Bush to return to Washington because of hurricane (Reuters)

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050830/pl_nm/weather_katrina_bush_dc_5

By Jeremy Pelofsky 6 minutes ago

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - President George W. Bush will cut short a month-long vacation at his Texas ranch to return to Washington on Wednesday to help oversee a massive recovery effort from Hurricane Katrina, the White House said.

Bush will be briefed on the disaster relief efforts before leaving his Crawford ranch. Then in Washington, he will lead a meeting with representatives of 14 federal agencies involved in the recovery and cleanup, including the Departments of Energy, Interior and Health and Human Services.

"Right now, our priority is on saving lives, and we are still in the midst of search-and-rescue operations," Bush said before addressing Navy sailors, Marines and veterans in San Diego.

"The federal, state and local governments are working side by side to do all we can to help people get back on their feet, and we have got a lot of work to do," he added.

[wakeme2008]

1. I just voted it down

:)

[Lorien]

3. You too, eh?

;-)

What a bit of propaganda bullshit that was. Won't ONE member of the MSM mention that his vacation was to end Friday anyway?

[rodeodance]

7. so will I --right NOW

[AuntiBush]

34. Yeah. Really Cutting It Short there, huh!

Way too little, and a whole lot too late.

[TankLV]

32. How do you do that - I didn't see where to "vote it down".

Opps! I found it now!

[msongs]

2. why send a coward to do a man's/woman's job????? he oughta

get back to fund raising on dont mess with the people in LA and MS, they do not need a worse disaster.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

PS - will he bring his copy of "my pet goat" with him?

[MidwestTransplant]

4. CUT IT SHORT BY 1 DAY

[SlavesandBulldozers]

10. yes I noticed Fox is really playing up the "Cutting his vacaction short

to focus on the hurricane."

Wow, what day was the hurricane? Yesterday morning? about 36 hours ago?

Man that's record time for him to get back to Washington during a time of national crisis. Perhaps he was just criss-crossing the nation in case any other sleeper hurricanes were out there.

[slor]

5. Gee...glad he "rushed' back n/t

[rodeodance]

6. all hail to the chief upon his return.

bunch of crapola

[rodeodance]

9. has only about a 1.5 rating.

Average (77 votes)

[LiberalFighter]

8. I thought he had a communication system in his ranch that would

allow him to teleconference with others in DC

[SlavesandBulldozers]

11. yeah but you can't

harness a national tragedy politically using that com-system. It's one of it's only limitations.

In order to really milk this thing - without providing any real help - he's gotta get back to the hard werk a presidentin back at WH East.

[Lisa]

16. yeah, they haven't got anyone who could Photoshop him ...

... into a picture of the crumbling levee, wearing hip waders and talking into a bullhorn!

Normally they would just get a picture of him in an appropriate "disaster costume", standing in front of a bluescreen behind his garage. But the technician who usually does this is on vacation.

[Megahurtz]

12. What a Big Heart!

:sarcasm:

NOT!

[Turbineguy]

13. Somebody must have told him

the hurricane was headed for Crawford and he's escaping.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

14. YES, Air Force One can fly him all around the country...

...just like it did on 9/11, and he can show the world ONCE AGAIN what a cowardly WORTHLESS P.O.S. he REALLY is.

[CTyankee]

Worthless piece of human crap is right

My god, when will this end?

[daleo]

15. He has to go back to Washington

He heard there was cake there.

[milkyway]

17. President Kerry would have been in Louisiana this past Sunday.

Fuck you bush. Keep smiling for your photo ops, you mutant freak.

[tanyev]

18. Meh. He'll be as useless there as he is in Crawford.

Somebody on the PR team must have realized it wasn't looking too good to keep vacationing in the midst of all the misery.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

19. A day late and a $1 short

How generous and compassionate. I hope the Repub's don't try to run on compassion again.

[HuffleClaw]

28. hmm. and when it was that poor schiavo woman that was the issue...

