G8 vs. Uranium

The Boston Globe reports that the G8, currently meeting in Russia, has failed miserably to make good on the promises it made four years ago.

Four years after the leaders of the world's eight largest economies vowed to raise $20 billion over 10 years to prevent terrorists from obtaining nuclear materials, only $3.5 billion has been donated -- and far less has been used to secure enriched uranium, the key ingredient of a nuclear weapon.

This despite the fact that a worker at a Russian Nuclear Plant tried to sell 11 kilos of Uranium.

The fact that the program was meant to prevent nuclear terrorism, what President Bush called, "greatest threat we face today," seems to be worth little when it comes to actually shelling out the money to have the program work effectively.

This is a theme for the Bush Administration. NCLB, FEMA, and any other number of programs are desperately underfunded. But Bush stood up and bumbled through his speech, reassuring Americans that he would provide money to save them from the boogie man of the current news cycle. As soon as the public's awareness has passed, BushCo. quietly allow funding to dry up.

It's a pretty good scam, actually. And the kicker is that the people, the American Public, let the George Bush and his Rubber Stamp Republicans get away with it. I realize (sadly) you can't expect the majority of the population to pay attention to these things. But that's what Congress is for. To make sure that the government (read: The President) lives up to promises made to the American People.

Even as the minority, Democrats is Congress should be reminding the media and the population that George and The GOP have failed to deliver on promises.

Republicans George W. Bush Uranium Terrorism G8