User:AaronSw/Bush flip-flops

Fiscal policy
2000: Promised to devote the entire Social Security surplus to reducing the national debt. 

2002-2012: Used social security surplus for government operations. 

2001: Promised to retire “an historic $2 trillion in debt over the next 10 years.”

2002-2009: Increased debt by $2.4 trillion. 

Free trade
2000: Said he was free trade. 

2003: Increased steel tariffs and farm subsidies. 

2004: After EU threats, got rid of tariffs. 

Homeland Security department
2002: Opposed creation. 

2002: Strongly supported creation.

Environment
2000: Promised to restrict carbon dioxide at power plants.

2001: Decided not to. 

Abortion
1970: Said abortion was “up to a woman and her doctor."

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." 

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

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…"



2002: Signs McCain-Feingold. 

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.



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." 

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." 

2004: The Court rules the program is permitted. Bush is "happy the nation's highest court recognized the value of diversity." 

9/11 commission
2002: Bush opposed creation of the commission. 

2002: Bush supports creation of the commission. 

2002: Bush promises to allow the families of the victims to select one Republican member of the committee.

2002: Families choose Warren Rudman, the White House intervenes to keep him off. 

2004: Bush opposes giving the committee more time.  2004: Bush supports giving more time. 

2004: Bush says he will limit his time with the committee to an hour.

2004: Bush says he will stay to answer all questions. 

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. 

2004: White House refuses to provide access to the PDBs to the commission. 

2004: White House lets some commissioners look at PDBs. 

Additional sources

 * CompassionGate
 * DailyKos
 * Talent Show