Bush Administration takes credit for programs it tried to cut ?!......

[Undercutter]

Pretty hilarious article from NYT about how cabinet officials are travelling around the country taking credit for government programs they unsecsessfully tried to cut. If that is not arrogance, I don't know what is. I guess they don't think they can win by being honest conservatives and admitting they want to eliminate social programs.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/19/politics/campaign/19GRAN.html

"WASHINGTON, May 18 — Like many of its predecessors, the Bush White House has used the machinery of government to promote the re-election of the president by awarding federal grants to strategically important states. But in a twist this election season, many administration officials are taking credit for spreading largess through programs that President Bush tried to eliminate or to cut sharply.

For example, Justice Department officials recently announced that they were awarding $47 million to scores of local law enforcement agencies for the hiring of police officers. Mr. Bush had just proposed cutting the budget for the program, known as Community Oriented Policing Services, by 87 percent, to $97 million next year, from $756 million.

The administration has been particularly energetic in publicizing health programs, even ones that had been scheduled for cuts or elimination.

Tommy G. Thompson, the secretary of health and human services, announced recently that the administration was awarding $11.7 million in grants to help 30 states plan and provide coverage for people without health insurance. Mr. Bush had proposed ending the program in each of the last three years. "

Now why can't Kerry take this and put it in his commercial attacking Bush? There are countless opportunities to attack this administration in entertaining ways, one has only to look at jon stuart's daily show. I think there are dozens of clips of this show that would make priceless attack ads.

[Don_G]

1. I Noticed That Some Months Agpo

And Kerry could make good use of it as a talking point and on a commercial. I think his campaign managers need to look at this closely.

[Snoggera]

2. Cutting community police

increases the ease with which the military can take over cities when martial law is declared. They obviously don't give a shit about crime.

[Undercutter]

4. conservatives

want to privatise everything. bush cheney would privatise their own mothers if they could. that is why we have mercenaries guarding our generals while they travel in iraq, and we have private companies interrogating prisoners instead of CIA. If conservatives keep power for another 4-8 years, don't be surprised to see corporate social security and corporate police force as well.

[seabeyond]

3. did that here in texas when running in 2000

i kept yelling it isnt true dont believe him,.........alas, no one listened to me

gutsy huh. got away with it the first time