performance of an abortion on a minor has been virtually nullified by the Texas Supreme Court.
"On March 22, in a 6-3 decision, the Texas Supreme Court vacated a decision by an appellate court upholding a district court ruling that a 17 year-old girl is not mature enough to make an abortion decision without notifying her parents. ..."
GOP JUDGES ARE PRO-ABORTION
"All nine members of the Texas Supreme Court are Republicans. The majority of the court -- led by Chief Justice Tom Phillips and joined by Justices Craig Enoch, James A. Baker, Deborah Hankinson, Harriet O'Neill and Alberto Gonzales -- said the girl's emotional well-being and the long-term family relationship needed to be considered.
"Justice Hecht accused the majority, three of whom -- Baker, Gonzales, and Hankinson -- were appointed by [Texas Governor George W.] Bush to fill vacancies, of exhibiting judicial activism and re-writing the Parental Notification Act...."
BUSH DEFERRED TO THE COURT
"Governor Bush signed the Parental Notification Act into law, and refers to it frequently when addressing pro-life audiences on the campaign trail. However, when it was passed last year, he went along with the curious provision which assigned to the Texas Supreme Court the authority to write the guidelines rather than spelling them out in the legislation. ..."
NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE IS IN THE BAG FOR BUSH
"Texas Right to Life and its parent organization National Right to Life Committee have thrown their wholehearted support behind George W. Bush in his quest for the presidency, despite his refusal to commit to nominating pro-life judges."
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GOVERNOR DUBYA APPOINTS PRO-HOMO, PRO-ABORTION JUDGE
According to the Republican National Coalition for Life (FaxNotes, 4/20/00), "Pro-life, pro-family Texans were disturbed to learn that George W. Bush has appointed a liberal Democrat supporter of the Houston Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus and also of Planned Parenthood, Martha Hill Jamison, to the 164th District Court in Houston. Judge Jamison is the daughter of former Texas Supreme Court chief justice and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate John Hill, a powerful Texas Democrat.
She was appointed to a bench vacated by a Democrat. Many are questioning why Bush would appoint a former Democrat (she recently 'converted' to the Republican Party) and an apparent liberal at that, when there are many conservative Republicans who could easily have filled that slot."
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BUSH PLEDGES TO EXPAND NAFTA "FROM ALASKA TO CAPE HORN"
Patricia Wilson of Reuters reports from Mexico (USA Today, 4/25/00, p. 7A) that "Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush, standing on an international stage for the first time in his campaign, vowed Monday to broaden trade with Latin America."
"CROSSING A BRIDGE" AWAY FROM CONGRESSIONAL CONTROL OF TRADE POLICY
"'As president, I will look south, not as an afterthought but as a fundamental commitment of my presidency,' the Texas governor told a crowd of 2,500 on one side of a new international bridge linking Mexico and the United States.
"'As president, I will work to create an entire hemisphere of free trade. I will work to extend the benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement from northernmost Alaska to the tip of Cape Horn,' he said."
BUSH PLEDGES TO ENACT THE CLINTON-GORE AGENDA --
"Flanked by Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo at an open-air loading dock a few hundred yards from the U.S. border and the southern Texas city of Laredo, Bush pledged to call on Congress to give him fast-track negotiating authority, so he could 'aggressively pursue' free-trade agreements."
-- INCLUDING FAST TRACK, FTAA, AND RED CHINA TO WTO
"Bush plans to unveil a package of free-trade proposals, including strict enforcement of anti-dumping laws and the admission of China and Taiwan into the World Trade Organization, in a major policy speech later this spring, according to Karen Hughes, his communications director.
"The eight-lane World Trade Bridge was officially opened April 15 at a ceremony in Laredo attended by U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater. ..."
CONTINUING HIS FATHER'S "NEW WORLD ORDER" LEGACY
"Bush noted that NAFTA, which encompasses the United States, Mexico and Canada, had been negotiated while his father was president. He said its success has proved that 'our nations share more than a common border.' ...
"The $128 million bridge is the only crossing open to trucks and commercial vehicles from Laredo, Texas, to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Two older downtown bridges remain open for cars and pedestrians. Laredo is the largest port of entry on the U.S.-Mexico border; it accounts for about 40% of cross-border overland merchandise trade, according to the Commerce Department."
