Historically, State of the Union addresses are general and cheerleading in nature. President Bush's speech to the U.S. Congress and the nation last night was no exception. Bush should be commended for being reasonably comprehensive in his plans for the future, but on the whole, his murky ideas for saving the United States from a recession and years of deficit spending leave something to be desired.
The president spent the bulk of his address on issues relating to terrorism and the aftermath of Sept. 11, as expected. The war on terrorism has been and forever will be the defining moment and issue of his presidency and, for the most part, his future goals in this battle are well received. Bush is correct in restating his commitment to homeland security and a more proactive approach abroad.
Many of Bush's Tuesday night issues are winners. Success in the war on terrorism is indeed a priority. So is an economic recovery, a clean environment, a prescription drug benefit, more efficient use of energy, an increase in community service and togetherness and a better standard of life for people all over the world. In one way or another, Bush came out in favor of all this and more. In many ways, this year's State of the Union address was an incredibly idealistic speech, promising the world to the world.
We would love to hear more details on how Bush is going to save the environment while expanding the nation's energy production. It is not beyond the realm of possibility and it is a welcome gesture, considering how much the administration sneered at the very idea of conservation last spring.
Unfortunately, Bush's plans for an economic recovery are as faulty as they have ever been. Using his tried and true Goldilocks metaphor (this tax cut is just right!), the president reaffirmed his belief in his tax cut and even called for more cuts in the future. While placing the burden for fiscal responsibility on the U.S. Congress (a new GOP trend), Bush has recently asked for overwhelming spending increases, causing one Washington Post commentator to note that even a big-government Democrat would never have the audacity to do such a thing. It is na??ve and arrogant to think that a government can continue to slash taxes while expanding its spending. As the United States has seen a huge budget surplus evaporate and will be required to tap into the Social Security Trust Fund, we hope Bush will be made to give up his revisionist voodoo economics. Otherwise, the nation will once again find itself mired in budget deficits reaching into the hundreds of billions of dollars and the economic consequences that follow.
President Bush's first State of the Union address rightfully proclaimed the strong state of a nation that continues to be resilient in the face of incredible trauma. He exuded the confidence of a man with an astronomical approval rating. Although he displayed impressive moral certitude regarding his proposals Tuesday, his real test will be in the months and years ahead, when he must give the American people specifics'not vague platitudes'about how he hopes to bring the United States into the post-Sept. 11 era.
