A few number before the state of union speech.

Published in "The independant" (UK)

Published on January 20, 2004 By JEPEL In Politics

New Page 1

Always good to have some numbers....

Published today in "The independant" (UK). CheckHere

George W Bush and the real state of the Union

Today the President gives his annual address. As the election battle begins, how does his first term add up?

20 January 2004

232: Number of American combat deaths in Iraq between May 2003 and January 2004

501: Number of American servicemen to die in Iraq from the beginning of the war - so far

0: Number of American combat deaths in Germany after the Nazi surrender to the Allies in May 1945

0: Number of coffins of dead soldiers returning home from Iraq that the Bush administration has allowed to be photographed

0: Number of funerals or memorials that President Bush has attended for soldiers killed in Iraq

100: Number of fund-raisers attended by Bush or Vice-President Dick Cheney in 2003

13: Number of meetings between Bush and Tony Blair since he became President

10 million: Estimated number of people worldwide who took to the streets in opposition to the invasion of Iraq, setting an all-time record for simultaneous protest

2: Number of nations that Bush has attacked and taken over since coming into the White House

9.2: Average number of American soldiers wounded in Iraq each day since the invasion in March last year

1.6: Average number of American soldiers killed in Iraq per day since hostilities began

16,000: Approximate number of Iraqis killed since the start of war

10,000: Approximate number of Iraqi cililians killed since the beginning of the conflict

$100 billion: Estimated cost of the war in Iraq to American citizens by the end of 2003

$13 billion: Amount other countries have committed towards rebuilding Iraq (much of it in loans) as of 24 October

36%: Increase in the number of desertions from the US army since 1999

92%: Percentage of Iraq's urban areas that had access to drinkable water a year ago

60%: Percentage of Iraq's urban areas that have access to drinkable water today

32%: Percentage of the bombs dropped on Iraq this year that were not precision-guided

1983: The year in which Donald Rumsfeld gave Saddam Hussein a pair of golden spurs

45%: Percentage of Americans who believed in early March 2003 that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 11 September attacks on the US

$127 billion: Amount of US budget surplus in the year that Bush became President in 2001

$374 billion: Amount of US budget deficit in the fiscal year for 2003

1st: This year's deficit is on course to be the biggest in United States history

$1.58 billion: Average amount by which the US national debt increases each day

$23,920: Amount of each US citizen's share of the national debt as of 19 January 2004

1st: The record for the most bankruptcies filed in a single year (1.57 million) was set in 2002

10: Number of solo press conferences that Bush has held since beginning his term. His father had managed 61 at this point in his administration, and Bill Clinton 33

1st: Rank of the US worldwide in terms of greenhouse gas emissions per capita

$113 million: Total sum raised by the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign, setting a record in American electoral history

$130 million: Amount raised for Bush's re-election campaign so far

$200m: Amount that the Bush-Cheney campaign is expected to raise in 2004

$40m: Amount that Howard Dean, the top fund-raiser among the nine Democratic presidential hopefuls, amassed in 2003

28: Number of days holiday that Bush took last August, the second longest holiday of any president in US history (Recordholder: Richard Nixon)

13: Number of vacation days the average American worker receives each year

3: Number of children convicted of capital offences executed in the US in 2002. America is only country openly to acknowledge executing children

1st: As Governor of Texas, George Bush executed more prisoners (152) than any governor in modern US history

2.4 million: Number of Americans who have lost their jobs during the three years of the Bush administration

221,000: Number of jobs per month created since Bush's tax cuts took effect. He promised the measure would add 306,000

1,000: Number of new jobs created in the entire country in December. Analysts had expected a gain of 130,000

1st: This administration is on its way to becoming the first since 1929 (Herbert Hoover) to preside over an overall loss of jobs during its complete term in office

9 million: Number of US workers unemployed in September 2003

80%: Percentage of the Iraqi workforce now unemployed

55%: Percentage of the Iraqi workforce unemployed before the war

43.6 million: Number of Americans without health insurance in 2002

130: Number of countries (out of total of 191 recognised by the United Nations) with an American military presence

40%: Percentage of the world's military spending for which the US is responsible

$10.9 million: Average wealth of the members of Bush's original 16-person cabinet

88%: Percentage of American citizens who will save less than $100 on their 2006 federal taxes as a result of 2003 cut in capital gains and dividends taxes