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BUSH UNASHAMEDLY PUSHES FEDERAL CONTROL OF EDUCATION
Jacques Steinberg reports (New York Times, 3/31/00, p. 1) that "George W. Bush likes to say that if elected president he has no intention of serving as the nation's schools superintendent, dispatching the apparatchiks of the federal government to play a role that is better left to school board members. ...
"But their protestations to the contrary, with Mr. Bush or Mr. Gore as president, the federal government would have a more forceful presence in American classrooms than in previous administrations. ...
"Mr. Bush, taking a more hands-on approach than his conservative Republican allies, this week proposed a national reading initiative with the kind of sweep and urgency more likely to roll off the lips of a Democrat. He would spend more than $1 billion a year for five years to train teachers to diagnose illiteracy in young children and to remedy such problems in individual classrooms.
"Yesterday, he proposed nearly $600 million a year in additional aid to education, most of it for teacher training, but also to give teachers tax deductions for out-of-pocket expenses on school supplies. ...
"Mr. Bush is also the first leading Republican to call for increasing the budget and responsibilities of the federal Department of Education, which became a discrete cabinet agency in the Carter administration; for years, the Republican party has called for the department's abolition."
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BUSH "TAX CUT" IS LESS THAN MEETS THE EYE
Glenn Kessler warns (Washington Post, 5/11/00, p. E1): "Attention, wealthy Americans: Don't dream too much about that Bush tax cut just yet.
"The savings aren't as big as advertised, especially for taxpayers with annual incomes of $130,000 to $319,000."
"ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX" UNTOUCHED BY THE "COMPASSIONATE" CANDIDATE
"In crafting Texas Gov. George W. Bush's tax plan, advisers for the Republican presidential candidate proposed to significantly reduce federal tax brackets but decided not to adjust the alternative minimum tax, which is designed to ensure that high-income households and companies don't escape paying taxes. The net result: Millions of taxpayers would find any potential tax savings from the Bush plan eaten up by the minimum tax.
"This little-noticed wrinkle in the plan also helps keep its cost down, making it at least $400 billion less expensive over 10 years than the $2.2 trillion that rival Vice President Gore has claimed on the campaign trail. But it has struck some experts as an odd decision because it undercuts Bush's argument that cutting top rates will 'provide a powerful economic stimulus.'"
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April 15, 2000
WITH GOP CONSERVATIVES IN THE BAG, BUSH SEEKS HOMOSEXUAL SUPPORT
Frank Bruni reports from Los Angeles (New York Times, 4/8/00, p. A9) that "Gov. George W. Bush said today that he had invited a small group of gay Republicans to talk with him at the governor's mansion in Austin, Tex. ...
"[T]he simple fact of the planned meeting, which came only after Mr. Bush wrapped up the Republican presidential nomination, hints at the governor's desire to project a more moderate image in the general election than he did in the primaries. Mr. Bush's remarks on the topic today suggested the same interest.
"'This is a different time,' he said at a campaign stop here this morning, explaining why he was now willing to meet with gays but had previously avoided such an encounter."
PARTY UNITY: HETEROSEXUALS AND HOMOSEXUALS IN THE BIG TENT
"'The campaign is over,' Mr. Bush added, referring to the primaries. 'It's important for me to unify our party. And I welcome the gay Americans who support me, some of whom are members of the Log Cabin Republican club.' ...
"The comments by Mr. Bush, who allied himself strongly with social conservatives in the primaries, are part of a pattern of statements, symbols and gestures by which he seems to be trying to inch back toward the center of the political spectrum."
BUSH LURCHES LEFT ON GUN CONTROL AND EDUCATION
"In the last month or so, Mr. Bush has indicated an incrementally greater receptiveness to gun-control legislation....The governor also announced several new education proposals that underscored a federal role in the nation's public schools and more federal spending. ...
"Mr. Bush did not go into much detail about his planned meeting with gay Republicans, which was largely set up by Charles Francis, a gay public relations consultant in Washington who is the brother of James B. Francis Jr., chairman of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Jim Francis has been a fund-raiser for Mr. Bush for many years.
