ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, BUSH BRAGS HOW MUCH HE'S DONE FOR US

Bush praises himself for advancing the rights of women internationally. Counterpunch fact-checks him.

But what was most obviously missing from the President's remarks was any mention whatsoever of what his administration is doing for women in this country. The reason for this omission is not hard to comprehend, he just doesn't have much to brag about. As Ms. Magazine Money Editor Martha Burk points out, Bush's budget proposal says it all. After signing the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) with great hoopla, President Bush's budget proposal proceeded to cut $20 million in VAWA funding and provided no funding for new programs created by the legislation that would assist victims of domestic violence. The food program run by the Agriculture Department that provides nutrition for pregnant women and babies would be cut and Medicare benefit reductions of $29 billion would hit women the hardest. Ironically, as Burk notes, there is still plenty of money for marriage promotion and erectile dysfunction drugs.

The reality is that this administration has significantly jeopardized the lives of women both here and around the world. President Bush's fawning attempt to frame himself as a champion of women is not only delusional, his remarks on International Women's Day were an affront to women everywhere.

For a nice wrapup of how women's rights have fared under Dubya, check this out.

Tags: Bush, International Women's Day