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'''Chai Soua Vang''' (王才, born [[September 24]], [[1968]]) is a hunter who shot several [[hunting|deer hunters]] in northern [[Wisconsin]] on [[November 21]], [[2004]]. According to court proceedings to date, Vang has acknowledged shooting the hunters, which included women, but has challenged the chain of events that caused a dispute over a deer stand to become violent and how it escalated into multiple deaths. Eventually, six of the hunters died and two were left wounded. Vang, now a [[naturalization|naturalized]] [[United States|U.S.]] citizen, is a [[Hmong]] immigrant from [[Laos]] who lived in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]] at the time of the shootings. He is currently being held at [[Sawyer County, Wisconsin|Sawyer County]] [[Jail]].
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{{Infobox President | name=George Walker Bush
| nationality=american
| image name=George-W-Bush.jpeg
| order=43rd [[President of the United States]]
| date1=[[January 20]], [[2001]]
| date2=[[Present (time)|Present]]
| preceded=[[Bill Clinton]]
| succeeded=Incumbent
| date of birth=[[July 6]], [[1946]]
| place of birth=[[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]], <br>[[Connecticut]]
| dead=alive
| date of death= N/A
| place of death= N/A
| wife=[[Laura Bush|Laura Welch Bush]]
| party=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| vicepresident=[[Dick Cheney]]
}}
'''George Walker Bush''' (born [[July 6]], [[1946]]) is the 43rd and current [[President of the United States|President]] of the [[United States]] and a former Governor of the State of [[Texas]]. A lifelong member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], he was previously a [[businessman]] in both the [[oil industry]] and [[professional sports]], serving as managing general partner of the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] [[baseball]] team. He and [[John Quincy Adams]] have been the only sons of former Presidents to become President themselves.
==Background==
Bush was elected 46th [[Governor of Texas]] in 1994, defeating [[Ann Richards]], and was re-elected in 1998. He won the Republican nomination in the [[U.S. presidential election, 2000|2000 presidential election]], and defeated [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Al Gore]] of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] in a particularly close and controversial general election. In 2001, Bush became the fourth president in U.S. history to take office after losing the [[U.S._Electoral_College#Losing_the_popular_vote|popular vote]]. In [[U.S. presidential election, 2004|the 2004 election]], Bush was elected to a second term, defeating Democratic Senator [[John Kerry]] of [[Massachusetts]].
Vang is the father of six children, a family [[shaman]] [http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/hmong_hunter.htm], and a hunting enthusiast. Chai Vang and his brothers came to the [[United States]] from [[Laos]] in [[1980]] and settled in [[California]]. Chai Vang lived in [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]] and eventually enlisted with the California National Guard.
Bush is a member of a prominent [[Bush family|political family]]. His father, [[George H. W. Bush]], served as U.S. President for four years and as Vice President for eight, while his younger brother, [[Jeb Bush]], is the current [[Governor of Florida]]. His grandfather, [[Prescott Bush]], was a [[United States Senator]]. He also has two younger brothers, [[Marvin Bush]] and [[Neil Bush]], both businessmen.
Around the year [[2000]], Vang moved to [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]. A few years later, he and his family moved a few miles to the neighboring city of St. Paul. Both the Minneapolis and St. Paul [[police]] departments answered several calls about domestic violence at the Vang residences during this time.
==Education, military service, and early personal life==
''Main article: [[Early life of George W. Bush]]''
On the weekend of the murders, Vang went out deer hunting with two friends and their two sons in northwest [[Wisconsin]], a region where deer hunting is particularly popular, east of [[Birchwood, Wisconsin]] and around the town of [[Meteor, Wisconsin|Meteor]] (the town has a large area with a low population, and would be considered a [[township]] in other U.S. states). In this region, there is a mix of public and private land. It is believed that Vang and his friends began their day on public land, but he later went onto a private 400 [[acre]] (1.6 km²) tract of land. Residents and local hunters (almost exclusively white) are known to frequently accuse the Hmong of trespassing onto private land and hunting and fishing more than is allowed.
[[Image:Bush daughers.gif|thumb|George and Laura Bush with their daughters Jenna and Barbara, 1990.]]
On Sunday, [[November 21]], a hunting party of about 15 people were in a [[cabin]] on this private land. One person, Terry Willers, left the cabin and saw Vang sitting in a deer stand. He used a handheld [[radio]] to ask the people still in the cabin whether or not anyone should be in the stand. Upon receiving a response in the negative on that question, he began to approach Vang and called to him to leave the private land. After asking directions, Vang proceeded to walk away towards a trail through a forested area of the property. He was confronted at that point by five of the hunters from the cabin who had heard Terry Willers radio message. The events after the confrontation are under dispute. [What is fairly certain is that as he was walking away, Vang turned and began shooting. - What does this mean?]
The son of former President [[George H. W. Bush]] and his wife [[Barbara Bush]] (nee Pierce), George Walker Bush was born in [[New Haven, Connecticut]] but was raised in [[Midland, Texas]] and [[Houston, Texas]] along with his (abovementioned) younger brothers [[Jeb Bush]], [[Neil Bush]], and [[Marvin Bush]] and his sister [[Dorothy]] (aka "Doro").
Terry Willers radioed the cabin and said that they had been shot. The others came out to provide assistance, some riding on [[all-terrain vehicle]]s. Vang proceeded to shoot more of the hunters. Within a short period, five of the hunters were dead and three more were wounded. Vang then disappeared into the woods. It is believed that he fired about 20 rounds from an [[SKS]] rifle chambered in [[7.62 x 39 mm M43|7.62x39]]. The rifle is fairly inexpensive, ordinarily sold with a 10 round fixed magazine. However, there are kits to retrofit the SKS to take either a larger fixed magazine or detachable box magazines as used on the AK47. 7.62x39 is roughly equivalent in power to the 30-30 Winchester round commonly used for deer hunting.
After graduating from the [[Phillips Academy]] in [[June]] [[1964]], Bush attended [[Yale University]], where he graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in [[History]] in 1968. In May 1968 he joined the Texas Air National Guard; questions about his service during this period would end up dogging him throughout the [[U.S. Presidential Election, 2004]]. In 1973 he obtained permission to end his six-year obligation six months early, and left to attend [[Harvard Business School]], where he received his [[Masters of Business Administration]] in 1975. Two years later, he married [[Laura Bush|Laura Welch]], a Democrat librarian originally from Midland. They have twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, born in 1981. George W. Bush is the only President in history to be the father of twins.
Vang was apprehended about five hours after the shootings and was placed in custody of the Sawyer County Jail on [[November 24]], [[2004]]. His bail is set for $2.5 million.
After graduating from Yale University, Bush joined the Texas [[Air National Guard]] on [[May 27]], [[1968]], during the [[Vietnam War]], with a commitment to serve until [[May 26]], [[1974]]. He was promoted to [[first lieutenant]] on the November 1970 recommendation of Texas Air National Guard commander Lt. Col. [[Jerry B. Killian]]. He served as an [[F-102]] pilot until 1972.
One of the wounded hunters died the next day, bringing the toll to six dead and two wounded.
[[Image:GW-Bush-in-uniform.jpg|thumb|left|George W. Bush in his National Guard uniform.]]
== Victims==
It has been frequently alleged that Bush skipped over a waiting list to receive a National Guard slot, that he did not report for required duty from 1972 to 1973, and that he was suspended from flying after he failed to take a required physical examination and drug test. These issues were publicized during the 2004 Presidential campaign by the group [[Texans for Truth]] and other Bush critics. Supporters of the president point out that all known documentary evidence regarding Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard, to include pay records and an honorable discharge, indicate Bush served honorably. See [[George W. Bush military service controversy]] for details.
The victims were part of a group about 15 people who made their annual opening-weekend trip to the 400 acre (1.6 km²) property co-owned by Robert Crotteau and Terry Willers. Among the victims were a father and son, Robert and Joey Crotteau. A memorial website for the victims was created [http://www.rice-lake-hunters-memorial.com Memorial Page]
Those who were killed:
On [[September 4]], [[1976]], Bush was pulled over by police near his family's summer home in [[Kennebunkport, Maine]]. He was arrested for [[Drunk driving (United States)|driving under the influence]], admitted his guilt in the incident, was fined $150, and had his driving license suspended for 30 days within the state. [http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/11/02/bush.dui] [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/bushdui1.html]
News of the arrest was uncovered by the press five days before the 2000 presidential election. Bush has described his days before his religious conversion in his 40s as his "nomadic" period and "irresponsible youth" and admitted to drinking "too much" in those years. He says that he gave up drinking for good shortly after waking up with a hangover after his 40th birthday celebration: "I quit drinking in 1986 and haven't had a drop since then." He ascribed the change in part to a 1985 meeting with Reverend [[Billy Graham]]. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/bushtext072599.htm] [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/bush072599.htm] [http://www.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/11/02/bush.dui]
# Robert Crotteau, 42, owned concrete business in Rice Lake. Married with 3 children. Shot once in the back.
Bush has said that he did not use illegal drugs at any time since 1974. [http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/08/19/president.2000/bush.drug]
# Joey Crotteau, 20, Robert's son and partner. Shot 4 times in the back.
He has denied the allegation (Hatfield 1999) that family influence was used to expunge the record of an arrest for [[cocaine]] possession in 1972, but has refused to discuss whether he used drugs before 1974. [http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99/n1143/a08.html?4588]
# Allan Laski, 43, manager of a Rice Lake area lumber yard. Married with 3 children. Shot in the back 3 times.
In taped recordings of a conversation with an old friend, author [[Doug Wead]], Bush said: “I wouldn’t answer the marijuana question. You know why? Because I don’t want some little kid doing what I tried.” When Wead reminded Bush that the latter had publicly denied using cocaine, Bush replied, "I haven't denied anything." [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4282799.stm] [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6999665]
# Mark Roidt, 28, a friend of the Drew family. Shot once in the head.
# Jessica Willers, 27, a nurse from Rice Lake who had moved to Green Bay. She was engaged. Shot in the back twice.
# Denny Drew, 55, a car salesman in Rice Lake. Shot once through the stomach and died in the hospital.
Those who were wounded:
'''See also [[George W. Bush substance abuse controversy]]'''
# Lauren Hesebeck, 48, a manager at car dealership in Rice Lake. Drew was his brother-in-law. Shot once through the shoulder, exiting the back.
