# A question about GWB and his policies. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 11, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-gwb-and-his-policies/228581 "2004-02-11T02:53:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-gwb-and-his-policies/228581/21 "2004-02-11T18:58:01Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > You know what, I bet the little guy who’s struggling to make ends meet is pretty happy to get that loan, no? Or should he just eat more ramen, since we wouldn’t want the gov’t to be in debt, now would we? I’m being a bit too snarky here, maybe I should rephrase. If giving millions of average american tax payers money back in the form of a check isn’t good for the little guy, what is? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-gwb-and-his-policies/228581/22 "2004-02-11T19:10:29Z")
> [@In Conceivable](#): > > What do sales tax and property tax have to do with anything? They are state/local taxes. Bush can’t lower sales tax or property tax for poor people because he doesn’t set the rates. That is a state issue. There are a few posters in GD (where this thread belongs, BTW) who constantly talk about how federal income taxes are unfair because the total tax burden sometimes disadvantages the poor. It’s a ridiculous argument on the face of it. The states should align their tax policies with the feds, not the other way around. **Reeder** : One would hope that the responses you got here will help you realize that your political beliefs are not facts. I think what you are really asking is has Bush ever supported a policy which screws the rich or screws corporations. But you need to realize that if a policy helps everyone, rich included, it is not the same as screwing the poor. It’s only the politics of class warfare that insists that one must always pit the interests of the rich against those of the poor, and that the groups never have interests in common. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-gwb-and-his-policies/228581/23 "2004-02-11T19:18:55Z")
> [@In Conceivable](#): > > What do sales tax and property tax have to do with anything? They are state/local taxes. Bush can’t lower sales tax or property tax for poor people because he doesn’t set the rates. That is a state issue. Very simple, the money has to come from somewhere. Let’s take the issue of federally mandated programs. By federal law, everyone who meets basic requirements gets Social Security, Medicare, their veterans pensions, etc. Only Congress can change the rules, and they haven’t. So the President convinces the Congress to cut taxes, or pass a budget that reduces federal spending. By law, those programs have to be fully funded. But there are other federal laws that mandate things that states provide. Special education services, to name one. Traditionally, the federal government has helped the states pay for these mandated programs. But in the scenario above, the federal government has less money to put toward funding these mandates, so the state has to pick up the slack. To pay for it, they either have to cut funding in other areas or raise taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-gwb-and-his-policies/228581/24 "2004-02-11T20:55:25Z")
The “healthy marriage” initiative and prescription drug benefit will both probably benefit lower-income groups if they ever get off the ground. That’s it really. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-gwb-and-his-policies/228581/25 "2004-02-11T21:33:45Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > If giving millions of average american tax payers money back in the form of a check isn’t good for the little guy, what is? Not putting the government deeper into debt to give them a one-time payoff? ---
**Author:** ![TaxGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TaxGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaxGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-gwb-and-his-policies/228581/26 "2004-02-11T22:08:24Z")
I think **John Mace** nailed it, screwed it, and then glued the sucker down. **Reeder** , you really need to get a life. No one’s paying attention to your BS anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-gwb-and-his-policies/228581/27 "2004-02-11T23:22:06Z")
I did rephrase it. Whatever you want to read into it. Has the Bush admin ever said no to anything a corporation wanted? When it was in their power to give it to them? This is a straight up and down question. Either they have or they haven’t. I asked everyone not to get into a discussion. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-gwb-and-his-policies/228581/28 "2004-02-11T23:57:33Z")
[Here.](http://www.umich.edu/~newsinfo/Releases/2001/May01/r053101e.html) Are you going to say this doesn’t count? > [@](#): > > ANN ARBOR—Thirty-three of the world’s largest companies have thrown their support behind the University of Michigan’s affirmative action policies in admissions, noting that “the future of American business, and, in some measure, the American economy, depends upon” the ability of universities to select student bodies that are racially and ethnically diverse. [And here’s more:](http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/5178114.htm) > [@](#): > > High-tech giants Intel, Microsoft and Lucent Technologies, worried about their ability to recruit the diverse workers they say they need to compete globally, plan to urge the Supreme Court to preserve affirmative action in a landmark college admissions case. > > They will join more than three dozen corporations – including Boeing, 3M, Nike and Sara Lee… ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-gwb-and-his-policies/228581/29 "2004-02-12T17:42:15Z")
**Moderator’s Notes:** Reeder, you are hearby warned against littering the various fora here with your political crap and the egregious displays of your loathing of Bush and his administration. You will keep your comments about “Bushco” (and whatever other epithet has currency with you) to either the Pit, or to Great Debates where that is appropriate (As an example of what’s _inappropriate_ to GD, [this is an excellent example](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=235735).) What you’re doing is not in the least bit different from what caused us to ban december. Your OP here is in no way a legitimate GQ - and you know this well - to claim otherwise is disingenuous. You’re not that ignorant. > [@](#): > > _posted by **ftg** :_ C’mon folks, he asked for facts, not ridiculous falacious agiprop. Horseshit. Reeder courted “ridiculous falacious agitprop” the very second he submitted the OP as evidenced by his use of the term “Bushco.” Reeder, I want to make this perfectly clear. You have now been officially warned about this type of behavior. Further pursuit of your rather obvious agenda will be dealt with harshly and lead to a review of your continued membership here. This thread is closed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-gwb-and-his-policies/228581.md?page=1)