$42,000: Average savings members of Bush's cabinet are expected to enjoy this year as a result in the cuts in capital gains and dividends taxes

$42,228: Median household income in the US in 2001

$116,000: Amount Vice-President Cheney is expected to save each year in taxes

44%: Percentage of Americans who believe the President's economic growth plan will mostly benefit the wealthy

700: Number of people from around the world the US has incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

1st: George W Bush became the first American president to ignore the Geneva Conventions by refusing to allow inspectors access to US-held prisoners of war

+6%: Percentage change since 2001 in the number of US families in poverty

1951: Last year in which a quarterly rise in US military spending was greater than the one the previous spring

54%: Percentage of US citizens who believe Bush was legitimately elected to his post

1st: First president to execute a federal prisoner in the past 40 years. Executions are typically ordered by separate states and not at federal level

9: Number of members of Bush's defence policy board who also sit on the corporate board of, or advise, at least one defence contractor

35: Number of countries to which US has suspended military assistance after they failed to sign agreements giving Americans immunity from prosecution before the International Criminal Court

$300 million: Amount cut from the federal programme that provides subsidies to poor families so they can heat their homes

$1 billion: Amount of new US military aid promised Israel in April 2003 to offset the "burdens" of the US war on Iraq

58 million: Number of acres of public lands Bush has opened to road building, logging and drilling

200: Number of public-health and environmental laws Bush has attempted to downgrade or weaken

29,000: Number of American troops - which is close to the total of a whole army division - to have either been killed, wounded, injured or become so ill as to require evacuation from Iraq, according to the Pentagon

90%: Percentage of American citizens who said they approved of the way George Bush was handling his job as president when asked on 26 September, 2001

53%: Percentage of American citizens who approved of the way Bush was handling his job as president when asked on 16 January, 2004

Comments (Page 2)

Tech Cat

on Jan 21, 2004

"sure hope admitted Skull&Bones member Sen. Kerry wins to oppose the Skull&Bones President. Talk about your fundamental change, what can be more blatant. Both Party- voters are hopeless."

Skull&Bones? Is that even a real organization? I have only heard of it on Coast to Coast AM on the radio at night where you can hear a bunch of kooky conspiracy theories. I think that Wahkonta needs to stop feeding herself misinformation and anti-knlowledge from kooks.

Muggaz

on Jan 21, 2004

1983: The year in which Donald Rumsfeld gave Saddam Hussein a pair of golden spurs

Did the US know he was a tyrant that should have been overthrown at this stage? were they giving him gifts to bring him down from the inside?

oh the connundrums.

Solitair

on Jan 21, 2004

'facts' are always so interesting. Always easy to provide just the facts that make your point though. As a non US citizen the only facts above that are of interest to me are

13: Number of meetings between Bush and Tony Blair since he became President
- I think this is fairly high and would be quite happy to think that Britian is important to the US.

2: Number of nations that Bush has attacked and taken over since coming into the White House
- always a sad number, but I supported both these so fair enough

$13 billion: Amount other countries have committed towards rebuilding Iraq (much of it in loans) as of 24 October
- very sad that it is so low. Thankfully therer have been improvements since then with Germany, Russia and France all writing off many billions more debt.

80%: Percentage of the Iraqi workforce now unemployed
60%: Percentage of Iraq's urban areas that have access to drinkable water today
- numbers need to increase rapidly, but understandable at the moment.

45%: Percentage of Americans who believed in early March 2003 that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 11 September attacks on the US

- They're Americans which should give me no right to comment, but I find it very sad they were so gullible and the government and media failed to clarify this issue.

$374 billion: Amount of US budget deficit in the fiscal year for 2003
$23,920: Amount of each US citizen's share of the national debt as of 19 January 2004
9 million: Number of US workers unemployed in September 2003

- poor economic data always worries me. A collaspe of the US economy will cause problems for the rest of us.

43.6 million: Number of Americans without health insurance in 2002

- potential huge drain on the US in the future. Especially if a major flu epidemic strikes. There goes the US economy. I beielve in basic health care (whether insurance of nationalised)

1st: Rank of the US worldwide in terms of greenhouse gas emissions per capita
1st: George W Bush became the first American president to ignore the Geneva Conventions by refusing to allow inspectors access to US-held prisoners of war
35: Number of countries to which US has suspended military assistance after they failed to sign agreements giving Americans immunity from prosecution before the International Criminal Court
700: Number of people from around the world the US has incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

- America's record on dealing with internation relations and ignoring international treaties really does worry me. Add the number of trade wars to this and the future is not bright, especially when you condier the effect on the economy.

