Politics > Politics-USA > Former Reagan Economist Exposes Bush's Radical Destruction Of The Economy & Wasteful Wars.
| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Brigadier" |
| Date: |
27 Feb 2006 07:15:25 PM |
| Object: |
Former Reagan Economist Exposes Bush's Radical Destruction Of The Economy & Wasteful Wars. |
http://www.wndbookservice.com/products/BookPage.asp?prod_cd=c6872
Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan
Legacy
Bartlett, Bruce
George W. Bush is widely considered -- by liberals -- to be one of the most
politically conservative presidents in history. But many on the right have a
different perspective. Among the latter are Bruce Bartlett, a highly
respected Republican economist and an alumnus of the Reagan White House, who
in 2000 was an eager supporter of George W. Bush (and even helped to craft
the President's early tax cuts) but has since become disillusioned by his
big-spending, government-expanding ways. Now, in Impostor: How George W. Bush
Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy, Bartlett attacks the Bush
administration's economic performance root and branch -- showing how Bush has
made no effort to restraint the growth of government, greatly increased
domestic spending, created a new entitlement program for prescription drugs,
failed to veto a single bill, and expanded both the size and scope of
government in many ways quite apart from national defense and homeland
security. Bartlett also explains why the Bush policies will have serious
economic consequences for the country - and possibly fatal political
consequences for the GOP.
"I write as a Reaganite," explains Bartlett, "by which I mean someone who
believes in the historic conservative philosophy of small government,
federalism, free trade, and the Constitution as originally understood by the
Founding Fathers. On that basis, Bush clearly is not a Reaganite or "small c"
conservative. Philosophically, he has more in common with liberals, who see
no limits to state power as long as it is used to advance what they think is
right. In the same way, Bush has used government to puruse a 'conservative'
agenda as he sees it. But that is something that runs totally contrary to the
restraints and limits to power inherent in the very nature of traditional
conservatism. It is inconceivable to traditional conservatives that there
could ever be such a thing as 'big government conservatism,' a term often
used to describe Bush's philosophy."
Highlights of Bruce Bartlett's penetrating critique
Medicare expansion: Why the new "prescription drug benefit" may be the worst
legislation in U.S. history, and will cost the nation vast sums it can't
afford
How the Medicare drug benefit will inevitably lead to higher taxes and price
controls that will reduce the supply of new life-saving drugs
Why the chief "beneficiaries" of the drug benefit will not be hard-pressed
seniors, but big corporations
Why the Bush tax cuts have accomplished relatively little economically. Why
many of its provisions are the tax-equivalent of pork-barrel spending --
costing revenue while doing little or nothing to increase economic growth or
improve the structure of the tax system
Why Bush may ultimately be responsible for the largest tax increase in
history, as the inevitable result of his policies -- though it may not come
on his watch
Why the inevitable tax increase will probably a European-style value-added
tax (VAT)
How the Administration's policies are developed with little analysis or
forethought, then rammed through a compliant Congress -- leading to both
economic and political mistakes that could have been avoided
Why the Bush White House has the worst record on free trade since Herbert
Hoover
Why Clinton was actually better on the budget than Bush -- vetoing bills
because they cost too much (Bush hasn't vetoed a single one) and
significantly reducing overall government spending (Bush has massively
increased it)
The Regulatory President: how, after promising to roll back Clinton's
regulatory excesses, Bush has sacrificed principle to politics and allowed
regulation to flourish
Why Bush's policies have far more in common with Nixon's than Reagan's --
especially in his failed attempts to woo moderates by enacting liberal
programs (like Medicare expansion) that harmed the economy and GOP fortunes
Why, thanks to the Bush economic policies, Republicans are likely to suffer
significant losses in 2006 mid-term elections -- and possibly the Presidency
in 2008
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| User: "Sanders Kaufman" |
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| Title: Re: Former Reagan Economist Exposes Bush's Radical Destruction Of The Economy & Wasteful Wars. |
27 Feb 2006 07:25:12 PM |
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"Brigadier" <brigadier@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:9777CCD61wb322@130.133.1.4...
http://www.wndbookservice.com/products/BookPage.asp?prod_cd=c6872
Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan
Legacy
Bartlett, Bruce
George W. Bush is widely considered -- by liberals -- to be one of the
most
politically conservative presidents in history. But many on the right have
a
different perspective.
Former Bush Loyalists can no longer support him - but they can't bring
themselves to admit they were wrong.
So this NeoCon says its the nasty old LIBERALS who are behind Bush.
That would be funny - if their bad behaviour had not filled so many
graveyards.
--
There's only two things Militant Christians respond to...
Violence against their persons and Seizure of their property.
.
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