# Terry Willers, 47, father of Jessica Willers. Worked in Crotteaus' concrete business. Shot once in the neck.
== Religious beliefsReaction and practices controversy==
The shooting incident attracted nationwide attention and sparked much controversy. Because of Vang's background as a [[Hmong]] immigrant from [[Laos]], many Hmongs have felt that they have been greatly discriminated against because of the incident. Many white upper-Midwest residents say the focus of news reports was on the potential discrimination against Hmong instead of on the actual suffering of the victims of the shootings. This included a brief circulation of bumper stickers entitled "Save a Deer, Shoot a Mung" akin to the controversial 1989 campaign of "Save a Walleye. Spear a Indian" at Rice Lake. [[Racism]] also became a major disputed issue, as many claim that either Vang or the white shooting victims was the target of [[hate crime]].
After meeting with evangelist [[Billy Graham]] in 1985, Bush became more involved in religion.[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24634-2004Sep15_2.html] It was also during this period that he left the family's [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America]] and joined his wife's denomination, the [[United Methodist Church]]. This decision reflected Bush's conversion experience during these years, prompting him to move towards a faith community that embraced a more conservative religious belief system.
== Investigation ==
Currently Bush is known for his private daily morning Bible study periods, and for the Thursday lunch Bible study meetings which he sponsors at the White House. While he invariably shies away from directly discussing the particulars of his faith, he is known to generally advocate conservative Christian religious values.
There have been conflicting reports about what may have led to the shootings. According to oral statements by Vang, one of the local hunters, Terry Willers, took the first shot at him from about 100 feet (30 m) away, and therefore the shootings were in self-defense. No shell casing was never recover from Willer's gun even though during the trial Hesebeck admitted to a single shot. Additional no forensic analysis of Willer's gun was ever perform by the local law enforcement. [[Race]] may have also been a factor, according to Vang, who alleges that during the verbal dispute, some of the local hunters yelled out racial slurs at him such as "[[chink]]" and "[[gook]]".
On the other hand, Vang has a history of family violence. In addition, the criminal complaint states Vang shot four of the victims in the back and Vang himself admits he shot one victim in the back, which does not help the case for self defense. In addition, many of the victims were shot multiple times.
The BBC claims that Bush stated that God told him to invade Iraq. [http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/bush-said-god-told-him-to-invade-report/2005/10/07/1128562970098.html] White House spokesman [[Scott McClellan]] denied the claim: "That's absurd. He's never made such comments". [http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/10/07/051007131357.nstalu7a.html] [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/10/20051006-6.html] Also, the claim was also denied by [[Mahmoud Abbas]], the leader that supposedly hear the claim. [http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/abbas-denies-bushs-mission-from-god-remark/2005/10/08/1128563027485.html]
== Trial ==
==Business and early political career==
The trial of Chai Soua Vang began Saturday, [[September 10]], [[2005]] in Sawyer County Courthouse. 14 jurors (10 women and four men) were selected from [[Dane County, Wisconsin]], and bussed about 280 miles northwest to Sawyer County, where they were sequestered.
In 1978, Bush ran for the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] but lost to a [[Texas Legislature|State Senator]], Democrat [[Kent Hance]] (who has since become a Republican). [[Ronald Reagan]], at the time a former Governor of [[California]], endorsed Bush's opponent in the Republican [[primary election]].
Bush began his career in the oil industry in 1979, when he established [[Arbusto Energy]], an oil and gas exploration company he formed with leftover funds from his education trust fund and money from other investors. The [[1979 energy crisis]] hurt Arbusto and, after a name change to Bush Exploration Co., Bush sold the company in 1984 to [[Spectrum 7]], another Texas oil and gas exploration firm. Under the terms of the sale, Spectrum 7 made Bush its CEO (Chief Executive Officer). Spectrum 7 lost revenue and was merged into [[Harken Energy]] Corporation in 1986, with Bush becoming a director of Harken.
He says he shot two of the victims in the back because they were "disrespectful". It was interesting that he was able to tell everybody how he killed these victims clearly during the trial. When asked to comment, Chai Vang said, "They are deserved to die."
After working on his father's successful [[U.S. presidential election, 1988|1988 presidential campaign]], he was told by a friend, [[William DeWitt, Jr.]], that another family friend, [[Eddie Chiles]], wanted to sell the Texas Rangers, his [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]]-based [[Major League Baseball]] franchise. In April 1989, Bush assembled a group of investors from his father's close friends (including fellow fraternity brother [[Roland W. Betts]]); the group bought 86% of the Rangers for $75,000,000 (USD). (Bush later appointed one of these partners, [[Tom Schieffer]], to the post of Ambassador to [[Australia]].) Bush received a 2 % share by investing $606,302 (USD), of which $500,000 (USD) was a bank loan. Bush paid off the loan by selling $848,000 (USD) worth of stock in Harken Energy in 1990. As Harken Energy reported significant financial losses within a year of this sale (as did much of the energy industry due to the recession of the early 1990s), the fact that Bush was advised by his own counsel not to sell his shares later fueled allegations of insider trading. (see
[[George_W._Bush_insider_trading_allegations|George W. Bush insider trading allegations]] for more information)
The federal [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] (SEC) concluded on [[March 27]], [[1992]], by Assistant Director of the SEC, Herb Janick, that Bush had a "preexisting plan" to sell the Harken stock and that Bush had a "relatively limited role in Harken management", and that they did not believe insider trading took place. [http://www.publicintegrity.org/docs/harken/harken_doc5.pdf] [http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20020717-062330-9990r] [http://www.publicintegrity.org/docs/harken/harken_doc7.pdf] [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/bush073099.htm]
=== Conviction ===
Bush served as managing general partner of the Rangers for five years. He was active in the team's media relations and in securing the construction of a new stadium, which opened in 1994 as [[Ameriquest Field in Arlington|The Ballpark in Arlington]]. [http://www.joenickp.com/texas/teamplayer.html]
On [[September 16]], [[2005]] Chai Soua Vang was found guilty of all six charges of first degree murder and two charges of attempted murder by an all white jury of eight women and four men. (Two alternates did not participate in the decision.) It should be noted that this jury pool did include other people of minority descent but was eliminated due to conflicting issues. On [[November 8th]], [[2005]], he was sentenced to six consecutive life terms plus seventy years (40 for two counts of attempted murder plus five additional years for each count of murder in the first degree).
Bush's prominent role with the Rangers gave him valuable goodwill and name recognition throughout Texas. [http://espn.go.com/mlb/bush/friday.html]
==Military experience==
[[Image:Bushtexas.jpg|frame|right|Bush's official gubernatorial portrait, hanging in the [[Texas State Capitol]].]]
* Six years in the California National Guard, [[1989]]–[[1995]]
* Sharpshooter qualification badge (mid-level, above "marksman," but below "expert")
In 1994, Bush took a leave of absence from the Rangers to run for [[Governor of Texas]] against the popular [[incumbent]], Democrat [[Ann Richards]]. On [[November 8]], [[1994]], he defeated Richards, 53% to 46%. As Governor, Bush forged a legislative alliance with powerful Texas Lt. Governor [[Bob Bullock]], a longtime Democrat. In 1998 Bush went on to win re-election in a [[landslide victory]] with close to 69% of the vote, becoming the first Texas governor to be elected for two consecutive four-year terms. [http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/11/03/election/governors/texas] (Until 1975, Texas governors served two-year terms.) During Bush's terms as Governor, he undertook significant legislative changes in the areas of criminal justice, [[tort]] law, and school financing. Bush took a hard line on capital punishment, and received much criticism from advocates wanting to abolish the [[death penalty]]. Under Bush, Texas' incarceration rate was 1014 inmates per 100,000 state population in 1999, the second highest in the world (Louisiana was first at 1025 inmates), due mainly to the strict illegal drug laws enforcement in Texas. One of his accomplishments was the [[Texas Futile Care Law]]. Bush's transformative agenda, in combination with his political and family pedigree, catapulted him onto the national political radar. As the campaign to succeed [[Bill Clinton]] as president began in earnest, Bush emerged as a key figure.
* Good Conduct medal, among others
==Presidential campaigns==
[[Image:Bush_43_10-19-04_Stpete.jpg|thumb|left|George W. Bush speaks at a campaign rally in 2004.]]
In [[George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2000|Bush's 2000 presidential election campaign]], he declared himself to be a [[Compassionate conservativism|"compassionate conservative"]]. He [[Political campaign|campaigned]] on, among other issues, allowing religious charities to participate in federally funded programs, cutting taxes, promoting the use of [[education vouchers]], supporting oil drilling in the [[Arctic National Wildlife Refuge]], maintaining a balanced [[United States budget process|federal budget]], and restructuring the [[United States armed forces]]. In [[foreign policy]], he stated that he was against using the U.S. armed forces in [[nation building]] attempts abroad.
After winning the Republican nomination against his chief rival [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] [[John McCain]], Bush faced Democratic candidate [[Vice President of the United States]] [[Al Gore]]. Bush won 271 [[U.S. Electoral College|electoral votes]] to Gore's 266, including the electoral votes of 30 of the 50 states. Neither candidate received a majority of the popular vote -- Bush received 47.9 %; Gore, 48.4 % -- but Gore received a [[plurality]] of about 540,000 more of the 105,000,000 votes cast. Most of the votes that neither Bush nor Gore won went to [[Green Party (United States)]] candidate [[Ralph Nader]] (2,695,696 votes/2.7%), [[Reform Party of the United States of America]] candidate [[Pat Buchanan]], (449,895/0.4%), and [[Libertarian Party (United States)]] candidate [[Harry Browne]] (386,024 votes/0.4%).
It was the first presidential election since [[Benjamin Harrison]] was elected President in [[U.S. presidential election, 1888|1888]] in which the winning candidate received fewer popular votes than his opponent. It was the first since [[Rutherford Hayes]] was elected in [[U.S. presidential election, 1876]] in which the winner of the electoral vote was in dispute and affected by a [[Supreme Court of the United States]] decision. The Florida totals, which favored Bush in the initial tallies, became hotly contested after concerns were raised about irregularities in the voting and tabulation processes. Al Gore, who had conceded the election in a phone call to Bush, rescinded that concession a few hours later.
