Kerry: 4 months vs. 19 years

Kerry spent 4 months in Vietnam. Kerry's been a Senator for 19 years. The fact that the Democrats don't want to talk about Kerry's useless 19 years as Senator, and the lies that they tell about George Bush, part of which is documented below, speaks for itself. By the way, John Kerry never released his war records. We never had his military records, they released portions of them but they haven't released all of them. How many days did Kerry stay in the hospital? Kerry's first purple heart, the people around him say, that it was no more than a pin prick and that he lobbied for the Purple Heart. Kerry missed no occasion to amplify and embellish his future political career. I wouldn't question any of this if he weren't an anti-war activist. Kerry's third Purple Heart was his ticket out of Vietnam - that's right, folks, a thrid Purple Heart would be the mechanism with which you were able to get out of Vietnam. And Kerry ran. See, the brave stayed with their comrades but Kerry ran like a coward. If the Dems and Libs are going to pursue Bush's war record, then let's pursue Kerry's war record. Of course, Kerry refuses to have his war records open. What is Jphn Kerry hiding, folks?

Moreover, there were a number of factually inaccurate assertions made at the Democratic Convention last night. The following fact sheet will help set the record straight about the lies of the Democrat Party.

The Facts On Homeland Security

Overall Homeland Security Funding Tripled: Since 2001, President Bush has nearly tripled the amount of funds devoted to homeland security. In his 2005 budget, President Bush has called for a $3.6 billion (9.7%) increase over funding levels for DHS from 2004.

(http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/02/20040205-5.html)

The Facts On Veterans

Increased VA Funding 40%. The President’s FY 2005 budget proposes to increase funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs to $68 billion from the 2001 level of $48 billion. The President’s budget requests $29.5 billion for VA’s medical care for next year, more that 40 percent above the 2001 level. The past four straight VA budget increases have provided more than a 40 percent increase in VA health care alone since 2001-- enabling a million more patients to receive treatment.

Annenberg Public Policy Center: Kerry’s Claims About Veterans Health Cuts Are Not True. The University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Center stated in a FactCheck, "[F]unding for veterans is going up twice as fast under Bush as it did under Clinton. And the number of veterans getting health benefits is going up 25% under Bush’s budgets. That’s hardly a cut. ... FactCheck.org twice contacted the Kerry campaign asking how he justified his claim that the VA budget is being cut, but we’ve received no response." (FactCheck.org Website, http://www.demsextrememakeover.com/releases/www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docid=144, Accessed 2/18/04)

24 Medal Of Honor Receipients Have Signed A Letter In Support Of The President's Work For Veterans. "We have listened to Senator Kerry falsely attack President Bush for months over funding for veterans, and it's time to set the record straight. The truth is President Bush has led the way on improving veterans’ benefits, supporting our troops and restoring honor and dignity to the White House."

The Facts On Education

Elementary and Secondary Education up 49%: Spending has risen from $24.745 billion in 2001 to $38.7 billion in 2005, an increase of $12.2 billion (49.3%).

Pell Grant Funding Up 47%: spending has risen from $8.756 billion in 2001 to $12.863 billion in 2005, an increase of $4.107 billion (47%).

States Collectively Have $16.8 Billion In Unspent Federal Education Funds, All Of Which Has Been Available To Them For At Least A Year. ("New Government Data Confirms Federal Education Funding is Increasing More Quickly than States Can Spend It," House Committee on Education and The Workforce Press Release, 6/29/04)

States Have More Than $500 Million In Unspent Federal Education Funds Carried Over From Clinton Administration.

States are collectively sitting on more than half a billion dollars ($526.9 million) in unspent federal education funds appropriated for their use during the final years of the Clinton administration (FY 2000, FY 2001) - before NCLB was even enacted. Nine-two percent of these unspent funds are federal school improvement, special education, Title I funds, and other programs for economically disadvantaged students. ("New Government Data Confirms Federal Education Funding is Increasing More Quickly than States Can Spend It," House Committee on Education and The Workforce Press Release, 6/29/04)

Biggest Education Funding Increase Since Johnson Administration. "Since George W. Bush took office in 2001, federal spending on elementary, secondary and vocational education has risen by nearly $15 billion (based on the president's proposed 2005 budget), or 65.5%. That's the largest gain under any president, and it's the highest percentage gain for a single presidential term since 1965-69, when school aid was sharply expanded under Lyndon B. Johnson." (Editorial, "Can't Buy Love," Investors Business Daily, 7/1/04)

The Facts On Taxes

Kerry Has Repeatedly Voted Against Middle Class Tax Relief

Kerry Voted Against Amendment To FY 2004 Budget Resolution That Would Extend $1,000 Child Tax Credit Until 2013.

