NYT: White House Trumpets Programs It Tried to Cut

Like many of its predecessors, the Bush White House has used the machinery of government to promote the re-election of the president by awarding federal grants to strategically important states. But in a twist this election season, many administration officials are taking credit for spreading largess through programs that President Bush tried to eliminate or to cut sharply.

For example, Justice Department officials recently announced that they were awarding $47 million to scores of local law enforcement agencies for the hiring of police officers. Mr. Bush had just proposed cutting the budget for the program, known as Community Oriented Policing Services, by 87 percent, to $97 million next year, from $756 million.

The administration has been particularly energetic in publicizing health programs, even ones that had been scheduled for cuts or elimination.

Tommy G. Thompson, the secretary of health and human services, announced recently that the administration was awarding $11.7 million in grants to help 30 states plan and provide coverage for people without health insurance. Mr. Bush had proposed ending the program in each of the last three years.

The administration also announced recently that it was providing $11.6 million to the states so they could buy defibrillators to save the lives of heart attack victims. But Mr. Bush had proposed cutting the budget for such devices by 82 percent, to $2 million from $10.9 million.

more…
http://nytimes.com/2004/05/19/politics/campaign/19GRAN.html?hp

and no end.

:bounce:

This Administration tactic needs to be hammered home to John Q Public.

"The combination of official business and politics is neither illegal nor unusual in an election year, though Bush administration officials were reluctant to provide details. In fact, the Bush administration is using techniques refined by President Bill Clinton. The difference is that in the Clinton years the White House was often trying to add and expand domestic programs, not cut them."

viva la difference.
dp

Had it not been these cuts would have most likely taken place as scheduled. Or am I being too cynical?

The entire COPS program was a temporary thing floated either by Bush (less the a-hole) or Clinton to put "100,000 policemen on the streets."

It was a remarkably successful program, except that it was designed to terminate at a specific time. It was supposed to cover the hiring, equipping, and training funds. Our good friends the states are supposed to take over from there. They didn't. And the sunset clause on the funding is set to end, soon. Oh, and look, your state taxes are going up, too.

COPS was supposed to be the way to train and equip the officers you needed to fight rising crime. It worked dramatically well in most places. Then it was supposed to end while you figured out your own way to keep 'em paid.

George Bush is an a-hole in so many ways that I cannot count them, but this not one of them. This was a high-dollar temporary injection into state treasuries in order to foster effective law enforcement, and it worked. But don't deceive yourselves into thinking it was a measure which should last forever. At this point, it should be a lot cheaper for local governments to hire trained employees, because they actually exist, where they didn't before.

Unfortunately for American Indian tribes, COPS was the majority of their funding in many cases. It was unfortunate that funding for tribes was tacked on to the bill to begin with, instead of separately where it would be immune from the sunset clause, but if you got to say something about that just wait two months and if you live on a reservation, I'll have my goons come over there and cut your damned throat. You want to talk about limiting debate? I guarantee I win.

And no jokes about Iraq, either, dammit! Had Our Boy Rumsfeld had the balls to ask for it, he would have had law enforcement and prison authorities at his beck and call. He didn't ask for them, and that's why we're fucked now in Iraq.

There were at least a dozen examples of Bush talking up programs in his campaign that he intended to gut, not just COPS.

George Dubya Bush is using an old trick used successfully by former Texas Republican Senator Phil Gramm. Phil Gramm loved to pose as a supporter and sponsor of programs that he'd voted against--and both the Texas voters and the Texas media fell for his trickery like children freshly out of Sunday school. Phil Gramm only left the scene when he retired.

No surprise that the lazy, arrogant corporate media allowed itself to be so bamboozled for so long.

while governor, bush* vetoed it, the legislature over-rode the veto, it passed into law WITHOUT bush*'s signature and then during 2000 campaign bush* claimed he supported it..

flip-flop? Deceit? or 'mis-speak'?

this is part of his MO - oppose something, then when his back is to the way he embraces it and claims victory...

Kerry should seize on this.

in fact it is worthy of some letter to the editor..

White House Trumpets Programs

The Ministry of Truth has stumbled, lets hope it stays down.

:kick:

LOL!!!!!!!