Difference between revisions of "Bush-Cheney administration/anti-democracy"

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==Overview==
 
==Overview==
In their public policies and speeches, the [[Bush II administration]] in general and [[George W. Bush]] in particular place tremendous emphasis on the ideals of freedom and democracy, and yet their actions consistently work to undermine those principles.
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In their public policies and speeches, the [[Bush II administration]] in general and [[George W. Bush]] in particular place tremendous emphasis on the ideals of [[freedom]] and [[democracy]], and yet their actions consistently work to undermine those principles. ''(Note: maybe this should be renamed "...anti-Constitution"?)''
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* They have worked to stack the court at the highest levels, as well as the offices of attorneys general and other key "gatekeepers" of the legal system, with [[cronies]] who will follow the official line.
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* They have [[Bush II administration anti-science|suppressed scientific inquiry]] where it did not meet their political goals.
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* They have encouraged [[media consolidation]] under owners who are sympathetic to their administration and willing to influence their outlets' content to match the administration's position, thereby eliminating honest journalism from the top down.
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* They have worked to undermine the effectiveness of the [[free market]] system, by awarding huge no-bid contracts to companies they favor.
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* They have repeatedly emphasized the idea that [[dissent is treason|dissent is equivalent to treason]], which goes against the idea of [[freedom of speech]] (one of the cornerstones of the [[US Constitution]]).
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* They have worked to [[Bush's elevation of presidential powers|centralize power in the presidency]], undermining the [[US constitution|constitution]]al [[separation of powers]].
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==Related Pages==
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* [[Science]], the courts, [[free market]]s, and the media are all [[accountability arenas]]; by targeting these institutions, this administration shows a clear pattern of attempting to [[suppress dissent]] and eliminate any possible [[accountability]] for their actions.
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* This administration has also displayed, routinely, at least 13 of the 14 common characteristics of [[fascism]].
  
 
==Points==
 
==Points==
 
===Undermining Freedom of Speech & the Press===
 
===Undermining Freedom of Speech & the Press===
* '''2005-12-01''' [http://mediacitizen.blogspot.com/2005/12/bushs-war-on-press.html Bush’s War on the Press]: "America's leadership is waging a war against the journalistic standards and practices that underpin not only a free press but our democracy."
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* '''2005-12-01''' [http://mediacitizen.blogspot.com/2005/12/bushs-war-on-press.html Bush's War on the Press]: "America's leadership is waging a war against the journalistic standards and practices that underpin not only a free press but our democracy."
 
===Secrecy===
 
===Secrecy===
 
The administration's actions and policies have led to skyrocketing secrecy and a tremendous decrease in governmental [[transparency]] – both being complete reversals from the trends under [[Bill Clinton|Bush's predecessor]].
 
The administration's actions and policies have led to skyrocketing secrecy and a tremendous decrease in governmental [[transparency]] – both being complete reversals from the trends under [[Bill Clinton|Bush's predecessor]].
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* '''2007-07-20''': [http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/118489654058910.xml&coll=7 DeFazio asks, but he's denied access]: "Oregonians called Peter DeFazio's office, worried there was a conspiracy buried in the classified portion of a White House plan for operating the government after a terrorist attack. As a member of the U.S. House on the [[Homeland Security Committee]], DeFazio, D-Ore., is permitted to enter a secure "bubbleroom" in the Capitol and examine classified material. So he asked the White House to see the secret documents. On Wednesday, DeFazio got his answer: DENIED."
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** [http://www.911blogger.com/node/10099 911blogger.com]: some further discussion, info, and links
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* '''2006-08-21''': [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/20/AR2006082000625.html Cold War Missiles Target of Blackout]: "The Bush administration has begun designating as secret some information that the government long provided even to its enemy the former Soviet Union: the numbers of strategic weapons in the U.S. nuclear arsenal during the Cold War."
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* '''2006-02-21''': [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/politics/21reclassify.html U.S. Reclassifies Many Documents in Secret Review]
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* '''2005-12-01''': [http://mediacitizen.blogspot.com/2005/12/gutting-freedom-of-information-act.html Gutting the Freedom of Information Act]
 
