Embargoed: State of the Union Text
Embargoed: State of the Union Text
We’ll start respecting White House embargoes when they start telling the truth
Subject: EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY: STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
As Prepared for Delivery
Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress, fellow citizens:
As a new Congress gathers, all of us in the elected branches of government share a great privilege: we have been placed in office by the votes of the people we serve. And tonight that is a privilege we share with newly elected leaders of Afghanistan, the Palestinian territories, Ukraine, and a free and sovereign Iraq.
Two weeks ago, I stood on the steps of this Capitol and renewed the commitment of our Nation to the guiding ideal of liberty for all. This evening I will set forth policies to advance that ideal at home and around the world.
Tonight, with a healthy, growing economy, with more Americans going back to work, with our Nation an active force for good in the world - the state of our union is confident and strong. Our generation has been blessed - by the expansion of opportunity, by advances in medicine, and by the security purchased by our parents’ sacrifice. Now, as we see a little gray in the mirror - or a lot of gray - and we watch our children moving into adulthood, we ask the question: What will be the state of their union?
Members of Congress, the choices we make together will answer that question. Over the next several months, on issue after issue, let us do what Americans have always done, and build a better world for our children and grandchildren.
First, we must be good stewards of this economy, and renew the great institutions on which millions of our fellow citizens rely.
America’s economy is the fastest growing of any major industrialized nation. In the past four years, we have provided tax relief to every person who pays income taxes, overcome a recession, opened up new markets abroad, prosecuted corporate criminals, raised homeownership to the highest level in history, and in the last year alone, the United States has added 2.3 million new jobs. When action was needed, the Congress delivered - and the Nation is grateful.
Now we must add to these achievements. By making our economy more flexible, more innovative, and more competitive, we will keep America the economic leader of the world.
America’s prosperity requires restraining the spending appetite of the federal government. I welcome the bipartisan enthusiasm for spending discipline. So next week I will send you a budget that holds the growth of discretionary spending below inflation, makes tax relief permanent, and stays on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009. My budget substantially reduces or eliminates more than 150 government programs that are not getting results, or duplicate current efforts, or do not fulfill essential priorities. The principle here is clear: a taxpayer dollar must be spent wisely, or not at all.
To make our economy stronger and more dynamic, we must prepare a rising generation to fill the jobs of the 21st century. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, standards are higher, test scores are on the rise, and we are closing the achievement gap for minority students. Now we must demand better results from our high schools, so every high school diploma is a ticket to success. We will help an additional 200,000 workers to get training for a better career, by reforming our job training system and strengthening America’s community colleges. And we will make it easier for Americans to afford a college education, by increasing the size of Pell Grants.
To make our economy stronger and more competitive, America must reward, not punish, the efforts and dreams of entrepreneurs. Small business is the path of advancement, especially for women and minorities, so we must free small businesses from needless regulation and protect honest job-creators from junk lawsuits. Justice is distorted, and our economy is held back, by irresponsible class actions and frivolous asbestos claims - and I urge Congress to pass legal reforms this year.
To make our economy stronger and more productive, we must make health care more affordable, and give families greater access to good coverage, and more control over their health decisions. I ask Congress to move forward on a comprehensive health care agenda - with tax credits to help low-income workers buy insurance, a community health center in every poor county, improved information technology to prevent medical errors and needless costs, association health plans for small businesses and their employees, expanded health savings accounts, and medical liability reform that will reduce health care costs, and make sure patients have the doctors and care they need.
To keep our economy growing, we also need reliable supplies of affordable, environmentally responsible energy. Nearly four years ago, I submitted a comprehensive energy strategy that encourages conservation, alternative sources, a modernized electricity grid, and more production here at home, including safe, clean nuclear energy. My Clear Skies legislation will cut power plant pollution and improve the health of our citizens. And my budget provides strong funding for leading-edge technology - from hydrogen-fueled cars, to clean coal, to renewable sources such as ethanol. Four years of debate is enough - I urge Congress to pass legislation that makes America more secure and less dependent on foreign energy.
All these proposals are essential to expand this economy and add new jobs - but they are just the beginning of our duty. To build the prosperity of future generations, we must update institutions that were created to meet the needs of an earlier time. Year after year, Americans are burdened by an archaic, incoherent federal tax code. I have appointed a bipartisan panel to examine the tax code from top to bottom. And when their recommendations are delivered, you and I will work together to give this Nation a tax code that is pro-growth, easy to understand, and fair to all.
America’s immigration system is also outdated - unsuited to the needs of our economy and to the values of our country. We should not be content with laws that punish hardworking people who want only to provide for their families, and deny businesses willing workers, and invite chaos at our border. It is time for an immigration policy that permits temporary guest workers to fill jobs Americans will not take, that rejects amnesty, that tells us who is entering and leaving our country, and that closes the border to drug dealers and terrorists.
One of America’s most important institutions - a symbol of the trust between generations - is also in need of wise and effective reform. Social Security was a great moral success of the 20th Century, and we must honor its great purposes in this new century. The system, however, on its current path, is headed toward bankruptcy. And so we must join together to strengthen and save Social Security.
Today, more than 45 million Americans receive Social Security benefits, and millions more are nearing retirement - and for them the system is strong and fiscally sound. I have a message for every American who is 55 or older: Do not let anyone mislead you. For you, the Social Security system will not change in any way.
