# What direct impact has Bush & Co. had on you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 20, 2006, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165 "2006-03-20T17:48:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2006, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/21 "2006-03-21T16:53:28Z")
Both my brother, and my friendly neighbor have had extended tours of Iraq/Afghanistran courtesy of their respective National Guard units. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/22 "2006-03-21T16:56:42Z")
> [@Renob](#): > > As a researcher, you might want to actually research some facts. The appropriations for the NSF (National Science Foundation, right? One can never be sure with the variety of government acronyms) when Bush came into office (FY2001) were $4,416,390,000. This year (FY06) the NSF appropriation is around $5.6 billion. That’s an increase, not a “drastic” cut. Ahem. Perhaps we can quibble about “drastic”. However, [NSF Gets Small Budget Boost in House](http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/nsf06h.htm): > [@](#): > > - The small increases for the research directorates would squeeze NSF funding of competitively awarded research grants. NSF expects to make awards to just one in five applications this year. > … > An NSF authorization bill calling for a doubling of the NSF budget between FY 2002 and FY 2007 was signed into law in December 2002 at a time when the federal budget had just come from four years of surpluses, but with the return of budget deficits NSF appropriations have fallen far short of authorized amounts (see Figure 1). The gap widens in the FY 2006 House appropriation to nearly $3 billion, the distance between the $5.6 billion appropriation and the $8.5 billion authorized level, putting the NSF doubling goal well out of reach in these tough budgetary times. > … > NSF has enjoyed mostly steady budget growth over the past several decades, as shown in Figure 2, but in recent times NSF’s budget has stagnated and even declined. After declines in the mid-1990s in the push toward a balanced budget, growth resumed after FY 1998 and momentum began to build to double the budget over five years, culminating in the NSF authorization bill of December 2002. But when the budget surplus years of 1998-2001 were followed by the current string of budget deficits, budget growth slowed down to just ahead of the inflation rate in FY 2004 and reversed with FY 2005 budget cuts. The FY 2006 House appropriation would keep NSF R&D just ahead of inflation but would fail to recover the lost ground from last year’s budget cuts. Furthermore, [NSF Research Flat Again in 2006, Education Programs Face Steep Cuts](http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/nsf06p.htm): > [@](#): > > - The small increases for the research directorates would squeeze NSF funding of competitively awarded research grants. The total number of research grants would increase to 6,310 in FY 2006, but would remain below 2004 numbers. Competition for grants would remain difficult: NSF expects to make awards to just one in five applications this year. Even successful applicants may be disappointed: the average size of an NSF research grant would fall in FY 2006 for the second year in a row. > … > The Research and Related Activities (R&RA) account, which funds most of NSF’s R&D, would receive $4.3 billion, 2.7 percent or $113 million more than FY 2005. Much of the increase would be due to a proposed transfer of $48 million in Coast Guard costs for icebreakers to the Office of Polar Programs. Subtracting this transfer, most of the research directorates would receive increases of about 1 percent, with only the Engineering (ENG) directorate proposed for an increase greater than inflation at 3.5 percent. Coming after budget cuts in 2005, the 2006 budget would leave most NSF research programs at or below 2004 funding levels. > … > The bad news for successful applicants, however, is that many research grant awards would fail to keep pace with inflation. The 0.2 percent average cut for NSF research grants between FY 2005 and FY 2006 to $136,800 would follow a similar cut in 2005, and would leave nearly all NSF research directorates with the same average research grant size from 2004 through 2006 with no allowance for inflation. Also telling is this table, [Federal research and development budget authority, by budget function, FY 2000-05](http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf05303/pdf/tab48.pdf) (warning: .pdf). Note that the “national defense” allotment jumped the most by far (at ~$24B). As I said, this affects me personally, as my research is not in that area. ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/23 "2006-03-21T18:26:03Z")
As a result of BushCo, I: [ul] [li]Constantly worry about the federal debt that we are leaving to my son and his peers.[/li][li]Have completely let go of the idea of having Social Security available to me by the time I am old enough to qualify.[/li][li]Fear for my freedom of choice on almost ongoing basis. And more than that, I fear for the freedom of choice that may or may not be available to my son’s future girlfriend/wife/etc and my friends’ daughters.[/li][li]No longer display liberal bumper stickers or t-shirts for fear of confrontation by irrational Bush-ites [/li][li]No longer register the term “press conference” as, well, a press conference.[/li][li]Can’t decide whether I mistrust our voting process or 51% of Americans.[/li][li]Held my best friend while she cried and cried because her girlfriend was stuck in Kuwait when things started to hit the fan in late 02/early 03.[/li][li]Understand -exactly- how terrorism is created and recognize that “spreading democracy” via carpet bombs isn’t horribly different from suicide bombing for political gain or religious zeal.[/li][li]Have completely lost ALL patience for the religious right movement, to the point that the mere mention of “Focus on the Family” and “Christian Coalition” churns my stomach into knots.[/li][li]No longer hold any contempt for foreigners who think we’re dumb, self-indulgent assholes. What else _could_ they think?[/li][/ul] As much as I hate everything this Administration stands for, they have made me far more aware of and opinionated about politics than I would’ve previously thought possible. It’s funny what you take for granted when the biggest issue we face as a country is whether or not someone stuck a cigar up an intern. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/24 "2006-03-21T18:38:07Z")