A series of contentious court cases ensued regarding the legality of county-specific and statewide recounts. After machine and manual recounts in four counties, and with Bush still prevailing, the [[Florida Supreme Court]] ordered a statewide manual recount of all counties. The Bush campaign appealed to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]], which, in its mid-December decision in ''[[Bush v. Gore]]'', overturned the decision and halted all recounts. (Critics have pointed out that a number of the justices were appointed by his father, contending that they should have recused themselves, although that position too was subject to much criticism.) Gore then finally conceded the election again.
[[image:GoreBush.jpg|thumb|right|Al Gore greets President-Elect Bush at the White House in late December of 2000.]]
In the final official count, Bush won Florida by 537 votes (2,912,790 for Bush to 2,912,253 for Gore) [http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/2000presgeresults.htm], giving him the state's 25 electoral votes and the presidency. (see [[U.S. presidential election, 2000]] and [[U.S. presidential election, 2000#The Florida Ballot Project recounts|The 2000 Florida Ballot Project]])
Bush was inaugurated President on the appointed day, [[January 20]], [[2001]].
In the [[U.S. presidential election, 2004|2004 election]] Bush won a second term, carrying 31 of 50 states for a total of 286 Electoral College votes. Bush also won a majority of the popular vote: 50.73% to Kerry's 48.27%. Bush's popular vote total, at 62,000,000, is the largest ever, with Kerry's total of 59,000,000 being the second largest. Bush was the first presidential candidate since his father, [[George H.W. Bush]] in [[U.S. presidential election, 1988|1988]] to receive a majority of the popular vote. As in the 2000 election, there were charges raised alleging [[2004 U.S. presidential election controversy and irregularities|voting irregularities]], especially in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. In 2004 they did not lead to recounts that were expected to affect the result. After a [[2004 U.S. presidential election recounts and legal challenges#Ohio: U.S. Congress electoral contest|congressional electoral contest]] -- the second in American history -- failed with votes of 1-74 by the Senate and 31-267 in the House, a [[Moss v. Bush|lawsuit]] challenging the result in Ohio was withdrawn, because the congressional certification of the electoral votes had rendered the case moot. The challenge had been based on a report issued by the Democrats on the House Judiciary committee citing "[http://www.house.gov/judiciary_democrats/ohiostatusrept1505.pdf|massive and unprecedented voter irregularities and anomalies].”
Bush was inaugurated for his second term on [[January 20]], [[2005]]. The oath was administered by [[Chief Justice of the United States]], [[William Rehnquist]]. Bush's inaugural speech centered mainly on a theme of spreading [[freedom]] and [[democracy]] around the world. Bush stated in his second inaugural address on January 20, 2005:
:"From the perspective of a single day, including this day of dedication, the issues and questions before our country are many. From the viewpoint of centuries, the questions that come to us are narrowed and few. Did our [[generation]] advance the cause of freedom? And did our character bring credit to that cause?" [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/01/20050120-1.html]
==Presidency==
{{main2|George W. Bush's first term as President of the United States|George W. Bush's second term as President of the United States}}
===Foreign policy and security===
[[Image:Bush_Persson_Prodi.jpg|thumb|180px|Bush poses with [[Sweden|Swedish]] Prime Minister [[Göran Persson]] and former [[European Union]] Commission President [[Romano Prodi]] at [[Gunnebo Slott]] near [[Gothenburg]], Sweden on [[June 14]], [[2001]].]]
{{main|Foreign policy of the George W. Bush administration}}
During his first presidential visit to [[Europe]] in June 2001, Bush came under criticism from European leaders for his rejection of the [[Kyoto Protocol]]. In 2002, Bush came out strongly against the [[treaty]] as harmful to [[economic growth]] in the United States, stating: "My approach recognizes that economic growth is the solution, not the problem." [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/02/20020214-5.html]
The administration also disputed the scientific basis for the treaty. [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/06/20010611-2.html] In November 2004, [[Russia]] ratified the treaty, giving it the required minimum of nations to put it into force without ratification by the United States.
[[Image:Bushreadingthepetgoat.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Bush listens to children reading ''[[The Pet Goat]]'' during the [[9/11]] attack on the [[World Trade Center]]; He was praised by some for not alarming the schoolchildren and criticized by others for his apparent nonchalance]]
During his campaign, Bush's [[foreign policy]] platform included support of a stronger economic and political relationship with [[Latin America]], especially [[Mexico]], and a reduction in involvement in "[[nation-building]]" and other small-scale military engagements that were not directly related to U.S. interests. However, after the [[September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks]], the administration focused much more on foreign policy in the [[Middle East]].
Nearly a month after the attacks, on [[October 7]], [[2001]], the United States and its allies commenced aerial bombing and launched a war against [[Afghanistan]] to topple the [[Taliban]] regime, which the Bush Administration charged with harboring [[Osama bin Laden]]. This action had strong international support, and the Taliban government folded quickly after the invasion. Subsequent nation-building efforts in concert with the [[United Nations]] under Afghan president [[Hamid Karzai]] have had mixed results; bin Laden was not apprehended or killed, and ([[as of 2005]]) is still at large. A sizeable contingent of troops and advisors remains into 2005. See [[U.S. invasion of Afghanistan]] for details. [[Afghan presidential election, 2004|Democratic elections]] were held on [[October 9]], [[2004]]. There were allegations of flawed registration and validation, and 15 of the 18 presidential candidates threatened to withdraw, but international observers called the elections "fairly democratic" at the "overall majority" of polling centers.
[[Image:Bush Ground Zero.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Bush addresses rescue workers at [[Ground Zero]] in [[New York]], [[September 14]], [[2001]]: "I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon."]]
In the week following the attacks on the twin towers in Manhattan in September 2001, President Bush made a brief but celebrated speech near the site of the collapsed buildings while surrounded by site workers. [[CNN]] reported that "As he stood on a pile of rubble in Manhattan, some people in the crowd shouted they couldn't hear him." [http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/14/america.under.attack] In his speech he asserted that those who had carried out the attacks would soon be "hearing from all of us".
On [[December 14]], [[2001]], Bush withdrew from the 1972 [[Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty]], which had been a bedrock of U.S.-[[Soviet Union]] nuclear stability during the [[Cold War]], arguing it was no longer relevant. Bush has since then focused resources on a [[ballistic missile]] defense system. The proposed system has been the subject of much [[National_Missile_Defense#July 2003 Report of the American Physical Society|scientific criticism]]. Field tests have been mixed, with both some successes and failures. It is scheduled to start deployment in 2005. A ballistic missile defense system will not stop [[cruise missile]]s, or missiles transported by boat or land vehicle. Hence, many critics of the system believe it is an expensive mistake, built for the least likely attack, a nuclear tipped ballistic missile. Bush has also increased spending on military [[research and development]] and the [[modernization]] of weapons systems, but cancelled programs such as the overbudgeted [[XM2001 Crusader]] self-propelled [[artillery]] system and the [[Comanche_helicopter|Comanche]] helicopter. The administration also began initial research into bunker-busting nuclear missiles.
In July of 2002, Bush cut off all funding to the [[United Nations Population Fund]] (UNFPA). Bush claimed that the UNFPA supported forced [[abortion]]s and [[Sterilization (surgical procedure)|sterilization]]s in the [[People's Republic of China]].
====Iraq====
Since the 1998 enactment of the [[Iraq Liberation Act]], stated U.S. policy had been to remove [[Saddam Hussein]] from power in [[Iraq]]. After the 9/11 attacks, the Bush administration argued that the situation in Iraq had now become urgent. The Administration contended that Saddam Hussein was a threat to U.S. interests, destabilized the [[Middle East]], inflamed the [[Israeli-Palestinian conflict]], gave financial support to [[terrorists]] and had [[WMD]]. While many members of previous U.S. administrations and other governments have come to agree with these assertions, another alleged motive given for the invasion of Iraq has been over the issue of [[petroleum]], which has created further controversy.
A controversy has also arisen over evidence of Iraq's armaments presented during the buildup to war. Conflicting intelligence reports noted that Saddam's regime had tried to acquire [[nuclear material]] and the U.S. argued that it had not properly accounted for [[biological weapons]] and [[chemical weapons]] material that it was known to possess, potential [[weapons of mass destruction]] (WMD) in violation of [[Iraq sanctions|U.N. sanctions]]. There is debate between supporters and opponents of the war about whether the U.S. had any evidence that Iraq possessed WMD and whether they had any evidence of ties between Iraq and [[Al-Qaeda]]. [http://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/iraq_wmd/Iraq_Oct_2002.htm] [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1593607,00.html] However, on [[September 30]], [[2004]], the U.S. [[Iraq Survey Group]] Final Report concluded that, "ISG has not found evidence that Saddam Husayn (sic) possessed WMD stocks in 2003, but the available evidence from its investigation—including detainee interviews and document exploitation—leaves open the possibility that some weapons existed in Iraq although not of a militarily significant capability." [http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/report/2004/isg-final-report/isg-final-report_vol1_rsi-06.htm]
{{see2|Iraq and weapons of mass destruction|Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda}}
Bush contended that Saddam might deliver WMD to [[terrorists]] such as Al-Qaeda. Beginning in 2002 and escalating in spring 2003, Bush pressed the [[UN]] to act on its [[disarmament]] mandates to Iraq, precipitating a [[Iraq disarmament crisis|diplomatic crisis]]. He began by pushing for UN weapons inspections in Iraq, which the UN instituted under [[UN Security Council Resolution 1441]]. [[Hans Blix]] and [[Mohamed ElBaradei]] led UN weapons inspectors in Iraq. There were occasional lapses in cooperation and limits on inspections set by the Iraqi government, leading to intense debate over the efficacy of inspections. Four days before the commencement of full-scale hostilities, the United States advised U.N. weapons inspectors to leave Iraq, and they departed the country. [http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-03-17-inspectors-iraq_x.htm] After Saddam's capture, interrogators asked him, "If you had no weapons of mass destruction then why not let the U.N. inspectors into your facilities?" Saddam replied, "We didn’t want them to go into the presidential areas and intrude on our privacy.". To date, no WMDs have been uncovered in Iraq.
Within the Bush administration, (now former) [[United States Secretary of State]], [[Colin Powell]], urged that the United States not go to war without clear UN approval. The administration examined the possibility of seeking an additional [[UN Security Council]] resolution to authorize the use of military force pursuant to [http://www.worldpress.org/specials/iraq/chapterVII.htm Chapter VII] of the [[United Nations Charter]], but abandoned the idea in the face of opposition from the majority of Security Council members and the public threat of a veto from [[France]] (cf. [[The UN Security Council and the Iraq war]]). Instead, the United States assembled a group of about forty nations, including the [[United Kingdom]], [[Spain]], [[Italy]], and [[Poland]], which Bush called the "[[coalition of the willing]]".
