Bush Takes Budget Axe To America’s Volunteers
Bush Takes Budget Axe To America’s Volunteers
Today, President Bush commemorated the fifth anniversary of the USA Freedom Corps by praising America’s volunteers:
“We’re heralding volunteerism here today. It is a really important aspect of American society. I’m proud of our fellow citizens who have answered the call. I encourage you to continue on.”
Bush loves praising volunteerism. In his 2002 State of the Union address, Bush called on “every American to commit at least two years, 4,000 hours over the rest of your lifetime, to the service of your neighbors and your nation.”
But Bush also loves cutting funding for AmeriCorps, which President Bill Clinton created in 1993 “as a kind of domestic counterpart to the Peace Corps.” Since that time, more than 200,000 Americans have served in AmeriCorps. A look at Bush’s real “commitment” to volunteerism:
2003: “The president promised to expand AmeriCorps by 50 percent, from 50,000 volunteers to 75,000 volunteers. But in 2003, he signed legislation that cut AmeriCorps’s operating budget by 30 percent.”
2004: “The President in his FY 2004 budget request proposed $324 million for AmeriCorps, a $40 million decrease from FY 2003.”
2005: Bush’s budget included $442 million for AmeriCorps, which was “level funded from FY 2004.”
2006: Bush’s budget proposed to “reduce funding for Americorps from $287.7 million in FY ‘05 to $275 million in FY ‘06.”
2007: “Beginning next year [2007], the White House would reduce funding for the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps from $27 million to $5 million with the goal of closing it down, according to the president’s budget. About 81 full-time staff members would lose their jobs.”
2008: The Bush administration’s fiscal 2008 budget would allocate about $480 million to AmeriCorps programs — more than $25 million less than what’s called for in the 2007 spending plan that Democratic Congressional leaders have crafted and significantly less than the fiscal 2006 enacted total.
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Yeah but he looks good holding a brand new axe with brand new work gloves on…
February 13th, 2007 at 4:33 pmThat look on his face makes me want to puke.
February 13th, 2007 at 4:34 pmI don’t know what Bush is thinking anymore.
Is is just trying to sabotage the country now?
February 13th, 2007 at 4:35 pmBush is just telling everyone to support volunteering, so he won’t have to support it.
kinda like fighting them over there, so we don’t have to fight them here, don’t ya know?
/end snark
February 13th, 2007 at 4:35 pmHe has a highly paid staff that does nothing but look for stuff to f*ck up….on the taxpayers dime….
February 13th, 2007 at 4:36 pmIf he can’t take money away from groups trying to bring about positive change for America, how can he be expected to funnel billions of dollars to his wealthy donors, or as he calls them, “his base”?
February 13th, 2007 at 4:36 pmCaption:
“Oh, I’m a lumberjack, and I’m OK,
I work all night and I sleep all day
I cut down trees, I skip and jump
I go to the lava’try…..”
(with thanks to Monty Python…..)
February 13th, 2007 at 4:42 pmAnyone surprised?? Come on.. A politician saying what he knows we want to hear and then doing what he wants (often the opposite of what he says) THAT never happens.
I’m already past righteous indignation. Anyone who has the gall to be shocked at this is simply ignorant or naive. I remember those days…. when I didn’t know the government was screwing me…. Ahh.. fond memories.
February 13th, 2007 at 4:51 pmAlso the Peace Corps budget has dropped lately.
2001 – 298 million
February 13th, 2007 at 4:54 pm2002 – 329
2003 – 365
2004 – 323
2005 – 317
Look, I’m no fan of the Bush administration, but doesn’t Think Progress’s snippets above contradict its statement that Dubya is “cutting funding” for AmeriCorps? The proposed FY 2008 budget is $480 million, up from $324 million in 2004 (and nearly identical to last year’s proposal of $479 million).