For younger workers, the Social Security system has serious problems that will grow worse with time. Social Security was created decades ago, for a very different era. In those days people didn’t live as long, benefits were much lower than they are today, and a half century ago, about 16 workers paid into the system for each person drawing benefits. Our society has changed in ways the founders of Social Security could not have foreseen. In today’s world, people are living longer and therefore drawing benefits longer - and those benefits are scheduled to rise dramatically over the next few decades. And instead of 16 workers paying in for every beneficiary, right now it’s only about three workers - and over the next few decades, that number will fall to just two workers per beneficiary. With each passing year, fewer workers are paying ever-higher benefits to an ever-larger number of retirees.
So here is the result: Thirteen years from now, in 2018, Social Security will be paying out more than it takes in. And every year afterward will bring a new shortfall, bigger than the year before. For example, in the year 2027, the government will somehow have to come up with an extra 200 billion dollars to keep the system afloat - and by 2033, the annual shortfall would be more than 300 billion dollars. By the year 2042, the entire system would be exhausted and bankrupt. If steps are not taken to avert that outcome, the only solutions would be drastically higher taxes, massive new borrowing, or sudden and severe cuts in Social Security benefits or other government programs.
I recognize that 2018 and 2042 may seem like a long way off. But those dates are not so distant, as any parent will tell you. If you have a five-year-old, you’re already concerned about how you’ll pay for college tuition 13 years down the road. If you’ve got children in their 20s, as some of us do, the idea of Social Security collapsing before they retire does not seem like a small matter. And it should not be a small matter to the United States Congress.
You and I share a responsibility. We must pass reforms that solve the financial problems of Social Security once and for all.
Fixing Social Security permanently will require an open, candid review of the options. Some have suggested limiting benefits for wealthy retirees. Former Congressman Tim Penny has raised the possibility of indexing benefits to prices rather than wages. During the 1990s, my predecessor, President Clinton, spoke of increasing the retirement age. Former Senator John Breaux suggested discouraging early collection of Social Security benefits. The late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan recommended changing the way benefits are calculated.
All these ideas are on the table. I know that none of these reforms would be easy. But we have to move ahead with courage and honesty, because our children’s retirement security is more important than partisan politics. I will work with members of Congress to find the most effective combination of reforms. I will listen to anyone who has a good idea to offer. We must, however, be guided by some basic principles. We must make Social Security permanently sound, not leave that task for another day. We must not jeopardize our economic strength by increasing payroll taxes. We must ensure that lower income Americans get the help they need to have dignity and peace of mind in their retirement. We must guarantee that there is no change for those now retired or nearing retirement. And we must take care that any changes in the system are gradual, so younger workers have years to prepare and plan for their future.
As we fix Social Security, we also have the responsibility to make the system a better deal for younger workers. And the best way to reach that goal is through voluntary personal retirement accounts. Here is how the idea works. Right now, a set portion of the money you earn is taken out of your paycheck to pay for the Social Security benefits of today’s retirees. If you are a younger worker, I believe you should be able to set aside part of that money in your own retirement account, so you can build a nest egg for your own future.
Here is why personal accounts are a better deal. Your money will grow, over time, at a greater rate than anything the current system can deliver - and your account will provide money for retirement over and above the check you will receive from Social Security. In addition, you’ll be able to pass along the money that accumulates in your personal account, if you wish, to your children or grandchildren. And best of all, the money in the account is yours, and the government can never take it away.
The goal here is greater security in retirement, so we will set careful guidelines for personal accounts. We will make sure the money can only go into a conservative mix of bonds and stock funds. We will make sure that your earnings are not eaten up by hidden Wall Street fees. We will make sure there are good options to protect your investments from sudden market swings on the eve of your retirement. We will make sure a personal account can’t be emptied out all at once, but rather paid out over time, as an addition to traditional Social Security benefits. And we will make sure this plan is fiscally responsible, by starting personal retirement accounts gradually, and raising the yearly limits on contributions over time, eventually permitting all workers to set aside four percentage points of their payroll taxes in their accounts.
Personal retirement accounts should be familiar to federal employees, because you already have something similar, called the Thrift Savings Plan, which lets workers deposit a portion of their paychecks into any of five different broadly based investment funds. It is time to extend the same security, and choice, and ownership to young Americans.
Our second great responsibility to our children and grandchildren is to honor and to pass along the values that sustain a free society. So many of my generation, after a long journey, have come home to family and faith, and are determined to bring up responsible, moral children. Government is not the source of these values, but government should never undermine them.
Because marriage is a sacred institution and the foundation of society, it should not be re-defined by activist judges. For the good of families, children, and society, I support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage.
Because a society is measured by how it treats the weak and vulnerable, we must strive to build a culture of life. Medical research can help us reach that goal, by developing treatments and cures that save lives and help people overcome disabilities - and I thank Congress for doubling the funding of the National Institutes of Health. To build a culture of life, we must also ensure that scientific advances always serve human dignity, not take advantage of some lives for the benefit of others. We should all be able to agree on some clear standards. I will work with Congress to ensure that human embryos are not created for experimentation or grown for body parts, and that human life is never bought and sold as a commodity. America will continue to lead the world in medical research that is ambitious, aggressive, and always ethical.
Because courts must always deliver impartial justice, judges have a duty to faithfully interpret the law, not legislate from the bench. As President, I have a constitutional responsibility to nominate men and women who understand the role of courts in our democracy, and are well qualified to serve on the bench - and I have done so. The Constitution also gives the Senate a responsibility: Every judicial nominee deserves an up-or-down vote.