* '''2005-09-02''': "Government secrecy has reached a historic high, even compared to the Cold War (San Diego Union July 3). Federal departments are classifying documents at a rate of 125 per minute... or two per second... and inventing new kinds of classification, while declassification efforts that peaked under the [[1992-1999 US Presidential Adminstration|Clinton Administration]] have slowed to a crawl." ([http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/] 2005-09-02 entry)
 
* '''2005-09-02''': "Government secrecy has reached a historic high, even compared to the Cold War (San Diego Union July 3). Federal departments are classifying documents at a rate of 125 per minute... or two per second... and inventing new kinds of classification, while declassification efforts that peaked under the [[1992-1999 US Presidential Adminstration|Clinton Administration]] have slowed to a crawl." ([http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/] 2005-09-02 entry)
* '''2005-12-01''': [http://mediacitizen.blogspot.com/2005/12/gutting-freedom-of-information-act.html Gutting the Freedom of Information Act]
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* '''2006-02-21''': [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/politics/21reclassify.html U.S. Reclassifies Many Documents in Secret Review]
 
* '''2006-08-21''': [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/20/AR2006082000625.html Cold War Missiles Target of Blackout]: "The Bush administration has begun designating as secret some information that the government long provided even to its enemy the former Soviet Union: the numbers of strategic weapons in the U.S. nuclear arsenal during the Cold War."
 
 
===Suppression of Criticism===
 
===Suppression of Criticism===
 
* [[Bush II administration anti-science|suppression of scientific data]] where it doesn't agree with their agenda
 
* [[Bush II administration anti-science|suppression of scientific data]] where it doesn't agree with their agenda
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** '''2004-11-14''': [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/14/161139/55 Bush Plans to Purge the 'Disloyal' at CIA]: "The White House has ordered the new CIA director ... to purge the agency of officers believed to have been disloyal to President George W. Bush..." (a clear case of [[Equating the Individual with the Office]]) (also [http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1114-01.htm another source])
 
** '''2004-11-14''': [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/14/161139/55 Bush Plans to Purge the 'Disloyal' at CIA]: "The White House has ordered the new CIA director ... to purge the agency of officers believed to have been disloyal to President George W. Bush..." (a clear case of [[Equating the Individual with the Office]]) (also [http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1114-01.htm another source])
 
** The {{wpalt|Plame affair}}
 
** The {{wpalt|Plame affair}}
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==Filed Links==
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{{links.tagged}}

Latest revision as of 15:57, 1 August 2010

Overview

In their public policies and speeches, the Bush II administration in general and George W. Bush in particular place tremendous emphasis on the ideals of freedom and democracy, and yet their actions consistently work to undermine those principles. (Note: maybe this should be renamed "...anti-Constitution"?)

Related Pages

Points

Undermining Freedom of Speech & the Press

  • 2005-12-01 Bush's War on the Press: "America's leadership is waging a war against the journalistic standards and practices that underpin not only a free press but our democracy."

Secrecy

The administration's actions and policies have led to skyrocketing secrecy and a tremendous decrease in governmental transparency – both being complete reversals from the trends under Bush's predecessor.

  • 2007-07-20: DeFazio asks, but he's denied access: "Oregonians called Peter DeFazio's office, worried there was a conspiracy buried in the classified portion of a White House plan for operating the government after a terrorist attack. As a member of the U.S. House on the Homeland Security Committee, DeFazio, D-Ore., is permitted to enter a secure "bubbleroom" in the Capitol and examine classified material. So he asked the White House to see the secret documents. On Wednesday, DeFazio got his answer: DENIED."
  • 2006-08-21: Cold War Missiles Target of Blackout: "The Bush administration has begun designating as secret some information that the government long provided even to its enemy the former Soviet Union: the numbers of strategic weapons in the U.S. nuclear arsenal during the Cold War."
  • 2006-02-21: U.S. Reclassifies Many Documents in Secret Review
  • 2005-12-01: Gutting the Freedom of Information Act
  • 2005-09-02: "Government secrecy has reached a historic high, even compared to the Cold War (San Diego Union July 3). Federal departments are classifying documents at a rate of 125 per minute... or two per second... and inventing new kinds of classification, while declassification efforts that peaked under the Clinton Administration have slowed to a crawl." ([1] 2005-09-02 entry)

Suppression of Criticism

Filed Links

  1. redirect template:links/smw