Vice President Cheney Is No Simon Cowell
National Desk
March 25, 2006
Washington, DC - Democratic National Committee spokesman Luis Miranda issued the following statement on Vice President Cheney's unpatriotic, false, and divisive tactics during his speech today:
"The Bush Administration's dangerous incompetence, short-sightedness, and mismanagement continue to undermine the national security of our country in every area. Instead of offering a plan for victory in Iraq, the Vice President today again resorted to attacks to try to distract from the Bush Administration's commitment to a failed strategy. If the White House spent as much time trying to craft a strategy for success as it does spinning its lies, things might be getting better, not worse, in Iraq.
"It's not just Democrats calling for competence, it's the American people demanding it. Despite their blustery rhetoric, the fact is Simon Cowell is more loved than this Administration and its failed Iraq policy. Cheney wouldn't last long on American Idol."
Port Security
Bush Budget Does Not Address Needed Screening For Nuclear Weapons And Dirty Bombs. The Bush Administration has also not done enough to make sure that containers arriving at our ports are checked. Seventy-five percent of our ports do not have the ability to screen a container for dirty bombs or nuclear weapons. But, President Bush "requested only $157 million for radiation portal monitors, which means U.S. seaports will not have the ability to screen containers for nuclear weapons." [Democratic Staff of the Committee on Homeland Security, Annual Report Card, 2/06]
Bush Budget Forces Ports To Compete With Rail, Mass Transit For Funds. President Bush's FY07 budget "eliminates the port security grant program, the only source of funds committed to help ports pay for post-9/11 security requirements." And, instead of funds set aside specifically for ports, the White House "has proposed $600 million in Targeted Infrastructure Protection Program (TIPP) grants, forcing ports to compete with rail, mass transit, and other critical infrastructure for funding." [Democratic Staff of the Committee on Homeland Security, Annual Report Card, 2/06]
Border Security
Bush Administration Underfunds Border Security Called For By 9/11 Act. The Bush Administration "continues to fall short of fully-funding the level of Border Patrol Agents, detention bed space, and Immigration and Customs Agent resources called for by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (9/11 Act). . . Funding in the President's fiscal year 2007 budget is 25 percent short of what is needed to hire the 2,000 Border Patrol Agents required by the 9/11 Act." [Democratic Staff of the Committee on Homeland Security, Annual Report Card, 2/06]
First Responders
Bush's FY07 Budget Cuts Funding For First Responders By 25 Percent. Police departments nationwide do not have the protective gear to safely secure a site after the detonation of a weapon of mass destruction and fire departments have only enough radios for half the firefighters on a shift. And yet the budget includes a net cut in first responder funding within the Department of Homeland Security of $573 million, or 25 percent. Within this total, the budget slashes the Firefighter Grant program by $355 million and eliminates all funding for law enforcement terrorism prevention, a reduction of $385 million. These cuts are partially offset by an $87 million increase for first responder formula-based grants and an $80 million increase for specific high-threat urban areas. [Office of the House Democratic Leader, 3/1/06]
Bush's Failed Iraq Policy
Former Iraqi Prime Allawi: "If This Isn't Civil War, Then God Knows What Civil War Is." "It is unfortunate that we are in civil war. We are losing each day, as an average, 50 to 60 people through the country, if not more. If this is not civil war, then God knows what civil war is." [New York Times, 3/20/06]
Americans Disapprove of Bush's Handling Of Iraq, Trust Democrats More. In a CBS poll, asking whether people approve or disapprove of the way Bush is handling the situation with Iraq, 63 percent disapprove, while 31 percent approve. An NPR poll that asked whether people trusted Bush or the Democrats found that on the issue of the continuing Iraq war and violence between religious groups, 52 percent trust Democrats more, while 43 percent trust Bush more. CBS, asking whether the Republican or Democratic party was more likely to make the right decisions about Iraq found that 35 percent chose the Republican party, while 41 percent chose the Democratic party. [NPR, Conducted 3/12-14/06 by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R); surveyed 800 likely voters; margin of error +/-3% (release, 3/17); CBS News, Conducted 3/9-12/06; surveyed 1,136 adults; margin of error +/-3%.]