...bush went to dc in the middle of the night to sign some legislation iirc. but this time, he decides to wait a couple of days? AND announce that he's coming home EARLY (a whole two days, woo hoo) from his vacation, which a few days ago WASN'T a 'vacation'. (according to some white house mouthpiece)

[ismnotwasm]

20. There goes my loathing meter. Up again

I'm waiting to see if there is an actual limit to how much I can loathe this man

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

21. No...it will get worse...MUCH, MUCH worse...before it gets better.

He's less than ONE YEAR into his SECOND TERM.

Have you given any thought to his desire to create a "National Sales Tax"...also known as "The Fair Tax?"

You SHOULD.

On September 30th, Bush's "Tax Avisory Panel" is going to recommend THIS:

http://democraticleader.house.gov/press/releases.cfm?pressReleaseID=701

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2004

Pelosi: ‘National Sales Tax Would be Burden for Middle Class Americans, But Boon for the Wealthy’

Washington, D.C. -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi held a news conference in the Capitol this afternoon with Congressmen Charles Rangel of New York, and John Spratt and James Clyburn, both of South Carolina, to denounce a Republican plan for a national sales tax. Below are Pelosi’s remarks and a fact sheet about the proposal:

“Today, we are here to highlight one of the many clear contrasts between Democrats and Republicans: Republicans want to undermine our American values of prosperity and fairness with a new national sales tax of at least 30 percent and as high as 50 percent or more on all goods, including homes and cars.

“A national sales tax would be a burden for middle class Americans, but a boon for the wealthy. Families with children would lose their current tax deductions, and seniors would essentially be taxed twice.

“This proposal is ludicrous and should be dismissed outright. Yet Speaker Hastert wrote about the national sales tax and the flat tax in his new book, saying ‘both of these ideas are worthy of consideration.’ And Majority Leader Tom DeLay is co-sponsoring the bill, and has said: ‘It is high time the debate about the flat tax and a national consumption tax moved out of Washington think tanks and into American living rooms. That's why I have signedon to Congressman John Linder's proposal to scrap the current tax code altogether and replace it with a national sales tax.’

“The Republican plan would make it harder for middleclass families to make ends meet. A national sales tax would undermine the American value of prosperity. For example, cars that cost $20,000 would cost an additional $6,000 under this proposal. Just wait until the car dealers hear about this proposal. Prescription drugs that cost $100 would now cost $130. New homes, insurance premiums, brokerage fees, and gasoline would all be heavily taxed to replace revenue brought in by the current tax system.

“It would wipe out our system of progressive taxation. A national sales tax would undermine the American value of fairness.

“The American people should be aware that the Republicans’ primary tax agenda is a new national sales tax.”

The Republican Plan to Raise Taxes on the Middle Class

All over the country, middle class Americans are being squeezed byRepublican policies that have lost 1.7 million private sector jobs; allowed the price of health care, education, and gas to skyrocket; and created record deficits. Now Republicans are proposing a new national sales tax that would increase taxes for the typical middle class by about 50 percent. Democrats know that approach is wrong. Instead of raising taxes on the middle class, Democrats have pledged to promote prosperity and fairness by enacting middle class tax relief, creating new jobs, and eliminating tax loopholes so all Americans pay their fair share.

GOP SALES TAX HIKES A FAMILY’S TAX BURDEN BY 50 PERCENT

The new GOP national sales tax would replace all personal and corporate income taxes, Social Security, Medicare, and payroll taxes, and gift and estate taxes with a new national sales tax on goods like groceries, clothing, new home sales and apartment rents, and health care services. This new GOP tax would be applied on top of existing state sales taxes. This proposal would increase taxes by about $3,200 a year for 80 percent of taxpayers, and potentially more for some families.

MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES SQUEEZED AGAIN

Families with children. Families with children are hit the hardest, as this proposal would eliminate all the current law tax benefits for these families, including the child tax credit. A middle class family with four children with a combined income of $65,000 would face an increase of more than $5,000 in their tax liability.

New homeowners. The Republican tax hike proposal would eliminate the tax deduction that families get on their home mortgages and apply this new sales percent tax to the cost of a home. If a family buys a new house listed for $150,000, the new tax brings the actual purchase price to $195,000.