Because one of the deepest values of our country is compassion, we must never turn away from any citizen who feels isolated from the opportunities of America. Our government will continue to support faith-based and community groups that bring hope to harsh places. Now we need to focus on giving young people, especially young men in our cities, better options than apathy, or gangs, or jail. Tonight I propose a three-year initiative to help organizations keep young people out of gangs, and show young men an ideal of manhood that respects women and rejects violence. Taking on gang life will be one part of a broader outreach to at-risk youth, which involves parents and pastors, coaches and community leaders, in programs ranging from literacy to sports. And I am proud that the leader of this nationwide effort will be our First Lady, Laura Bush.
Because HIV/AIDS brings suffering and fear into so many lives, I ask you to reauthorize the Ryan White Act to encourage prevention, and provide care and treatment to the victims of that disease. And as we update this important law, we must focus our efforts on fellow citizens with the highest rates of new cases, African-American men and women.
Because one of the main sources of our national unity is our belief in equal justice, we need to make sure Americans of all races and backgrounds have confidence in the system that provides justice. In America we must make doubly sure no person is held to account for a crime he or she did not commit - so we are dramatically expanding the use of DNA evidence to prevent wrongful conviction. Soon I will send to Congress a proposal to fund special training for defense counsel in capital cases, because people on trial for their lives must have competent lawyers by their side.
Our third responsibility to future generations is to leave them an America that is safe from danger, and protected by peace. We will pass along to our children all the freedoms we enjoy - and chief among them is freedom from fear.
In the three and a half years since September 11th, 2001, we have taken unprecedented actions to protect Americans. We have created a new department of government to defend our homeland, focused the FBI on preventing terrorism, begun to reform our intelligence agencies, broken up terror cells across the country, expanded research on defenses against biological and chemical attack, improved border security, and trained more than a half million first responders. Police and firefighters, air marshals, researchers, and so many others are working every day to make our homeland safer, and we thank them all.
Our Nation, working with allies and friends, has also confronted the enemy abroad, with measures that are determined, successful, and continuing. The al-Qaida terror network that attacked our country still has leaders - but many of its top commanders have been removed. There are still governments that sponsor and harbor terrorists - but their number has declined. There are still regimes seeking weapons of mass destruction - but no longer without attention and without consequence. Our country is still the target of terrorists who want to kill many, and intimidate us all - and we will stay on the offensive against them, until the fight is won.
Pursuing our enemies is a vital commitment of the war on terror - and I thank the Congress for providing our servicemen and women with the resources they have needed. During this time of war, we must continue to support our military and give them the tools for victory.
Other nations around the globe have stood with us. In Afghanistan, an international force is helping provide security. In Iraq, 28 countries have troops on the ground, the United Nations and the European Union provided technical assistance for elections, and NATO is leading a mission to help train Iraqi officers. We are cooperating with 60 governments in the Proliferation Security Initiative, to detect and stop the transit of dangerous materials. We are working closely with governments in Asia to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and nine other countries have captured or detained al-Qaida terrorists. In the next four years, my Administration will continue to build the coalitions that will defeat the dangers of our time.
In the long term, the peace we seek will only be achieved by eliminating the conditions that feed radicalism and ideologies of murder. If whole regions of the world remain in despair and grow in hatred, they will be the recruiting grounds for terror, and that terror will stalk America and other free nations for decades. The only force powerful enough to stop the rise of tyranny and terror, and replace hatred with hope, is the force of human freedom. Our enemies know this, and that is why the terrorist Zarqawi recently declared war on what he called the “evil principle” of democracy. And we have declared our own intention: America will stand with the allies of freedom to support democratic movements in the Middle East and beyond, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.
The United States has no right, no desire, and no intention to impose our form of government on anyone else. That is one of the main differences between us and our enemies. They seek to impose and expand an empire of oppression, in which a tiny group of brutal, self-appointed rulers control every aspect of every life. Our aim is to build and preserve a community of free and independent nations, with governments that answer to their citizens, and reflect their own cultures. And because democracies respect their own people and their neighbors, the advance of freedom will lead to peace.
That advance has great momentum in our time - shown by women voting in Afghanistan, and Palestinians choosing a new direction, and the people of Ukraine asserting their democratic rights and electing a president. We are witnessing landmark events in the history of liberty. And in the coming years, we will add to that story.
The beginnings of reform and democracy in the Palestinian territories are showing the power of freedom to break old patterns of violence and failure. Tomorrow morning, Secretary of State Rice departs on a trip that will take her to Israel and the West Bank for meetings with Prime Minister Sharon and President Abbas. She will discuss with them how we and our friends can help the Palestinian people end terror and build the institutions of a peaceful, independent democratic state. To promote this democracy, I will ask Congress for 350 million dollars to support Palestinian political, economic, and security reforms. The goal of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace is within reach - and America will help them achieve that goal.
To promote peace and stability in the broader Middle East, the United States will work with our friends in the region to fight the common threat of terror, while we encourage a higher standard of freedom. Hopeful reform is already taking hold in an arc from Morocco to Jordan to Bahrain. The government of Saudi Arabia can demonstrate its leadership in the region by expanding the role of its people in determining their future. And the great and proud nation of Egypt, which showed the way toward peace in the Middle East, can now show the way toward democracy in the Middle East.
