From: pjm@anegada.sps.mot.com (Patrick J. McGuinness)
Subject: Re: ==> Rhetoric Vs. Reality--The First Debate
Organization: SSDT SPS, Motorola Inc., Austin TX
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 00:49:37 GMT

In article <1992Oct12.064021.7914@organpipe.uug.arizona.edu> shackeld@helium.gas.uug.arizona.edu (david m shackelford ) writes:
>In article <92285.222116U56503@uicvm.uic.edu> U56503@uicvm.uic.edu writes:
>>                           TAX AND SPEND
>>
>> RHETORIC: George Bush said: "I agree with what he's [Perot] talking
>> about in trying to get this spending down....I disagree with the tax
>> and spend philosophy..."

>Exactly.

... and while Clinton claims to be against "tax and spend", his own
"Put Government First" program shows this to be untrue. Clinton
*will* raise taxes significantly, and will increase spending significantly.

>> REALITY: On taxes. George "Read My Lips" Bush gave us the second
>> biggest tax increase in American history.
>
>Congress legislates, Presidents must either sign or veto.  Bush
>could not veto the legislation for other compelling reasons.

It is the upmost in hypocrisy to criticize Bush for a tax increase that
was constructed by the Democrats, supported and voted for by Al Gore,
and which Clinton has no intention of reversing.

> He has consistently raised
>> taxes on the middle class.

*All* tax increases hit the middle class, including Clinton's tax increase
proposals. Business will pass on costs, etc.

>Only because Congress forced him to.
> 
>                              The conservative Cato Institute called
>> Bush "the largest spender to sit in the White House in the past 30
>> years"

Okay, Boy wonder Clinton, what will you cut?
(His spending "cuts" in his economic plan are a bogus collection of 
minor nicks, e.g. "end the $20 million tax subsidy for honey producers".
Boy, that'll make a difference. NOT. )

>Presidents may spend the money, but Congress writes the (bounced) checks.

The President has proposed significant reforms in entitlements.
Ignored by the Congress so far.

>>                           FAMILY VALUES
>>
>> RHETORIC: George Bush said, "We need to strengthen family. [sic] "
>>
>> REALITY: George Bush has twice vetoed the Family and Medical Leave
>> Act

Good for him. The leave act only strengthens the bureaucratic values
of the nation. These things should be left to the voluntary actions
of employer and employee.

>A stupid plan that doesn't do anything to strengthen families.  Useless
>government regulation which "forces" employers to do something that MOST
>of them ALREADY DO.  Creates additional administrative overhead with
>little to show for it.  Violates the principle of limiting government
>powers.
>
.......
>>                           CIVIL RIGHTS
>>
>> RHETORIC: George Bush said, "I've tried to use the White House as the
>> bully pulpit, speaking out against discrimination. We passed two very
>> forward looking civil rights bills."
>
>The ADA was indeed very forward-looking.  I can't say what the other
>one was offhand.
>
>>
>> REALITY: Bush vetoed the Civil Rights Acts of 1990, only the second
>> time a President has vetoed a civil rights act this century.
>

>He vetoed a quota bill in disguise as a civil rights bill.  I
>consider this evidence of his wisdom and intelligence.

I agree. And then he passed the scaled-back 1991 Civil Rights
Bill. It contained the language "this is not a quota bill."
To say that Bush vetoed a bill without saying that he signed the
bill after it had been modified (as he requested) is quite dishonest.

>>                               AIDS
>>
>> RHETORIC: George Bush said, "We have increased funding for AIDS;
>> we've doubled it."
>>
>> REALITY: Although Bush claims to have allocated $4.3 billion to AIDS
>> research in 1992, he includes Medicare/Medicaid funds being spent for
>> AIDS treatment in this figure. In fact, only $2 billion will be spent
>> on AIDS research -- less than half of Bush's claim. [Bush 8/19/92;
>
>Money spent on AIDS is money spent, regardless of its origin.  Whether
>it is spent on treatment or research matters little.  Would you rather
>we spend it all on research instead of treatment?

*Only* $2 billion. That is quite a hefty sum, and I am sure it is
far more than most other diseases.


>>                        MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
>>
>> RHETORIC: George Bush said, "He failed to take on something else: the
>> malpractice suit people."

The trial lawyers are raising big bucks for Clinton. 'Nuff said.

>Bush recognizes a problem and proposes something can be done about
>it.  Why is this such a big problem when Clinton and Perot agreeing
>with everything Bush said about Bosnia is not.

>David Shackelford


Pat
		Bill Clinton: The Status-Quo candidate
Xref: sparky alt.politics.clinton:9227 alt.politics.bush:8295 talk.politics.misc:50442 talk.politics.china:1743