No Credibility Left Behind: The Bush Administration’s Record Of Failed Policies

President Bush will make remarks today in Greensboro, North Carolina, on one of his most well-known policy failures, the No Child Left Behind Act. Less than three weeks before Election Day, the President’s poll numbers remain low and his Administration’s misleading statements about its record on education and a host of other issues do nothing to repair his lost credibility. From the economy to the war in Iraq to education, the Bush White House is floundering after years of broken promises and failed initiatives.

“After underfunding his signature education initiative by $40 billion, President Bush has no credibility left in North Carolina or anywhere else,” said Democratic National Committee Press Secretary Stacie Paxton. “The American people no longer trust President Bush and Republicans in Washington to keep them safe, effectively fight the war on terror, manage the economy or handle the education of our nation’s children. Democrats remain committed to a new direction for America.”

Bush Has Lost All Credibility On Education

Since 2001, Bush Has Underfunded No Child Left Behind by $40 Billion; Denies Extra Academic Help to 3.7 Million Students in 2007 Budget. Republicans have underfunded No Child Left Behind by over $40 billion over the past five years nationwide. In his budget for 2007, Bush has proposed to provide only half of the promised funding promised for our most disadvantaged students. As a result, 3.7 million disadvantaged children will go without promised help in reading and math. [House Democrats Education and Workforce Committee, 2/6/06]

North Carolina Loses Millions For Education In Bush’s 2007 Budget. In President Bush’s 2007 budget, “North Carolina will lose $90.7 million for several No Child Left Behind (NCLB) programs that help improve schools. This includes funding for teacher quality state grants, educational technology grants, funding for school assessments and funding for small and rural schools. Special Education: North Carolina schools will lose $146.4 million for special education over the next five years. Vocational and Adult Education: North Carolina will lose $223.9 million over five years, including a cut of $41.7 million next year for programs that prepare North Carolina’s high school and community college students for high-skill, high-demand careers.” [The Honorable George Miller, Senior Democratic Member, Committee On Education And The Workforce, March 2006]

Republicans Not Keeping America Safe

Bush Proposed Slashing Funding for COPS Program. Bush proposed cutting COPS funding by 79 percent, or $412 million, in his 2007 budget. [House Democrats, 3/27/06]

Emergency Preparedness Still Inadequate. The President's budget for 2007 proposed to cut $612 million from first responder grants and training programs. The budget cuts funding levels for programs designed to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by more than $1 billion compared to FY 2006, the Firefighters Grant Program was cut by 50 percent, and the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, which trains first responders, was cut by 66 percent. In addition, the President's 2007 budget requested no funding to enhance interoperable communications. ["The State of Homeland Security, 2006" prepared by the Democratic Staff of the Committee on Homeland Security; 2/06]

2006: Bush And Republican Congress Given Failing Grades By 9/11 Commission For Refusal To Implement Recommendations. "The federal government received failing and mediocre grades yesterday from the former Sept. 11 commission, whose members said in a final report that the Bush administration and Congress have balked at enacting numerous reforms that could save American lives and prevent another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. The 10-member bipartisan panel -- whose book-length report about the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks became a surprise bestseller -- issued a ‘report card’ that included 5 F's, 12 D's and two 'incompletes' in categories including airline passenger screening and improving first responders' communication system." [Washington Post, 12/6/05]

Bush Has Lost Credibility On The Economy

The Bush Record: Record Surpluses to Record Deficits. Republicans have turned President Clinton's projected 10-year $5.6 trillion surplus into a nearly $3 trillion deficit. When this Administration took office, it inherited a projected ten-year surplus (2002-2011) of $5.6 trillion. Based on a realistic estimate of the President's policies, that surplus has now become a $3.3 trillion deficit over the same period of time, a dramatic fiscal reversal of $8.9 trillion. [House Budget Committee, 2/2006]

Senate GOP Blocked Minimum Wage Vote For 9th Time; Congressional Pay Up $30,000 During Same Period. "The Republican-controlled Senate smothered a proposed election-year increase in the minimum wage Wednesday, rejecting Democratic claims it was past time to boost the $5.15 hourly pay floor that has been in effect for nearly a decade. ... The Senate vote marked the ninth time since 1997 that Democrats there have proposed -- and Republicans have blocked -- an increase in the minimum wage. ... Kennedy also said lawmakers' annual pay has risen by roughly $30,000 since the last increase in the minimum wage." [AP, 6/22/06]