User:AaronSw/Bush flip-flops

Fiscal policy

2000: Promised to devote the entire Social Security surplus to reducing the national debt. [1]
2002-2012: Used social security surplus for government operations. [2]

2001: Promised to retire “an historic $2 trillion in debt over the next 10 years.” [3]
2002-2009: Increased debt by $2.4 trillion. [4]

Free trade

2000: Said he was free trade. [5]
2003: Increased steel tariffs and farm subsidies. [6]
2004: After EU threats, got rid of tariffs. [7]

Homeland Security department

2002: Opposed creation. [8]
2002: Strongly supported creation.[9]

Environment

2000: Promised to restrict carbon dioxide at power plants.
2001: Decided not to. [10]

Abortion

1970: Said abortion was “up to a woman and her doctor." [11]
2000: Said abortion should be outlawed.

LIHEAP

2000: Bush: "We've got to make sure we fully fund LIHEAP."
2001: LIHEAP: "[LIHEAP] will face a cut of over $500 million if the budget for FY2002 released today by President George W. Bush becomes law." [12]

China apology

2001: Ari Fleischer said the United States was declining China's request for an apology. [13] 2001: The U.S. ambassador to China said in a letter that the U.S. was "very sorry". [14]

McCain-Feingold

2000:

WILL: Would you veto the McCain-Feingold bill, or the Shays-Meehan bill?

BUSH: That's an interesting question. I — I — yes I would…"

[15]
2002: Signs McCain-Feingold. [16]

Gay marriage

2000:

KING: If a state were voting on gay marriage, you would suggest to that state not to approve it?

BUSH: The state can do what they want to do.

[17]
2004: "Today I call upon the Congress to promptly pass, and to send to the states for ratification, an amendment to our Constitution defining and protecting marriage as a union of man and woman as husband and wife." [18]

Affirmative action

2003: Bush submits a brief to the Supreme Court opposing U of M's affirmative action program. "[The] method used by the University of Michigan …is fundamentally flawed." [19]
2004: The Court rules the program is permitted. Bush is "happy the nation's highest court recognized the value of diversity." [20]

9/11 commission

2002: Bush opposed creation of the commission. [21]
2002: Bush supports creation of the commission. [22]

2002: Bush promises to allow the families of the victims to select one Republican member of the committee.[23]
2002: Families choose Warren Rudman, the White House intervenes to keep him off. [24]

2004: Bush opposes giving the committee more time. [25] 2004: Bush supports giving more time. [26]

2004: Bush says he will limit his time with the committee to an hour.
2004: Bush says he will stay to answer all questions. [27]
2004: Bush insists he be allowed to testify jointly with Cheney.

2004: Bush says Condoleeza Rice cannot testify, because of separation of powers.
2004: Bush sends Rice to testify.

2004: White House shows Presidential Daily Briefings to Bob Woodward. [28]
2004: White House refuses to provide access to the PDBs to the commission. [29]
2004: White House lets some commissioners look at PDBs. [30]