Wednesday, October 06, 2004

Bush just can't catch a break

Everyday the news gets worse and worse for President Bush.

Take today, for example. First we have news that the U.S. chief weapon’s inspector in Iraq (the one who took over for David Kay, who took over for Hans Blix and the U.N. group) is issuing his final report that not only says there were no stockpiles of WMDs in Iraq when we invaded, but “Saddam Hussein did not vigorously pursue a program to develop weapons of mass destruction after international inspectors left Baghdad in 1998.” No WMDs and no WMD programs. As the
The Associated Press points out, this seriously undercuts the Bush administration’s latest rationale for invading Iraq.

Then we have news that Iran has produced "a few tons" of the gas needed to enrich uranium, confirming that the country has defied international demands and taken a necessary step toward producing nuclear fuel - or nuclear weapons.

Talk about Wrong War, Wrong Place, Wrong Time!

Then there was this lovely economic news just a few days ago as a precursor to the job figures that will be released on Friday.

The number of job cuts planned by U.S. employers jumped in September to the highest level in eight months while hiring announcements fell sharply, a job search firm said Tuesday.

Combine this news with this Open Letter to President that was just released by a group of 163 college business and economics professors taking Bush to task for his failed economic policies.

As professors of economics and business, we are concerned that U.S. economic policy has taken a dangerous turn under your stewardship.  Nearly every major economic indicator has deteriorated since you took office in January 2001.  Real GDP growth during your term is the lowest of any presidential term in recent memory.  Total non-farm employment has contracted and the unemployment rate has increased.  Bankruptcies are up sharply, as is our dependence on foreign capital to finance an exploding current account deficit.  All three major stock indexes are lower now than at the time of your inauguration.  The percentage of Americans in poverty has increased, real median income has declined, and income inequality has grown. 

The rest of the letter doesn’t get much more encouraging but go and read the whole thing. It is very informative.

So the only surprising thing at this point in the election is that Bush is not 20 points down in the polls. I chalk this up to the massive amount of corporate money they have amassed and spent during the campaign, the tidal wave of right-wing distortions flowing through our so-called-liberal-media, and the vicious and unfounded attacks on John Kerry by groups such as the Swift Boat Liars for Bush.

But lies and distortions can only do so much to obscure reality and unfortunately for President Bush he just can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to the truth of what is really going on.

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