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What the president is doing in office
by Dr. David A. Sprintzen, Professor of Philosophy Co-Director, Institute for Sustainable Development C.W. Post College,Long Island University 720 Northern Boulevard Brookville, NY 11548-1300 (516)299-3051 fax: (516) 299-4140 dsprintz@liu.edu
- 18th Jan 2002
The First Six Months of George W. Bush: Whatever your beliefs, know what your
president is doing. Here is a list of his work in his first six months:

* Significantly eased field-testing controls of genetically engineered crops.

* Cut federal spending on libraries by $39 million.

* Cut $35 million in funding for doctors to get advanced paediatric training.

* Cut by 50% funding for research into renewable energy sources.

* Revoked rules that reduced the acceptable levels of arsenic drinking water.

* Blocked rules that would require federal agencies to offer bilingual
assistance to non-English speaking persons. This, from a candidate who would
readily fire-up his Spanish-speaking skills in front of would-be Hispanic
voters.

* Proposed to eliminate new marine protections for the Channel Islands and
the coral reefs of northwest Hawaii. San Francisco Chronicle, April 6, 2001

* Cut funding by 28% for research into cleaner, more efficient cars and
trucks.

* Suspended rules that would have strengthened the government's ability to
deny contracts to companies that violated workplace safety, environmental and
other federal laws.

* OK'd Interior Department appointee Gale Norton to send out letters to state
officials soliciting suggestions for opening up national monuments for oil
and gas drilling, coal mining, and foresting.

* Appointed John Negroponte - an un-indicted high level Iran Contra figure -
to the post of United Nations ambassador.

* Abandoned a campaign pledge to invest $100 million for rain forest
conservation.

* Reduced by 86% the Community Access Program for public hospitals, clinics
and providers of care for people without insurance.

* Rescinded a proposal to increase public access to information about the
potential consequences resulting from chemical plant accidents.

* Suspended rules that would require hardrock miners to clean up sites on
Western public lands.

* Cut $60 million from a Boy's and Girl's Clubs of America program for public
housing.

* Proposed to eliminate a federal program designed to help communities (and
successfully used in Seattle) prepare for natural disasters.

* Pulled out of the 1997 Kyoto Treaty global warming agreement.

* Cut $200 million of work force training for dislocated workers.

* Eliminated funding for the Wetlands Reserve Program, which encourages
farmers to maintain wetlands habitat on their property.

* Cut program to provide childcare to low-income families as they move from
welfare to work.

* Cut a program that provided prescription contraceptive coverage to federal
employees (though it still pays for Viagra).

* Cut $700 million in capital funds for repairs in public housing.

* Appointed Otto Reich - an un-indicted high level Iran Contra figure-to
Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs.

* Cut Environmental Protection Agency budget by $500 million.

* Proposed to curtail the ability of groups to sue in order to get an animal
placed on the Endangered Species List.

* Rescinded rule that mandated increased energy-saving efficiency regulations
for central air conditioners and heat pumps.

* Repealed workplace ergonomic rules designed to improve worker health and
safety.

* Abandoned campaign pledge to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2), the waste gas
that contributes to global warming.

* Banned federal aid to international family planning programs that offer
abortion counselling with other independent funds.

* Closed White House Office for Women's Health Initiatives and Outreach.

* Nominated David Lauriski - ex-mining company executive-to post of Assistant
Secretary of Labour for Mine Safety and Health.

* O.K.'d Interior Secretary Gale Norton to go forth with a controversial plan
to auction oil and gas development tracts off the coast eastern of Florida.

* Announced intention to open up Montana's Lewis and Clark National Forest to
oil and drilling.

* Proposes to re-draw boundaries of nation's monuments, which would
technically allow oil and gas drilling "outside" of national monuments.

* Gutted White House AIDS Office.

* Renegotiating free trade agreement with Jordan to eliminate safeguards for
the environment and workers' rights.

* Will no longer seek guidance from The American Bar Association in
recommendations for the federal judiciary appointments.