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2007/other.html
February 13th, 2007 at 4:56 pmNice use of the Monty Python quotes! But perhaps the last stanza should be:
I chop down trees, I skip and jump
I once snorted cocaine, er
I wish I’d been a girlie,
just like dear John Boehner.
Note: the use of “cocaine, er” is poetic license.
February 13th, 2007 at 4:57 pmBush Takes Budget Axe To America’s Volunteers
Not to be outdone by Cheney who took a rifle to an old man’s face…
February 13th, 2007 at 5:07 pmNewsbreak:
February 13th, 2007 at 5:08 pmToday, as part of his Healthy Forests Initiative, George Dubious Boosch took to the woods with an axe and a large entourage of simpering sycophants.
Wearing no hat, and only a cheap pair of Chinese made work gloves, the pResident posed for photos and whacked at a small scraggly bush a few times before calling it a day, and pronouncing the half acre woodlot behind the Halliburton regional offices healthy.
Photo caption..
February 13th, 2007 at 5:10 pmGeorge and the weapon of mass destruction he found in Iraq
Again not to be outdone by UNBELIEVABLE shooting off at the mouth!
February 13th, 2007 at 5:13 pmAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboyAllworkandnoplaymakesGeorgieadullboy
February 13th, 2007 at 5:14 pmWell I see a chicken-hawk and an ax. what the hell happend to my chopping block….
February 13th, 2007 at 5:15 pmit’s what we do here, joebama, get used to it.
February 13th, 2007 at 5:17 pmAll volunteers should be for free, the same as our volunteer army, don’t raise my taxes to pay for volunteers.
February 13th, 2007 at 5:17 pmDoh-doh-de-doh-doh-doh…
February 13th, 2007 at 5:19 pmI hope George can figure out how to handle the sharp ‘ole axe better than he was able to figure out how to operate that big ‘ole tractor.
Again not to be outdone by UNBELIEVABLE shooting off at the mouth!
Comment by joe mama — February 13, 2007 @ 5:13 pm
I see Tuesdays are my days to be targetted…
Lucky me.
February 13th, 2007 at 5:22 pmWar is only profitable for capitalism…….
February 13th, 2007 at 5:25 pmLook at those spanking new gloves that never saw a day of work in the wearer’s life.
February 13th, 2007 at 5:26 pmThose #’s don’t make sense to me gimme budgetted / actual for the last 10y so my brain won’t hurt anymore
February 13th, 2007 at 5:28 pmNice gloves Georgie . . . are you playing railroad engineer ?
February 13th, 2007 at 5:28 pmMore of the same from the most hated person on the planet….New gloves, new axe and the only work he has done in his life has been some form of distruction…..What a miserable waste of air…..Blessings all
February 13th, 2007 at 5:32 pm300 million, it’s that what an average Oil CEO makes in 1 year? Thanks King George!
February 13th, 2007 at 5:35 pmThe 2002 famous speech he said he doubled the size of CIA and planned the same for Peace Corps over FIVE YEARS.
Peace Corps won’t recruit the volunteers. They have too many requirements and, although they have made some adjustments, they refuse to utilize the UN portion of the Peace Corps. Alot of this is considered Rice’s fault.
Peace Corps and Americorps aren’t doing the recruiting and budgets are getting cut when there are fewer volunteers.
February 13th, 2007 at 5:38 pmthis must have been the day he took the axe to Scott McClellan, and hired…
February 13th, 2007 at 5:38 pm……Tony Snow
Looks like a scene from the Shining. “Heeeeere’s Georgie!!”
February 13th, 2007 at 5:38 pmGeorgie has allocated $480,000,000 to the program for 2008? Exxon Mobil makes that much in profit in less than 5 days.
February 13th, 2007 at 5:43 pmI’d love to see the boy-chymp actually SPLIT a cord of wood.
February 13th, 2007 at 5:45 pmHe’d come out of that ordeal with four toes missing.
Now, why would he use a cheap Axe to chop up volunteers?
