The Bush Doctrine Of Stupidity And Greed

I’m confused.

George Bush has declared that America is at war against terrorism. “The War Against Terrorism” is accepted as fact. We see the phrase on every major network news program.

George Bush has also called upon Congress to create a Department of Homeland Security to protect America from terrorist attacks.

Yet George Bush announced last week that he would not spend $5.1 billion appropriated by Congress for homeland security measures. Bush said he was withholding the money to teach Congress a lesson about fiscal restraint. We’re not going to have any foolish spending on frills and such while there’s a war going on, seemed to be the message.

This wasteful spending package included money for home defenses, military spending, foreign aid, AIDS treatment, and relief for victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Specifically, it included $340 million to fund many of the nation’s 18,000 fire departments. Of that sum, $150 was earmarked for equipment and training grants requested by the fire departments. Another $100 million was to be used to improve communications systems for firefighters, police officers, and other emergency personnel, as well as $90 million for long-term health monitoring of emergency workers at the Ground Zero site.

Needless to say, the nation’s firefighters have not taken kindly to Bush’s demonstration of fiscal restraint. The International Association of Fire Fighters voted unanimously at its annual convention in Las Vegas last week to boycott a national tribute to firefighters who died on Sept. 11. Bush is expected to speak at the Oct. 6 ceremony in Washington, D.C.

“The president has merely been using firefighters and their families for one big photo opportunity,” declared R. Michael Mohler of the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters Local 774. “We will work actively to not grant him another photo op with us.”