Bush agenda

Posted: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 9:07 AM by Huma Zaidi
Filed Under: White House

A day before departing for New Orleans the Gulf Coast, President Bush meets this afternoon with military service organizations in the White House.

The nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation offers a "very preliminary" estimate that "Bush's plan to revamp the health-care system would increase taxes on Americans by $526.2 billion over the next decade."

Timed to his expected testimony on the Hill today, the Los Angeles Times reports that "Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has waged a clandestine charm offensive on behalf of an immigration overhaul. He consulted with supportive lawmakers, listened to adversarial congressmen and slipped into the private offices of wary senators." More: "An immigration overhaul is one area where President Bush's agenda closely matches that of the Democratic leadership." But they're "contending with a tight schedule and volatile politics."

The US Supreme Court today will consider a challenge to regional conferences that promoted Bush's faith-based initiatives. "The legal question is not whether those conferences violated the constitutional separation of church and state, but more fundamentally when a taxpayer may even get into court to challenge such mingling of government and religion... Twelve states, backing the Bush administration, are trying to block the lawsuit. On the other side are atheists and religious organizations such as the American Jewish Congress and the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty."

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Comments

So the taxpayer Doesn't have a right to challenge 'Holy' people who are getting his taxdollars, by way of not paying any themselves? And the 'Holy' tax-free get to use their free 'Holy' money to elect politicians who will make sure they get to keep their tax-free 'Holy' status, no matter which election they try to cook? All I can say, is if the Wiccans take over, the next President will be an Arborist. Mark my words.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:17 AM)

Pay for heath care with tax on ceo excessive pay and perks and bonuses, then you might see someone come up with a real plan to reduce healthcare costs.

retired union man, ibew, america (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:19 AM)

Pay for health care with taxes from any church wwho has been involved in officially supporting candidates or political issues, or has leaders who have been convicted of felonies or removed because of "moral indiscretions." I think that's nearly all of them, isn't it?

Robert Catalano, Salem, OR (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:27 AM)

Wasn't STUPID GOERGE telling the country how the Democrats will "Raise Your Taxes" last fall if they won. Are there any real republicans left? Leave health care to the Democrats so it can be done right.

Marty in Kansas City (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:34 AM)

Dubya has a year and change left in his 'Presidency' and now he comes up with Hillary's Health Care Plan? Talk about a screw loose...or is it Freudian?

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 10:49 AM)

"the cowboy came from out of the west,with his snakeskin boots and his bulletproof vest, gang of goons and his big war chest, fortunate son he was doubly blessed, corporate cronies and the chiefs of staff, bowin'to the image of the golden calf, starting up wars in the name of god's son, gonna blow us all the way to kingdom come. man of god, man of god, that ain't the preachings of a man of god."-Man Of God -Eliza Gilkson

Still Crazy After All These Years (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:46 AM)

Bush's Health Care Epiphany, came too late for the little boy who died from a toothache.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 12:14 PM)

coalition of the willing and the judgmental, patricians, politicians, and the fundamentalists, you never have to tell them how the money's spent, you never have to tell them where their freedom went, homophobes in the high command, waitin' for the rapture lik it's disneyland, hide all the bodies from out of view, channel all the treasure to the chosen few, that ain't the teachings of a man of god man of god, man of god, that ain't the preachings of a man of god."-Man of God, Eliza Gilkyson

Still Crazy After All These Years (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 12:22 PM)

"if I could I surely would, stand on the rock where moses stood,look out people now we're gonna get fleeced, by a wolf masquerading as a man of peace, jesus said blessed are the meek, jesus said you gotta turn the other cheek, jesus said help the poor and the weak, if he lived today he'd be a liberal freak, all the money changers would be out on the street, weepin and wailin and gnashing their teeth, me I'm waitin on the reckoning day, when the world gonna rise and say, man of god, man of god, that ain't the teachings of a man of god, man of god, man of god, that ain't the preachings of a man of god"-Man Of Gid-Eliza Gilkyson

Still Crazy After All These Years (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 12:40 PM)

I agree with your first statement Steve. It was especially true in Minnesota. Michelle Bachman was at a mass by one of the largest superchurches and the minister told the people to vote for Michelle Bachman. They did an interview of this guy and he feels he was justified in promoting Michelle Bachman and said he did not break any law. The IRS is looking into it , but most likely nothing will happen. This idiot gets tax free money, promotes a conservative candidate , and gets away with it. When asked about his massive holdings and his huge house, he said he spent more of his money for poor people then other churches. He said he was being singled out because of his wealth, size of his congreation, and association with Michelle Bachman. No, you are being called out because you crossed the line between state and church. It is funny how the religious leaders use religion and tax free money to promote their causes and candidates, and then expect nobody to question them.

