POLITICARMAGEDDON!!

a fark user by the name "Uncle Pim" posted this nice list in one of the threads ... except for the michaelmoore.com, moorelies.com and the usatoday.com posts, all of these come from "credible" or "unbiased" sources (i hate usa today, its fuckin news for television addicts) ... anyway, thought it would find a sympathetic audience here ... have fun reading ... i expect a minimum 500 word essay on what you learned by next monday ...

Bush begins his presidency in poor taste, making a quote that would foreshadow the expansion of executive power under his administration, "If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator." (Dec 00) transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0012/18/nd.01.html

While the Kyoto Protocol is considered largely symbolic by many, Bush rejects the treaty, alienating US allies. (Mar 01) archives.cnn.com/2001/US/03/29/schroeder.bush

Bush is given an intelligence report entitled Bin Laden Determined to Strike in US. The report outlines how Al-Qa'ida members in the United States are preparing for airplane hijackings and are conducting "surveillence on federal buildings in New York." This knowledge was not obtained through domestic spying on phone lines by the NSA or through a CIA rendition process, but by the domestic FBI investigating known Al-Qa'ida members inside the United States. One month later, roughly 3000 Americans are killed in the worst attack on US soil since Pearl Harbor. (Aug 01) www.cnn.com/2004/images/04/10/whitehouse.pdf

Bush spent an estimated 13 to 42 percent of his first 8 months in office on vacation, depending upon the source cited. 13 percent of 8 months is approximately 6 weeks and 5 days. moorelies.com/news/archives/display.cfm?newsID=119, www.michaelmoore.com/warroom/f911notes

Bush's treasury secretary Paul O'Neill resigns due to differences over Bush's irresponsible tax cuts and later claims Bush planned on invading Iraq "days after entering the White House." (Dec 02) www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01/10/oneill.bush

Mission Accomplished. Three years later, Bush states "I know we're going to win." (May 03) www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/05/01/bush.carrier.landing, www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/06/dean.iraq

Republicans cut benifits to the military at a time when soldiers are dying in Iraq at the rate of about one soldier per day. (Jul 03) www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292259-1989240.php

Bush calls for a constitutional ban on gay marriages. The language of the amendment could also prevent the later formation of civil unions. An MSNBC poll showed one month after the proposal that a majority of Americans approve of legal civil unions and dissaprove of a constitutional ban on gay marriages. (Feb 04) www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/24/elec04.prez.bush.marriage, www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4496265/

Bush uses 911 as reelection material. (Mar 04) www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26575-2004Mar3.html

The color-coded terror-alert system used by Bush's Department of Homeland Security is criticised as a political tool. Later, Tom Ridge admits that at times he was instructed by the Bush administration to raise the alertness level when little evidence was supplied indicating a forthcoming terrorist attack. (Aug 04/May 05) www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37954-2004Aug3.html, www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/04/cheney.dean/, www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-05-10-ridge-alerts_x.htm

United Nations Secretary-General Koffi Annan describes the invasion of Iraq as "an illegal act that contravened the UN charter." (Sept 04) news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3661134.stm

The US military faces its deadliest month in Iraq approximately one year after Mission Accomplished. (Apr 04) www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june04/iraq_4-19.html

The Bush administration declares that it should be above international law. (Jun 04) www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/6/17/173027.shtml

No Child Left Behind is underfunded by at least 9.5 billion dollars. (Jul 04) www.nea.org/newsreleases/2004/nr040714.html

Bush's education secretary, Margaret Spellings, effectively censors PBS for featuring lesbian parents in the show "Postcards From Buster." (Jan 05) www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6869976/

Vice President Cheney's top aide, Scooter Libby, is indicted on 5 counts of perjury and making false statements with the investigation ongoing. (Oct 05) www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/28/leak.probe/

Bush endorses teaching the pseudo-science of intelligent design in school science classes despite the research of intelligent design being rebuked by nearly all members of the scientific community. (Aug 05) msnbc.msn.com/id/8792302/

Cheney makes his "last throes" remark, describing the insurgency in Iraq. (Jun 05) www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/30/cheney.iraq

Capitol Hill Blue, a blog that's been compared to Drudge, reported that Bush referred to the Constitution as a "goddamned piece of paper." (Dec 05) www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7779.shtml

Bush orders the NSA to conduct domestic eavesdropping on telephone lines. The NSA operates without warrants despite the existance of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Court, which was created in part to issue such warrants in secrecy. The legality of these operations is still in disupte. (Dec 05) www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/17/bush.nsa

The now infamous lobbyist Jack Abramoff agrees to fully cooperate with federal authorities on charges that he may have bribed or had otherwise illegal dealings with as many as two dozen Washington officials. Three quarters of those investigated are Republicans. Bush donates $6000 of the $100,000 donated to his campaign by Abramoff to charity. Other officials take similar actions, including former House Majority Leader Tom Delay, who was indicted on conspiracy charges in September. (Jan 06) www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/04/lobbyist.fraud.ap, www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/05/abramoff.fallout.ap, www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/28/delay.indict