We to the left of center, know that the George W. Bush presidency has been an abject failure. Actually, not just an abject failure, which implies that George is just a harmless fuck-up, but a failure that carries a death toll.
The Paper Trail Blog has summarized Broken Goverment’s list of 128 Bush administration failures since the year 2000.
If you think the Bush “reign of error” was disgusting you already, this list will really make you sick.
• 45 million Americans without health care
• 60 percent of EPA scientists report political interference with their work
• 1,273 whistleblower complaints filed from 2002-2008; 1,256 were dismissed
• 190,000 U.S.-supplied weapons missing in Iraq
• $212.3 million in overcharges by Halliburton for Iraq oil reconstruction work
• $455 billion deficit for fiscal year 2008; estimated to reach up to $1 trillion in 2009
• $9.91 billion for government secrecy in 2007 — a record
• 809 government laptops with sensitive information lost by FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
• 30 million pounds of beef recalled in 2007
• $300 billion over budget for Department of Defense weapons acquisitions
• Less than 3 percent of U.S. electricity needs met by alternative energy
• 2,145 troops killed and 21,000 injured in Iraq from March 2003 through November 1, 2008, by IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and other explosives — many while awaiting body armor. Additionally, tens of thousands of Iraqis have been killed in the conflict
• 34.8 percent of oil used in America imported during Nixon administration; 42.2 percent during first Gulf War; 59.9 percent in 2006
• $100 million for failed FBI computer network
• $100 billion in federal tax revenues lost annually to corporations using off-shore tax shelters
• 163 million airline passengers delayed 320 million hours; cost to U.S. economy: more than $41 billion in 2007
• $60 billion stolen in Medicare fraud each year
• 2.5 million toxic toys recalled in summer of 2007
• $12.5 billion for defective National Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite System
• $4 billion to upgrade National Security Agency computers that often crash, have trouble talking to each other, and lose key intelligence
• 60,000 flights made by 46 Southwest Airline jets in violation of FAA safety directives due to lax FAA enforcement
• 12.8 percent job turnover at Department of Homeland Security in 2006 — double that of any other cabinet-level agency
If you’re up to the task of reading the rest of the list, go here.
Excuse me, I need to go lie down…
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TheZoo 
“2.5 million toxic toys recalled in summer of 2007” I’m not quite sure that Bush is responsible for toxic toys that were imported from China.
But one must assign these failures equally to Congress which has either confirmed the nominations to the offending agencies, passed the laws which create and regulate the offending agencies, passed the budgets that fund the offending agencies and/or failed in their role of oversight of the offending agencies.
If the government is so large that the President cannot provide adequate leadership to head these agencies and there is simply too much work for Congress to oversee them, perhaps they’re not capable of so much responsibility. I would also note that the list left off the $20 Trillion dollar national debt we have now, half of which was caused by a corporate welfare Wall Street bailout with no oversight or enforcement.
You are such a tool. Do you actually believe the drivel you post? If you do, you’re a fucking dumbass tool, to boot.
Intellectual dishonesty or just stupidity on your part, I don’t know, but you are an amazing bore. You are so full of shit it pisses me off every time I have to read the bullshit you write. Honestly, why don’t you go away. Were you assigned to come piss us off or something?
“$100 billion in federal tax revenues lost annually to corporations using off-shore tax shelters” Fabulous! The House just voted to give its blessing to another corporate tax shelter in the Detroit Bailout package curtesy NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/business/11tax.html?ref=business):
“A little-noticed provision in the proposed bailout plan for Detroit’s automakers blesses an aggressive tax shelter sold by large banks and insurers to municipal transit agencies across the country.
The provision asks the government to help the agencies by guaranteeing the economics of the complex shelter, despite years of efforts by the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service to shut it down and collect billions of dollars of unpaid taxes, interest and penalties owed by the banks and insurers.
The shelter, known as Silo, for sale-in, lease-out, was one of the costliest corporate tax dodges in recent years and allowed participants, including the American International Group, to avoid paying tens of billions of dollars in taxes by buying and then leasing back depreciation rights and assets at the agencies. “
Section 2053 of Title 15 of the U.S. Code provides that the CPSC shall consist of “five Commissioners who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.”
From the wiki “Consumer Product Safety Commission” and “Michael E. Baroody”:
“Normally the board has three commissioners. However, in July 2006, the former chairman, Hal Stratton, a Republican, resigned, leaving one seat vacant. After waiting eight months to make an appointment, in March 2007 President George W. Bush raised controversy after nominating Michael E. Baroody, an industry lobbyist and the former head of the National Association of Manufacturers, as the new chairman.” Baroody withdrew his nomination on May 23, 2007 after strong opposition from some Senate Democrats.
During the period preceeding the toy recall, the Chimp failed to even appoint a commissioner, while he still had the majority in the Senate. With only two commissioners a quorum wasn’t allowed. Then he nominated an industry insider he knew wouldn’t pass in the Senate. Bush alone was responsible for keeping the agency from even having the necessary commissioners to run it. He also would have been happy to see the agency’s funding cut. Bush didn’t want the oversight to happen.
Bush also made it clear that he would veto any bill he didn’t like, and Mitch McConnell made sure he didn’t have the need to do so.
I don’t know why they never have all five commissioners, maybe Obama will fix that.
@ HOR – I stand corrected. Apparently its just like every other “bipartisan” committee they build in gridlock and partisan hacks are appointed to ensure nothing gets done. The FEC is a perfect example.
@ MSJ – Respectfully, what part of my post is intellectually dishonest or factually innacurate?
First, I don’t see how the President can single-handedly be responsible for each and everyone of those failures while Congress gets a complete pass. $455 billion defecit for instance. The President is not responsible for passing the budget only signing it into law.
Second, I doubt dittoheads, Hannity people etc. would cite the New York Times as an authority to espouse Republican or conservative ideas.
Third, I conceded to HoR that I was unaware that Bush failed to appoint commissioners.
Fourth, the FEC is composed of two Republican commissioners and two Democratic commissioners, how is that not designed for gridlock?
Mr Wiseman,
Please remove TheZoo from your blogroll.
Thank you.
Add a second voice to MsJoannes post….Thank you MsJoanne for posting….Blessings
@ HoR – It’s unfortunate that us regular citizens probably do not have standing under Section 2053 to bring an application for a writ of mandamus to force him to appoint the commissioners per the requirements. Sadly, Congress did not enforce the law. Hopefully Obama will.
Mr Wiseman,
Please respect my request that you remove TheZoo from your blogroll.
Thank you.