bobf (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 1:01 PM)

Robert of Salem: How about paying for health care by taxing the income of selfish, greedy, morally indiscreet,political candidate-supporting rich Oregonians, especially from Salem, because, as EVERYONE knows, nothing good EVER came out of Salem, Oregon. How's it feel to be the butt of an erroneous generalization?

jtb (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 2:21 PM)

"if I could I surely would, stand on the rock where moses stood, look outpeople now we're gonna get fleeced by a wolf masquerading as a man of peace, jesus said blessed are the meek,jesus said you gotta turn the other cheek, jesus said help the poor and weak, if he lived today he'd be a liberal freak, all the money changers would be out on the street, weepn and wailin and gnashing their teeth, me I'm waitin on the reckoning day, when the whole world gonna rise up and say, man of god, man of god, that ain't the teachings of a man of god, man of god, man of goe, that ain't the preachings of a man of god."-Man of God -Eliza Gilkyson

Still CrazyAfter All These Years (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 2:49 PM)

I can't disagree with the liberals here. This plan is crazy. It was stupid crazy when Hillary was trying to get it going and it is stupid now.

Neill C (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 5:11 PM)

jtb, I don't mind being the butt of any joke because I have a sense of humor. I actually came out of Illinois. But, just so you know, lots of good things have come out of Oregon: the bottle law, vote-by-mail, dying with dignity and keeping the hell out of other people's and states' business. Oh, and, one of the top ratios of troops to population fighting in Iraq. Better a butt of a joke than just a butt.

Robert Ctalano, Salem, OR (Sent Wednesday, February 28, 2007 7:09 PM)

well, then we have more in common than we think. By the way, I've been to Oregon: beautiful state. I like Redmond and Hood River the best. Never made Crater Lake, though. I'm sorry, i just bristled at your Church reference. Bad apples everywhere, and organized religion is no exception.

jtb (Sent Thursday, March 01, 2007 1:34 PM)

Steve,cedar falls:Yeah!I agree with you except I would add one other entity, that steals more money than the church,the unions.It doesn't seem to matter to them that at least 40pct of union members are conservative, they still throw all their dues money into lefty causes and political candidates.So, lets have a massive louse hunt and root out all the lefty corruption within the unions, and then I'm all for going after the churches,too.PS don't you find it kind of strange that guys like Jessie Jackson preach about evil conservatives all the time yet not one lefty seems to have a problen with it? Yes sir, Ole Jessie uses the pulpit to denigrate anything that smacks of conservatism, to raise money for looney left political causes? But, in your eyes, and most lefties, you see no double standard?Are you real or are you memorex?

seano (Sent Thursday, March 01, 2007 6:42 PM)

Robert Catalano: As I said in my previous blog, how about all the conservative dues paying mambers of the unions?They're being robbed by the union bosses and made to pay for far lefty politicos like Algore and John "CURRIE" etal, and looney left causes.Do you have a problem with that? That's theft, my man!and on a massive scale.At least the churches pass the plate around and people have a choice whether to give or not to give.On the other hand, the unions hold a gun to their members heads and demand their dues and then do with it as they may.If you don't pay the dues they run you out of town.No dues,no job.And you have the audacity to demand of the church that they give up their tax free status and distribute their honestly gotten money to the masses in the form of healthcare and welfare handouts?How very left of you!Tell me it isn't so?The mental cases have taken over the hospital!

seano (Sent Thursday, March 01, 2007 8:05 PM)

It is so, Seano, the neo-con psychos are running the country.

Robert Catalano, Salem, OR (Sent Friday, March 02, 2007 11:52 AM)

Robert Catalano:Is that the best response you can come up with for my statement concerning unions?You beauties better get some new words in your vocabularies other than calling people neocons.You sound like little parrots.When you don't have a counter argument, that holds up to scrutiny, you resort to the old neocon BS.Could it be because you have no lefty talking points from the likes of George Soros,Algore or Johnny Currie, etal,to reply in any meaningful way?I'm waiting?

seano (Sent Friday, March 02, 2007 12:29 PM)

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