I totally believe the Americans have the right to vote for who they want, believe what they want, convert their forests into car parks if they want. When they interact with other countries though, I believe they need to start being a bit more diplomatic and considerate.

Paul.

Wahkonta Anathema

on Jan 21, 2004

Tech cat: You do well to say you only heard of it on a radio show. Read and listen to other sources of information and you'll grow up to learn eventually, so be patient. It was not me who said Kerry is Skull&Bonesman ( Yale University), it was him. Matter of historical record. Skull & Bones is well known and any Yalee will tell you about it, so it's not even secret anymore.
As to 'solitair' and others in the world, you should care about who is our President because this Administration is building an Empire with Britain and Zion, and you will be part of it soon. They care as little for Americans as they do for you. We are just a last stumbling block to their enslavement of all equally.
Don't expect any intelligent discussion from the right. They are, by nature, habit and necessity, closed-minded and HAVE to believe everything a Republican does is right or their world collapses in rage. It's psychological necessity and they rationalize things such as betrayal by their 'leaders' because the only option is to fundamentally change, and that is not possible to 99% of them. As most are raised to their beliefs and not learned individually, to change would be to repudiate their own parents beliefs - not likely.
I have seen some of the best material on exposing the scam of the two Party system come from them though, I, myself once a Reaganite, who got into the 'October Surprise' and Freemasonry in Constitutional Convention of 1787 before I began to open my eyes to the reality of the state of affairs. So, be ready for more dis-respect and shouting you down, passing for discussion the next four years. Go to my blog on the Iowa Caucus and you'll see why.

jeblackstar

on Jan 21, 2004

"Building an Empire with Britain and Zion"? That's an interesting phrase....

Lunaticus Minimus

on Jan 21, 2004

I was going to comment on this entire thread, but I've come to the realization: My opinion won't change anyone elses.
People will continue to spread propaganda, manipulate facts so that their viewpoint is the only 'right' one..
Conspiracists will continue to conspire,
but the world will keep turning.

Tech Cat

on Jan 21, 2004

Conspiracy nuts on the left will keep coming up with crazy black helicopter theories no matter what Bush does.

O G San

on Jan 21, 2004

I know I'm going back a bit but this comment pissed me off:

"Bush couldn't possibly attend any funerals. If he attended one, he'd have to attend them all"

Rubbish! No-one expects him to go to all the funerals. What is expected is that he could go to at least one as acknowledgement of people who have died for their country (however much one may disagree with the war in which they died). Clearly the White House don't want the negative publicity which would come from this. The ban on the media showing the coffins returning to the US is unworthy of a democratic country.

JEPEL

on Jan 21, 2004

Thanks all for your comments, as you can notice you have expressed your opinion much more than me...

I will join Solitaire on the point that I have no right to criticise US home policy as I am a foreigner and so I'm not entitled to vote. However, due to their unequalled foreign policy, the US cannot leave anyone indifferent, at least not on this earth. (Soon the moon and Mars...).

The reasons I wrote this post are

1) I think that these numbers are unchallenged (otherwise provide another, WITH the source). The independant is a serious paper that has proven its reliability for quiet a long time.

2) A largely spread opinion in europe is that american media are quiet positively biaised toward the actual administration. Without being a conspiracy nut, you have to reckon also that the state of the union speech is not the opportunity during which Bush is going to claim anything negative. So you may need some uncomplacent informations... Fair and balanced.

3) In 24 hours, the statistic of this post are Home 1560 Selected 161 Points 388 for 22 replies
so several conclusions, this post was needed, relatively appreciated, and most of the person who agreed with it didn't post any comments.

Now some answers to your comments
AR-15: There is no statistic about Dean. What is your point ? Are you in love with him ? As far as I know all the democrats are against Bush

Wahkonta Anathema: Be carefull with your story of conspiracy. If it's totally right that a lot of politic act remain in the shadow and out of sight from everybody, you don't need to invoke them all the time.