* Appointed recycling foe Lynn Scarlett as Undersecretary of the Interior.

* Took steps to abolish the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

* Cut the Community Oriented Policing Services program.

* Allowed Interior Secretary Gale Norton to shelve citizen-led grizzly bear
re-introduction plan scheduled for Idaho and Montana wilderness.

* Continues to hold up federal funding for stem cell research projects.

* Makes sure convicted misdemeanor drug users cannot get financial aid for
college, though convicted murderers can.

* Refused to fund continued cleanup of uranium-slag heap in Utah.

* Refused to fund continued litigation of the government's tobacco company
lawsuit.

* Proposed a $2 trillion tax cut, of which 43% will go to the wealthiest 1%
of Americans.

* Signed a bill making it harder for poor and middle-class Americans to file
for bankruptcy, even in the case of daunting medical bills.

* Appointed a Vice President quoted as saying "If you want to do something
about carbon dioxide emissions, then you ought to build nuclear power
plants."Vice President Dick Cheney on "Meet the Press."

* Appointed Diana "There is no gender gap in pay" Roth to the Council of
Economic Advisers. Boston Globe, March 28, 2001

* Appointed Kay Cole James - an opponent of affirmative action-to direct the
Office of Personnel Management.

* Cut $15.7 million earmarked for states to investigate cases of child abuse
and neglect.

* Helped kill a law designed to make it tougher for teenagers to get credit
cards.

* Proposed elimination of the "Reading is Fundamental" program that gives
free books to poor children.

* Is pushing for development of small nuclear weapons to attack deeply buried
targets-weapons, which would violate the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

* Proposes to nominate Jeffrey Sutton-attorney responsible for the recent
case weakening the Americans with Disabilities Act-to federal appeals court
judgeship.

* Proposes to reverse regulation protecting 60 million acres of national
forest from logging and road building.

* Eliminated funding for the "We the People" education program which taught
schoolchildren about the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and citizenship.

* Appointed John Bolton - who opposes non proliferation treaties and the U.N.
-to Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.

* Nominated Linda Fisher - an executive with Monsanto-for the number two job
at the Environmental Protection Agency.

* Nominated Michael McConnell - leading critic of the separation of church
and state - to a federal judgeship.

* Nominated Terrence Boyle - ardent opponent of civil rights - to a federal
judgeship.

* Canceled 2004 deadline for automakers to develop prototype high mileage
cars.

* Nominated Harvey Pitts - lawyer for teen sex video distributor-to head SEC.

* Nominated John Walters - strong opponent of prison drug treatment programs
- for Drug Czar. Washington Post, May 16, 2001.

* Nominated J. Steven Giles - an oil and coal lobbyist - for Deputy Secretary
of the Interior.

* Nominated Bennett Raley - who advocates repealing the Endangered Species
Act - for Assistant Secretary for Water and Science.

* Is seeking the dismissal of class-action lawsuit filed in the U.S. against
Japan by Asian women forced to work as sex slaves during WWII.

* Earmarked $4 million in new federal grant money for HIV and drug abuse
prevention programs to go only to religious groups and not secular
equivalents.

* Reduced by 40% the Low Income Home Assistance Program for low-income
individuals who need assistance paying energy bills.

* Nominated Ted Olson - who has repeatedly lied about his involvement with
the Scaiffe-funded "Arkansas Project" to bring down Bill Clinton - for
Solicitor General.

* Nominated Terrance Boyle - foe of civil rights - to a federal judgeship.

* Proposes to ease permit process - including environmental considerations -
for refinery, nuclear and hydroelectric dam construction. Washington Post,
May 18,2001.

* Proposes to give government the authority to take private property through
eminent domain for power lines.

* Proposes that $1.2 billion in funding for alternative renewable energy come
from selling oil and gas lease tracts in the Alaska National Wildlife
Reserve.

* Plans on serving genetically engineered foods at all official government
functions.

* Forced out Forest Service chief Mike Dombeck and appointed a timber
industry lobbyist