John Ashcroft (Gun Control, Corporate Interests) 

FACT: Resident NRA whore, John Ashcroft stresses the fact that "We already have over 10,000 gun laws on the books, what we need is better enforcement of those laws!" So what does Ashcroft do to promote this refreshing commitment to law enforcement? Why he suggests that we CUT the time that they can hold background check information from 180 days to, … one day.

COMMENT: John Ashcroft is the most powerful and blatant supporter of the Gun Lobby in recent history.

Spencer Abraham (Corporate Interests, Deregulation)

FACT: At a meeting of the Western Governors' Association, eight out of 11 Western governors, including 5 Republicans and Democrat Gray Davis from California, said they want wholesale prices for electricity capped throughout the region. Attendees said they support a cap that would reimburse suppliers for operating costs and permit profits of 15% to 25% above that amount, according to the Wall Street Journal. The cap would be lifted when enough power is available to create a truly competitive market among the 11 Western states that are electrically interconnected. In the meeting, Energy Secretary Spencer rejects their requests for caps on wholesale energy prices. 

COMMENT: So 25% profit is unacceptable in times of energy emergencies. It's understandable though, the Enron-ilk, energy concerns can't possibly be expected to survive on such paltry margins after being able to castrate California for billions of dollars in the bogus "Energy Crisis" of 2001.

Bush Administration (Corporate Interests, Un-American) 06/2002

FACT: Democrats in Congress have proposed a plan which would prevent US companies from dodging taxes by moving overseas. However, the Bush administration told Congress that not allowing companies to reap the benefits of the American market despite not having to pay American taxes would have "harmful effects on the US economy."

Bush Administration (Environment, Corporate Interests) 05/2002

FACT: Bush's "Environmental Protection Agency" tried to create a new rule which would allow coal mining companies to fill streams, rivers and wetlands with industrial waste. The rule would overturn Army Corps of Engineers regulations that prohibit mining companies from dumping waste in nearby waterways. Fortunately a federal judge blocked the rule, calling it a violation of the 1977 Clean Water Act and saying that, "Only the United States Congress can rewrite the Act to allow fills with no purpose or use but the deposit of waste." 

Bush Administration (Honor and Integrity, Illegal Contributions, Special Interests)

FACT: Recently, news broke of a secret NT$3.5 billion slush fund which was used to buy favors for Taiwan in Washington, DC, and elsewhere around the world. Leaked documents indicate that two Bush Administration officials received payments from the slush fund before they were tapped to join the administration. One official, Carl Ford, is now the assistant secretary of defense for intelligence and research, and the other, James Kelly is the assistant secretary of state of East Asia. Online Journal reports that Carl Ford was responsible for millions of dollars donated to the Bush campaign and the RNC. 

COMMENT: This raises questions of possible indirect foreign campaign contributions, something that the GOP tried to pin on Al Gore. We'll see how much face time these illegal Chinese campaign contributions receive.

Bush Administration (Lies, Stupidity, Corporate Interests)

FACT: "EPA says toxic sludge is good for fish" announced the Washington Times. Indeed, an EPA document concluded that it is not a "ridiculous possibility" that toxic sludge "actually protects the fish in that they are not inclined to bite [fishing lines] ... but they go ahead with their upstream movement and egg laying." 

COMMENT: Rep. George P. Radanovich, in response to the EPA's conclusion said, "To suggest that toxic sludge is good for fish because it prevents them from being caught by man is like suggesting that we club baby seals to death to prevent them from being eaten by sharks." 

Bush Administration (Corporate Interests, Aristocracy, Punish the Citizenry) 

FACT: Soon after 911, the Senate recently voted 100-0 to federalize airport security. The House Republicans and Bush, however, think that private companies should provide airline security, which makes sense since it has obviously worked flawlessly up to this point. 

COMMENT: Unfortunately, it seems that the Republicans paranoid fear of  "big government" trumps any need for public security via decent airport security..