[[United Kingdom Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]], who has declared he shares a close political relationship with the [[United States]] known as the "Special Relationship" was asked by several parts of the media and anti-war protesters in Britain to apologize for backing his friend Bush just prior to the [[2005 UK General Election]], he declined, saying "I can't say sorry, I have nothing to be sorry about, I believe I did the right thing".
The coalition invaded Iraq on [[March 20]], [[2003]], citing many Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq [http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=S/RES/1441%20(2002)&Lang=E&Area=UNDOC][http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=S/RES/1205%20(1998)&Lang=E&Area=UNDOC][http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=S/RES/1137%20(1997)&Lang=E&Area=UNDOC][http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=S/RES/1134%20(1997)&Lang=E&Area=UNDOC]
[http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=S/RES/1115%20(1997)&Lang=E&Area=UNDOC]
[http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=S/RES/1060%20(1996)&Lang=E&Area=UNDOC]
[http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=S/RES/949%20(1994)&Lang=E&Area=UNDOC]
[http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=S/RES/778%20(1992)&Lang=E&Area=UNDOC]
[http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=S/RES/715%20(1991)&Lang=E&Area=RESOLUTION], the current and past lack of Iraqi cooperation with those resolutions, Saddam's intermittent refusal to co-operate with UN weapons inspectors, Saddam's alleged attempt to [[assassinate]] former president [[George H. W. Bush]] in [[Kuwait]], and Saddam's violation of the 1991 [[cease fire]] agreement. The coalition argued that these resolutions authorized the [[use of force]]. Other world leaders, such as [[Secretary General of the United Nations]] [[Kofi Annan]], disagreed and called the war illegal. The primary stated goal of the war was to stop Iraq from deploying and developing WMD by removing Saddam from power. '''See [[2003 invasion of Iraq]] for full coverage.'''
[[Image:Bush-USS-Lincoln.jpg|thumb|300px|President George W. Bush addresses sailors and the nation from the flight deck of the [[USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)|USS Abraham Lincoln]] off the coast of [[San Diego, California]], where he delivers his controversial [[Mission Accomplished!]] speech to declare victory and the end of major combat operations in Iraq, [[May 1]], [[2003]].]]
[[Image:lincoln18.jpg|thumb|left|The famous shot of President Bush in a flight suit on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln.]]
The coalition was highly successful against the conventional Iraqi [[armed forces]], and soon defeated the recognized Iraqi military. After the declared end of major combat operations on [[May 1]], [[2003]], however, an [[insurgency]] caused substantially more problems than U.S. leaders had originally anticipated. The American public's support for Bush's handling of the Iraq War declined as an armed insurgency against coalition forces became more organized. A [[bipartisan]] [[Intelligence (information gathering)|intelligence]] review found no credible evidence that Saddam Hussein possessed WMD, although the report did conclude that Hussein's government was actively attempting to acquire [[technology]] that would allow Iraq to produce WMD's as soon as U.N. sanctions were lifted. The report also concluded that Saddam's missiles had a range greater than that allowed by the UN sanctions. The report found "no collaborative relationship" between Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda. Bush has defended his decision, arguing that "The world is safer today." [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2003/09/28/blair_echoes_bush_no_regrets_over_iraq_war?mode=PF] Other disputed issues have included questions about the [[confirmation bias|biased selection and/or distortion]] of pre-war intelligence reports, [[democratization]] of the [[Middle East]], relationship to the [[War on Terror]], effect on the United States' relationship with European powers and on the role and function of the United Nations, debate over nation building, and the impact on nearby countries such as [[Iran]], [[Syria]], [[Lebanon]], and [[Turkey]].
The decision-making process of the Bush administration was the subject of a classified British document from [[July 22]], [[2002]], known as the '''[[Downing Street memo]]''', which became public in May 2005. In it, the British Head of the [[Secret Intelligence Service]], Sir [[Richard Dearlove]], reported on his visit to [[Washington, D.C.]] in the summer of 2002:
:There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through [[military action]], justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The [[National Security Council]] had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for [[publishing]] material on the Iraqi [[regime]]'s record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.
<!--"Fixed around the policy" - if this is in the memo it needs to be put in context in the last sentence -->
Some critics charged that the '''Downing Street memo''' was a "smoking gun", claiming it proved that Bush already committed to attacking Iraq at a time when he publicly stated that he had not yet made up his mind on the issue. The existence of this debate, however, does not negate the opposing contextual events which preceded it; Bush denied this aspect of the Downing Street memo and re-asserted that he had not yet made up his mind to go to war at the time in question. [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/06/20050607-2.html] Several political pundits claimed that the phrase "fixed around the policy" was ambiguous and did not insinuate that administration was [[cherry picking]] the evidence, rather it simply meant the administration was "preparing" the intelligence for presentation.
From June until October, 2002, there were long, protracted [[negotiation]]s with members of the Security Council. The U.S. finally received a unanimous vote for [[UN Security Council Resolution 1441|U.N. Resolution 1441]]. Then, there were further negotiations to secure a second resolution culminating in Colin Powell's presentation to the U.N. in February 2003. The information in the "Downing Street memo" does seem to fit the timeline for information gathering operations within the Bush Administration.
====Military spending====
Of the $2,400,000,000,000 (USD) [[budget]]ed for 2005, about $401,000,000,000 (USD) [http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2004/nr20040202-0301.html] (roughly 16.7%) is planned to be spent on [[Defense (military)|defense]]. Adjusted for [[inflation]], this sum is the highest military budget since the late 1990s, but is roughly comparable to the average during the [[Cold War]]. [http://www.d-n-i.net/charts_data/evolution_of_the_fy_2003_budget.htm]
====Political ideology====
[[Image:Red Sea Summit in Aqaba.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Mahmoud Abbas]], [[United States]] President George W. Bush, and [[Israel]]i Prime Minister [[Ariel Sharon]] after reading statement to the press during the closing moments of the Red Sea Summit in [[Aqaba]], [[Jordan]], on [[June 4]], [[2003]]]]
Bush's political philosophy is decidedly [[neoconservatism|neo-conservative]]. While he has often used the term "[[compassionate conservatism]]" to describe his ideology, some people believe this label is not wholly appropriate considering his record. More established ("Beltway") conservatives have criticized Bush for his willingness to incur enormous [[budget deficit]]s through tax breaks for wealthy Americans and massive spending. In his 2005 [[inaugural address]] he outlined his new [[foreign policy]], [http://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/nss.pdf National Security Strategy of the United States of America (pdf)]. Bush supporters see this policy as a necessary rejection of "[[balance of power]]" politics and a redefinition of America's role in certain global fora. Critics of Bush see it as a withdrawal of America from [[internationalism]] and [[consensus]].
Bush's foreign policy is heavily influenced by the neo-conservative [[think tank]] [[Project for the New American Century]] (PNAC), as evidenced by the presence of PNAC founders [[Dick Cheney]] and [[Donald Rumsfeld]] at the highest positions in his administration, and the fact that PNAC's Clinton-era position that "American policy cannot continue to be crippled by a misguided insistence on unanimity in the [[UN Security Council]]," [http://www.newamericancentury.org/iraqclintonletter.htm] and that the President should lead the overthrow of Saddam Hussein with or without the support of the [[United Nations]], was subsequently implemented, over the objections of non-PNAC members of the [[National Security Council]].
====Management style====
Bush is famous for placing a high value on [[loyalty]], and the result has been an administration with peerless
[[Message_Discipline|message discipline]]. President Bush maintains a "hands-off" style of management which he
believes prevents him from being tangled by intricacies that hinder sound decision making. "I'm confident in my management style. I'm a delegator because I trust the people I've asked to join the team. I'm willing to delegate. That makes it easier to be President," he said in an interview with [[Diane Sawyer]] on [[ABC]] in December of 2003. However, critics contend that Bush is willing to overlook mistakes [http://www.newshounds.us/2004/05/28/gen_sanchez_gets_promoted.php][http://devilstower.dailykos.com/story/2005/7/14/131832/042] made by loyal [[subordinate]]s, and that Bush has surrounded himself with "[[yes men]]". [http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/11/16/cia/index_np.html]
Bush also has performed many of his presidential duties from his ranch in [[Crawford, Texas]]. As of [[August 4]], [[2005]], Bush had visited the ranch 51 times during his time as President, accruing 325 days away from the White House and nearly reaching Reagan's eight-year record of 335 days in 5.5 years. [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4785289] Critics contend that he takes more vacation than any president in history, but officials respond that his longest visit to Crawford, in August 2005, included only one week of actual respite in the five-week visit.
===Domestic policy===
====Faith-based initiatives====
In early 2001, Bush worked with Republicans and social conservatives in Congress to pass [[legislation]] changing the way the [[Federal government of the United States|federal government]] [[regulate]]d, taxed and funded [[charities]] and non-profit initiatives run by [[religion|religious]] [[organizations]]. Although prior to the legislation it was possible for these organizations to receive federal assistance, the new legislation removed reporting requirements that required the organizations to separate their charitable functions from their religious functions. Bush also created the '''White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives'''. [http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/]
Several organizations such as the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] have criticized Bush's faith-based initiative program, arguing that it involves government entanglement with religion and favoritism to religion in violation of the [[Establishment Clause of the First Amendment]].
====Diversity and civil rights====
{{NPOV-section}}
Bush is opposed to the [[legal]] recognition of [[same-sex marriage]]s, but supports the establishment of [[civil union]]s ("I don't think we should deny people [[rights]] to a civil union, a legal arrangement" - [[ABC News]] [[October 26]], [[2004]]). He has endorsed the [[Federal Marriage Amendment]], a proposed [[constitutional amendment|amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]] that would define [[marriage]] as being the union of one [[man]] and one [[woman]]. Bush reiterated his disagreement with the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] [[political platform|platform]] that opposed civil unions, and said that the issue of civil unions should be left up to individual [[U.S. state|states]]. In his [[February 2]], [[2005]], State of the Union address he repeated his support for the constitutional amendment.
