(21) Most recently, Bush did an about-face on whether the proposed new director of national intelligence should have full budget-making powers as the bipartisan Sept. 11 commission recommended.
FLIP: Bush at first indicated no.
FLOP: Then he said yes.
(22) Bush has taken multiple positions on how this nation should deal with Iran.
He has alternated between calling them a part of the axis of evil one day and acting calling for engagement the next. While he has been dithering and wavering, Iran has been growing less democratic (1000s of reform candidates were disqualified in the last election by Iran's clerics) and has been moving forward with its nuclear program and continuing to export terrorism.
In his 2002 State of the Union speech, Bush boldly condemned Iran along with Iraq as a fellow member of the so-called "Axis of Evil." More recently, Bush has eagerly courting Iran as a key facilitator in negotiations with the Shiite rebels in Iraq. Washington has eagerly sought Iran's good offices to get hostages released in Iraq and to reach a compromise consensus in dealing with the militias in the Shiite holy city of Najaf.
Sources: Original research and writing & "Analysis: Bush flipflops on Iraq crisis" by Martin Sieff UPI Senior News Analyst Published 4/20/2004 12:24 PM
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040420-121344-3484r
(23) Bush has taken multiple positions on whether budget deficits matter.
In 2000, he claimed to be for balanced budgets. Four years later, now that he has turned record budget surpluses into budget deficits, he claims that deficits are not a problem, and that it is the size of the budget deficit relative to the GDP that matters...
(24) Bush has flip-flopped at least three times on whether patients should have the Right to Sue their HMOs.
FLIP: GOVERNOR BUSH VETOES PATIENTS' RIGHT TO SUE... "Despite his campaign rhetoric in favor of a patients' bill of rights, Bush fought such a bill tooth and nail as Texas governor, vetoing a bill coauthored by Republican state Rep. John Smithee in 1995. He... constantly opposed a patient's right to sue an HMO over coverage denied that resulted in adverse health effects." [Salon, 2/7/01]
FLOP: CANDIDATE BUSH PRAISES TEXAS PATIENTS' RIGHT TO SUE... "We're one of the first states that said you can sue an HMO for denying you proper coverage... It's time for our nation to come together and do what's right for the people. And I think this is right for the people. You know, I support a national patients' bill of rights, Mr. Vice President. And I want all people covered. I don't want the law to supersede good law like we've got in Texas." [Governor Bush, 10/17/00]
FLIP: PRESIDENT BUSH'S ADMINISTRATION ARGUES AGAINST RIGHT TO SUE "To let two Texas consumers, Juan Davila and Ruby R. Calad, sue their managed-care companies for wrongful denials of medical benefits ‘‘would be to completely undermine' federal law regulating employee benefits, Assistant Solicitor General James A. Feldman said at oral argument March 23. Moreover, the administration's brief attacked the policy rationale for Texas's law, which is similar to statutes on the books in nine other states." [ Washington Post, 4/5/04]
Additional source: "President Bush: Flip-Flopper-In-Chief" ( September 2, 2004, Updated)
http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=118263(25) Bush has flip-flopped on abortion.
FLIP: In 1978, as a congressional candidate, Bush supported a Woman's Right to Choose... "Bush said he...favors leaving up to a woman and her doctor the abortion question." [The Nation, 6/15/00, quoting the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 5/78]
FLOP: BUSH OPPOSES A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE "I am pro-life."
[Governor Bush, 10/3/00]
Secondary sources: "President Bush: Flip-Flopper-In-Chief" ( September 2, 2004, Updated)
http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=118263
http://www.commondreams.org/views/061600-104.htm(26) Bush has flip-flopped on OPEC.
FLIP: BUSH PROMISES TO FORCE OPEC TO LOWER PRICES... "What I think the president ought to do [when gas prices spike] is he ought to get on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say we expect you to open your spigots...And the president of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the price." [President Bush, 1/26/00]
FLOP: BUSH REFUSES TO LOBBY OPEC LEADERS With gas prices soaring in the United States at the beginning of 2004, the Miami Herald reported the president refused to "personally lobby oil cartel leaders to change their minds." [Miami Herald, 4/1/04]
Secondary source: "President Bush: Flip-Flopper-In-Chief" (September 2, 2004, Updated)
http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=118263(27) Bush has flip flipped on Iraq Funding.
FLIP: BUSH SPOKESMAN DENIES NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE REST OF 2004... "We do not anticipate requesting supplemental funding for '04" [White House Budget Director Joshua Bolton, 2/2/04]
FLOP: BUSH REQUESTS ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR IRAQ FOR 2004 "I am requesting that Congress establish a $25 billion contingency reserve fund for the coming fiscal year to meet all commitments to our troops." [President Bush, Statement by President, 5/5/04]
Secondary source: "President Bush: Flip-Flopper-In-Chief" ( September 2, 2004, Updated) http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=118263
(28) Bush first said that we didn't need more troops in Iraq, then he reversed himself.
"Bush said that we didn't need more money in Iraq, then we did. Bush said Preemption was a great idea —— on to Syria, Iran and North Korea! Then it wasn't —— hello, diplomacy! Bush said that we didn't need the U.N., then we did."
(29) Bush flip-flopped on Condoleeza Rice Testimony.
FLIP: BUSH SPOKESMAN SAYS RICE WON'T TESTIFY AS 'A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE'... "Again, this is not her personal preference; this goes back to a matter of principle. There is a separation of powers issue involved here. Historically, White House staffers do not testify before legislative bodies. So it's a matter of principle, not a matter of preference." [White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, 3/9/04]
FLOP: BUSH ORDERS RICE TO TESTIFY: "Today I have informed the Commission on Terrorist Attacks Against the United States that my National Security Advisor, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, will provide public testimony." [President Bush, 3/30/04]
Secondary source: "President Bush: Flip-Flopper-In-Chief" (September 2, 2004, Updated)
http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=118263(30) Bush flip-flopped on Science.
FLIP: BUSH PLEDGES TO ISSUE REGULATIONS BASED ON SCIENCE..."I think we ought to have high standards set by agencies that rely upon science, not by what may feel good or what sounds good." [then-Governor George W. Bush, 1/15/00]
FLOP: BUSH ADMINISTRATION REGULATIONS IGNORE SCIENCE "60 leading scientists—including Nobel laureates, leading medical experts, former federal agency directors and university chairs and presidents—issued a statement calling for regulatory and legislative action to restore scientific integrity to federal policymaking. According to the scientists, the Bush administration has, among other abuses, suppressed and distorted scientific analysis from federal agencies, and taken actions that have undermined the quality of scientific advisory panels." [ Union of Concerned Scientists, 2/18/04]
Secondary source: "President Bush: Flip-Flopper-In-Chief" ( September 2, 2004, Updated) http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=118263.