To promote peace in the broader Middle East, we must confront regimes that continue to harbor terrorists and pursue weapons of mass murder. Syria still allows its territory, and parts of Lebanon, to be used by terrorists who seek to destroy every chance of peace in the region. You have passed, and we are applying, the Syrian Accountability Act - and we expect the Syrian government to end all support for terror and open the door to freedom. Today, Iran remains the world’s primary state sponsor of terror - pursuing nuclear weapons while depriving its people of the freedom they seek and deserve. We are working with European allies to make clear to the Iranian regime that it must give up its uranium enrichment program and any plutonium re-processing, and end its support for terror. And to the Iranian people, I say tonight: As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you.
Our generational commitment to the advance of freedom, especially in the Middle East, is now being tested and honored in Iraq. That country is a vital front in the war on terror, which is why the terrorists have chosen to make a stand there. Our men and women in uniform are fighting terrorists in Iraq, so we do not have to face them here at home. And the victory of freedom in Iraq will strengthen a new ally in the war on terror, inspire democratic reformers from Damascus to Tehran, bring more hope and progress to a troubled region, and thereby lift a terrible threat from the lives of our children and grandchildren.
We will succeed because the Iraqi people value their own liberty - as they showed the world last Sunday. Across Iraq, often at great risk, millions of citizens went to the polls and elected 275 men and women to represent them in a new Transitional National Assembly. A young woman in Baghdad told of waking to the sound of mortar fire on election day, and wondering if it might be too dangerous to vote. She said, “hearing those explosions, it occurred to me - the insurgents are weak, they are afraid of democracy, they are losing. … So I got my husband, and I got my parents, and we all came out and voted together.” Americans recognize that spirit of liberty, because we share it. In any nation, casting your vote is an act of civic responsibility; for millions of Iraqis, it was also an act of personal courage, and they have earned the respect of us all.
One of Iraq’s leading democracy and human rights advocates is Safia Taleb al-Suhail. She says of her country, “we were occupied for 35 years by Saddam Hussein. That was the real occupation. … Thank you to the American people who paid the cost … but most of all to the soldiers.” Eleven years ago, Safia’s father was assassinated by Saddam’s intelligence service. Three days ago in Baghdad, Safia was finally able to vote for the leaders of her country - and we are honored that she is with us tonight.
The terrorists and insurgents are violently opposed to democracy, and will continue to attack it. Yet the terrorists’ most powerful myth is being destroyed. The whole world is seeing that the car bombers and assassins are not only fighting coalition forces, they are trying to destroy the hopes of Iraqis, expressed in free elections. And the whole world now knows that a small group of extremists will not overturn the will of the Iraqi people.
We will succeed in Iraq because Iraqis are determined to fight for their own freedom, and to write their own history. As Prime Minister Allawi said in his speech to Congress last September, “Ordinary Iraqis are anxious … to shoulder all the security burdens of our country as quickly as possible.” This is the natural desire of an independent nation, and it also is the stated mission of our coalition in Iraq. The new political situation in Iraq opens a new phase of our work in that country. At the recommendation of our commanders on the ground, and in consultation with the Iraqi government, we will increasingly focus our efforts on helping prepare more capable Iraqi security forces - forces with skilled officers, and an effective command structure. As those forces become more self-reliant and take on greater security responsibilities, America and its coalition partners will increasingly be in a supporting role. In the end, Iraqis must be able to defend their own country - and we will help that proud, new nation secure its liberty.
Recently an Iraqi interpreter said to a reporter, “Tell America not to abandon us.” He and all Iraqis can be certain: While our military strategy is adapting to circumstances, our commitment remains firm and unchanging. We are standing for the freedom of our Iraqi friends, and freedom in Iraq will make America safer for generations to come. We will not set an artificial timetable for leaving Iraq, because that would embolden the terrorists and make them believe they can wait us out. We are in Iraq to achieve a result: A country that is democratic, representative of all its people, at peace with its neighbors, and able to defend itself. And when that result is achieved, our men and women serving in Iraq will return home with the honor they have earned.
Right now, Americans in uniform are serving at posts across the world, often taking great risks on my orders. We have given them training and equipment; and they have given us an example of idealism and character that makes every American proud. The volunteers of our military are unrelenting in battle, unwavering in loyalty, unmatched in honor and decency, and every day they are making our nation more secure. Some of our servicemen and women have survived terrible injuries, and this grateful country will do everything we can to help them recover. And we have said farewell to some very good men and women, who died for our freedom, and whose memory this nation will honor forever.
One name we honor is Marine Corps Sergeant Byron Norwood of Pflugerville, Texas, who was killed during the assault on Fallujah. His mom, Janet, sent me a letter and told me how much Byron loved being a Marine, and how proud he was to be on the front line against terror. She wrote, “When Byron was home the last time, I said that I wanted to protect him like I had since he was born. He just hugged me and said: ‘You’ve done your job, mom. Now it’s my turn to protect you.’” Ladies and gentlemen, with grateful hearts, we honor freedom’s defenders, and our military families, represented here this evening by Sergeant Norwood’s mom and dad, Janet and Bill Norwood.
In these four years, Americans have seen the unfolding of large events. We have known times of sorrow, and hours of uncertainty, and days of victory. In all this history, even when we have disagreed, we have seen threads of purpose that unite us. The attack on freedom in our world has reaffirmed our confidence in freedom’s power to change the world. We are all part of a great venture: To extend the promise of freedom in our country, to renew the values that sustain our liberty, and to spread the peace that freedom brings.