Jump in property taxes. The Republican sales tax hike would require states to send an additional $300 billion to the federal government in sales taxes – a tax increase that states would immediately pass on to residents. Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Hawaii, and New Jersey could all see property tax increases higher than 400 percent. The lowest state property tax hike possible – in New Hampshire – would still be more than 70 percent.

Gas and electricity. The average family would pay an additional 60 cents a gallon for gasoline – a new tax that will hit families in rural areas particularly hard. Families with large home heating or cooling bills also will be harmed.

SENIORS FACE NEW TAXES

Beneficiaries pay twice for Social Security and pension benefits. Most Social Security benefits and a portion of pension payments are exempt from income tax. But this proposal requires seniors to pay the new sales tax – meaning that seniors are now being taxed twice for their Social Security, once when they pay the payroll taxes and again when they pay the sales taxes.

Threaten Solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund. Medicare would be required to pay the new sales tax as well, forcing the program into insolvency in five years. If this proposal were enacted, Medicare would run out of funds in 2009.

Undermines pension coverage. The new GOP sales tax hike would reduce the incentives employers currently get for offering their employees a pension plan. The American Academy of Actuaries has concluded that “pension plans would quickly diminish in number and size and gradually disappear” if a consumption tax, such as the national sales tax were enacted as a substitute to the current income tax.

[Sub Atomic]

26. If this is true, then by all means bring it on.

Let's face it.

The Repubs are eventually going to destroy this great nation one way or another.

I say let them do it now.

As a nation we'll let it continue until they destroy us. So why not just get it over with?

[belle]

23. Amazing, isn't it? I can't think it's good for me, either.

[Writer]

22. Got your f'ing notes ready, George?

Ready to make that performance before the cameras, you damned fake?

You were busy with politics in California, now I suppose you'll be busy with politics in the Gulf region.

Asshole.

[GettysbergII]

24. Bush must have finally sobered up enough to be seen publicly

[anotherdrew]

25. bush and the rethug party need to BURN for this

these fuckers need to pay until it hurts and then a lot more for this. An utter failure of ideology over logic.

of course all the media seems to have is happy talk about rescues.

[NCPatriot]

27. Gotta Get Haliburton In NOW!!

[u4ic]

31. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[TheCowsCameHome]

29. Boy, talk about sacrifice. Idiot son is really such a selfless man

Imagine, cutting short his vacation for a pesky water leak.

[Verve]

30. Please rate Yahoo news "Bush Cancels vacation to focus on relief."

This topic has been moved by the moderator of this forum.
It can be found at:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4518887

[AuntiBush]

33. How Impressive. Several Days Later & Still He Needs to be Briefed!

The second I see his face, I grab the remote.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

35. Somebody should tell Sparky that Katrina hit New Orleans, not D. C.

[rodeodance]

36. Bush Back to D.C. to Help Relief Efforts

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050831/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_katrina
Bush Back to D.C. to Help Relief Efforts

By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer 34 minutes ago

WACO, Texas -
President Bush is returning to Washington to oversee the federal response to Hurricane Katrina as aides make arrangements for an expected visit to storm-ravaged areas of the Gulf Coast later this week.

Bush cut his monthlong vacation by two days even though aides have long contended that his duties are uninterrupted when he spends time at his ranch in nearby Crawford that has White House-level communications capability.

The president decided he should be in the nation's capital given the magnitude of destruction and death caused by Katrina, one of the most severe storms to ever hit the United States.

"These are trying times for the people of these communities. We know that many are anxious to return to their homes. It's not possible at this moment," the president said Tuesday during a speech in Coronado, Calif. "Right now our priority is on saving lives, and we are still in the midst of search and rescue operations."
.......

[ugarte]

37. Sell his golf clubs on e-bay? nt

[Guitarman]

50. Time for another photo op

Passing out some bottled water. He is just bumming that it is not in Fla. where he and his big headed brother could bask in the glory of the media attention.

[Turbineguy]

38. Bush help

oxymoron

[Corgigal]

39. Good news

Now New Orleans won't drown.

OH, too late.