"Charles Francis said in a telephone interview that he would be among a dozen gay Republicans visiting the governor's mansion, and that the group included Mayor Jim Stewart of Plattsburgh, N.Y., and former Representative Steve Gunderson of Wisconsin. The group also includes some officials with state chapters of the Log Cabin Republicans, Mr. Francis said."
GEORGE SAYS "LET'S HEAR IT" FROM "GAY CONSERVATIVES"
"He said Mr. Bush had long wanted to meet with gay supporters and seemed more eager now that the primaries were over. 'George and I were talking awhile back,' Mr. Francis said, 'and he said, "Why don't I hear more from gay conservatives?" I said, "I really look forward to making that happen."'"
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BUSH PLEDGES TO PRESERVE AND EXPAND FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
BUSH WANTS $5 BILLION MORE FOR EDUCATION
Clifford Levy reports (New York Times, 3/29/00, p. A1) that "Once again mooring a traditionally Democratic issue to the agenda of his Republican presidential campaign, Gov. George W. Bush of Texas today proposed a five-year, $5 billion program to address what he termed a national literacy crisis among children. ...
"Aides to Mr. Bush said his plan would help roughly 900,000 children with poor reading skills, at a cost of $1,000 per child per year for tutoring and other assistance. Besides that $900 million, an additional $100 million a year would go to testing and teacher training."
Frank Bruni reports from Austin, Texas (New York Times, 4/3/00, p. A15) that "Well before Gov. George W. Bush raised the curtain on his latest education proposals last week, his aides and advisers were busily setting the stage.
"They alerted reporters that Mr. Bush would advocate more federal spending and bluntly asked how many Republican leaders in Congress were eager to do likewise. They signaled that the Texas governor would buck the Republican orthodoxy in Washington, a creed of minimal federal meddling in the nation's public schools.
"When Mr. Bush finally spoke, he distilled his approach into a succinct line. 'I won't close down the Department of Education,' he said."
DUBYA'S VISION THING IS "ME, TOO" CONSERVATISM
Investor's Business Daily editorializes (4/3/00, p. A24) that "Bush is throwing good money after bad. We've spent trillions of dollars on education since the 1960s. What exactly do we have to show for it? Test scores that went into deep decline and are only now inching upward. Dropouts have soared, as have the number of colleges that have been forced to provide remedial reading and math classes. ...
"Does Bush really think that throwing a few billion at education just for The New York Times editorial board is going to satisfy the statist quo?
"It certainly didn't impress Gore, who pointed out that Bush's sudden interest in federal education spending conflicts with his tax-cut philosophy. A valid observation. But illiteracy is a 'national emergency,' says Bush. Indeed, it is. But who is responsible for that? The federal government? Hardly.
"We are back to Bush's 'compassionate conservatism,' which is neither compassionate nor conservative in the end, for it copies the very conventional thinking that created these emergencies in the first place."
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March 15, 2000
BUSH, GORE, AND CLINTON ARE UNITED IN SUPPORT OF TRADE SUBSIDIES FOR RED CHINA
Regarding the bipartisan push to give Red China membership in the World Trade Organization and permanent "Most Favored Nation" status, The New York Times (3/9/00, p. A1) reports that President Clinton "is getting little help from Vice President Gore, who, to appease labor unions that vociferously oppose the deal, said three weeks ago that he would negotiate something better if elected to office. Mr. Gore later reiterated his support for the deal the administration struck, but his aides did not return calls on the subject today.
"Ari Fleischer, a spokesman for the presumed Republican nominee, Gov. George W. Bush of Texas, said Mr. Bush remains a 'vocal supporter' of China's entry into the trade organization, because 'it is in our interest, and it is in the interest of the Chinese to grow an entrepreneurial middle class.'
"But he said the governor did not yet have a position on tying passage of the bill to providing new arms for Taiwan, a movement that several Republicans are considering as the price for their support."
BUSH'S WOLFOWITZ BOOSTS CLINTON'S AID FOR RED CHINA
"Mr. Clinton was introduced today [at Johns Hopkins University's foreign affairs graduate school] by Paul Wolfowitz, dean of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies. But Mr. Wolfowitz, who is one of Governor Bush's leading foreign policy advisers, did not mention that Mr. Bush has been more vocal in his support of the bill [proposing permanent Most-Favored-Nation trade status for Red China] than Mr. Clinton's own vice president."