Bush is the first ''Republican'' President to have appointed an openly gay man to serve in his administration [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/04/10/MN198145.DTL] (Scott Evertz as director of the Office of National AIDS Policy), and the first President to see one such appointment, that of openly gay Ambassador to Romania [[Michael E. Guest]], receive Congressional confirmation. Bush has claimed to support the executive order issued by Bill Clinton banning employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, but [[Scott Bloch]], whom Bush chose as Special Counsel in 2003, does not feel he has the legal authority to enforce the ban. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/24/AR2005052401496.html] During his 2000 campaign trail he met with the [[Log Cabin Republicans]], a first for a Republican Presidential candidate. The organization endorsed him in 2000 but not in 2004.
Bush has gained a slight increase in support from [[African-Americans]] during his presidency. Although he only got 9% of the black vote in 2000, he received nearly 12% in 2004, with the increased black vote in Ohio giving the victory to Bush over Kerry. Some claim Bush has opposed most forms of [[affirmative action]]. Although Bush expressed appreciation for the [[Supreme Court]]'s ruling upholding the selection of [[college]] applicants for purposes of [[diversity]], his Administration filed briefs against it. Bush has said he opposes quotas and racial preferences, but that the private and public sector should be encouraged to reach out to minorities. Bush has met with the [[National Urban League]] as President, but has not yet met with the [[NAACP]] as a group since he became president (though he did address the NAACP at its 2000 convention in Baltimore as a presidential [[candidate]], and he met with outgoing NAACP President and former Congressman, [[Kweisi Mfume]] on [[December 21]], [[2004]]).
In his first term, Bush appointed [[Colin Powell]] as [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]], who became the first [[African-American]] man to serve in that position. He was succeeded by [[Condoleezza Rice]] in 2005, who became the first African-American woman to hold the post, and has been called the "Most Powerful
Woman in the World". In 2005, he appointed [[Alberto Gonzalez]] as the [[United States Attorney General]], the first [[Hispanic]] to hold that position. In total, Bush has appointed more women and minorities to high level positions within his administration than any other U.S. President.
====Economy====
During his first term Bush sought and obtained [[United States Congress|Congressional]] approval for three major [[tax cut]]s, which increased the standard [[income tax]] [[Standard deduction|deduction]] for [[married]] couples, eliminated the [[estate tax]], and reduced [[marginal tax rate]]s, and are currently scheduled to expire a decade after passage. Bush has asked Congress to make the tax cuts permanent. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, by 2003 these tax cuts had reduced total federal revenue, as a percentage of the [[Gross Domestic Product]] (GDP), to the lowest level since 1959. [http://www.cbpp.org/10-21-03tax.htm]
Recession, the Bush tax cuts, and increases in outlays for the military and the [[Department of Homeland Security]] all contributed to record [[budget deficit]]s during the Bush administration. The annual deficit reached record current-dollar levels of $374,000,000,000 in 2003 and $413,000,000,000 in 2004. National debt, the cumulative total of yearly deficits, rose from $5.7 trillion (58% of GDP) to $[http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/opd/opdpenny.htm 7.9 trillion] (68% of GDP) under President Bush, as compared to the $2.7 trillion total debt owed when [[Ronald Reagan]] left office, which was [http://www.bea.gov/ 52%] of the GDP. Bush himself said in a "Meet the Press" interview aired Sunday, February 8, 2004, "The recession started upon my arrival. It could have been some say February, some say March, some speculate maybe earlier it started, but nevertheless it happened as we showed up here."
In an open letter to Bush in 2004, more than 100 [[professor]]s of [[business]] and [[economics]] at U.S. business schools ascribed this "fiscal reversal" to Bush's "policy of slashing taxes - primarily for those at the upper reaches of the income distribution". [http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_14283.shtml] Bush's supporters have countered that, primarily because of the doubling of the value of the [[child tax credit]], "7,800,000 low and middle-income families had their entire income tax liabilities erased by the cuts." [http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/102.html]
According to the "baseline" forecast of federal revenue and spending by the [[Congressional Budget Office]] (in its January 2005 Baseline Budget Projections,[http://www.cbo.gov/showdoc.cfm?index=6060&sequence=2] the budget deficits will decrease over the next several years. In this projection the deficit will fall to 368,000,000,000 (USD) in 2005, 261,000,000,000 (USD) in 2007, and 207,000,000,000 (USD) in 2009, with a small surplus by 2012. The CBO noted, however, that this projection "omits a significant amount of spending that will occur this year--and possibly for some time to come--for [[U.S. military]] operations in [[Iraq]] and [[Afghanistan]] and for other activities related to the global [[War on Terrorism]]." The projection also assumes that the Bush tax cuts "will expire as scheduled on [[December 31]], [[2010]]". If, as Bush has urged, the tax cuts were to be extended, then "the budget outlook for 2015 would change from a surplus of 141,000,000,000 (USD) to a deficit of 282,000,000,000 (USD)".
[[Inflation]] under Bush has remained at about 2-3% per year. The recession and a drop in some prices led to concern about [[Deflation (economics)|deflation]] from mid-2001 to late-2003. More recently, [[Oil_price_increases_of_2005|high oil prices]] have caused concern about increasing inflation. So far, the economy has withstood these threats.
[[Image:Unemployment2000-2005.jpg|thumb|300px|Unemployment percentage, 2000 - 2005]]
Employment has increased moderately under President Bush according to the [[Bureau of Labor Statistics]] after decreasing following the dot.com bust and the 9/11 terrorist attack. Employment (seasonally adjusted) based on the household survey (includes self-employed) was 137,771,000 in January 2001; it dropped to 136,128,000 in April 2002, and has increased to 142,449,000 in August 2005. [http://www.bls.gov/webapps/legacy/cpsatab1.htm] Seasonally adjusted employment based on Establishment Data (non-farm corporate payroll data) was 132,454,000 in January 2001, it dropped to 129,827,000 in May 2003, and increased to 133,999,000 in August 2005. [http://www.bls.gov/webapps/legacy/cesbtab1.htm]
The economy has added jobs for 28 consecutive months, but the employment level remained below the pre-Bush level until January 2005 when it reached 132,573,000 based on Establishment Data. Based on Household Survey Data employment levels exceeded pre-Bush levels in June 2003 when it reached 137,775,000.
The seasonally adjusted Unemployment Rate under Bush started at 4.2% in January 2001, peaked at 6.3% in June 2003, and retreated to 4.9% in August 2005. [http://www.bls.gov/webapps/legacy/cpsatab1.htm] Using unadjusted numbers, the unemployment rate under Bush started at 4.7% in January 2001, peaked at 6.5% in June 2003, and retreated to 4.9% in August 2005.
The rise in [[GDP]] since the recession was undergirded by substantial gains in labor productivity, in part due to layoffs of underutilized workers. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and [[budget]] deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups.
[[Image:US_Poverty1973toPresent.jpg|thumb|300px|Poverty Rate, 1973 to Present]]
While the GDP recovered from the recession early in Bush's term, poverty has since worsened according to the [[United States Census Bureau]]. The percent of the population below the poverty level increased in each of Bush's first four years, while it decreased for each of the prior seven years to a 26-year low. Poverty was at [http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/005647.html 12.7%] in 2004. [http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/histpov/hstpov2.html]
====Social security====
{{main|Social Security debate (United States)}}
[[Image:George W. Bush Omaha panel (cropped).jpg|thumb|300px|Shortly after his second inauguration, Bush (here seen with a panel in [[Omaha, Nebraska]]) toured the nation to promote his proposal for [[Social Security (United States)]] personal accounts]].
Bush called for major changes in [[Social Security (United States)]], identifying the issue as a priority early in his second term. From January through April of 2005, he toured the country, stopping in over 50 cities across the union with an argument that there is a "crisis", a view disputed by critics as being manufactured. Initially, Bush emphasized his proposal for partial [[privatization]], which would allow individual workers to invest a portion of their Social Security Tax (FICA) into personal [[retirement]] accounts. The main idea behind this privatization of Social Security is to allow workers to actually own the money they place into retirement, as with the existing social security system, a person who passes on loses all benefits they paid for, and the benefits are non-transferable, even to family members.
One criticism of this approach was that it would actually worsen the imbalance between [[revenue]]s and [[expense]]s that Bush pointed to as a looming problem. In addition, many Democrats opposed changes that they felt were turning Social Security into a [[welfare]] program that would be politically vulnerable. Some even claim that the point of Bush's plan is to benefit private companies, and that it would turn Social Security into just another insurance program.
====Health====
[[Image:PBAsigning.jpg|thumb|250px|George W. Bush signing the [[Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act]] of 2003, surrounded by senators and congressmen. (click on image for details)]]
Bush signed the [[Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act|Medicare Act of 2003]], which added prescription drug coverage to [[Medicare (United States)]], subsidized pharmaceutical corporations, and prohibited the Federal government from negotiating discounts with drug companies. President Bush said the law, estimated to cost 400,000,000,000 (USD) over the first 10 years, would give the elderly "better choices and more control over their health care". Seniors can buy a Medicare-approved discount card for $30 or less to help offset the increasing costs of prescription drugs. The legislation also adds prescription drug coverage to the federal health insurance program for the elderly, starting in 2006. The bill encourages insurance companies to offer private plans to millions of older Americans who now receive health care benefits under terms fixed by the government, an idea against which several Democrats have lashed out.
Bush signed the [[Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act]] in 2003, having declared his aim to "promote a [[culture of life]]". The law never was enforced, having been ruled unconstitutional by three District Courts. One of these rulings has been upheld by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The federal law would have prohibited [[Intact dilation and extraction]] procedures "in which the person performing the abortion partially vaginally delivers a living fetus before killing the fetus and completing the delivery". Several liberal and conservative critics alike feel that the law is merely a political gesture, as a fetus could technically be aborted inside of the womb and removed thereafter.
====Education====
In January of 2002, Bush signed the [[No Child Left Behind Act]], with [[Senator]] [[Ted Kennedy]] as chief sponsor[http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2004/03/16/bush_relaxes_rules_on_teacher_standards/], which targets supporting early learning, measures [[student]] performance, gives options over failing [[school]]s, and ensures more resources for schools. Critics (including [[John Kerry]] and the [[National Education Association]]) say schools were not given the resources to help meet new standards, although the [[U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce|House Committee on Education and the Workforce]] said in June, 2003 that in three years under the Bush administration the Education Department's overall funding would have increased by 13,200,000,000 (USD). [http://edworkforce.house.gov/press/press108/06jun/edspending062003.htm] Some [[state government]]s are refusing to implement provisions of the act as long as they are not adequately funded. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52720-2004Feb18.html] In January of 2005, ''[[USA Today]]'' reported that the [[United States Department of Education]] had paid $240,000 to African-American [[conservative]] political [[commentator]] [[Armstrong Williams]] "to promote the law on his nationally [[Television syndication|syndicated]] [[television]] show and to urge other [[blacks|black]] [[journalist]]s to do the same." [http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-01-06-williams-whitehouse_x.htm] Williams did not disclose the payments, and has since acknowledged them but refuses to return the money.