[rodeodance]

41. Bush--links oil and war. The man is thinking it and now saying it. (below

.....Bush said the Iraqi oil industry, already suffering from sabotage and lost revenues, must not fall under the control of
Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida forces led in Iraq by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

"If Zarqawi and bin Laden gain control of Iraq, they would create a new training ground for future terrorist attacks," Bush said. "They'd seize oil fields to fund their ambitions. They could recruit more terrorists by claiming a historic victory over the United States and our coalition."

A one-time oilman, Bush has rejected charges that the war in Iraq is a struggle to control the nation's vast oil wealth. The president has avoided making links between the war and Iraq's oil reserves, but the soaring cost of gasoline has focused attention on global petroleum sources.

[raccoon]

40. Best way he could help is get out of the way!

"Bush cut his monthlong vacation by two days"

WTF is this with him taking so much vacation? Has any other president ever vacationed so much?

" even though aides have long contended that his duties are uninterrupted when he spends time at his ranch "

And if you believe that, I've got some Enron stock to sell you.

"Right now our priority is on saving lives, and we are still in the midst of search and rescue operations."

Yall, I swear to you the first time I read this, I read:

"Right now our priority is on saving face..."

[Demeter]

42. Nothing In Life Became Him Like The Leaving Of It

in other words, with friends like Bush, who needs enemies?

[DrZeeLit]

43. Yeah right. Grab a bucket and run outside and start bailing... oops....

he's been reading "My Pet Goat" again.

Spin him three times and point him southwest...to New Orleans.

Then, grab a bucket and get out on the lines, Georgie.

Sheesh.

Help? Nah, he's gotta go sell a prescription drug program (that's already been passed) to seniors who don't want it.

Damn, being President is hard work. Sitting in a nice cozy office, getting waited on hand and foot, watching the disaster on t.v., and talking on the phone a lot.

Yep, he's gonna help.

Sheesh.

[fasttense]

44. Does it seem to the rest of you that everyone is running around but

doing nothing? The disaster gets worse by the hour and there seems to be very little being done. I think brush has got everyone afraid of doing anything that doesn't help his "haves and have mores" base.

Notice the only real action taken is releasing oil reserves. But of course this wasn't done until one of the haves or have mores asked for it. Of course the oil profiteers will sell to us at $3.00 while they get from the government for nothing (or for very cheap). You can bet the oil companies are going to make big bucks off this disaster.

Meanwhile back on the Gulf Coast, looters abound (which seems to be the only thing corporate media wants to report), dead bodies are piling up, families are living in their cars, the water keeps rising and things are going from bad to worse.

I bet if Katrina had affected brush's base, we would see some action.

[rodeodance]

47. trying to pick up the pieces (FEMA)--is Hard Work. but i agree with you.

[WCGreen]

49. The Oil Companies have to replace the crude they

withdraw at what ever the market price .....

At least that is my understanding of this....

We must keep track of who gets what and how much they pay for it or if and when they replace it...

[raccoon]

45. Best way he could help is get out of the way!

"Bush cut his monthlong vacation by two days"

WTF is this with him taking so much vacation? Has any other president ever vacationed so much?

" even though aides have long contended that his duties are uninterrupted when he spends time at his ranch "

And if you believe that, I've got some Enron stock to sell you.

"Right now our priority is on saving lives, and we are still in the midst of search and rescue operations."

Yall, I swear to you the first time I read this, I read:

"Right now our priority is on saving face..."

[Tippy]

46. Former Mayor of NO...

just layed all that is not being done at Bush's feet...CNN did the interview..this man is angry very angry and demands Bush to send in more military now not tomarrow or the next day...NOW

[rodeodance]

48. good for him. wonder if Bush will get briefed on this?

[Tippy]

52. I doubt he will hear a word...

Because this guy laied this mess right at WH door step..I wonder if we call the WH..they may take notice...

[lumpy]

51. Bush"....we are still in the midst of

search and rescue operations." Yeah sure, Dubya, get that turd out of your pocket.

[goclark]

53. What's this "we" crap he is speaking?!

"Right now our priority is on saving lives, and we are still in the midst of search and rescue operations."



He has been doing NOTHING and has the nerve to say "we."