George W. Bush Not Mentioned in GOP Debates (1/20/12)

The GOP Debates have featured its eccentric candidates, American flags, and moderators unable to sway the Presidential contenders away from Republican ideology. George W. Bush, the last Republican President, is something they do not want to talk about, even as he is now three years removed from an eight-year tenure. President Obama got mentioned 560 times in the 16 debates so far, but Bush only came up 56 times. They have brought up Ronald Reagan 221 times, even though it is now over 20 years after his term as President and seven since his passing. Perhaps, Republicans are ashamed and embarrassed by Bush. Or they want to blame everything on Obama. After all, it was Bush who ran up much of the National Debt with the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The biggest factor in the budget deficits and rise in the National Debt has been his tax cuts for the wealthy, with indifference to reforming the tax code to eliminate loopholes. These tax cuts have proved difficult for Obama to end. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/in-the-loop/post/george-w-bush-in-the-gop-debates-a-taboo-topic/2012/01/19/gIQAmG0vBQ_blog.html

If Top 1% Had Not Ripped Off Trillions, You Would Be Making Thousands More Now (for 12/6/11)

In 1947, the wealthiest 1% of Americans received almost 12% of national income. This figure fell to 10.7% by 1967. The wealthiest 1%'s share of America's income never topped 12.8% from 1949 to 1979, and stood at 10% when Americans voted Ronald Reagan President of the U.S. in 1980. This rose to 15.5% when he finished his term in Office and rose to 21.5% when George W. Bush became President in 2001. It rose further to 23.5% in 2007. This means the bottom 99% of Americans have seen their share of America's economic output fall by over 10%. Annually, this equals $1 trillion in extra income for the wealthiest Americans. Since 1980, if trends based on productivity for the middle class held form to today, they would be making an average of $12,500 more per year.
http://www.alternet.org/story/152621/if_top_1_hadn't_ripped_off_trillions,_you'd_likely_be_making_thousands_of_dollars_

Tea Partiers Oppose Four Popular Social Programs (for 12/1/11)

Four popular social programs that Tea Partiers now oppose include School Lunches, Food Stamps, Community Health Centers, and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

In 2004, both Houses of Congress easily passed bills to fund school lunch programs. Of all Representatives and Senators, only Ron Paul voted against this program. In December 2010, the vast majority of House Republicans voted against funding this program.

George W. Bush urged increasing food stamp funding to legal immigrants during his Presidency. Now, Congressman Paul Ryan wants to turn food stamps into block grants that will cover less people as time goes by.

Spending on community health centers rose 100% during President George W. Bush's term in office. Bush praised them for keeping patients out of hopsital emergency rooms. The current House has cut its funding by over a third.

The EITC opposition by current Republicans may be most noticeable thing they have fought. In the 1980's, President Ronald Reagan described the EITC as the "best job-creation measure" Congress passed during his term in Office. Both Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush strengthened this measure. But now, Republicans like John Cornyn and Michele Bachmann think of it as either a form of welfare or income redistribution.

All of these shifts in the Republcians' attitude towards social spending occurred once Barack Obama assumed the Office of President of the United States. That is the most important point to remember on these issues.
http://www.alternet.org/economy/153014/compassionate_conservatism_4_popular_safety-net_programs_tea_party_republicans_have_turned_against_in_the_age_of_obama?page=entire

Prosections of bankers for financial fraud have dropped by over 50% since 1999, when there were over 3,000 prosecutions to under 1,500 last year.They have dropped every year since then. As a result, shareholders and investors end up paying for reparations through civil cases. In other words, white collar crime was privatized during George W. Bush's Presidency. This not only destroys confidence in the market; it also creates social tension that can destroy communities.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57327688/bank-prosecutions-drop-as-bank-failures-rise/