Bush & Co forced me to get married in February instead of July, so I could enter the U.S. Not exactly a bad thing, since I now get to celebrate multiple wedding dates. ---
**Author:** ![Renob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@Renob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renob)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/25 "2006-03-22T04:36:59Z")
**Digital** , your cites simply support my statement. You claimed the NSF budget suffered a drastic cut under Bush. In reality, funding for the NSF has increased. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/26 "2006-03-22T06:05:39Z")
> [@Renob](#): > > **Digital** , your cites simply support my statement. You claimed the NSF budget suffered a drastic cut under Bush. In reality, funding for the NSF has increased. I dunno. If I say you have a budget of $100, but then only give you $70, do you consider that a budget cut? If not, then I can see your position. I, on the other hand, do consider it a cut. In addiiton, as I said, my lab and many across the country have been hit because of the massive move of funds from other areas to “national defense”. This is a budget cut. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/27 "2006-03-22T13:10:27Z")
**malkavia** , only the bumper sticker and the friend in Kuwait thing seem to be actual effects on your life. The rest are opinions (“I worry. . .”, "I fear. . ., “I can’t decide. . .”). ---
**Author:** ![Renob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@Renob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renob)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/28 "2006-03-22T13:54:17Z")
> [@Digital Stimulus](#): > > I dunno. If I say you have a budget of $100, but then only give you $70, do you consider that a budget cut? If not, then I can see your position. I, on the other hand, do consider it a cut. I would say that since the NSF had a budget of $4.4 billion when Bush entered office, and it now has a budget of $5.6 billion, that’s an increase. Authorized levels for a program are not a “budget.” While many special interest groups like to trot out comparisons between what Congress authorized and then what it appropriated to show that they are “underfunded,” this is simply these interest groups being dishonest. Everyone in DC knows that authorized levels are essentially meaningless. These are the upper limits of what Congress can appropriate. When Congress authorizes a certain funding level this is not a promise that in the future years it will fund the program at that level. Everyone realizes this, but some dishonest interest groups like to use authorized levels to fool people outside of DC into thinking their programs are taking a hit. It’s simply not the case. As I have showed, the NSF had an increase during the Bush Administration. Your assertion that Bush cut the NSF and hurt you personally was simply wrong. > [@](#): > > In addiiton, as I said, my lab and many across the country have been hit because of the massive move of funds from other areas to “national defense”. This is a budget cut. Well, your first post dealt with the NSF and was wrong. In this case, if your lab is suffering from a reprioritization of research funds, that is sad. But it is not a “cut.” A cut is when the amount of funding decreases in one year compared to the previous. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/29 "2006-03-22T14:09:52Z")
> [@Ruffian](#): > > I am SO SICK of hearing about testing, testing, testing; numbers, numbers, numbers…that’s all my students, my school, and my teaching is reduced to: the numbers that result from a few weeks of bubbling in scan-trons in late April. NCLB is the main reason my mom (a third grade teacher) plans to retire early. She says she just can’t take this anymore. Other than the guilt of knowing my country is killing people, and the feeling that I am not able to trust half of the people in my country, and the knowledge that I can never have faith in any leader or even the concept of a leader again, no, I haven’t had any direct effect from the Bush presidency. Ask me again when I need an abortion in two years, or try to get on an airplane. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/30 "2006-03-22T15:40:04Z")
Financially, I have seen an pay increase of nearly 25% over the last two years. Socially, I don’t think we need to worry about airliners flying into buildings ever again. These are Good Things. However, the one area where he has fallen totally on his ass is the issue of illegal immigration. The hordes of wetbacks invading our country have severely strained our social services, especially our schools and hospitals, to the max. He does need to get off his ass and immediately implement procedures to slam the borders shut and run the illegals out of the country ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/31 "2006-03-22T16:13:46Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > hordes of wetbacks If only a plane would fly into YOUR building! \<3 ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/32 "2006-03-22T16:17:57Z")
