On This Date in Bush History-11/22: Barney the Lump

Today's Bush administration outrage, "On This Date in History" 11/22: Barney the Lump

2003: The Republican House leadership extended voting overnight, until almost 6 a.m. this morning (a record). Congress needed the time to get reluctant conservatives to sign on, in a time of already huge federal deficits, to President Bush's hugely expensive Medicare drug bill. It is full of goodies for the insurance and pharmaceutical industries at the expense of the taxpayers, who will pay for it all. The bad design of the program wastes taxpayer money by the use of third party insurance companies, and prohibitions against government bargaining for better drug prices. The president himself did his part, getting on the phone to persuade responsible House members to vote irresponsibly. Though known to be expensive, members of Congress did not know just how expensive this bill was estimated to be. The Bush administration kept that tidbit hidden from Congress until after they had voted 'yea'.

2006: President Bush says today, "We're here in the Rose Garden. This is a place where Barney likes to hang out. Barney is my dog." Less than a year later top aide Karl Rove, perhaps feeling liberated by his recently announced intention to resign, admitted that there was a dirty little secret amongst many at the White House. According to an Associated Press interview with Rove, Barney is not well liked among staffers. Said Rove, "Barney’s a lump".

Happy Thanksgiving from the 2008 Calendar, Poor George's Almanac

Log in/Join Facebook via this link to add 'Poor George -On This Date' to your Facebook profile