The House Education and Workforce Committee stated, "As a result of the [[No Child Left Behind Act]], signed by President Bush on [[January 8]], [[2002]], the Federal government today is spending more money on elementary and [[High School]] (K-12) [[education]] than at any other time in the history of the United States". [http://www.house.gov/ed_workforce/issues/108th/education/funding/summary.htm]
====Science====
On [[December 19]], [[2002]], Bush signed into law H. R. 4664, far-reaching legislation to put the [[National Science Foundation]] (NSF) on a track to double its budget over five years and to create new [[mathematics]] and [[science]] [[education]] initiatives at both the pre-college and [[undergraduate]] level. [http://www.aibs.org/public-policy-reports/public-policy-reports-2002_12_20.html]
Bush opposes, and has limited the funding of, embryonic [[stem cell research]]. Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research was first approved under Clinton on [[19 January]], [[1999]],[http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9901/19/stem.cell.research/] but no money was to be spent until the guidelines were published. The guidelines were released under Clinton on [[August 23]], [[2000]]. [http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/08/24/NIH.stem.cell/] They allowed use of unused frozen [[embryo]]s. On [[August 9]], [[2001]], before any funding was granted under these guidelines, Bush announced modifications to the guidelines to allow use of only existing stem cell lines. [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/08/20010809-2.html] While Bush claimed that more than 60 embryonic stem cell lines already existed from privately-funded [[research]], scientists in 2003 said there were only 11 usable lines, and in 2005 that all lines approved for Federal funding are contaminated and unusable. [http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/05/24/stem.cells/] Adult stem cell funding has not been restricted. Some scientists have repeatedly criticized the Bush administration for reducing funding for scientific research and setting restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. In February 2004, over 5,000 scientists (including 48 [[Nobel Prize]] winners) from the [[Union of Concerned Scientists]] signed a statement "opposing the Bush administration's use of scientific advice". They stated that "the Bush administration has ignored unbiased scientific advice in the policy-making that is so important for our collective welfare" [http://www.ucsusa.org/global_environment/rsi/page.cfm?pageID=1320][http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5722898/].
On [[January 14]], [[2004]], Bush announced a major re-direction for the [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]]. Known as the [[Vision for Space Exploration]], it calls for the completion of the [[International Space Station]] by 2010 and the retirement of the [[space shuttle]] while developing a new [[spacecraft]] called the [[Crew Exploration Vehicle]] under the title [[Project Constellation]]. The CEV would be used to return American [[astronauts]] to the [[Moon]] by 2018, with the objective of establishing a permanent [[lunar base]], and eventually sending future manned missions to [[Mars]]. [http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/01/14/bush.space/index.html]
Although the plan was met with a largely tepid reception,[http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/8572141.htm?1c] the budget eventually passed with a few minor changes after the November elections. In January 2005 the White House released a new[http://www.ostp.gov/html/SpaceTransFactSheetJan2005.pdf] Space Transportation Policy fact sheet, which outlined the administration's space policy in broad terms and tied the development of space transport capabilities to national security requirements.
In August 2005, Bush took a controversial stance on the teaching [[Intelligent Design]] alongside Neo-Darwinian evolution in science classes. Proponents of Intelligent Design theory include hundreds of scientists (a small percentage of the total) who contend that organisms exhibit strong evidence of having been designed, while leaving speculation on the nature of the designer to other disciplines. Although Intelligent Design theory does not posit the existence of God, critics claim that it is a means of using the science curriculum to promote theism (see [[Evolution and creationism debate]]). [[Intelligent Design]] is also claimed by some to be unsuitable for science class because it has not found acceptance by the scientific establishment.
On [[February 18]], [[2004]], the scientific [[watchdog]] group the [[Union of Concerned Scientists]] released a report entitled '''[[Scientific Integrity in Policymaking]]'''[http://www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/interference/reports-scientific-integrity-in-policy-making.html] alleging that the Bush administration "has suppressed or distorted the scientific analyses of federal agencies to bring these results in line with administration policy" to an extent that is "unprecedented." The report was signed by over 7,000 scientists, including 49 [[Nobel laureates]], 63 recipients of the [[National Medal of Science]], and 154 members of the [[National Academy of Sciences]].
====Environment====
Bush signed the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002, authorizing the federal government to begin cleaning up [[pollution]] and contaminated sediment in the [[Great Lakes]], as well as the Brownfields Legislation in 2002, accelerating the cleanup of abandoned industrial or [[brownfield]] sites.
Bush's environmental record has been attacked by most [[environmentalist]]s, who charge that his policies cater to industry demands to weaken environmental protections. Environmental groups note that many Bush Administration officials, in addition to Bush and Cheney, have ties to the energy industry, [[automotive industry]], and other groups that have fought against [[environmental protection]]s. In December 2003, Bush signed legislation implementing key provisions of his [[Healthy Forests Initiative]]; environmental groups have charged that the plan is simply a giveaway to [[timber]] companies. Another subject of controversy is Bush's [[Clear Skies Initiative]], which seeks to reduce [[air pollution]] through expansion of [[cap-and-trade programs]]. Opponents say that instead of reducing air pollution, the initiative will allow [[utilities]] to pollute more than they do currently.
Partially due to gas price hikes, Bush proposed tapping the [[oil]] reserves in the [[Arctic National Wildlife Refuge]], a particularly sensitive ecosystem due to its arctic ___location. Some claim that it is the last untouched [[wilderness]] left in the US, and that the majority of oil dug from the refuge will be sent to foreign countries, such as Japan, where larger profits can be made by domestic oil companies.
Bush has opposed the [[Kyoto Protocol]] saying it would harm the U.S. economy. Bush said it is unfairly strict on the U.S. while being unduly lenient with developing countries, especially [[China]] and [[India]]. Bush stated, "The world's second-largest emitter of [[greenhouse gases]] is China. Yet, China was entirely exempted from the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol." He has also questioned the science behind the [[global warming]] phenomenon, insisting that more research be done to determine its validity. [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/06/20010611-2.html] (See [[Kyoto_protocol#Position_of_the_United_States|America's Kyoto protocol position]].)
====Immigration====
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Bush proposed an [[immigration]] bill that would have greatly expanded the use of [[guest worker]] [[visas]]. His proposal would match [[employer]]s with [[foreign worker]]s for a period up to six years; however workers would not be eligible for permanent residency ("green cards") or citizenship. The bill is opposed by certain Democrat Senators such as [[Barbara Boxer]] and [[Edward M. Kennedy]].
====Trade====
Bush's imposition of a [[steel tariff|tariff on imported steel]] and on [[Canadian]] softwood [[lumber]] was controversial in light of his advocacy of [[free market]] [[policies]] in other areas, and attracted criticism both from his fellow [[conservatives]] and from nations affected. The steel tariff was later rescinded under pressure from the [[World Trade Organization]]. The [[Canada-United States softwood lumber dispute|softwood lumber dispute]] is still ongoing.
