President Bush's Last State of the Union

Tonight, President George W. Bush addressed the nation for the final time in his State of the Union speech. Topics discussed were health care, immigration, education, foreign policy, the war in Iraq, and the economy. This article will provide an overview of these topics in an understandable way.

Economy/ Budget

President Bush was not shy about saying that the United States is in a period of economic uncertainty. He said not to worry though, because "in the long run, Americans can be confident about our economic growth." He was not clear in saying how far into the "long run" the economy will improve, but nonetheless, he did say it.

The President announced that he will veto any bill that comes across his desk that calls for a raise in taxes. He wishes to make the tax relief permanent.

President Bush also announced that he will shut down 151 "wasteful" government programs, which will result in a gain of 18 billion dollars. The government needs to balance its budget just like the rest of America, says Bush.

A particularly strong stance was taken on earmarks. Earmarks are funds provided by Congress to individual projects or programs, and they essentially limit the amount that the Executive Branch can intervene. The President asked Congress to limit the use of these earmarks and ideally to stop them.

Health Care

The President said, to no surprise, that he wants to make health care more affordable to more people. He said that the government should be "expanding consumer choice, not government control."

Education

President Bush acknowledged the success of the No Child Left Behind Act and asked Congress to strengthen it. He also called for legislature allowing poor children to get out of bad public schools, calling the program "Pellgrants for Kids."

Trade/ Foreign Policy

The President asked Congress to pass free trade agreements with Columbia, Panama, and South Korea to show surrounding areas the benefits of democracy.

The successes of Lebanon, Georgia (Ukraine), and Afghanistan were applauded by President Bush tonight. Then, in a rather humbling change of tone, he listed several terrorist attacks, stating that "we will deliver justice to our enemies."

Bush also stressed the importance of helping Palestine and Israel come to a peaceful resolution.

The President warned Tehran to come clean about their weapon development programs. He suspects nuclear weapon research.
Iraq

President Bush also addressed the troops in his State of the Union speech. He said that we must give our troops all the funding they need to successfully defend our country against foreign enemies. He also announced that four army brigades and two marine battalions will be returning home this year for good, resulting in 20,000 returning soldiers. Further removal of troops, he stated, will depend on the situation and the advice of his generals.

Research/Energy

The country must learn to become less dependent on oil, said President Bush. We must pursue research in renewable energy, battery powered vehicles, nuclear power, and low carbon emission machines.

The President also announced that he would like Congress to approve 30 billion dollars in HIV/AIDS research and relief in the next five years.

Veterans

President Bush said that Congress must continue to improve care for wounded soldiers and veterans, administering new hiring preferences for spouses of active soldiers and providing better benefits to soldiers and their families.

The President ended his speech underlining the importance of the people. In order for our country to continue to work, he says, we must trust the people.