Transcript 43. George W. Bushx

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43rd President of the U.S. 2001-2009
GEORGE W.
BUSH
The Election
• 1.President: George W. Bush
Number 43 Vice President: Richard Cheney
• 2. Political Party – Republican
• 3. Term of Office 2001-2009
• 4. Who came before and after him, and what were their Political parties?
• Bill Clinton (Democrat ) preceded him and Barack Obama (Democrat) followed him
• 5. Were there any unusual circumstances surrounding his ascent to the presidency? If
so, describe the situation in specific detail.
• He narrowly defeated VP Al Gore by winning the Electoral vote but losing the
Popular Vote. Disputed procedures and ballots in Florida cast a cloud over his
inauguration.
• The Election was disputed and led to several court cases. In the controversial Bush V.
Gore ruling,[ the Supreme Court reversed a Florida Supreme Court decision ordering a
third count, and stopped a statewide hand recount based on the argument that the use of
different standards among Florida's counties violated the Equal Protection Clause of the
Fourteenth Amendment. The machine recount showed that Bush had won the Florida
vote by a margin of 537 votes out of six million votes . Although he received 543,895
fewer votes than Al Gore nationwide, Bush won the election, receiving 271 electoral votes
to Gore's 266
The Office
• 6. Are there any catch phrases or terms specifically
associated with this president? If so, list and explain
them.
• 7. When he left office, was it by: choice, defeat, natural
death, assassination, or resignation? Explain your
answer.
• He served two terms.
Domestic Issues and Events
•
•
•
Cornerstones – Economic Growth and Recession, Sept. 11 fallout
Racial Issues – Contrary to conventional Republican Stereotyping Bush’s support
among A.A. increased throughout his presidency – 9% of the A.A. vote in 2000 to
11% in 2004. Appointed Colin Powell as the first A.A. Sec. of State, followed by
Condoleezza Rice. Alberto Gonzalez was the first Hispanic Attorney General.
SCIENCE
Stem Cell Research - Confined research to existing lines (very controversial)
•
Space – Announced an end to the Space Shuttle Program and redirected NASA to
the moon (2018) and Mars. Cut NASA Funding – only $1B in new funding
•
Climate Change – Dismissed his own administrations report on Climate Change as
being inconclusive and that climate change is the result of natural variability.
Dismissed Kyoto Protocols
•
Energy – Supported drilling in the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge
•
Education – No Child Left Behind (2002) – criticized for being underfunded. Much
of the money went to textbook companies and testing programs. (CBO, Arizona
State U. 2005)
•
Tax Cuts – Clinton Surplus was returned to the population with tax refunds in 2001
and 2002, broad tax cuts for individuals and business.
•
Spending - Spending increased by 70%, surplus turned to deficit.
•
Social Security - advocated privatization and choice for investing personal S.S.
funds
•
Financial Crisis 2008 - Too much lending, housing market collapse, poor federal
oversight, Greed
•
Click here for Pres. Bush's Farewell Address
Foreign Policy and Events
• Cornerstones - Sept. 11 issues, Two Wars,
Terrorism
• September 11 Attacks - killed 2,996 people, $10
billion in property and infrastructure damage
• Department of Homeland Security – 2002
• Patriot Act – 10/2001
• Afghan War – 10/2001 – 2015 +
• Islamophobia
• Iraq War – March 2003-2011, Flawed WMD issue,
Yellow Cake Uranium – Joe Wilson-Valarie
Plame
• Hear Pres. Bush discuss 9/11