Another broken campaign promise, via the New York Times:
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 — President Bush is running for re-election as a "compassionate conservative" who has sought to bring a new Republican approach to poverty and other social ills.But supporters, some administration officials among them, acknowledge that Mr. Bush's "compassionate conservative" agenda has fallen so far short of its ambitious goals, in a number of cases undercut by pressure from his conservative backers, that they fear he will be politically vulnerable on the issue in 2004.
At issue is Mr. Bush's willingness to demand financing from Congress on his signature "compassionate conservative" issues, like education reform and AIDS, with the same energy he has spent to fight for tax cuts and the Iraq war.
Critics say the pattern has been consistent: The president, in eloquent speeches that make headlines, calls for millions or even billions of dollars for new initiatives, then fails to follow through and push hard for the programs on Capitol Hill.
AmeriCorps, AIDS, education, religious charities, tax breaks for the poor - all have suffered as Bush talked big but failed to live up to his promises.
"...This is calculated conservatism, and they calculate just as much as they can get away with. You can dress it all up, but at the end of the day he broke his promise. It's not much more complicated than that." (Rep. George Miller, D-CA)