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January 31, 2000
BUSH AND McCAIN AGREE ABOUT HOMOSEXUALS IN THE MILITARY
E.J. Dionne Jr. editorializes (Washington Post, 1/14/00, p. A27) with regard to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy: "Here's big news that isn't reported this way: The two front-running Republican candidates for president believe gays and lesbians should be able to serve in our nation's armed forces.
"That's what George W. Bush and John McCain are saying when they support the current 'don't ask, don't tell' policy that lets homosexuals serve in the military as long as they don't disclose their sexual orientation. ...
"Gary Bauer and Alan Keyes, the tribunes of social conservatism in the presidential race, don't think Bush and McCain are nearly conservative enough and would restore the old ban on gays in the military -- which, after all, was the mainstream position in politics only a decade ago.
"But neither Keyes nor Bauer is going to win the Republican nomination judging from what conservative Republicans are telling pollsters; Bush and McCain are the candidates of the conservative mainstream."
WHO SPEAKS FOR CONSERVATIVES?
"'It's extraordinary that "don't ask, don't tell" is now the conservative position,' says David Mixner, a prominent gay rights activist. 'I think the American people are more comfortable with the idea that gay and lesbian soldiers serve with honor and distinction and have gotten over a lot of fears.' ...
"That Bush and McCain are comfortable saying what they're saying about gays in the military, and that Gore and Bradley are willing to press even further, is the best evidence that Mixner is right."
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January 15, 2000
BUSH ADVISER BELIEVES RED REGIME IN CHINA CAN BE PERSUADED TO SUBSTITUTE "DEMOCRACY" FOR MAOIST IMPERIALISM
One of George Bush's top foreign policy advisors, Paul Wolfowitz (touted as Bush's top choice for Secretary of Defense), currently a professor of international relations at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, asserts (Commentary, January 2000, p. 46) that "In the case of China, our limited influence on that country is more likely to be effective if we take the milder course that President Reagan followed in dealing with authoritarian regimes like the Philippines and South Korea than the approach he took toward our ideological rival in the cold war, the Soviet Union."
IS RED CHINA MORE LIKE THE PHILIPPINES UNDER MARCOS THAN THE SOVIET UNION UNDER ANDROPOV?
This is an extraordinarily unsound perspective.
South Korea and the Philippines have, throughout recent decades, been friends of the United States of America, whereas Communist China has declared us to be its main enemy. The issue is only partially related to Red China's authoritarianism. The key question for U.S. decisionmakers must be: Does our policy help Communist China pose a greater or lesser threat to U.S. vital interests?
Free market totalitarianism is not the answer. Wolfowitz is wrong in presupposing that Communist China is not an ideological rival.
Mr. Wolfowitz's thinking gives us a pretty good clue of the theoretical rationale for the pro-Red China policy now being contemplated by the prospective Bush administration. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
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December 31, 1999
BUSH AND McCAIN BACK CLINTON AND GORE ON TRADE AID FOR RED CHINA
John Broder notes (New York Times, 11/16/99, p. A10) that "Gov. George W. Bush of Texas and Senator John McCain of Arizona gave qualified endorsements of the trade deal, saying that bringing China into the global trading scheme would help moderate its economic and political behavior. ...
"The two Democratic candidates, Vice President Al Gore and former Senator Bill Bradley, applauded the trade agreement, although aides said that Mr. Bradley would reserve final judgment until he had a chance to study its terms. Both candidates are seeking a way to embrace free trade with China while not alienating important Democratic constituencies -- including organized labor and some human rights advocates -- who oppose it. ..."
BAUER AND FORBES OPPOSE PERMANENT TRADE ADVANTAGES FOR RED CHINA
"'The more heated debate will be within the Republican Party,' said Gary Bauer, a Republican presidential candidate and vehement opponent of the trade deal. 'There will be a Reagan wing making my argument, and the trade wing -- the Bush wing -- unfortunately siding with Clinton and Gore on this.'
