I suppose there was no more fitting way for Bush’s speech to begin than the removal of Cindy Sheehan from the House. After all, the reminder that the majority of Americans oppose this war–and that our sons and daughters are dying in Iraq would make those empty, chest-pumping, sports-metaphor-laden war whoops a bit unseemly.
January 2006
Okay, so I can’t even make myself pretend to analyze the platitudes about energy independence and education.
But this…
Bush: Yet many Americans, especially parents, still have deep concerns about the direction of our culture, and the health of our most basic institutions. They are concerned about unethical conduct by public officials, and discouraged by activist courts that try to redefine marriage.
So, Mr. President, what is your solution for dealing with these unethical public officials? Why won’t your release the pictures of your friend Jack Abramoff? Why haven’t you fired Karl Rove, as you said you would?
And to suggest that redefining marriage is more of a threat to American values than the wholesale gutting of the 4th Amendment, authorizing torture abroad, defending a policy of victimizing mothers of our enemies, or creating a unilateral executive betrays a narrow-minded bigotry. The ‘character of our country’, as you put it, is not intolerance towards gays and lesbians, but respect for the idea that all humans deserve rights, and to be treated fairly.
Bush: A hopeful society depends on courts that deliver equal justice under law. The Supreme Court now has two superb new members, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sam Alito. I thank the Senate for confirming both of them. And I will continue to nominate men and women who understand that judges must be servants of the law, and not legislate from the bench. Today marks the official retirement of a very special American. For 24 years of faithful service to our Nation, the United States is grateful to Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
A hopeful society has institutions of science and medicine that do not cut ethical corners, and that recognize the matchless value of every life. Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of medical research – human cloning in all its forms … creating or implanting embryos for experiments … creating human-animal hybrids … and buying, selling, or patenting human embryos. Human life is a gift from our Creator – and that gift should never be discarded, devalued, or put up for sale.
Hmm. I wonder why those two paragraphs were connected. Welcome to the Alito-Roberts-Thomas Court, America.
Finally, this gem.
Bush:Congress did not act last year on my proposal to save Social Security, yet the rising cost of entitlements is a problem that is not going away – and with every year we fail to act, the situation gets worse. So tonight, I ask you to join me in creating a commission to examine the full impact of Baby Boom retirements on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Boy, if that isn’t inspired leadership in the mold of FDR and Lincoln, what is? After getting his ass handed to him on Social Security last year–by the Democrats and his own party, Bush offers us a commission? Who the hell is he, Ross Perot?
So, the first half (or more) of the speech is Bush taking credit for foreign gains that he had nothing to do with (Lebanon, Egypt, AIDS) and refusing to explain the same old cliches about wiretapping and 9/11.
So, let’s look at the domestic agenda that Bush has to offer.
Bush: Our economy is healthy, and vigorous, and growing faster than other major industrialized nations. In the last two-and-a-half years, America has created 4.6 million new jobs – more than Japan and the European Union combined. Even in the face of higher energy prices and natural disasters, the American people have turned in an economic performance that is the envy of the world.
Hmm. Just two weeks ago, the Department of Labor was less optimistic, noting that the consumer price index rose 3.4 per cent in 2005, while wages fell 0.5 percent. Unemployment is up to 4.9 per cent, and only 37% of the American public approves of Bush’s handling of the economy.
Bush:Keeping America competitive requires us to be good stewards of tax dollars. Every year of my presidency, we have reduced the growth of non-security discretionary spending – and last year you passed bills that cut this spending.
Like those federal student aid programs you denied cutting? That $12 billion cut really ought to boost our economic condition in this country. Hmm. And a good steward, sensible with spending? Not according to your friends at the Heritage Foundation, who argue that 2000-2003 were the biggest spending spree in the history of the United States. Jonah Goldberg, of the National Review, says: “But one thing is clear: Bush’s brand of conservatism is awfully expensive.”
Bush: We will strengthen Health Savings Accounts – by making sure individuals and small business employees can buy insurance with the same advantages that people working for big businesses now get.
Yeah, those will work. Paul Krugman dealt with this proposal in this morning’s Times. What are HSAs? Primarily, another hidden tax cut for the wealthy. Krugman writes, “Their latest big idea is health savings accounts, which are supposed to induce “cost sharing” – meaning individuals will rely less on insurance, pay a larger share of their medical costs out of pocket and make their own decisions about care…So cost-sharing, like H.M.O.’s, is a detour from real health care reform. Eventually, we’ll have to accept the fact that there’s no magic in the private sector, and that health care – including the decision about what treatment is provided – is a public responsibility.”
Gosh, I wonder why they panned the camera over Maxine Waters, John Lewis, and Jesse Jackson, Jr. when President Bush mentioned the death of Coretta Scott King.
Classy.
True story? If so, it would make a lot of sense.
Today Senator Max Baucus of Montana voted for Alito’s confirmation, then later changd his vote to against.
Why?
Because, according to the Senator, he wasn’t paying attention during the vote.