===Major appointees===
{{see|Bush administration}}
====Cabinet====
{| cellpadding="1" cellspacing="4" style="margin:3px; border:3px solid #000000;" align="left"
!bgcolor="#000000" colspan="3"|
|-
|align="left"|'''OFFICE'''||align="left"|'''NAME'''||align="left"|'''TERM'''
|-
!bgcolor="#000000" colspan="3"|
|-
|[[President of the United States|President]] || '''[[George W. Bush]]''' || 2001—
|-
|[[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] || '''[[Dick Cheney|Richard B. Cheney]]''' || 2001—
|-
!bgcolor="#000000" colspan="3"|
|-
|[[United States Secretary of State|State]] || '''[[Colin Powell|Colin L. Powell]]''' || 2001–2005
|-
| || '''[[Condoleezza Rice]]''' || 2005—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of Defense|Defense]] || '''[[Donald Rumsfeld|Donald H. Rumsfeld]]''' || 2001—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Treasury]] || '''[[Paul O'Neill|Paul H. O'Neill]]''' || 2001–2003
|-
| || '''[[John W. Snow]]''' || 2003—
|-
|[[Attorney General of the United States|Justice]] || '''[[John Ashcroft|John D. Ashcroft]]''' || 2001–2005
|-
| || '''[[Alberto R. Gonzales]]''' || 2005—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of the Interior|Interior]] || '''[[Gale Norton|Gale A. Norton]]''' || 2001—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of Agriculture|Agriculture]] || '''[[Ann Veneman|Ann M. Veneman]]''' || 2001–2005
|-
| || '''[[Mike Johanns]]''' || 2005—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of Commerce|Commerce]] || '''[[Donald Evans|Donald L. Evans]]''' ||2001–2005
|-
| || '''[[Carlos Gutierrez|Carlos M. Gutierrez]]''' || 2005—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of Labor|Labor]] || '''[[Elaine Chao|Elaine L. Chao]]''' || 2001—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of Health and Human Services|HHS]] || '''[[Tommy Thompson|Tommy G. Thompson]]''' || 2001–2005
|-
| || '''[[Michael O. Leavitt]]''' || 2005—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development|HUD]] || '''[[Mel Martinez|Melquiades R. Martinez]]''' || 2001–2003
|-
| || '''[[Alphonso Jackson|Alphonso R. Jackson]]''' || 2004—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of Transportation|Transportation]] || '''[[Norman Mineta|Norman Y. Mineta]]''' || 2001—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of Energy|Energy]] || '''[[Spencer Abraham|E. Spencer Abraham]]''' || 2001–2005
|-
| || '''[[Samuel W. Bodman]]''' || 2005—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of Education|Education]] || '''[[Rod Paige|Roderick R. Paige]]''' || 2001–2005
|-
| || '''[[Margaret Spellings]]''' || 2005—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs|Veterans Affairs]] || '''[[Anthony Principi|Anthony J. Principi]]''' || 2001–2005
|-
| || '''[[Jim Nicholson (U.S. politician)|James Nicholson]]''' || 2005—
|-
|[[United States Secretary of Homeland Security|Homeland Security]] || '''[[Tom Ridge|Thomas J. Ridge]]''' || 2003–2005
|-
| || '''[[Michael Chertoff]]''' || 2005—
|}
<br clear="all">
==== Supreme Court appointments ====
Bush appointed the following Justices to the [[Supreme Court of the United States]]:
*[[John Roberts|John G. Roberts, Jr.]] – Chief Justice, 2005
*[[Harriet Miers|Harriet E. Miers]] – (pending confirmation), 2005
===Major legislation signed===
;2001
:*[[June 7]]: [[Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001]]
:*[[September 18]]: [[Authorization for Use of Military Force]]
:*[[September 28]]: [[United States-Jordan Free Trade Area Implementation Act]]
:*[[October 26]]: [[USA PATRIOT Act]]
:*[[November 28]]: [[Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act]]
;2002
:*[[January 8]]: [[No Child Left Behind Act]]
:*[[March 9]]: [[Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002]]
:*[[March 27]]: [[Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act|Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002]]
:*[[May 13]]: [[Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002]]
:*[[July 30]]: [[Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002]]
:*[[October 16]]: [[Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq]]
:*[[November 25]]: [[Homeland Security Act of 2002]]
;2003
:*[[March 11]]: [[Do-Not-Call Implementation Act]]
:*[[April 30]]: [[PROTECT Act of 2003]] (Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today Act) (see also [[Age_of_consent#Social_and_legal_attitudes|Age of consent]]) [http://judiciary.senate.gov/special/S151CONF.pdf]
:*[[May 27]]: [[United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003]]
:*[[May 28]]: [[Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003]]
:*[[September 3]]: United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
:*[[September 3]]: United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
:*[[November 5]]: [[Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act|Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003]]
:*[[December 8]]: [[Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act|Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003]]
:*[[December 16]]: [[Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act]] (CAN-SPAM)
;2004
:*[[April 1]]: [[Unborn Victims of Violence Act]] (Laci and Conner's Law)
;2005
:*[[February 18]]: [[Class Action Fairness Act of 2005]]
:*[[April 20]]: [[Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005|Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2005]]
:*[[August 2]]: [[Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement]] Implementation Act
:*[[August 8]]: [[Energy Policy Act of 2005]]
:*[[August 10]]: [[Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users|Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005]] (SAFETEA)
==Public perception and assessments==
Bush has been the subject of both popular praise and scathing criticism. His supporters believe he's done well with the [[Domestic_policy_of_the_George_W._Bush_administration|economy]], homeland security, and showed good leadership after the September 11 attacks. His detractors have disagreed on those very subjects and have also criticized the passage of the [[USA PATRIOT Act]], the [[U.S. presidential election, 2000|controversial 2000 election]], and the [[2003_invasion_of_Iraq|2003 invasion of Iraq]]. The magazine ''[[TIME]]'' named Bush as its [[Person of the Year]] for 2000 and for 2004. This award is traditionally given to the person considered by the editors to be the most important newsmaker of the year. Due to Bush's colorful mistakes when speaking, detractors coined a new term, [[bushism]], to describe the grammatical configuration unique to Bush. Bushisms have been widely popularized across many websites on the internet due to their sense of humor. Some of his detractors, with varying degrees of seriousness, consider him unintelligent. On the other hand, his score on the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (at age 22) suggests that his [[I.Q.]] was the mid-120's, above average.
=== Domestic ===
[[Image:Time_2004_poty.jpg|thumb|175px|Bush as ''TIME'' Person of the Year 2004.]]
[[Image:Bush approval ratings line graph Feb 2001 to Aug 2005.png|thumb|250px|left|Bush approval rating from February 2001 to August 2005. Notable spikes in his approval rating followed the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], and the beginning of the [[2003 Iraq conflict]].]]
In the time of national crisis following the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], Bush enjoyed approval ratings of greater than 85%. Since then, Bush's approval ratings and approval of handling of domestic, economic, and foreign policy issues has steadily dropped. For a comprehensive look, one can see an image of polling trends over the course of Bush's presidency [http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pa/presidentialRatings.cfm here.]
During the 2002 midterm congressional elections, Bush had the highest approval rating of any president during a midterm election since [[Dwight Eisenhower]]. In an unusual deviation from the historical trend of midterm elections, the Republican Party retook control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] and added to their majority in the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]; typically, the President's party loses Congressional seats in the midterm elections, and 2002 marked only the third midterm election since the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] that the party in control of the White House gained seats in both houses of Congress (others were 1902 and 1934).
In 2003, Bush's approval spiked upward at the time of the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster]] in February. The upward trend continued through the invasion of Iraq in March. By late 2003, when presidential opponents typically begin their campaigns in earnest, his approval numbers were in the low to middle 50s. Most polls tied the decline to growing concern over the [[U.S.-led occupation of Iraq]] and a slow recovery from the 2001 recession. Polls of May 2004 showed anywhere from a 53 % approval rating [http://www.rasmussenreports.com/Bush_Job_Approval.htm] to a 46 % approval rating. [http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/polls/usatodaypolls.htm] More recently, a poll taken by American Research Group on August 18-21, 2005 [http://americanresearchgroup.com/economy/] shows that 36% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president (6% below the number in July), while 58% disapprove. This figure is lower than that of any modern President in his second term, including President Nixon's approval rating of 39% during the [[Watergate]] scandal that eventually led to his resignation, though not lower than President [[Jimmy Carter]]'s nadir of 17%. A concurrent Gallup Poll performed August 28-30, 2005 showed a 45% approval and 52% disapproval rating. [http://www.gallup.com/poll/stateNation/] A [[John Zogby|Zogby]] Poll of September 6-7, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, showed a 41% approval, an all-time low in Zogby's presidential polling record for President Bush. The poll also showed President Bush's favorability ratings going below 50% for the first time as 49% saw him as favourable and 50% viewed him unfavourably. [http://zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1020]
Polls show greater support for [[Movement to impeach George W. Bush|impeachment of Bush]] than ever seen for Clinton. An Ipsos poll on [[October 9]], [[2005]] found that by a margin of 50% to 44% Americans say that President Bush should be impeached if he "did not tell the truth about his reasons for going to war with Iraq." 72% of Democrats favored impeachment, compared to 56% of Independents and 20% of Republicans.[http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/downloads/IpsosTables.pdf] A three-day telephone poll starting on [[June 27]], [[2005]], conducted by Zogby International found that 42% of Americans would support impeachment if Bush lied about the reasons for going to war with Iraq.[http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1007].
====Hurricane Katrina====
{{main|political effects of Hurricane Katrina}}
In the wake of [[Hurricane Katrina]] in 2005, the floodwalls protecting [[New Orleans]] from [[Lake Pontchartrain]] broke, inundating the city. In the aftermath of the disaster, thousands of city residents, unable or unwilling to evacuate prior to the hurricane, became stranded with little to no relief for several days resulting in [[Effect_of_Hurricane_Katrina_on_New_Orleans#Superdome_refuge|lawless and unsanitary conditions]] in some areas. Although blame was also attributed to state and local authorities, the public outcry was most prominently directed at the Bush administration, mainly [[FEMA]] and the [[Department of Homeland Security]] alleging weak crisis management and coordination. The Bush Administration faced accusations of slow response and mismanagement from members of Congress and other public figures. Many critics noted that the potential for disaster involving a breach of the New Orleans levees was well-documented, by both FEMA and the Louisiana State University. The Bush Administration like previous administrations failed to address the concern, and consistantly funded less than was requested by the Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the levees, although this did not impact the part of the levies that failed. The criticism and poor plannings of the local government led to the resignation of FEMA director [[Michael Brown]] and a September 15, 2005, admission by Bush that mistakes had been made by his administration.
=== Outside the United States ===
[[Image:Schröder and Bush.jpg|thumb|German chancellor [[Gerhard Schröder]] and President Bush, 2001]]
[[Image:Bush and Chirac.jpg|thumb|right|President Bush and [[President of the French Republic|French President]] [[Jacques Chirac]] during the [[27th G8 summit]], [[July 21]], [[2001]].]]
A [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/04/world/main604135.shtml survey] conducted by [http://www.ap-ipsosresults.com/ Ipsos] for the [[Associated Press]] in 2004 found that "just over half in Mexico and Italy had a negative view of Mr. Bush's role. In Britain, the closest U.S. ally in the war in Iraq, and in Canada, traditionally America's closest ally, two-thirds had a negative view...Three-quarters of those in Spain and more than 80 % in France and Germany had a negative view of Mr. Bush's role in world affairs." [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/04/world/main604135.shtml] While those in the United States were evenly divided on whether the war has increased or decreased the terror threat, by far the majority of those sampled outside the United States believe that Bush's foreign policy decisions in the [[Iraq war]] have "increased the threat of terrorism in the world." [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/04/world/main604135.shtml]
Muslim countries are less favourable to Bush. In these Muslim countries, Bush's unfavorability ratings are particularly high, often over 90%. [http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/02/opinion/02wright.html] Among the non-U.S. nations polled in another [http://www.cbc.ca/news/america/finaldata.pdf] worldwide poll by the CBC, Bush's popularity was highest in [[Israel]], where 62% reported favorable views, however in the CBC poll, Israel was the only foreign country polled that had a net favorable opinion of Bush. [http://www.cbc.ca/news/america/finaldata.pdf (Q2)]
A 2005 poll conducted by the [[BBC World Service]] across 22,000 people in 21 nations found that a majority of world opinion (58%) believed that George Bush's re-election would have a negative impact on their peace and security. Only 26% believed it would have a positive one. Public opinion in the Philippines and India showed strong majorities in favour of Bush. [http://www.lewrockwell.com/ips/lobe183.html], but these were the only countries in favour.