"Mr. Bush said in a statement that he has consistently supported membership of China in the World Trading [sic] Organization, a position also advocated by his father, former President Bush. ...
"Mr. Forbes, a millionaire magazine publisher who is largely financing his own campaign, said last week in a speech on China policy that he strongly opposes allowing China to join the global trade group."
FORBES BACKS TAIWAN FOR WTO
"'Let me be clear,' Mr. Forbes said in an address at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, Calif.: 'Yes to Taiwan in the W.T.O. No to China. Beijing hasn't earned it, and we shouldn't give it. Period. It is time for our government to reward freedom and democracy -- not force and demagoguery -- and let us never forget it.' ..."
AFL-CIO IS RIGHT, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS WRONG
"John Sweeney, the A.F.L.-C.I.O. president, criticized the agreement as a 'grave mistake' and accused the administration of being 'disgustingly hypocritical' in claiming that trade deals help to moderate Chinese behavior."
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DOES DUBYA AGREE WITH MOMMA AND MRS?
Cokie Roberts interviewed both Mrs. Barbara Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush on the December 19 edition of ABC-TV's This Week with Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts:
BARBARA BUSH BELIEVES THERE'S NOTHING A PRESIDENT CAN DO TO CURB ABORTION
COKIE ROBERTS: "The other area of advice that you could give is on talking about issues and of course the one that's been so touchy in the Republican Party has been the issue of abortion, where you said at one point, 'Just get it outta that platform.'"
BARBARA BUSH: "I believe that. I believe that it's a -- I believe in state's rights, and I don't think it should be in a national platform. Nothing a President can do about it anyway, in all honesty, Cokie. The law is there, and I just think it should not be, and you shouldn't answer that question 'cause I'm getting into trouble for you." ...
LAURA BUSH FAVORS FEDERAL ROLE SUBSIDIZING "THE ARTS"
COKIE ROBERTS: "The other thing that I noticed, Mrs. Bush, is how much you've been involved in all of the Texas arts, and all that, and I was at your house this morning and saw how you're supporting the artists. How do you feel about funding for the arts?"
LAURA BUSH: "Well, I think funding, national funding from -- for the arts is important. I think that it's very important, particularly for smaller, rural areas that don't have a big funding base of their own. I think the NEA grants were announced to -- today or yesterday, I read them [ph] in Texas, and a lot of that funding, of course, goes to the symphony orchestras, and the art museums, and different things that need funding. I think it's -- I think it's fine."
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November 15, 1999
"CONSERVATIVE LEADERS" PROSTITUTE THEIR "PRINCIPLES" SHILLING FOR BUSH
According to Richard L. Berke (New York Times, 11/7/99, p. 1): "Fearful that Gov. George W. Bush's stand on abortion could cost him crucial support, prominent conservative leaders are working aggressively behind the scenes to persuade their followers to put aside misgivings and rally behind the Texas governor."
PRO-LIFE STANCE NOT A LITMUS TEST FOR THOSE WHO WANT A FRONT ROW SEAT IN THE BIG TENT
"While Mr. Bush opposes abortion, he has taken pains not to appear to be a single-issue crusader. He rarely uses the word 'abortion.' He said there would be 'no litmus test' for judicial nominees. And last month, in a speech to the Christian Coalition, he mentioned abortion only in passing."
GRASS-ROOTS "FOLLOWERS" OF CELEBRITY CONSERVATIVES MUST LEARN TO SETTLE FOR LESS
"Now, in a flurry of newsletters, speeches and one-on-one conversations, many conservative leaders are mounting what they call a 'pre-emptive strike' intended to tamp down stirrings of unrest in their ranks and prevent Mr. Bush's strategy from unraveling. ...
"Conservatives are trying this newly pragmatic approach on issues including school prayer, gay rights and international affairs. But their biggest push is on abortion, one of the most divisive topics in Republican politics."
DO THEY WORRY ABOUT BEING CONSIDERED WHEN BUSH PICKS HIS CABINET?
"In appeals to the politically active members of their groups -- the ones most likely to vote in the Republican primaries -- the conservative leaders make clear that they believe Mr. Bush can win the election if he is left politically unfettered on the issues -- and that he will support their causes once in office."
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