No impact whatsoever that I can actually attribute to this administration. Further, I have never felt an impact from a change in any administration at any level, and I suspect I never will. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/33 "2006-03-22T16:29:12Z")
> [@davenportavenger](#): > > If only a plane would fly into YOUR building! \<3 Do not wish death on another poster. Got it? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/34 "2006-03-22T16:52:56Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Financially, I have seen an pay increase of nearly 25% over the last two years. Socially, I don’t think we need to worry about airliners flying into buildings ever again. These are Good Things. Just as I acknowledged that my job loss might be attributable to the president, but the link is essentially unproveable, your pay increase cannot be shown to be because Bush is president. Just as someone (correctly) pointed out that the “feeling” that we are more vulnerable to terrorists because he’s in office is not a direct impact, neither is your hunch that we won’t have more airplanes flying into buildings. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/35 "2006-03-22T17:10:13Z")
> [@Renob](#): > > Authorized levels for a program are not a “budget.” **shrug** If you say so. I disagree. Now, one more thing (first quote from a previous post): > [@](#): > > As a researcher, you might want to actually research some facts. > [@](#): > > …this is simply these interest groups being dishonest…some dishonest interest groups like to use authorized levels to fool people outside of DC into thinking their programs are taking a hit. I would appreciate it if you would not imply that I’m lying or being dishonest. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/36 "2006-03-22T17:31:44Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Do not wish death on another poster. Got it? Racial slurs okay? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/37 "2006-03-22T17:40:48Z")
> [@davenportavenger](#): > > Racial slurs okay? That’s under discussion. I warned you for what _you_ said. Your post was unacceptable. Period. ---
**Author:** ![Renob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@Renob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renob)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/38 "2006-03-22T18:17:36Z")
> [@Digital Stimulus](#): > > **shrug** If you say so. I disagree. Disagree if you want, but it’s the truth. An authorized level for any program is almost never reached. When Congress passes an authorized level I doubt it ever intends it to be reached. An authorized level is almost completely divorced from the budget process, except that if Congress exceeds an authorized level it must do so by supermajority. Let me be more clear – most government programs have to be reauthorized every few years. When they are, Congress will often set an authorized level of funding for that program for the duration of the reauthorization. This is not the budget for the program. This is merely the amount of money Congress has said can be spent. Then, every year (or almost every year), Congress passes a budget resolution. This resolution sets out the broad spending paramaters that the appropriators must stay within (in general). Later that year, the appropriations committees actually decide how the government will spend that money. The appropriations process and the budget process and the appropriations process are three separate things. Whenever you hear someone from DC talking about an authorized level and how something is “underfunded” because it doesn’t meet that level, be suspect. The person is trying to snow you. That person generally knows the difference but counts on the fact that most people outside of DC don’t. > [@](#): > > I would appreciate it if you would not imply that I’m lying or being dishonest. Thank you. My apologies if you took that as directed at you. I was directing that at the association where you got your information from. They are being dishonest. Unless you work for that organization, my comments are not aimed at you. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/39 "2006-03-22T18:21:55Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > The hordes of wetbacks invading our country have severely strained our social services, especially our schools and hospitals, to the max. **Clothahump** , do not use offensive and inflammatory racially-based slurs on the SDMB. You could have used the word “illegals” (as you did later) with no loss of content. The reason for the delay in issuing you this warning was to allow time for a discussion of your posting privileges. You are at the edge of the abyss. If you wish to continue to post on the SDMB, I suggest backing away. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2006, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165/40 "2006-03-22T18:22:47Z")
Interesting. So in a roughly 48 hour period on a board that is viewed largely to be left of center on political issues, few if any concrete cases of direct harm are directly attributed to this president and his administration by the very people it governs. Could it be, folks, that we and the media are brewing a tempest in a teacup? Specifically in how we talk about this administration’s domestic track record. Not that it’s a sterling track record by any means. Only perhaps not as appocalyptic as it is often portrayed. Self correcting even, given the recent dramatic loss of support from within the administration’s own ranks. Can we begin to draw some conclusions or is it too early and the sample too small? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-direct-impact-has-bush-co-had-on-you/349165.md?page=3)