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| US Election - Guide to Candidates |
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| Profile - George W. Bush By Martin Arnold Published: October 3 2000 09:28GMT | Last Updated: October 3 2000 10:04GMT |
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 George W. BushParty: Republican Date of birth: June 7 1946 Occupation: Governor of Texas The son of America's last Republican president graduated from Yale in 1968 with a degree in history. George W. Bush then took a job as an F-102 pilot in the Texas Air National Guard. In 1973 he went back to university, this time to Harvard business school, and graduated in 1975 with an MBA. He began his career in the oil and gas business in Midland in 1975 and worked in the energy industry until 1986. After working on his father's 1988 presidential campaign he assembled the group of partners that purchased the Texas Rangers baseball franchise in 1989. He finally followed his father into politics by becoming the Governor of Texas in November 1994 and won re-election in 1998. Mr Bush announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination on June 12 1999 and has been widely regarded as the GOP's leading contender since then. However, he has had to face up to awkward questions about his early life and possible youthful indiscretions involving the use of hard drugs. Mr Bush and his campaign team responded by admitting to certain "young and irresponsible" escapades but claiming that he would get CIA clearance for a top-level job in the Clinton White House. This implies that he has not used hard drugs since the age of 28.  ABORTIONValue every life, but many steps to get there - June 7 1999 "I believe that life is valuable, even when it is unwanted, even when it is physically imperfect. I believe our society has a responsibility to defend the vulnerable and the weak. And I believe our nation should set a goal: that unborn children should be welcomed in life and protected in law. This is the ideal: a generous society that values every life. I know there are many steps on this road. A democracy is ruled by consensus, not by edict. Laws are changed as minds are persuaded." Supports Parental Notification Law for minor girls - June 29 1999 "Bush opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest and when the mother's life is at stake. On the presidential campaign trail, he's said he wouldn't impose an abortion litmus test on his judicial selections or his choice for vice president. As governor, he signed legislation requiring parents to be notified before their daughter can get an abortion, hailing it as a measure that will decrease the number of abortions in Texas."  FOREIGN POLICYNafta is good for Texas and good for Mexico - May 26 1999 "Bush has been a relentless supporter of Nafta. Even as the needle-trade industry all but disappeared in Texas, with a final wave of Levis plant closings in January and February marking the fifth anniversary of the signing of the trade agreement, the governor had neither a program nor a word of consolation for displaced workers. 'Nafta is good for Texas and good for Mexico,' Bush said in his January State of the State speech."  CAMPAIGN FINANCESupports tweaking campaign finance rules - July 5 1999 "Bush proposes lifting the $1,000 limit on individual contributions and requiring full disclosure of contributors." Stop soft money from unions and corporations - June 25 1999 "Called for banning 'soft money' contributions from labor unions and corporations because members/shareholders have no say in how those contributions are given."  GUN CONTROLPut love in people's hearts - September 17 1999 "There seems to be a wave of evil passing through America now, and we as a society can pass laws and hold people accountable for the decisions they make, but our hopes and prayers have got to be that there is more love in society." No compensation for gun related injuries - June 29 1999 "Bush said he supports a citizen's right to bear arms, and he signed legislation barring cities from suing gun manufacturers to recover medical treatment costs related to gun violence."  HEALTHCAREChoose doctor for pay outside of HMOs - June 25 1999 "[Governor Bush] gave [Texas] patients the right to choose their own doctor, even outside their plan, if they are willing to pay additional costs of that coverage." Texas legislative record on health - June 25 1999 "Bush provided health insurance for kids. He used Texas' tobacco settlement fund to provide health insurance to children whose families do not qualify for Medicaid and whose family income is 200 per cent or less of poverty level."  BUDGET SURPLUSReduce tax rates and return surplus to taxpayers - June 12 1999 "I'll have a plan that reduces marginal rates to create jobs, but a plan that also helps struggling families on the outskirts of poverty. I believe that after we meet priorities, all that remains must be passed back to Americans, so it will not be spent by Washington." Compassionate conservatism - March 7 1999 "I've described myself as a compassionate conservative, because I am convinced a conservative philosophy is a compassionate philosophy that frees individuals to achieve their highest potential. It is conservative to cut taxes and compassionate to give people more money to spend." |