Bush Administration (Undermining Democracy, Lies, Coup, Corporate Interests, Oil)

FACT: President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela (the fourth largest exporter of oil in the world) has serious problems with his country's oil industry, which causes prices to rise. Next, administration officials meet clandestinely with Venezuelan military leaders and opposition activists, including an oilman named Pedro Carmona. Suddenly, dozens of Venezuelan military personnel working in various embassies around the world return to Caracas without explanation. There is a military coup, and the pro-Bush, pro-oil Pedro Carmona is installed as interim leader. Hugo Chavez is sent to an island prison where he sees an American plane, which he presumes is there to take him into exile. Venezuela's neighbors denounce the coup, but the Bush Administration quickly recognizes the new government, announces that Chavez has resigned and calls his actions undemocratic. Much glee and rubbing of hands at the thought of all that lovely oil ensues. Surprise - two days later there is a countercoup and Chavez is reinstalled as President. George W. Bush's response? Sickeningly, to tell Chavez that the US had absolutely nothing to do with the coup, and that Chavez must "embrace democracy" if he wishes to be a successful president. 

Bush Administration (Corporate Interests, Oil, Pro Terrorism, Personal Interest, Aristocracy) 

FACT: According to the Boston Herald, Saudi Arabia is, "perhaps the biggest incubator for anti-Western Islamic terrorists." The Bush administration seems skillfully able to overlook this minor detail, what with all the money flowing into their pockets and all. W may like to "root out the evil-doers" but certainly not if they're lining his pockets. Take for example former president George H.W. Bush, senior adviser with the Carlyle Group, an organization which has deep ties to the Saudi royal family. Or Dick Cheney, who as head of Halliburton, Inc. worked to secure several large contracts with Saudi companies. Or Condoleeza Rice, who was a member of the board of directors of Chevron, another company with numerous Saudi business connections. 

Bush (Lies, Enron, Corporate Interests) 06/2002

FACT:  The economic stimulus bill that Bush wrote had a secret quarter of a billion-dollar bailout in it for Enron.

George W. Bush (Corporate Interests, Invasion of Privacy, Big Brother) 

FACT: Just before our last elected president left office, he introduced a federal safeguard that would prevent patients from having their personal information passed around. Last week Bush suggested that we should change the regulation so that doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, insurance companies, and any other interested third parties can access your medical without restriction and without your permission. The proposed regulation change has been "hailed by the insurance industry." 

George W. Bush (Hypocrisy, Punishing the Impoverished, Corporate Interests, 911)

FACT: In the winter of 2001, Bush refused to release $300 million earmarked to help the poor pay their heating bills, citing the possibility of a milder winter this year. Cold weather state lawmakers are trying to encourage Bush to release the funds.

COMMENT: In addition, the number of people seeking heating assistance will rise this year, due to layoffs following the September 11 attacks. All this while Bush gave the airlines $14 billion. 

George W. Bush (Corporate Interests, Aristocracy) 03/16/2002

FACT: Bush has used every excuse imaginable to promote his fiscally devastating $1.6 trillion gift to the wealthiest 1% of Americans: the economy is strong. The economy is weakening. Gas prices are going up. We're at war. The situation is inconsequential because the solution is always - tax cuts! In addition to Bush's initial $1.6 trillion Tax Cut debacle (true long-term estimated impact of $4 trillion), the administration is now pushing a supplemental tax cut plan. This one was narrowly voted through by the (Republican controlled) House. According to the LA Times, "80% of the benefits from the proposed capital gains tax cuts would go to the richest 2% of Americans." That sounds fair. The LA Times goes on to report that, unbelievably, payroll taxes may have to be raised in order to pay for the capital gains tax. 

COMMENT: Ah, the reverse Robin Hood approach…always popular with the electorate. But wait, Bush wasn't elected, in fact more people voted for Gore. Indeed, it was the wealthiest members of the country that "installed" Bush in the "White House". So now, I guess it actually makes sense after all. Bush is simply representing his true constituency. He is a fine leader after all. Bravo. 

George W. Bush (Anti Environment, Corporate Interests, Isolationism-Unilateralism, Lies) 

FACT: Abandoning his more moderate campaign promises, Bush decided to forget that pesky CO2 promise. You know the one where power plants' would have to curtail their carbon dioxide emissions.

COMMENT: Chalk up another trifecta for Bush Inc. 1) It pisses off our allies, stressing our bold independence from any sort of global responsibility 2) The environment gets trashed further and 3) Polluting corporations are free from those pesky profit-munching regulations. 

George W. Bush (Anti-Labor, Anti-Women, Corporate Interests, Lies) 

FACT: Bush repealed ergonomic safety regulations, which were 10 years in the making. Gregory A. Denier, spokesman for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, said the regulation would have prevented 600,000 injuries a year through such changes as better workstation design for chicken de-boners and meat packers. Martha G. Burk, chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations, an umbrella for 120 groups representing 6 million people, said women suffer many ergonomic injuries from keyboard work and machine cleaning, and called the repeal "a slap in the face of women." 