As Franklin Roosevelt once reminded Americans, “each age is a dream that is dying, or one that is coming to birth.” And we live in the country where the biggest dreams are born. The abolition of slavery was only a dream - until it was fulfilled. The liberation of Europe from fascism was only a dream - until it was achieved. The fall of imperial communism was only a dream - until, one day, it was accomplished. Our generation has dreams of its own, and we also go forward with confidence. The road of Providence is uneven and unpredictable - yet we know where it leads: It leads to freedom.
Thank you, and may God bless America.
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Thanks for your courage.
February 2nd, 2005 at 8:43 pmGood first move
An adminstration that shows little interest in honesty, integrity or the truth deserves nothing less than an impolite reminder that some of us refuse to play along with their fantasies and lies.
February 2nd, 2005 at 8:44 pmNice! I'm live-blogging the SOTU and this helps sooooo much!
February 2nd, 2005 at 8:46 pmAlmost impossible to believe he has the temerity to quote FDR. Social security will be the issue we start winning with again in the Democratic Party...
February 2nd, 2005 at 8:49 pmNice to see that the Demos are finally getting this rapid response thing down. And you're doing great. Keep up the good work.
February 2nd, 2005 at 8:49 pmQuote from state of the union address:
"So here is the result: Thirteen years from now, in 2018, Social Security will be paying out more than it takes in. "
My comment: Why doesn't Bush address the far more pressing issue of recurring (and expanding) budget deficits and the explosion in debt that has been occuring ever since he took office? Conservatives have lost control of the Republican party. It's being run by incompetent, corrupt children of privlege.
February 2nd, 2005 at 8:50 pmAnd yeah, him of all people to quote FDR. Pathetic.
February 2nd, 2005 at 8:50 pmThanks so much for all you do at the Center for American Progress. I'm a huge fan and you've gone up in my estimation with this move.
C
February 2nd, 2005 at 8:55 pmWe’ll start respecting White House embargos when they start telling the truth! No doubt - it pains me to think about the years ago - thank you Center for posting this!
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:02 pmHere this guy is blowing smoke again, and the people of this country are going to eat it up like sugar coated cereal. What is it going to take to make the public wake up to his lies? The Big Lie is finally here and the gullible swallow it with no thoughts. The GOP plan to destroy public thought and discourse is well on its way to succeeding. We are going to have to depend on the next generations to see the lies being put foward. It is time that we strike back, hard, fast, and furious. Don't let any lie slip by and hold the media's collective feet to the fire. The Center for American Progress is doing a great job. Since Corporate America has taken over the mass media, we must use the internet to get the truth out there.
How do we know Bush is lying? Because his lips are moving. Yeah, old joke, but never more true.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:04 pmIt's hard to believe this man can stand up in front of the American people and spout lie after lie. The poor soul lives in a bubble and probably believes everything they have written for him. Very sad! Be afraid, America - be very afraid!
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:05 pm"The tax payer dollar must be spent wisely, or not at all"
/must only be spent on "defense", and the wealthiest 1% must be taxed as little as possible
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:07 pmThis can't be the real speech. It's not written in crayon.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:08 pmIs this true? "America’s economy is the fastest growing of any major industrialized nation."
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:09 pmHow nice that, as he suggests dismantling Social Security, he closes by invoking the memory of FDR. IWhat a slap in the face.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:12 pmThank-you for posting this 'speech'...so I don't have to listen to it. I found many lies...it is amazing just how stupid these people think we are.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:13 pm"we've created 2.3 million new jobs and lost millions more overseas"...
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:13 pm"end junk lawsuits" / allow corporations to pollute to their hearts content, penalty-free
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:17 pm"end junk lawsuits" / allow corporations to pollute to their hearts content, penalty-free
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:17 pmIn 2004, the US economy grew by 4.3%, Japan by 4.4%, India by 6.4% and China by 9%. I guess Japan, China and India aren't "industrialized"...
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:18 pmYeah...just who the heck do those people with asbestos in their lungs think they are, anyway???
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:21 pmQuestion: would I be way off to think that mentioning the abolition of slavery is another "shout out" to the so-called religious right (a la Dredd Scott?)
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:23 pmAnd if just losing $9B that was supposed to go towards Iraq is spending money responsibly, I don't want to see what "irresponsible" looks like (well, I guess it looks something like privatizing SSI.)
Thanks Center for American Progress...I've thought you guys were great for a while. But it's nice to be surprised (in a good way) for a change!
Isn't there a regulation against polluting the airways?
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:24 pmGoogle: asbestos+Halliburton
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:25 pm"The United States has no right, no desire, and no intention to impose our form of government on anyone else." I find it difficult to believe that this man would have the gall to make such a stupid statement in view of the last three years.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:25 pmWe all know what the 2nd Bush family business is (the 1st being "oil"), Banking of course. nice windfall if Social Security is privatized to personal accounts. Wall street will make out like a bandit too Be very afarid they will stop at nothing.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:25 pmYeah...talk about indecent media.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:26 pmSocial Security will be bankrupt by 2042? i guess the Dems were too polite to yell "Liar, Liar, pants on fire", but at least they did some respectable rumbling!
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:29 pm"The United States has no right, no desire, and no intention to impose our form of government on anyone else. That is one of the main differences between us and our enemies." This may be one of the most abominable, obnoxious lies I have witnessed in the last four years. He appears to have no capacity for shame.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:31 pmwhere's michael powell when we need him? forget about stern, this is obscene!