February 13th, 2007 at 5:49 pmNow you know why they didn’t let him have a double-bitted axe…….
February 13th, 2007 at 5:49 pmhe’d end up looking like “the Ice Cream Kid”
Just goes to show – what ever this sociopathic sicko says he is for, we must always believe the opposite.
Is this why Bush senior cries?
22 more months of this bastard.
February 13th, 2007 at 5:57 pmEven though the term “sociopath” isn’t technically correct. I’m down with it.
February 13th, 2007 at 6:19 pm[...] in Government, GOP, Bush Administration at 3:27 pm by LeisureGuy From ThinkProgress: Today, President Bush commemorated the fifth anniversary of the USA Freedom Corps by praising [...]
February 13th, 2007 at 6:19 pmEven though the term “sociopath†isn’t technically correct. I’m down with it.
Comment by ForTruth
How about clueless crackpot?
February 13th, 2007 at 6:23 pmEven though the term “sociopath†isn’t technically correct. I’m down with it.
Comment by ForTruth — February 13, 2007 @ 6:19 pm
Ahem….
:D
February 13th, 2007 at 6:28 pmAnti-social, addictive-personality, sadist, type 1.
February 13th, 2007 at 6:29 pmBush loves volunteers so much that he’s sent most of the National Guard to Iraq!
February 13th, 2007 at 6:47 pmI’ll bet Barack Obama wouldn’t dream of cutting the budget!
February 13th, 2007 at 6:49 pmGreat Monty Python imagery!!
I love this pic of George the pussy going to swing his axe wearing his gardening gloves!!
Bush is a Sadistic Wimp!! …oh, and he is a closeted homosexual, too. Who do you think Gannon/Guckert was visiting in the WH?!
http://mindprod.com/politics/bushismsgay.html#GAY
February 13th, 2007 at 6:49 pmI’ll bet Barack Obama wouldn’t dream of cutting the budget!
Comment by valiant venus — February 13, 2007 @ 6:49 pm
I’ll bet you wouldn’t dream of eating a complete meal, without throwing up. See how easy it is to say something irrelevant?
I’ll bet Bush wouldn’t dream of balancing the budget, the one thing conservatives used to claim was their values. Care to speculate the last time a Republican balanced the budget? Care to compare that with Democrats?
Silly child, why do you insist trying to play games with the adults. Go back to your playpen, and play around with the other spoiled children that don’t want their Jello-Shot money taxed.
February 13th, 2007 at 7:15 pmI’ll go with sociopathic-clueless crackpot, umm, disorder. Yeah.
I can be flexible.
February 13th, 2007 at 7:27 pmIs today “Fat Tuesday”, anyone?
February 13th, 2007 at 7:29 pmIs today “Fat Tuesdayâ€, anyone?
Comment by ForTruth
Um, no.
Maybe you’re just feeling a little chubby? :)
February 13th, 2007 at 7:35 pmMardi Gras is February 20.
Laissez le bon temps roullez!
February 13th, 2007 at 7:38 pmAnother ridiculous, empty photo op. Who is he trying to kid? Just another one of his stupid, misguided attempts to balance the budget he screwed up so badly. Cut the military, cut Americorp. What next? How about he donates the rest of his salary for the next two years and finish fucking up this country for free?
February 13th, 2007 at 7:39 pmMaybe you’re just feeling a little chubby? :)
Comment by Zooey
That’s funny, I actually do.
