Under Bush, The State Of The Union Is A Mess :Bill Press

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Under Bush, The State Of The Union Is A Mess

By Bill Press

February 2, 2006
http://www.billpress.com/columns.html

Inadvertently, President Bush has actually done Democrats a big favor. For months, Republicans have been accusing Democrats of not knowing what to do about the budget deficit, the trade deficit, health care, energy conservation, education and other serious problems. In his State of the Union address, Bush demonstrated that Republicans don’t have any idea what to do about them either.

If you were looking for something new and exciting in the State of the Union, you’re still waiting. The only “new” initiative in his 52-minute address was his curious plea to stop the creation of “human-animal hybrids.” He didn’t say who was actually producing these human-animal hybrids, nor how many minotaurs he’s seen prancing around the South Lawn of the White House lately.

Bush spent the first seven pages of his speech proving, once again, he lives in a state of perpetual denial. Invoking Sept. 11, he asserted that he is winning the war in Iraq, has al-Qaida on the run, is working closely with our allies, and has legal authority to tap Americans’ phones without a court order — none of which is remotely true. Then he argued that the best way to honor our troops is by passing the Patriot Act. Which is total nonsense. Every soldier in Iraq knows he is fighting to protect our freedoms, not to undermine them.



All in all, Bush’s fifth State of the Union was a pretty pitiful performance: full of platitudes, but empty of promise. It was little more than a litany of proposals we will hear nothing further about — until next year’s State of the Union.

So what is the state of the Union? As long as George W. Bush is in the White House, it is anything but strong. It is rudderless, hurting — and broke.

[JDPriestly]

1. Here's my favorite part

And how about energy independence? An important goal, adopted by every president since Richard Nixon. Bush, in fact, has called for cutting our reliance on foreign oil in every one of his five State of the Union speeches. Yet he’s done nothing about it. Not only that, he’s made the problem worse!

In 1971, when Nixon first proposed “Project Independence,” the U.S. imported 35 percent of its oil. When Bill Clinton left office, it was 58 percent. Today, it’s 66 percent. And Bush’s proposed 2006 budget actually cuts funding for renewable energy sources like solar and wind, highlighted in his speech, by $50 million. But what do you expect? Counting on oilman Bush to lead the nation out of our addiction to foreign oil is like counting on conman Pete Rose to lead us out of our addiction to gambling.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. I love Bill Press!!