In his most recent column, Tom Friedman writes:
Mr. Bush got a mandate, almost a blank check, to rule from 9/11 that he never really earned at the polls. Unfortunately, he used that mandate not simply to confront the terrorists but to take a radically uncompassionate conservative agenda – on taxes, stem cells, the environment and foreign treaties – that was going nowhere before 9/11, and drive it into a post-9/11 world.
I guess Friedman decided not to let the facts get in the way of a good story. Whatever you may think of the Bush agenda (on taxes, stem cells, the environment and foreign treaties), the issues had all been addressed prior to 9/11.
Taxes:
Bush signed the first of his major tax cuts on June 7, 2001. His remarks at the signing ceremony can be viewed here.
Stem Cells:
The debate was and has been about whether to expand federal funding for stem cell research. Bush said he would support expanding it on a limited basis, but that was in August of 2001. His position did not change after 9/11, and he effectively shelved the stem cell debate until earlier this year.
The Environment and Foreign Treaties:
I can only assume that by this Friedman means Bush’s rejection of the Kyoto Treaty. But that happened in March of 2001.
Furthermore, after 9/11, Bush used his mandate to get the bipartisan No Child Left Behind through Congress, with the support of none other than Sen. Ted Kennedy. The bill was passed in Congress in December 2001 and Bush signed it in January of 2002. And in December of 2003, Bush signed the multi-trillion dollar Medicare prescription drug plan. I happen to have opposed these bills, but even Friedman would be hard pressed to argue that they represent a “a radically uncompassionate conservative agenda.”