1. GEORGE W. BUSH’S 1 ST TERM

2. 2000 ELECTION RESULTS  THE SUPREME COURT BY A 5 TO 4 VOTE STOPS THE FLORIDA RECOUNT – BUSH WINS FLORIDA BY 537 VOTES – WINS FLORIDA’S 25 ELECTORAL VOTES – WINS THE ELECTORAL VOTE 271 TO 266 – GORE WINS 543,895 MORE POPULAR VOTES – THUS, WITH 100 MILLION VOTES CAST THE MARGIN OF VICTORY IS 537 VOTES.

3. RALPH NADER’S ROLE  RUNNING ON THE GREEN PARTY TICKET  RECEIVES 2.7 MILLION VOTES – MANY OF THOSE VOTES WOULD HAVE GONE TO GORE. – NADER INFLUENCE THE ELECTION JUST AS PEROT HAD IN 1992

4. THE NEW CONGRESS IS DIVIDED  50 TO 50 IN THE SENATE  THE REPUBLICS HAVE A 10 VOTE MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE.  THE COUNTRY IS DIVIDED INTO RED STATES AND BLUE STATES

5. CALLS FOR ELECTORAL REFORM  SOME WANT TO END THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE  SOME WANT A UNIFORM VOTING SYSTEM  SOME CALL FOR ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINES

6. PRESIDENT BUSH BEGINS  HE IS THE 43 RD PRESIDENT  FIRST FATHER TO SON COMBINATION SINCE JOHN QUINCY ADAMS  PRESIDENT BUSH DECLARED HE WAS: – “A UNITER NOT A DIVIDER” – “A COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATIVE”

7. PRESIDENT BUSH’S BACKGROUND  BORN IN NEW ENGLAND  RAISED IN TEXAS  DISTANCED HIMSELF FROM IMAGE OF PRIVILEGE.  ADOPTED A “GOOD OL’BOY” STYLE  GAINED ADMISSION TO YALE ON A “HERITAGE ADMISSION” NOT MERIT.

8. MORE…  DEPICTED AS A “SELF MADE MAN”  HAD TROUBLE WITH DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, BUT RECOVERED  BECAME A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN

9. PRESIDENT BUSH’S POLICIES  OPPOSED TO ABORTION, AS CALLED FOR “RIGHT TO LIFE AMENDMENT” – WITHDREW U.S. SUPPORT TO INTERNATIONAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT ABORTION  CALLED FOR “FAITH BASED” SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMS  PLACED LIMITS ON STEM CELL RESEARCH

10. MORE…  LOWER CLEAN WATER AND CLEAR AIR STANDARDS  WITHDREW U.S. FROM THE KYOTO ACCORDS ON GLOBAL WARMING  CALL FOR OIL DRILLING IN THE ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IN ALASKA

11. ENERGY POLICY  DEVELOPED IN A SECRET MEETING CONDUCTED BY VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY – INVOKED EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE TO KEEP MEETINGS SECRET.

12. TAX CUTS  CAMPAIGNED FOR TAX CUTS AND DELIVERED – $1.3 TRILLION CUTS – STRUCTURE TO BENEFIT THE WEALTHIEST TAX PAYERS  BUDGET SURPLUS BECOMES A $400 BILLION DEFICIT

13. 911 ATTACKS  SEPT. 11 TH 2001  WORLD TRADE CENTER IS DESTROYED  THE PENTAGON IS ATTACKED  PRESIDENT BUSH’S FINEST HOUR – POWERFUL SPEECH TO THE NATION

14. THE WAR ON TERRORISM BEGINS  NATION IS UNIFIED BY THE TERROR ATTACKS  AL QAEDA (“THE BASE”) TAKES CREDIT FOR THE ATTACK  KEY LEADER OSAMA BIN LADEN  EARLIER ATTACKS – EAST AFRICA – THE U.S.S. COLE – CAR BOMB ATTACK ON THE TRADE CENTER

15. THE HUNT FOR BIN LADEN  HIDING IN AFGHANISTAN  THE TALIBAN RULE, REFUSE TO ARREST BIN LADEN  PRESIDENT BUSH ORDERS MILITARY ACTION – TALIBAN ARE OVERTHROWN IN 3 MONTHS

16. THE PATRIOT ACT  OCT 2001 PASSED WITHOUT MUCH DEBATE – ALLOWS WARRANT LESS SEARCHES – GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE – DETENTION WITHOUT CHARGES – USE OF SECRET MILITARY TRIBUNALS – DEPORTATION OF WITHOUT HEARINGS – DENIAL OF LEGAL COUNCIL

17. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY  CABINET LEVEL (TOMMY THOMPSON)  SECURE BORDERS, PORTS, AND AIRPORTS  CAN SUSPEND HABEAS CORPUS  SETS UP COLOR ALERT CODE