Multi-Millionaire Bush And Cheney Disclosure Forms Friday-Dumped

[DrFunkenstein]

WASHINGTON - President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney on Friday released their financial disclosure forms for 2003, offering up two illustrations of what the portfolios of the well-to-do look like.

Bush's 1,583-acre Texas ranch is valued at $1 million to $5 million, and he has U.S. Treasury notes valued at $5 million to $8.7 million. The president also has certificates of deposits with banks around the country valued at $600,000 to $1.25 million.

Cheney has $15 million to $75 million salted away in tax-exempt bond funds, and $2 million to $10 million in stocks that a global investment management firm is handling for him.

In times of turmoil, investments such as Treasury notes, real estate and bonds can be relatively safe for a former part-owner of a baseball team like Bush, and a former CEO of an oil industry services company like Cheney.

One financial area they've excelled in...is taxes, thanks in part to the cuts they have championed as the nation's No. 1 and No. 2 officials. Last month, both reported reductions in their federal income taxes. In Bush's case, he and his wife paid $41,000 less last year than the previous year. In Cheney's case, the reduction was $88,000.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&e=15&u=/ap/bush_cheney_financial

The spin on this article is atrocious. They aren't "rich," they're "well-to-do." The article leads blandly that Cheney has "some" tax-exempt bond funds - "some" meaning $75 million!!!

Before we get to any numbers, Pete Yost tries to pull a Checkers speech by highlighting two fishing poles they received as gifts. Is that the best Prince Bandar could do!?! If the fishing poles isn't an attempt to make them "regular" guys, I don't know what is. Well, actually, mentioning the cowboy boots doesn't hurt.

Then the article - if you can call it that - ends with a plug for Bush's tax cuts. I know I got my $88,000 in the mail. How big was your cut?

Should I mention how the investments are called "rock-solid" about the former owner of a baseball team (he forgets the Harken softball team), and the CEO of an oil company (damn, if I could only remember the name of that company...).

Lastly, let's not forget that all bad news out of the White House is dumped on the press late on Friday, for obvious reasons. The worst trash is saved for weeks with strong stories that will block out pesky little things like financial disclosures.

[barbaraann]

1. Government debt is a pillar of investment for the superwealthy.

These people do not want a balanced budget or a fiscally healthy nation. They want to enslave the population through government debt and profit from that debt. What a racket.

[Old and In the Way]

2. Cheney has done quite well in his government service.

There's something wrong when a guy goes from SecDef (who creates war on Iraq) to CEO of a very large defense contract company (who trades with Iraq against US embargo's) and back to government as VP (and restarts war with Iraq, again benefiting his ex-employer).

Cheney has redefined the word corrupt.

[jackstraw45]

4. Nice Pigpen icon....

And yes, Cheney and Scalia and Bush* truly define the word corrupt. :)

[Old and In the Way]

5. You noticed....

Not surprised, given your name.....

[gulfcoastliberal]

3. Kick

Another par for the course Rove Friday press release. Cheney's worth 100 million, bush*, over 10 million.

[spanone]

6. Yea, but they sure don't look happy. Seats await them in hell.

[DrFunkenstein]

7. Are They Out Of Touch With Average Americans?

The GOP smear machine has been hammering Kerry for having too much money. Remember all the noise about "class warfare?" I can't even begin to untangle the hypocrisy.

Nevertheless, we should get this to Air America and start hammering them on this.

[DrFunkenstein]

8. Anyone See Anything About This In The Media?

I can't find anything from the NYTimes or Washington Post. Anyone see it mentioned elsewhere (perhaps in a less fawning version)?



Regular guy Bush chillin' at this crib with regular guy Prince Bandar bin Sultan.