THE one GREAT, concise LTTE - complete list of the Rs failure at governing

[DesEtoiles]

Save it. Use it.

http://newsminer.com/2006/10/08/2562/

Far from being fiscally responsible, Republicans passed irresponsible tax cuts and supported out-of-control spending that has turned a record surplus into a record deficit and squandered the Social Security trust fund. Our national debt has increased from $5.7 trillion when Bush took office to $8.5 trillion today, an increase of more than $23,000 per family. Even former GOP Congressman and commentator Joe Scarborough has concluded that “After six years of Republican recklessness at home and abroad, I seriously doubt Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid … could spend this country any deeper into debt than my Republican Party.”

Rather than being the party of small government, Republicans have increased the size of the federal government with ill-conceived programs like the No Child Left Behind Act, the Patriot Act, and the disastrous Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. They have also given the federal government vast new powers to intrude on our freedom and privacy. Republicans are now claiming that the president has the right to spy on us without a warrant and imprison citizens without a trial. They want to shred the Constitution and make the president the judge, jury, torturer and executioner.

Instead of being strong on national security, the current government ignored the Powell Doctrine and launched a war in Iraq based on distorted intelligence, without international support, without a plan for the occupation, and without an exit strategy. By alienating our allies, overstretching our military, losing interest in Afghanistan, ignoring loose nuclear weapons, and increasing terrorist recruitment, they have made the world an even more dangerous place. Five years after 9/11, few of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission report have been implemented and Hurricane Katrina showed that we are not prepared for another attack.

Rather than bring integrity back to government as promised in their Contract with America, Republicans have brought unprecedented new levels of corruption to government. No-bid contracts are wasting billions of dollars and unqualified cronies have been given key positions in the government. The number of lobbyists has tripled, and the number of scandals seems to grow daily. From Jack Abramoff, to Tom DeLay, to Alaska’s own “Corrupt Bastards Club,” too many Republicans have lined their own pockets while giving away taxpayer money to campaign contributors.


A FEW MORE PARAGRAPHS AT THE LINK

[0007]

1. 'Tis right on!

[AspenRose]

2. Each paragraph could be its own political ad

For real...

[DesEtoiles]

3. It is Hemingway in its perfection

[opihimoimoi]

4. K&R

:kick:

[hootinholler]

5. YAY! 5th rec.

Nice Letter.
-Hoot

[immoderate]

6. You said it -- clear and concise.

--IMM

[Syrinx]

7. here's a couple from Sunday's Birmingham News

After dealing with the Tom DeLay scandal, Jack Abramoff, the Iraq debacle, the budget explosion, Duke Cunningham, Mark Foley and the complicit Republican leaders, the injection of fundamentalist religion in all things scientific, the endorsement of torture, the prescription drug plan, Hurricane Katrina, the looming crisis in Afghanistan, the breakdown of the military, domestic spying, secret prisons, the abuses of Abu Ghraib and the mess that is Guantanamo Bay, our completely collapsed international standing, numerous attempts to codify gay-bashing in the Constitution, the hideous bankruptcy bill, the Terry Schiavo nonsense, the total lack of administration oversight and probably a hundred other things I can't think of right now, I've got to ask: How could anyone think that voting Republican would be good for America?

President Bush and his fellow Republicans have transformed their party, the party of Lincoln and honesty, into one of lies, deceit and corruption.

Bush, who stated his White House had very limited contact with felon lobbyist Jack Abramoff, had nearly 500 contacts with him. Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Ney pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges related to his dealings with Abramoff. Republican U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay had to resign over his indictment for conspiring to violate campaign finance laws, while two of his former aides were convicted in the Abramoff scandal. Numerous other Republican lawmakers are under investigation for their ties to Abramoff.

Republican Rep. Mark Foley has resigned for soliciting male teenagers. Fellow Republican House members for a year covered up his gross, criminal, pedophile behavior. Some Republicans labeled it only as "over-friendly" chat.

Bush and his fellow Republicans have consistently lied and misled the public about his war in Iraq. Bush and company falsified intelligence and deceived Americans on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and ties to al-Qaida.

Now, Republicans constantly paint a rosy picture of the war, failing to acknowledge that all 16 intelligence agencies concluded that the Iraq war has helped fuel a new generation of extremists and increased the overall terrorist threat. Also, the top military officers say we are losing both wars, Afghanistan and Iraq, due to the constraints placed on them by Bush.

Bush and his fellow Republican cohorts have turned their backs on the party of Lincoln and his platform of "honesty is the best policy" and have embraced lies, deceit and corruption.

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1160298963216300.xml&coll=2

[MethuenProgressive]

8. Well done!

[chill_wind]

9. Just the way I'd like to hear Congressional Dems actually talk.

k&R'd and bookmarked. Thanks!