COMMENT: Meanwhile, Bush claims that, "The safety and health of our nation's workforce is a priority for my administration."

Bush (Corporate Interests) 

FACT: Bush puts on hold meat safety regulations proposed by the Department of Agriculture that call for more stringent testing by plants producing hot dogs, ready-to-eat-meats and cheeses to detect listeria bacteria, which can contaminate processed meat, poultry and dairy products. 

Bush (Bush-Bin Laden Link, Corporate Interests, Criminal, Despicable behavior, 911) 

FACT: According to the BBC, Bush halted all ongoing FBI investigations of ties between the Bin Laden family and international terrorism. Bush's father and the Bin Ladens are in business together at the Carlyle Group, a private investment house. 

Bush (Lies, Fraud, Criminal, Corporate Interests, Anti-Environment, Punish the Citizenry) 

FACT: Bush announces he is preparing to let California roll back its air pollution requirements on power plants to help the state ease its electricity crisis, despite the fact that California pollution officials said the environmental restrictions had not interfered with power plants operations at maximum capacity. 

George W. Bush (Lies, Enron) 

FACT: Up until just before the Enron debacle, Bush made it clear that he and Enron chief Ken Lay have been best friends, even referring to him as "Kenny Boy." Once the Enron Scandal began developing however, Bush came down with a broad case of "memory" loss (ie. He lied.) In fact, Bush said, Ken Lay "was a supporter of Ann Richards in my run in 1994." Even though Lay and his wife give three times as much money to Bush than they gave to Richards?

Bush (Unilateralism, Isolationism, Warmonger, Corporate Interests, Stupidity) 

FACT: The administration refuses to join 123 nations pledged to ban the use and production of anti-personnel bombs and mines. 

COMMENT: This leaves the door open to stage war on our terms and on the Defense industry's terms…and on Carlyle group's terms….and thus on Bush Sr.'s terms. Note that the millions of mines remaining in war torn regions of the world kill countless civilians and can remain in the ground and active for decades. The fact that they are hidden, makes for an obviously and excruciatingly difficult recovery operation, and since they are usually planted in parts of the world that cannot afford such a clean up effort, they remain. 

Bush (Anti-Environment, Unilateralism, Isolationism, Corporate Interests) 

FACT: The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 for controlling global warming is declared "dead" by Bush, who also backs off his campaign promise to regulate power plants for lower CO2 emissions. 

COMMENT: Corporate bigwigs hail the decisions in a fit of wallet fattening glee.

Bush (Anti Environment, Corporate Interests) 

FACT:In an interview with the Denver Post, Bush says that there is room in the nation's national monuments for oil drilling. 

Bush (Anti-Labor, Corporate Interests) 

FACT: Bush supported legislation that would repeal federal regulations helping workers with repetitive-motion injuries. Under the repealed regulations, employers would have to inform workers about repetitive-motion injuries, provide free access to doctors and pay 90 percent of employees' pay for the first 90 days they missed work because of a work-related repetitive-stress injury. Cashiers, assembly-line workers, meat cutters, forklift operators, secretaries and computer operators are among the many that are affected by the changes. 

Bush (Corporate Interests, Anti-Environment, Anti-Public Health) 

FACT: The Bush administration rescinds a regulation to update the arsenic standard from 50 ppb to 10 ppb. 

Bush (Lies, Hypocrisy, Corporate Interests) 

FACT: Bush announces he is ending the American Bar Association's (ABA) half-century role in vetting nominees for federal judgeships. White House Counsel Al Gonzales notified ABA president Martha Barnett in writing, saying, "In our view, granting any single group such a preferential, quasi-official role in the nomination process would be unfair to the other groups that also have strong interests in judicial selection. It would be particularly inappropriate, in our view, to grant preferential, quasi-official role to a group, such as the ABA, that takes public positions on divisive political, legal and social issues that come before the courts." Shortly thereafter, the Administration grants that preferential, quasi-official role to the fringe right wing Federalist Society, headed by Ed Meese. 

COMMENT: Of course we cannot forget the meaningful and invasive role that Enron and other energy interests played in the forming of the Cheney "Contributor Payback Program" as well as the firing of the FERC head by Ken Lay himself.