"The Bush Administration's dangerous incompetence, short-sightedness, and mismanagement continue to undermine the national security of our country in every area. Instead of offering a plan for victory in Iraq, the Vice President today again resorted to attacks to try to distract from the Bush Administration's commitment to a failed strategy. If the White House spent as much time trying to craft a strategy for success as it does spinning its lies, things might be getting better, not worse, in Iraq.
"It's not just Democrats calling for competence, it's the American people demanding it. Despite their blustery rhetoric, the fact is Simon Cowell is more loved than this Administration and its failed Iraq policy. Cheney wouldn't last long on American Idol."
Port Security
Bush Budget Does Not Address Needed Screening For Nuclear Weapons And Dirty Bombs. The Bush Administration has also not done enough to make sure that containers arriving at our ports are checked. Seventy-five percent of our ports do not have the ability to screen a container for dirty bombs or nuclear weapons. But, President Bush "requested only $157 million for radiation portal monitors, which means U.S. seaports will not have the ability to screen containers for nuclear weapons." [Democratic Staff of the Committee on Homeland Security, Annual Report Card, 2/06]
Bush Budget Forces Ports To Compete With Rail, Mass Transit For Funds. President Bush's FY07 budget "eliminates the port security grant program, the only source of funds committed to help ports pay for post-9/11 security requirements." And, instead of funds set aside specifically for ports, the White House "has proposed $600 million in Targeted Infrastructure Protection Program (TIPP) grants, forcing ports to compete with rail, mass transit, and other critical infrastructure for funding." [Democratic Staff of the Committee on Homeland Security, Annual Report Card, 2/06]
Border Security
Bush Administration Underfunds Border Security Called For By 9/11 Act. The Bush Administration "continues to fall short of fully-funding the level of Border Patrol Agents, detention bed space, and Immigration and Customs Agent resources called for by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (9/11 Act). . . Funding in the President's fiscal year 2007 budget is 25 percent short of what is needed to hire the 2,000 Border Patrol Agents required by the 9/11 Act." [Democratic Staff of the Committee on Homeland Security, Annual Report Card, 2/06]
First Responders
Bush's FY07 Budget Cuts Funding For First Responders By 25 Percent. Police departments nationwide do not have the protective gear to safely secure a site after the detonation of a weapon of mass destruction and fire departments have only enough radios for half the firefighters on a shift. And yet the budget includes a net cut in first responder funding within the Department of Homeland Security of $573 million, or 25 percent. Within this total, the budget slashes the Firefighter Grant program by $355 million and eliminates all funding for law enforcement terrorism prevention, a reduction of $385 million. These cuts are partially offset by an $87 million increase for first responder formula-based grants and an $80 million increase for specific high-threat urban areas. [Office of the House Democratic Leader, 3/1/06]
Bush's Failed Iraq Policy
Former Iraqi Prime Allawi: "If This Isn't Civil War, Then God Knows What Civil War Is." "It is unfortunate that we are in civil war. We are losing each day, as an average, 50 to 60 people through the country, if not more. If this is not civil war, then God knows what civil war is." [New York Times, 3/20/06]
Americans Disapprove of Bush's Handling Of Iraq, Trust Democrats More. In a CBS poll, asking whether people approve or disapprove of the way Bush is handling the situation with Iraq, 63 percent disapprove, while 31 percent approve. An NPR poll that asked whether people trusted Bush or the Democrats found that on the issue of the continuing Iraq war and violence between religious groups, 52 percent trust Democrats more, while 43 percent trust Bush more. CBS, asking whether the Republican or Democratic party was more likely to make the right decisions about Iraq found that 35 percent chose the Republican party, while 41 percent chose the Democratic party. [NPR, Conducted 3/12-14/06 by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (D) and Public Opinion Strategies (R); surveyed 800 likely voters; margin of error +/-3% (release, 3/17); CBS News, Conducted 3/9-12/06; surveyed 1,136 adults; margin of error +/-3%.]
Print
Email