Lunaticus Minimus:
propaganda = The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause.
I dont think that these numbers fit really these definition. You may discuss their juxtaposition, you can't contest their reality.

Anyway thanks for your answers.

jeblackstar

on Jan 21, 2004

As an American, I can comment on the domestic policy that Jepel won't. His domestic policy has been a haphazard collection of right wing republican ideals slashed with attempted bribes to the left. I.E. his "desire" to go into space, "healthcare reform" etc. It's not that I have a problem with some of his positions, I just wish he was as good as Clinton at melding the two ideals.

Oh, and to Wahkonta's statement, despite protestations to the contrary, the idea of a conspiracy between America, Britain, and "Zion" is more a far right conspiracy than a far left one. (KKK, neo-nazis, etc.) Not that I'm suggesting he is one, I just wanted to distance that sort of thinking from the real left.

Frogboy

on Jan 21, 2004

There are lies, damn lies, and statistics.

Take a pre-determined position and you can almost always find a way to use statistics to back it up.

Marriage? Marriage is terrible! 50% end in divorce and the other 50% end in DEATH! (it's true).

jeblackstar

on Jan 21, 2004

Ah, but if you have the numbers make up your own mind, don't shoot down the numbers, or call them lies. They can be used as proof in a lie, but aren't lies themselves

Solitair

on Jan 22, 2004

Lunaticus,
please do post your opinions. Just because you believe they won't change peoples minds is not a good reason to withhold them. This forum is all about people posting their oppinions. Whether others agree or not doesn't matter, the topic in always enhanced by more views.

as for statistics, they are extremely useful. They are facts, but not necessarily the whole truth. The more facts you have the bigger the picture you see. If others don't like some of the statistics above then I hope they add more, as I do like seeing both sides of the picture.

Paul.

psychx

on Jan 22, 2004

Does anyone that considers themself a right-wing person actually like Bush?

Lunaticus Minimus

on Jan 22, 2004

Solitair, it's would be the same opinion I've been spreading around.
As Americans, if we hate our current president, we should not vote for him in the next election and try to get someone in office we can believe in.
Who can we believe in?
While he is president, we show our loyalty TO America by supporting our figure head in the decisions this administration have made. Yes, it is important to stand up for what you believe in and against something you don't believe in, but there's a point when a human being must realize that the bellyachin isn't solving the problem at hand, just fueling the fire and compounding the problem. Take the war in Iraq. We should support our Troops, make them feel like they are fighting for a just cause, and let them know we're proud of them and hope for a safe trip home. How are they supposed to feel about what they are being forced to do under orders if all they see is "It's stupid stupid stupid! WRONG WRONG WRONG!"..It's the vietnam war all over again, and boy was that awful. If you don't have faith in your commander and chief, you're efforts are going to be lessened, etc.,..I think you get my point about that. It spills over into everything from foreign policies to homeland policies.
Instead there is nothing but quibbling and fighting: No solutions. There is no patriotism from those people who feel 'their' president isn't in office. Just bitter resentment that only subsides by another presidency in which one side horrays and the other side jeers and boos.

There will ----===>>>>>>>)NEVER(<<<<<<<<===----- be World Peace. If it does happen, that'll be hundreds of generations from now. We can't even get along with our neighbors, let alone foreign countries. We can't settle on one person to represent us as our President as a nation.
We spend hours researching facts to make someone look so horrible and incompetent, but why? To make us feel warm and fuzzy and content that since we didn't vote for this EVIL MENANCE that the blame doesn't fall on us? This finger pointing isn't just an American trait, either. Other countries use it to point fingers outside of their own borders.
I've seen it before on here, I'll reiterate it. Let he without sin cast the first stone. Bill Clinton is NOT George Bush. WHY and HOW do people judge them by the same exact standards? Both did good things, both had done things the majority of us aren't in favor for. Same for just about every president we've had!

If we only put as much effort into solving crimes, defeating diseases like AIDS and Cancer, helping stop violence inside our own neighborhoods, find a common worthwhile goal and rise up as a single unified force and overcome it, we could do absolutely anything. But no, we're content to be malcontents. I'm sure you can come up with a billion and one ways to proclaim how this sort of critiscism is worthwhile and meaningful, but I just don't see how any of this does anything productive, only counter-productive: But thats' my opinion, and you asked for it, Solitair.

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