Bush leaves problems to successor (Analysis: Bush to pass on his problems) - article with pics

[Kadie]

Bush leaves problems to successor
By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer
11 minutes ago


WASHINGTON - Over and over, President Bush confidently promised to "solve problems, not pass them on to future presidents and future generations." As the clock runs out on his eight-year presidency, a tall stack of troubles remain and Bush's words ring hollow.

Iraq, budget deficits, the looming insolvency of Social Security and Medicare, high health and energy costs, a national immigration mess — the next president will inherit these problems in January 2009. With Bush's popularity at an all time low and relations with the Democratic-led Congress acrimonious, he has little or no chance of pulling off a surprise victory in his time left.

"We're in a worse place than we were in 1999" before Bush became president, lamented Matthew Dowd, a former pollster and chief campaign strategist for Bush who has become disillusioned with his old boss.

When Americans are asked to choose national priorities, they most commonly name the economy, health care, the war in Iraq, terrorism and gas prices. Consider the state of play on these and other issues:

_The economy is relatively sound and deficits are falling after peaking in 2004. But an entire presidency of red ink has ballooned the overall federal debt from $5.7 trillion when Bush became president to $8.9 trillion now. The Iraq war, including providing medical care and disability benefits to veterans, as well as expensive new programs like a Medicare prescription drug benefit threaten to drive deficits back up. Economists fear growing odds of a recession.

_The nation's health care spending, public and private, totaled $1.5 trillion when Bush took office. By the time he leaves, it is expected to be $2.6 trillion — a 75 percent increase. Meanwhile, the nation's number of uninsured has swelled, from 14 percent of the population in 2001 to 16 percent last year, or a total of 47 million people.


more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071004/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_future_presidents_1

on edit, new headline and link...

Analysis: Bush to pass on his problems
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071004/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_future_presidents_2

President Bush, second right, stands with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff after his speech about border security and immigration reform at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, N.M., in this June 6, 2006, file photo. Over and over, Bush confidently promised to 'solve problems, not pass them on to future presidents and future generations.' As the clock runs out on his eight-year presidency, a tall stack of troubles remain and Bush's words seem to ring hollow. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)


President Bush advances his Social Security reform proposals before a hand-picked audience at the Lake Nona YMCA Family Center in Orlando, Fla., in this March 18, 2005 file photo. Over and over, Bush confidently promised to 'solve problems, not pass them on to future presidents and future generations.' As the clock runs out on his eight-year presidency, a tall stack of troubles remain and Bush's words seem to ring hollow. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)


President Bush declares the end of major combat in Iraq as he speaks aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln off the California coast, in this May 1, 2003 file photo. Over and over, President Bush confidently promised to 'solve problems, not pass them on to future presidents and future generations.' As the clock runs out on his eight-year presidency, a tall stack of troubles remain and Bush's words seem to ring hollow. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Well, consider the OTHER option:

* declares martial law, suspends the general election, and never leaves office, allowing him to continue "solving" the problems he's created.

[Kadie]

3. .

:scared::scared::scared:

That is too damn scary to think about.

:scared::scared::scared:

[Booster]

2. People just really don't pay attention. Bush said a long time ago

that the Iraq war would be passed on for the next president to figure out. He's done that all of his life.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

4. What a surprise; dumbya leaves a mess for others to clean up.

Color me shocked. :sarcasm:

[Kadie]

5. What I am surprised about is that someone (in the msm) is finally writing about it.

Wish I could say better late than never, but too much damage has been done.

:hi:

[tanyev]

6. Only 473 days of looting and pillaging left.

They must be really ramping it up now.