BUSH’S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESSES ECONOMY, FOREIGN POLICY

By John Wray

President George W. Bush gave his seventh and final State of the Union address to congress on Monday night, pushing for his economic and foreign policies, as well as decrying the congressional practice of earmarking.
With recent economic decline, those polled say that economy has taken over the Iraq war as the most important issue facing our country. During the fifty minute speech the President decried tax increases, declaring to members of congress that, “if any bill raising taxes reaches my desk, I will veto it.”
President Bush addressed the nation’s increasing debt by outlining a plan that “terminates or substantially reduces 151 wasteful or bloated programs” putting America on track for a surplus by 2012.
President Bush also reported on the successes of the troop surge in Iraq. The President noted that in the last year, “high profile terrorist attacks are down, civilian deaths are down, and sectarian killings are down.”
The President again emphasized the policy in Iraq termed “return on success” which will bring over 20,000 troops back from Iraq in the coming months. Bush cautioned, however, that subsequent troop withdrawals “will be based on conditions in Iraq and the recommendations of our commanders.” The President noted that premature troop withdrawals could lead to increased violence and the “disintegration of Iraqi security forces.”
President Bush’s strong economic and foreign policy rhetoric highlighted the partisan divide in congress. On issues regarding tax cuts and troop levels in Iraq, Republican lawmakers stood and cheered while Democratic members of congress sat stoic across the aisle.
Both sides stood to applaud, however, when the President decried the congressional practice of earmarking bills, where additions to bills are added at the last minute so that congress cannot review them. Bush cautioned congress that, “if you send me an appropriations bill that does not cut the number and cost of earmarks in half, I will send it back to you with my veto.”
President Bush also announced his Executive Order to Federal agencies to ignore earmarks that have not been voted on by congress saying, “if these items are truly worth funding, the Congress should debate them in the open and hold a public vote.”

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