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(Info from DNC Research.)
For Immediate Release
November 3, 2005
Contact: Karen Finney, 202-863-8148
Lame Duck Flies to the Right, Ignores Working Americans' Priorities
Washington, DC - With the White House engulfed in scandal and the American
public increasingly skeptical of his failed leadership, President Bush's
strategy for reviving his sinking presidency has been to focus exclusively on
shoring up his extreme right-wing political base. On issue after issue, the
Bush Administration has failed to focus on the priorities of America's working
families, choosing instead to cater to extremist activists in his party.
Democratic National Committee Press Secretary Josh Earnest today issued the
following statement calling on President Bush to put his right-wing partisan
agenda aside and focus on the interests of working Americans:
"Apparently, the President is more worried about shoring up his political base
than focusing on the issues facing Americans, like out of control energy costs
and the escalating violence in Iraq. From hurricane reconstruction to Supreme
Court nominations, President Bush has put his partisan ideological interests
ahead of the country's interests by pushing a narrow, radical agenda. Americans
deserve better. Democrats believe that the President should lead the entire
country and put the government back to work for the American people."
The following fact sheet was produced by DNC Research:
NEVER BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU?
Bush Continues to Cave to His Conservative Base
_____________________________________________________________
Over the past several months, the American people have witnessed Bush
repeatedly cave to his conservative base. The withdrawal of the Miers
nomination-and subsequent nomination of Samuel Alito-is only the latest
example. In fact, Bush has catered to the right-wing on a host of issues,
including stem cells, affirmative action, prevailing wage rules, and school
vouchers. When will Bush finally stand up to the extremists in his party?
SUPREME COURT NOMINEES
Bush Nominated Samuel Alito to Appease the Right Wing After Conservatives
Torpedoed the Nomination of Harriet Miers. According to the Washington Times,
"Placating conservatives who torpedoed his nomination of White House counsel
Harriet Miers, the president used his third opportunity in less than four
months to select a bona fide conservative -- a judge with three decades of
legal experience." The Dallas Morning News reported that Alito's "nomination
came less than a week after White House counsel Harriet Miers withdrew from
high court consideration, amid a storm of opposition from conservatives who
said they did not know her philosophy and questioned her qualifications*
Conservatives just as quickly applauded the nomination, saying Justice Alito
could help rein in a court that has exceeded its authority by striking down
abortion restrictions and certain forms of religious expression." Morning News, 11/1/05]
SCHOOL VOUCHERS
After Katrina, Bush Pushed Plan to Force Vouchers on Displaced School Children-
Including Those Who Were Already Enrolled in Private Schools. Under Bush's plan
to cover most of the cost of educating students displaced by Hurricane Katrina,
parents could enroll their children in a private or religious school this year
at federal expense, even if they had gone to public schools back home. The
administration's proposal contained a slight-of-hand. In proposing $1.9 billion
in aid for K-12 students whose schools were ruined by the storm, Education
Secretary Margaret Spellings originally said the administration was setting
aside $488 million for private-school tuition and other help for the large
segment of children from New Orleans who had been attending Catholic schools
when Katrina hit. On September 19, however, as new fine print of the proposal
emerged, the administration confirmed that the government payment-as much as
$7,500 per child-would be given for a year to any displaced family for private
schools.
FAIR WAGES
Bush Suspended Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Rules, Allowing Contractors to Hire
Employees at Depressed Wages. Bush issued a proclamation for parts of
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida that suspends the Davis-Bacon Act
of 1931-which requires employers to pay locally prevailing wages to
construction workers on federally financed projects-for Katrina-related work.
While touted as a method to save taxpayers money, Bush's proclamation does not
require contractors to pass on savings they accrue as a result of cutting
wages. According to a Denver Post editorial, "Bush is now using Hurricane
Katrina as an excuse to trash more than seven decades of labor law, allowing
Katrina contractors to hire employees at whatever wages the depressed local
conditions might warrant." Bush finally repealed the suspension effective on
November 8-after they were in effect for more than two months. Chronicle, 9/20/05; Columbus Dispatch, 9/19/05; Denver Post, editorial,
9/19/05; Washington Post, 10/27/05]
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Bush Suspended Requirement for Katrina Contractors to Have an Affirmative
Action Plan for Veterans, Minorities, Women, and Disabled Persons. Bush's Labor
Department has suspended requirements that government contractors have a
written affirmative action plan addressing the employment of women, minorities,
Vietnam veterans, and the disabled if the companies are first-time government
contractors working on post-Katrina reconstruction. According to the New York
Times, "the move comes as President Bush has tried to address the perception of
unfairness in the government's response to the hurricane." According to Shirley
J. Wilcher, the interim executive director of the American Association for
Affirmative Action and former deputy assistant secretary for federal contract
compliance, "It is not simply a paperwork exercise. It is the basis for
companies to be mindful of their obligation not to discriminate." Times, 9/20/05]
STEM CELLS
Bush Imposed Funding Restrictions on Stem Cell Research And Threatened to Veto
Bill that Would Provide Federal Funding for Stem-Cell Research. While the
Senate considered a bill that would extend federal funding to stem cell
research with newly created embryos, the Bush Administration signaled that the
measure would not be signed into law. According to the Lincoln Journal Star,
"Polls show that about two-thirds of Americans favor stem cell research. But
important conservative interest groups are adamantly opposed," including James
Dobson's Focus on the Family and the Christian Medical Association. In 2001,
Bush imposed funding restrictions on such stem cell research in the U.S. White
House Press Secretary Scott McClellan reiterated Bush's veto threat, saying
that "Nothing has changed in terms of his position." 8/10/05; Economist, 8/27/05; Lincoln Journal Star, 8/8/05; Gazette (Montreal),
8/23/04]
###
Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.
org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's
committee.
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