In his 2007 State of the Union President Bush took a partisan jab at the Democrats, stated phony domestic policy priorities and again mislead the public on the serious situation in the Middle East
US President George W. Bush began the 07 State of the Union Address with fulsome praise for Nancy Pelosi and the "Democrat" Party.
Bush's statement about the Democrat Party is a slip of the tongue to be sure, but it is a revealing slip. Bush is the most partisan President of modern times; he appears at some 140 GOP fund-raising functions each year. In those speeches he uses the term Democrat Party as a derisive term intended to raise Republican partisan ardor to a fever pitch.
He campaigned strenuously against Democrats in appearing personally in Georgia, Utah and Nebraska and throughout the country as recently as October.
For the President to use the derisive and partisan term Democrat Party in an official speech, and in an ostensibly reconciliatory moment must be noted.
Since he harbors such intense partisanship, The President's bipartisan bona fides must be shown in deeds.
George W. Bush, after six years in office has yet to show he is more than the advocate in chief of the Republican agenda.
Beyond the corrosively partisan terminology the President employed toward the Democrats is the cynical manipulation of public opinion.
Bush made an appeal for an energy policy that reduces US dependence on imported oil.... where have we heard that before?
Just last year, the President noted in his State of the Union that America is addicted to foreign oil. After making this astute observation Bush failed to act constructively upon it.
Last spring and summer pitched political battles were fought over emissions reductions, fuel economy, atmospheric pollution and CAFE standards for vehickles (as the President pronounces the word) manufactured in the US.
Bush opposed every single proposal made. Hence no energy policy has been passed at the federal level. The good sense and effectiveness of these proposals is proved by their adoption in several states, many of whom had GOP governors that are the home of almost 60% of the population.
Bush talked about immigration and a pathway to citizenship. Yet he has failed to use the powers of his office to keep his word.
The White House ignored the Senate bill sponsored by Senator Kennedy, the legislative codification of the President's proposal when it was introduced and debated last spring. The measure was defeated. This was a splendid opportunity for the President to demonstrate constructive bipartisanship.
In a nation where every major city has open enrollments, the President calls for the diversion of public funds into private schools.
At a time when schools are becoming more, not less racially segregated, the President calls for reforms that will accelerate these trends.
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