February 13th, 2007 at 7:44 pmCHIMPya, Why Don’t YOU VOLUNTEER to GO TO Iraq AND FIGHT IN THE FRONT LINES–YOU WOULDN”T LAST TEN SECONDS OUT THERE, AND NEITHER WOULD THE BRAVE-TALKING repugnant-repubs(republicant) WHO SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR POLICIES, ESPECIALLY IN Iraq! I’m NOT AFRAID to go to a TRUE WAR LIKE WORLD WAR I or II or Korea IF IT MEANT DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY AGAINST A LOOMING ENEMY–But for FOOLISH INCURSIONS AND INVASION OF OTHER SOVEREIGN COUNTRIES WHO HAVE NOT HARMED OUR COUNTRY OR POSE ANY KIND OF TRUE THREAT TO US, like Vietnam or Iraq, FORGET IT!!!!! COULD YOU SAY THE SAME, CHIMPya and repugnant-repubs?
February 13th, 2007 at 7:47 pmCompassionate conservatism my ass.
February 13th, 2007 at 8:05 pm#50
February 13th, 2007 at 8:17 pmOops, my bad, meant to say cut MILITARY BENEFITS.
A terriffic idea. Why don’t we use that axe to cut the presidential and vice presidents positions for the next two years. And then maybe the country can get back on track.
February 13th, 2007 at 8:38 pmGeorgie really needs to stop playing dress up.
February 13th, 2007 at 9:04 pmchimpy bush had an axe
February 13th, 2007 at 10:13 pmand gave the people 40 whacks
It’s not even an axe he is holding, it’s a splitting mall. Used to split wood that is already sawed to length. It has no use to clear brush. And the brand new gloves to protect the baby soft hands is a special touch.
What a c*nt he is.
The videos of our Madam President swinging a hammer are a joke. Bush has more issues than we will ever know. Stay in the closet Ms. George!
And I don’t think Valient VenusGrew FromUranus is such a bad name.
I gave birth to a Rachel this morning, talk about some nasty stuff from Uranus.
February 13th, 2007 at 10:14 pmThis is sadly all to typical of the government in general, and GB in particular. While we spend billions on war and destruction, in the name of “national security” (the US government has spent over $350,000,000,000 on a war in Iraq alone), the root causes of our troubles are hardly addressed. Eradication of poverty, inequality, ignorance and the protection of the environment worldwide are the only real solutions.
These goals can be accomplished, but will require the mobilization of armies of volunteers working toward goals like those set forth in initiatives like The Millennium Development Goals (MDG), an initiative the US has pledged to support along with most other nations of the world. The GB government’s cutting of funds for volunteers undercuts efforts to improve, even save, people’s lives, and diminishes US national security.
February 13th, 2007 at 11:47 pmBush used the Ameircorp support for political points. He really wants it to fail and give all the money to the churches.
February 14th, 2007 at 12:02 amLooks like the individual states will shame the President and the GOP members of Congress by “trumping” them at their own game. Kudos to California for being the most progressive state in the country! Hope this catches like wildfire. This is one way in which the people can have their voices heard when the administration and the Congress appears to not be listening to them.
The recent issue before congress (and subsequent debates this week) will separate the men from the boys – the true patriots from the imposters and charlatans – as well as to further “cull” the candidates in terms of their war stance. Those who voted to enable this despot initially (McCain, Lieberman, Clinton, Biden, Edwards, Kerry have already done their damage from which there is “no way out” ) and those who continue to enable this regime by voting “yes” to escalation (not to be confused with “supporting the troops” which, in fact, can be debated as well in terms of bringing them home being in the best interest of these soldiers and their families in the crossfire of a Civil War)….The names are being registered of those “war mongers” and the People will speak loudly and clearly in 08 when they show, via their vote, that these people are nothing but mere “enablers”, “war mongers”, misanthropes and charlatans and need to be evicted from office.
February 14th, 2007 at 10:03 amAnd those who continue to support “escalation” include Rudy Guliani and Mitt Romney – The People need to also send them a message loud and clear – There is NO WAY we want another Bush for 4 more years so they needn’t bother spending their megabucks on a campaign.
THE IRAQ WAR will be the singular, defining issue in the 08 campaign and anyone who believes otherwise is living a fantasy akin to Bush himself.
February 14th, 2007 at 10:06 am