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:32 pm"We will make sure the money can only go into a conservative mix of bonds and stock funds. We will make sure that your earnings are not eaten up by hidden Wall Street fees. We will make sure there are good options to protect your investments from sudden market swings on the eve of your retirement. We will make sure a personal account can’t be emptied out all at once, but rather paid out over time, as an addition to traditional Social Security benefits." -
Isn't this what the Enron workers thought about their pension plan??
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:33 pmBush: “The United States has no right, no desire, and no intention to impose our form of government on anyone else...�
Jon Stewart ".. anymore!"
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:35 pm"It is time for an immigration policy that permits temporary guest workers to fill jobs Americans will not take, that rejects amnesty, that tells us who is entering and leaving our country, and that closes the border to drug dealers and terrorists."
I can't stomach watching the guy but as per usual, where every 2 seconds the repub's launch into a standing O with every Bushco utterance, this is usually the Bush talking point that keeps most of the repubs quiet and in their seats.
Myself I still can't get my mind around what he's trying to say. Okay we open our boarders and let all these people in but also close the border to the drug dealers and terrorists in the process. And of course they're still just guest workers and BTW we reject amnesty. Okay gotcha.
For the record I'm not sure myself where I stand on this issue. I guess for me I think we should work on trade policies that improve workers pay and conditions in other countries so that not as much workers have to come over here to take away jobs from American citizens. And I think we should make these Wal-Mart type jobs pay better so that more Americans will want to take them. I do not like or trust his guest worker idea at all.
That's just my opinion. I really feel for those exploited workers who have to come over here and work at the jobs American's "will not take" but I just don't trust Bush's motives. I think Bushco just wants cheap labor.
I'm new to the Center for American Progress so could maybe someone point me to what the Center for American Progress's idea is to deal with immigration and what it thinks about the "guest worker" idea?
Thanks.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:40 pmjust when u think you've heard it all, he goes to the "freedom from fear" card? how else would the GOP win an election if not by yelling BOO !really loud?
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:40 pmDon't be fooled by this argument to "save" Social Security for our children. The plan is to end the employer's 7% match that they now pay. It will start with a reduction by 4% and then nothing. This administation doesn't care about the the middle andl ower class in this country. It is all about saving the bigger businesses more money at the expense of the working people.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:41 pm"Frivolous asbestos claims?" Guess who stands to benefit there: do a little research and see how many asbestos claims Halliburton has against it.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:41 pmSoon I will send to Congress a proposal to fund special training for defense counsel in capital cases, because people on trial for their lives must have competent lawyers by their side.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:41 pmThis from the man who oversaw more executions in his state than anyone else before him?
A new linkage emerges - terrorists and insurgents in place of al-Qaeda and Sadaam, these "terrorists and insurgents are violently opposed to democracy" so a vote for a representative group to write a constitution now constitutes democracy and ANY type of dissent in now terrorism.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:46 pmThere goes that "advance to freedom" again - didn't this used to be called "manifest destiny"!
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:47 pm"And in the coming years, we will add to that story. Weren't the Crusades also spreading their views?
take heart: pure assertion allows for maximum confidence, but it can't stand against (well-marketed) facts...
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:48 pmAs I heard the voice that makes the hairs on my neck stand at attention, I grabbed my headphones for protection, and began to peruse the text of the speech. It quickly occured to me that Al Franken must be delighted with all the new material for his "LIAR, LIAR" spoofs.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:49 pmAl Qaeda? Anyone remember a guy named Osama?
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:50 pmLet's call it "Bush's Doctrine: We will liberate the nations of the world and they will LIKE it -- OR ELSE!"
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:50 pmElections do not a democracy make. Saddam held elections too.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:51 pmThank you for posting. It is the first SOTU that I have ever missed, but I cannot what Bush. He lies with every breath he takes.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:52 pmThere are plenty more Sophias around that will forever remember how Dubya destroyed their families, homes and lives too.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:53 pmThanks! Now I can play the drinking game without having to worry about operating a keyboard for live blogging.
February 2nd, 2005 at 9:59 pmThat usurper just lies and lies and lies.... "The United States has no right, no desire, and no intention to impose our form of government on anyone else." I can't believe his head doesn't burst into flames from the frequency and shamelessness of his retoric. Damn him and his kind for what the are doing to our republic.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:01 pmFor Bush to quote FDR is a farce and a disgrace especially considering how he wants to tear down FDR's legacy which is Social Security. I overwhelmed at his audacity.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:02 pmEvery judicial nominee deserves an up-or-down vote.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:02 pmThe Norwoods, mother and father of a dead soldier stood and were honored. All I could do was cry. He should not be dead.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:03 pm"free of fear?" This administration rules with fear.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:04 pmit's over, i need a long hot shower to cleanse the filth that i am now drenched in
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:04 pm"The United States has no right, no desire, and no intention to impose our form of government on anyone else. That is one of the main differences between us and our enemies. They seek to impose and expand an empire of oppression, in which a tiny group of brutal, self-appointed rulers control every aspect of every life."
That has to be the funniest paragraph I've ever read in my life.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:04 pmI cant believe that I'm watching and reading at the same time - I have to read since I miss so much while I'm cursing like a sailor. I;ve never felft this compuntion to spout obsenities as I do every time Shrub opens his mouth Sieg Heil!
