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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Krowbar who wrote (286490)	8/13/2002 8:48:16 PM
From: jlallen	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769670

Hello Krapcake....no relation between the events....

To: Krowbar who wrote (286490)	8/13/2002 8:57:14 PM
From: PROLIFE	Respond to of 769670

If you actually believe one had anything to do with the other....you are WAY dumber than most thought..

To: Krowbar who wrote (286490)	8/13/2002 10:16:13 PM
From: Rick Slemmer	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769670

Hi, Delbert: Bush hosts economic forum. Dow craps again. EOM Think of it as a buying opportunity. Or try the short side. Whining serves no purpose.

To: Krowbar who wrote (286490)	8/13/2002 10:31:56 PM
From: Mr. Whist	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769670

WSJ comes down hard on Bush economic forum: -- "The president's remarks culminated a four-hour policy forum that featured handpicked participants who largely served to echo Mr. Bush's agenda." -- "The meticulously planned event seemed designed to spare Mr. Bush any kind of discussion of difficult issues." Headline: Bush Pitches 12-Point Plan At Waco Economic Forum By JEANNE CUMMINGS Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL WACO, Texas -- President Bush used a heavily stage-managed economic-policy forum to offer his most comprehensive and forceful pitch for his economic-recovery plan. "Our economy has strengths that are greater than the challenges. Yet the only purpose of a strong foundation is to build on it," Mr. Bush said. "We're pleased with some progress, but we've got more to do." He then ticked off a 12-point plan to jump-start the economy that didn't include new policies, but for the first time brought all his recent economic initiatives together in a coherent and sellable package. It is a plan he hopes to use on the campaign trail -- beginning Wednesday in Wisconsin and Iowa -- to reverse a recent show of softening public confidence in his leadership on economic issues. Tuesday's announcement of layoffs by AMR Corp.'s American Airlines, Fort Worth, Texas, underscored the fragile nature of the recovery and the president's decision to use every tool in the White House kit -- including seven cabinet secretaries -- and elaborate sets to try to get a leg up in the political debate. Among Mr. Bush's proposals was a call for congressional passage of federal terrorism insurance to help the construction and airline industries, energy policies to reduce dependence on foreign sources, repeal of the estate tax and greater investment in the development of broadband-communications technology. (MORE)

To: Krowbar who wrote (286490)	8/13/2002 10:33:07 PM
From: Mr. Whist	Respond to of 769670

(Part 2 of WSJ story on Bush highly orchestrated economic forum.) ... The president also renewed his pledge to "hunt down" unethical corporate executives, fight for improved protection for worker pensions and retirement-savings accounts, and "enforce" spending limits on Congress. To that end, Mr. Bush vowed to refuse to spend $5 billion of emergency funds recently attached by lawmakers to a broader supplemental budget bill. Mr. Bush acknowledged, however, that he supports some of the funding, including $250 million in aid for the Israelis and Palestinians, $200 million to fight the global AIDS epidemic and an undetermined amount for airport security, and will go back to Congress to try to get those few items approved. But "we won't spend $4 billion we don't need to unlock $1 billion we do need," he said. The president's scolding of lawmakers for overspending, combined with demands for specific proposals, is the White House's way of putting Congress on notice that it could face political consequences for its own inaction -- and any future softening in the economy. Democrats argued that Mr. Bush gave up a chance for genuine, bipartisan action on economic-recovery proposals when he largely excluded them from the forum. White House officials noted, though, that no Republican lawmakers were invited either. "Instead of being a platform for progress," said Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, a potential 2004 Democratic presidential contender, the conference "seems to me to be nothing but a new stage for the same, tired old ideas." Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, a South Dakota Democrat, derided the event, saying "a made-for-TV economic forum isn't going to solve our problems or ease families' concerns." The president's remarks culminated a four-hour policy forum that featured handpicked participants who largely served to echo Mr. Bush's agenda. During the wrap-up session, three of the eight roundtables called for an end to the estate tax, four called for more tax cuts, two urged legal overhaul and nearly every one of them complained about government regulations. "We believe you do have the right message," said Curtis McGuire, a small-business owner from Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Bush did seem to embrace a few new ideas offered by Charles Schwab, chairman of the brokerage firm Charles Schwab Corp., for substantially larger tax deductions for investment losses and new tax breaks to encourage more stock dividends. Although the president seemed to endorse them, Commerce Secretary Don Evans reacted more coolly. "It's one of the many ideas we'll take back, have discussions on, and make a decision," he said. Indeed, the meticulously planned event seemed designed to spare Mr. Bush any kind of discussion of difficult issues. When the president made his 20-minute cameo appearance during the health-care seminar, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson was in charge of picking the speakers and the contentious issue of federal prescription-drug coverage was never brought up. During Vice President Dick Cheney's 20-minute appearance at the trade seminar, no one mentioned steel tariffs or even the World Trade Organization. The closest anyone got to controversy was when Margaret McEntire, an Arkansas businesswoman, said she was interested in seeing sanctions against Cuba lifted. A startled and amused Trade Representative Robert Zoellick quipped: "We have a range of views!" prompting laughter all around.