The same poll revealed that support for the Iraq occupation had dropped to 37% in Britain. In Turkey, 72% of those polled said that George Bush's re-election made them "feel worse about Americans". [http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1394375,00.html]
==See also==
*[[2003 invasion of Iraq]]
*[[Books about George W. Bush]]
*[[Bush administration]]
*[[Bush Doctrine]]
*[[Bush family]]
*[[Bush family conspiracy theory]]
*[[Bushism]]
*[[Caterair]]
*[[Christian Right]]
*[[Compassionate conservatism]]
*[[George W. Bush's first term as President of the United States]]
*[[George W. Bush's second term as President of the United States]]
*[[Harken Energy Scandal]]
*[[History of the United States (1988-present)]]
*[[Laura Bush]] First Lady
*[[List of state leaders]]
*[[List of TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people of 2005]]
*[[Michael Scheuer]]
*[[Neoconservatism (United States)]]
*[[Paleoconservatism]]
*[[Plame affair]]
*[[Veteran(s) with Disputed Status]]
*[[War on Terrorism]]
*[[White House Communications Agency]]
==Media==
{{multi-listen start}}
{{multi-listen item|filename=George W. Bush Speech - September 11, 2001.ogg|title=George W. Bush's speech on September 11, 2001 about the attacks|description=|format=[[Ogg]]}}
{{multi-listen item|filename=George W. Bush Speech - September 12, 2001.ogg|title=George W. Bush's speech on September 12, 2001 about the attacks|description=|format=[[Ogg]]}}
{{multi-listen end}}
==References==
*Ashley H. Grant ([[November 24]], [[2004]]). [http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/politics/10258341.htm Shooting suspect had Army sharpshooting badge.] ''Duluth News Tribune''/Associated Press. Accessed November 27, 2004.
* [http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa012901a.htm About.com's article: Bush's Faith-Based Initiative Launched]
* [http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/ Faith Based and Community Initiatives official website]
* Graphs of approval ratings [http://www.hist.umn.edu/~ruggles/Approval.htm],[http://www.pollkatz.homestead.com/files/pollkatzmainGRAPHICS_8911_image001.gif]
* Time-analysis of Bush's popularity [http://www.polisci.wisc.edu/~behavior/papers/Franklin2003-perspective.pdf].
* Collection of Bushisms [http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushisms.htm]
* [http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/April05/slime-mold.Bush.Cheney.ssl.html Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld are now species of slime-mold beetles—but strictly in homage] Cornell University article
* {{nndb name | id = 360/000022294 | name = George W. Bush}}
==Notes==
{{anb|oil_and_baseball}} The White House (2005). [http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html Biography of President George W. Bush]. Retrieved June 21, 2005. ''"Owner, oil and gas business"'' ''"Partner, Texas Rangers Baseball Team"''
==Further reading and information==
=== Pro-Bush ===
*George W. Bush, ''A Charge to Keep'', (1999) ISBN 0688174418
*George W. Bush, ''We Will Prevail'', (2003) ISBN 0826415520
*[[David Frum]], ''The Right Man'', (2003) ISBN 0375509038 ISBN 0812966953
*[[Ronald Kessler]], ''A Matter Of Character: Inside The White House Of George W. Bush'', (2004) ISBN 1595230009
*Stephen Mansfield, ''The Faith of George W. Bush'', (2003) ISBN 1585423092
*Richard Miniter, ''Shadow War: The Untold Story of How Bush Is Winning the War on Terror'' (2004) ISBN 0895260522
*B. Minutaglio, ''First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty'', (1999) ISBN 0609808672
*[[John Podhoretz]], ''Bush Country : How Dubya Became a Great President While Driving Liberals Insane'', (2004) ISBN 0312324723
*[[Bill Sammon]], ''Fighting Back: The War on Terrorism from Inside the Bush White House'', (2002) ISBN 0895261499
*Bill Sammon, ''Misunderestimated: The President Battles Terrorism, John Kerry, and the Bush Haters'', (2004) ISBN 0060723831
*[[Bob Woodward]], ''[[Bush at War]]'', (2002) ISBN 0743244613
*Bob Woodward, ''[[Plan of Attack]]'', (2004) ISBN 074325547X
=== Anti-Bush ===
*[[Eric Alterman]] and Mark J. Green, ''The Book on Bush: How George W. (Mis)leads America'', (2004) ISBN 0670032735
*Ken Auletta ([[January 19]], [[2004]]). [http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040119fa_fact2 "Fortress Bush: How the White House Keeps the Press Under Control"], ''[[The New Yorker]]'', LXXIX, 53
*James Bovard, ''The Bush Betrayal'', (2004) ISBN 140396727X
*Robert Bryce, ''Cronies: Oil, The Bushes, and the Rise of Texas, America's Superstate'', (2004) ISBN 1586481886
*[[David Corn]], ''The Lies of George W. Bush: Mastering the Politics of Deception'', (2003) ISBN 1400050669
*[[John W. Dean]], ''Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush'', (2004) ISBN 031600023X
*[[Maureen Dowd]], ''Bushworld: Enter at Your Own Risk'', (2004) ISBN 039915258X
*Justin A. Frank, ''Bush On The Couch'', (2004), Regan Books. ISBN 0060736704
*Ben Fritz, Bryan Keefer & Brendan Nyhan, ''All the President's Spin: George W. Bush, the Media, and the Truth'', (2004) ISBN 0743262514
*[[James Hatfield]], ''Fortunate Son: George W. Bush and the Making of an American President'', (1999) ISBN 1887128840
*Jack Huberman, ''The Bush-Haters Handbook: A Guide to the Most Appalling Presidency of the Past 100 Years'', (2004) ISBN 1560255692
*[[Molly Ivins]] and L. Dubose, ''Shrub: The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush'', (2000) ISBN 0375503994
*[[Molly Ivins]], ''Bushwhacked : Life in George W. Bush's America'', (2003) ISBN 0375507523
*[[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]], ''Crimes Against Nature: How George W. Bush and His Corporate Pals Are Plundering the Country and Hijacking Our Democracy'', (2004) ISBN 0060746874
*[[Mark Crispin Miller]], ''Cruel and Unusual: Bush/Cheney's New World Order'', (2004) ISBN 0393059170
*[[Michael Moore]], ''[[Fahrenheit 9/11]]'' (2004) motion picture
*Webster Griffin Tarpley and Anton Chaitkin, ''George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography'' ([http://www.patrickcrusade.org/new_page_2.htm]
*[[Craig Unger]], [[House of Bush, House of Saud|''House of Bush, House of Saud: The Secret Relationship Between the World's Two Most Powerful Dynasties'']], (2004) ISBN 074325337X
*Glenn W. Smith, ''Unfit Commander: Texans for Truth Take on George W. Bush'', (2004) ISBN 0060792450
*Paul Waldman, ''Fraud: The Strategy Behind the Bush Lies and Why the Media Didn't Tell You, (2004) ISBN 1402202520
*Ian Williams, ''Deserter: George Bush's War on Military Families, Veterans, and His Past'', (2004) ISBN 1560256273
=== Mostly neutral ===
*E. Mitchell, ''W: Revenge of the Bush Dynasty'', (2000) ISBN 0786866306
==External links==
{{Sisterlinks|George W. Bush}}
===Official===
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html Official White House biography]
*[http://www.gop.com/GOPDirectory/LeaderBio.aspx?ID=3 RNC biography]
===Speeches===
*[http://vvl.lib.msu.edu/showfindingaid.cfm?findaidid=BushGW Audio recordings of Bush's speeches]
===Transcripts===
*[http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000/conventions/republican/transcripts/bush.html 2000 GOP Convention Nomination Speech] (August 3, 2000)
*[http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/presiden/inaug/gbush1.htm First Inaugural Address]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/01/20050120-1.html Second Inaugural Address]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010911.html Remarks by the President After Two Planes Crash Into World Trade Center] ([[September 11, 2001]])
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010911-1.html Remarks by the President Upon Arrival at Barksdale Air Force Base] ([[September 11, 2001]])
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010911-16.html Presidential Address to the Nation] ([[September 11, 2001]])
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html Declaration of War on Terrorism]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/11/20011113-27.html Issues Military Order No. 1, Detention, Treatment, and Trial of Certain Non-Citizens in the War Against Terrorism] November 13, 2001
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/01/20020129-11.html 2002 State of the Union Address]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/01/20030128-19.html 2003 State of the Union Address]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030319-17.html Presidential Address to the Nation Announcing Operation Iraqi Freedom]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/05/iraq/20030501-15.html President Announces Major Combat Operations in Iraq Have Ended]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030907-1.html Presidential Address to the Nation on America's Actions in the War on Terrorism]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030923-4.html Address to the UN General Assembly]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/12/20031214-3.html Presidential Address to the Nation on the Capture of Saddam Hussein]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/01/20040120-7.html 2004 State of the Union Address]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/20040902-2.html 2004 GOP Convention Nomination Acceptance Speech] (September 2, 2004)
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/01/20050120-1.html Second Inaugural Address]
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/02/print/20050202-11.html 2005 State of the Union Address]
===Other===
*{{imdb name|id=0124133|name=George W. Bush}}
* {{gutenberg author| id=George+W.+Bush | name=George W. Bush}}
*Duluth News Tribune/Associated Press. Posted on Sep. 04,2005. "Victims in the Shootings That Killed Six Deer Hunters".
{{start box}}
{{succession box | before = [[Ann Richards]] | title = [[List of Governors of Texas|Governor of Texas]] | years=1995–2000 | after=[[Rick Perry]]}}
{{succession box|
before=[[Bob Dole]]|
after=—|
title=[[List of United States Republican Party presidential tickets|Republican Party presidential candidate]]|
years=2000 (won), 2004 (won)}}
{{incumbent succession box|
title=[[President of the United States|President of the United States of America]]|
start=2001|
before=[[Bill Clinton]]|
}}
{{end box}}
{{USRepPresNominees}}
{{USpresidents}}
[[Category:19461968 births|BushVang, George W.Chai]]
[[Category:AmericanNaturalized aviatorscitizens of the United States|BushVang, George W.Chai]]
[[Category:BaseballHmong executivesAmericans|BushVang, George W.Chai]]
[[Category:BonesmenAmerican murderers|BushVang, George W.Chai]]
[[Category:Born-again Christians|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:CEOs of America|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:Children of U.S. Presidents|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:Current national leaders|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:Delta Kappa Epsilon brothers|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:English Americans|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:Entrepreneurs|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:George H.W. Bush|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:George W. Bush|*]]
[[Category:Governors of Texas|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:Harvard alumni|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:Intelligent design advocates|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:Methodists|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:People from Connecticut|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:People from Texas|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:Presidents of the U.S.|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:U.S. Republican Party presidential nominees|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:Yale alumni|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:Plame affair|George W. Bush]]
[[Category:People convicted of drunk driving|Bush, George W.]]
[[Category:Worst Actor Razzie|Bush, George W.]]
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