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:05 pmI do believe that this speech only succeeded in proving that God does not exist. If there was such a deity, that arrogant prick would've been struck down for the lying SOB he is.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:05 pmOh look! Blue fingers on Congress-members.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:05 pmMy stomach jumps everytime I see him unsuccessfully try to mask that smirk. That overwhelming air of "I'm the greatest person on Earth and everyone loves me" he exudes is perhaps his most revolting feature. It was not lost on me that he did not take part in applauding the parents of his dead pawn. It was also not lost on me that he seemed to dislike the focus shifting away from himself for such an extended amount of time. The smirk was replaced by a frown as he counted Mississipis to himself and realized the clapping lasted longest for the Noorwoods and not for him.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:10 pmCan someone explain why all the clapping by congress after every other sentence?
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:13 pmI've seen episodes of "Wheel of Fortune" with less fanfare.
Also, wht's this about working " working closely with governments in Asia to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear 'ambitions'"? I guess upwards of 8 suspected nukes, the refusal to shut down Yangbyon, and the finding of North Korean processed uranium in Libya is just another typical "ambition".
So right, Kramer... He hasnt attended a single funeral of a single slain soldier, but I bet he'll gladly accept a $250,000 appearance fee (the same amount he proposes to generously give to families of those killed in combat) to speak at some swanky Republican donor rally after he steps down in 4 years.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:27 pmOnly $10,000 more than he pays his propaganda payees? How reasonable of him, Hans. ;^)
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:30 pmThe post-lies commentary on ABC is so insipid it's revolting.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:34 pmDeath benefits currently paid out, relative to the coronation... er... inauguration festivities (40 mil) equates to 3225.8 soldiers' lives.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:36 pmUpping benefits from $12,400 to $250,000 really makes sense... plus it kinda makes the soldiers killed seem a little less expendable. That would make Bush's weeklong bash worth just 160 troops.
I'm listening to the callers on C-Span. Listening to the sheeple falling all over themselves to bestow platitutdes without substance on "der Fuhrer" makes me wonder how far he'll be allowed to go without revolt?
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:37 pmI can't support a deliberate breach of your word in breaking the embargo. How can we criticize someone for lying when there is such glee in breaking the promise undertaken with the embargo?
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:37 pmI'm not an expert in journalistic ethics, and have no idea whether you expressly agreed to hold off publishing the speech until after it was delivered.
But ask yourself whether you would agree with this move if it were done by a right-wing group under Pres. Clinton.
"But they're liars!" is not an excuse for us to abandon our own honor.
To me, it smacks of a cheap trick, beneath the dignity or this organization.
I can't wait until we find out how much O'Reilly, Hannity, and all those other scumbags are getting under the table!!
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:38 pmFolks like Rush, O'Reilly et al aren't doing it for under the table bribes. They're far more insidious than that. They're all jockeying for the position of "Minister of Propaganda" in the Fourth Riech.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:43 pmHey Anjin... it's called breaking a story. Kudos to thinkprogress. If we had more hardnosed journalists with some cojones in the media today, maybe this administration wouldn't get off so easy.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:43 pmYeah, plus they get cool job perks... like having sexual harassment charges mysteriously disappear, or having the DEA just conveniently ignore the elephantine doses of oxycontin you were having your maid procure for you.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:46 pmIt pays to play ball with the Dubya administration. Whether you're Ken Lay, Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Rielly. Conversely, if you warn him before he makes a mistake your fired.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:49 pmAs for "breaking a story," I can applaud TP for having the guts to speak its (our?) mind, especially if the MSM isn't giving it the coverage it deserves.
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:52 pmWhat I object to is breaking a promise. Again, I would feel much better about this if TP didn't have to promise (or didn't promise) not to pre-release the text. (I would love to hear from the Mods/Eds about this. . .)
If they obtained the text under some vague "that's just the courteous thing to do" standard, that's one thing. It's not dishonorable to be discourteous.
I'm just worried that the very real lies we're being told will be morally equated with a relatively minor broken promise. Why weaken our argument by opening it up to collateral damage for something so meaningless as a few minutes advance posting?
I love how he referred to something along the lines of "bringing perpetrators of corporate fraud to justice" (excuse the paraphrasing). I am laughing my ass off reading the personal letters exchanged between him and Ken Lay back before the scandal. FREAKIN LIAR WEASEL!! This president has his nose up so much corporate ass, and to think he'd ever crack down on big businesses (especially ones headed by yor daddy's friends) is a freakin' joke!
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:55 pmAnjin, honestly the reason they released the text is so the low-browed "moral majority" in the red states could read alond as Bush spoke. I'm actually wondering why thinkprogress didn't include a little red bouncy-ball in real-time!
February 2nd, 2005 at 10:59 pmJournalistic integrity went out the window long ago. If you got the scoop, get the word out ASAP is how I feel, especially with this secretive administration!!
"...to speak at some swanky Republican donor rally aUberfuher for life.fter he steps down in 4 years...."
February 2nd, 2005 at 11:02 pmPay very close attention, Hans. It's entirely possibly this clown won't be going anywhere in four years. He already talks to the Almighty... it's only a simple step from there to ...
So are you implying our choices are hellfire, brimstone, or Jeb?
February 2nd, 2005 at 11:07 pmHans,
February 2nd, 2005 at 11:22 pmI think maybe I'm not making much sense here.
First, I have to respectfully disagree that TP's motives for pre-releasing the text on THIS blog was to provide a service to red-staters. I find it highly unlikely that anyone on the right is reading this blog. It's not really their bag.