Kerry Sponsored And Voted For Motion To Kill Marriage Penalty Relief For Couples Earning Less Than $50,000 Per Year. "Kerry, D-Mass., motion to table (kill) the Gramm, R-Texas, amendment … The Gramm amendment would allow couples with combined incomes under $50,000 a year to claim an additional $3,300 income tax deduction, thus eliminating the so-called marriage penalty for those in that income bracket." Sen. Gramm's marriage penalty relief would have saved taxpayers $46 billion over 10 years. The amendment also would allowed self-employed individuals to deduct health insurance costs on their income taxes. (S. 1415, CQ Vote #154: Rejected 48-50: R 5-49; D 43-1, 6/10/98, Kerry Voted Yea)

Kerry Voted Against The 2001 And 2003 Tax Cuts.

Kerry Voted Against Eliminating Clinton-Instituted 4.3-Cent Tax On Transportation Fuels.
In 1995, Kerry Voted For A Resolution That Said Middle Class Tax Cuts Were Not Wise. The sense of the Senate amendment, killed on a motion by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), said, "reducing the deficit should be one of the nation's highest priorities, and that a middle-class tax cut would undermine and be inconsistent with the goal of achieving a balanced budget." (H.J. Res. 1, CQ Vote #67: Motion Agreed To 66-32: R 49-3; D 17-29, 2/14/95, Kerry Voted Nay)

The Facts On Social Security

Kerry Voted For Higher Taxes On Social Security Benefits Eight Times.

Kerry Voted Three Times Against Repealing The 1993 Clinton Tax Increase On Social Security Benefits.

The Facts On Funding For Police And Firefighters

First Responders Funding Up 680%: President Clinton’s last budget (FY 2001) provided $456 million for state & local funding. President Bush’s FY 2005 budget request allocates $3.561 billion to states & locals. That is a $3.1 billion increase (680%) in funding levels for President Clinton’s last budget. President Bush has allocated more than $13 billion since 2001 to state and local law enforcement for use in counter-terrorism preparedness efforts.

Myth: President Bush has zeroed out federal funding for hiring law enforcement officers.
Fact: President Bush has far exceeded the goal set by President Clinton to hire 100,000 new police officers; in March of 2004, the Department of Justice announced that it had provided grants for the hiring of over 118,000 new law enforcement officers. Furthermore, the President has not eliminated funding for hiring new police officers in the FY 2005 budget. Rather, he has folded several previously existing hiring programs, including the COPS Universal Hiring Program and Local Law Enforcement Block Grants, into the more flexible Justice Assistance Grants Program. Justice Assistance Grants provide an even greater source of federal money that can be used to hire new police officers.

President Bush Has Already Met and Exceeded the 100,000 Officer Goal: When President Clinton created the Office of Community Policing Services, he pledged to put 100,000 new law enforcement officers on the street. In March of 2004, the Department of Justice announced that it had far exceeded this goal, providing grants for the hiring of over 118,000 new law enforcement officers. (http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=1056)

And President Bush Has Not Eliminated the COPS Program: President Bush has called for allocating more than $97 million to the COPS Program in FY 2005. While this is less money than was allocated expressly to COPS in FY 2004, that is because many elements of the Program – such as matching grants for bullet-proof vests, and the entire hiring component of the Program – have been folded for efficiency reasons into general Justice Assistance funds.

The President Has Called For $508 Million To Be Allocated To The Justice Assistance Grants Program In FY 2005. Most of those funds can be spent flexibly, including for the hiring of additional law enforcement officers.

Assistance To Firefighters.

President Bush’s FY 2005 budget request allocates $500 million for Assistance to Firefighter Grants – a 400 percent increase since taking office. Assistance to Firefighter Grants go directly to local firehouses to increase the effectiveness of firefighting operations, firefighter health and safety programs, new fire apparatus, emergency medical service programs and fire prevention programs. President Bush has already awarded over $1.1 billion in firefighter grants in the last three years. The President's budgets have provided 900 percent more funds for firefighter grants than the previous administration's budgets. ("USFA: Assistance To Firefighters Grants Program Fiscal Year 2003 Recipients," U.S. Fire Association, http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fire-service/grants/afgp/awards/2003awards/03awards.shtm, Accessed 5/28/04)