Second, there MAY be moderates reading this blog, and they are they people who most need the vital fact-checking that blogs in general (and this one, hopefully!) can provide. Look at the point-by-point takedowns that follow this post. What would be the point to refute a lie with another lie? Journalistic integrity may have been long abandoned by the MSM, but personal integrity is still vitally important.
Here's a thought experiment: a moderate voter wanders in here, after hearing an hour of Bush speaking his case, and the first thing they see vis-a-vis TP's assessment of the SOTU is a flagrant disregard for honor. Even if they're not inclined to believe Bush, why should they believe anything written here when it appears that the siteowners show no respect for their own promises?
This is a new blog and blogs are getting slammed by the MSM for being riddled with errors. It doesn't help our agenda to live up to that stereotype of radical pajama-wearin' nutjobs that the MSM is so desperate to pin on the biggest threat to its monopoly power.
This blog is a golden opportunity to use the new media to advance crucial issues. Why squander the benefit of the doubt up front?
Finally, another example. Bush made some pretty bold claims regarding Social Security tonight. I'm not up on all the numbers so I have no idea how far off they are. But for the sake of argument, let's assume they were all boldface lies. We don't have to lie to disprove them. If he says, "the system will be bankrupt in 20xx" there is no need to stray from the truth to disprove that.
If, however, we lie in response, what is an observer to that conversation to believe? We're both lying, so who are they to trust?
No reasonable person is going to be convinced by the argument that "we're only lying because they're lying, and you can trust us to start telling you the truth just as soon as the other side does."
They're more likely to throw up their hands and vote for the party that has the slickest ad campaign.
Anyway, I'm sorry I'm rambling a bit here. I'm just so tired of the MSM framing the Dems as the party of idiotic moonbat Bush-haters that any actual questionable behaviour drives me nuts.
I have my fingers crossed that TP really didn't do anything wrong here, and that the VRWC doesn't find out if they did.
Cheers!
"We will not set an artificial timetable for leaving Iraq, because that would embolden the terrorists...."
There are more words to this, but you asked for only 16. The rest of the sentence is even better:
"...and make them believe they can wait us out."
Not saying these will be the ones we remember, but they put a cold spike into the hearts of any of us who believe that we need to make a timetable for withdrawal. It's obvious that Bush does not read any history at all. He might have learned a little something from Lyndon Johnson who believed the same thing in 1967.
February 3rd, 2005 at 1:56 amNothing in the State of the Union about Medicare. Was it an oversight?
February 3rd, 2005 at 2:46 amIf W wants to protect the institution of marriage, let him outlaw divorce and adultry (calling Mr Gingrich). And let people who wish to make a life-long commitment to each other and raise a family do so.
February 3rd, 2005 at 9:41 amI really find it strange that these neo-cons are anti-abortion, but after the baby is born they want nothing more to do with it. They think what do we care lets let it die in poverty without health insurance. Something else that strikes me as strange did you ever notice when the neo-cons talk about being anti-abortion, they say they think that way because they want to protect life. But see no problem using the death penalty. Just look at when Bush was Gov of Texas they led the nation in people being put to death. Strange diversion for someone claims to want to protect life.
February 3rd, 2005 at 10:38 amWhen Clinton bombed the people responsible for bombing our embassies who voted against it? REPUBLICANS! Who wanted to go in & get Osama? (For the bombing of The U.S.S. COLE) WILLIAM J. CLINTON! Who said not with out U.N. support? THE REPUBLICANS! It funny how they can sit on both sides of the fence and the so-called "liberal media" never called the Republicans out! But I say to you now there is not any liberal slant in the news media, because if there was the Ken Starr report would've never seen the light of day except for the FOX Propoganda/opinions passing as news. I would like to see Bill O'Reilly spin his way out of this!
"raised homeownership to the highest level in history,"
I am an Ananlyst with a top 25 mortgage lender and I can honestly say that whenever I hear this, my skin crawls. Its very misleading. Homeownership is up because short term interest rates have remained low. Period. Although the administration has proposed additonal funding for certain loan types, they take credit for the purchase/refi boom over the past few years when they having nothing to do with it. If anything, wages are being outpaced by home values. THis is pushing the mortgage finance industry to create products that allow a borrower to buy a home, based on their current income, that they really cant afford. Its forcing us to create loan programs with "Interest Only" payments in which the borrower only pays interest and not priciple. This can only be a bad thing. We are coming to market with a 40 year mortgage, which reduces the monthly payment but further extends the life of the loan (bad for economy long term). When folks hit retirement age, a growing majority will still have a mortgage payment.
Additionally, values are rising so quickly that property taxes are becoming burdensome, especially to the elderly in places like Cape Hatteras North Carolina (where I grew up).
While I don't blame this administration soley for this, I do hold them accountable for projecting misleading info. I also hold them accountable for not having encouraged the Fed to raise short term rates at a quicker pace. They didn't do so simply so Bush could make this one comment over and over and over and over again to the unthinking masses.
I predict within 10 years, when all the "Interest Only" periods on Interest Only loans ends and the payments will then be based on the remaining (full) principle balance, with a shorter repayment period, hello national foreclosure crisis. And just like "predetory lending" laws, we'll see legislation that makes such lending more regulated. Of course, by then, it will be too late for millions of American.
If and when these folks go to refinance, rates by then should be pretty hefty, especially if we go the privatization route and the stock market is at 25,000 (mtg rates and the stock market are counter opposing).
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