State Of The Union -- What's Old Is New Again

January 29, 2008

by Faiz Shakir, Amanda Terkel, Satyam Khanna, Matt Corley, Ali Frick, and Benjamin Armbruster

STATE OF THE UNION

What's Old Is New Again

In his past State of the Union addresses, President Bush has told the nation of an "axis of evil," warned against "human-animal hybrids," and even proposed initiatives to help "keep young people out of gangs." This year, however, Bush -- facing his lame duck status -- simply rehashed old proposals. There were no grand new ideas and even the modest ones seemed like deja vu. For example, hours before the President's speech yesterday, the White House excitedly told the media about "Pell Grants for Kids," Bush's new $300 million program for low-income students. But even this initiative was a recycling of previous voucher plans endorsed by Bush. The fact that Bush used this speech to again call on Congress to pass his older ideas, such as immigration and health care reform, underscores how much he has failed in political endeavors that require more than unilateral action. For a man hoping to have the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, Bush will be fortunate to leave office with higher approval ratings than Richard Nixon.

BIG FAILURES: Since reaching out to Latino voters during his 2000 campaign, Bush envisioned immigration reform as one of his legacy issues. But as the president begins his last year in office, immigration reform is nowhere on the agenda. Last year, it suffered a crushing defeat -- not because of objecting Democrats, but because of right-wing lawmakers and hate radio spokesmen whose support Bush was unable to muster. Last night, Bush's call to "find a sensible and humane way to deal with people here illegally" went largely unheard. Similarly, his health care proposals this year -- expanding health savings accounts, changing the tax treatment of health insurance, and undermining state and local consumer protections -- mirrored his plea to Congress last year. "We need to expand Health Savings Accounts," he said. Bush largely ignored congressional concerns that these proposals would undermine employer-based health insurance, increase the number of uninsured, and primarily benefit the wealthy. He instead repeated the same tired proposals. His old pet issue, Social Security, was mentioned just once -- in passing -- during last night's address.

TRYING TO CORRECT HIS OWN MISTAKES: With money issues at the top of Americans' "worry list," Bush put the economy at the top of his State of the Union address. But under his administration, the number of Americans living in poverty has continued to grow. In 2006, the latest year for which Census Bureau figures are available, 12.3 percent of Americans were living in poverty, compared with 11.7 percent in 2001, the year of the last recession. Currently, 64 percent of the American public disapprove of Bush's handling of the economy. Bush's low approval rating for his handling of the economy is not surprising given that most Americans' finances are in worse shape than when he first took office. Two of the most widely supported proposals for improving the economy include continuing to increase the minimum wage and lowering taxes for middle- and lower-income taxpayers only. Yet Bush rolled out the same failed proposals yesterday. "Make the tax relief permanent," he bellowed last night. But making permanent the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts and alternative minimum tax relief would have a total cost of $4.3 trillion over the next 10 years. The tax cuts would also increase the after-tax incomes of households with annual incomes above $1 million by an average of 7.5 percent, compared to 0.5 percent increase for the lowest-income 20 percent of households.

NOTHING BUT EMPTY RHETORIC: Last year was the only year that Bush failed to tout his Office of Faith-Based Initiatives. This year, he returned to the failed program. "Faith-based groups are bringing hope to pockets of despair, with newfound support from the Federal Government," he claimed. But this office has been primarily used for political purposes. David Kuo, formerly the head of program, revealed that the office was mainly used "to mount ostensibly 'nonpartisan' events that were, in reality, designed with the intent of mobilizing religious voters in 20 targeted races." A 2006 national survey of 750 black churches by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies found that fewer than three percent of black churches have received federal faith-based funding. Bush also again rolled out his Millennium Challenge Account, arguing that it has "changed the way we deliver aid." But as the Wall Street Journal reported last year, the program was nearly bankrupt, undermining the President's alleged focus on democracy promotion. Bush similarly bragged about the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, even though his administration has hamstrung the program by requiring one-third of prevention funds to be spent on ineffective abstinence-only programs.

ADMINISTRATION -- MUKASEY'S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT STONEWALLING INVESTIGATION INTO GONZALES: The top official at the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, Scott Bloch, has accused the Justice Department of blocking his probe into whether the DOJ was improperly politicized under former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Bloch wrote Attorney General Michael Mukasey last week saying "the department had repeatedly 'impeded' his investigation by refusing to share documents and provide answers to written questions." The Justice Department has asked Bloch to delay his investigation until the DOJ has completed its own internal probe. In his letter, Bloch expressed doubt that the in-house investigation would end before the final days of the Bush administration, "when there is little hope of any corrective measures or discipline possible." The Office of Special Counsel's investigation concerns the firing of U.S. attorneys, as well as allegations that the Justice Department "allowed political considerations to factor into the hiring of career employees." Bloch noted in his letter that he had asked Justice officials on several occasions for access to documents and other evidence but "that he had been repeatedly rebuffed."

IRAQ -- AL SADR'S BLOC THREATENS TO END MILITIA CEASE-FIRE: Last August, Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr "publicly ordered his huge militia...to 'freeze' operations for up to six months" following "a day of Shiite-against-Shiite gunfire that killed 49 people during a religious ceremony in the holy city of Karbala." Al Sadr's cease-fire "has been cited by U.S. commanders in Iraq as a major contributor to the nationwide reduction of violence over the past six months." On January 18, al-Sadr's spokesman said the "rationale for the decision to extend the freeze of the Mahdi Army is beginning to wear thin...because the [Iraqi] government is supporting some criminal gangs operating inside security agencies and which refuse to abide by the law," a reference to Shiite militiamen from the Iranian-backed Badr Brigade. Now, "the political commission of al-Sadr's movement -- along with some lawmakers and senior officials -- said they were urging the cleric to follow through with his threat" to end the cease-fire. Nasser al-Rubaie, leader of the Sadrists in the parliament, said, "we presented a historic opportunity when we froze the [Mahdi] army...but they didn't take advantage of it."

KATRINA-- FEMA SILENCED CONCERNS OVER SAFETY RISKS OF TOXIC TRAILERS: Democratic leaders of the House Subcommittee on Science and Technology released a study yesterday that found that FEMA "ignored, hid and manipulated government research on the potential impact of long-term exposure to formaldehyde" on Katrina and Rita victims now living in FEMA trailers. "The lawmakers said the CDC's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ignored one of its experts...after he informed FEMA there was no 'safe level' of long-term exposure. They said FEMA bypassed that opinion and 'shopped' the agency for its desired recommendation to study only short-term exposure." Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC), co-chairman of the subcommittee, said, "Honest scientific studies don't start with the conclusion, and then work backwards from there." Last year, a report found that 94 percent of the emergency housing trailers contained "hazardous levels of formaldehyde." In November, it was reported that FEMA was prohibiting its staff from entering the trailers, even as 500,000 families were still living in them.

Former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte said the United States used waterboarding in terrorism interrogations but no longer does. In prepared remarks for Congress that he will deliver today, Attorney General Michael Mukasey avoids addressing the issue of waterboarding.

In January, there were "twice as many combat casualties" in Iraq "than there were in all of December 2007," according to analysis from Cybercast News Service. There have been 28 deaths through Jan. 28 in comparison with 14 in December.

The Bush administration's use of the state secrets privilege to avoid disclosure of classified information in civil lawsuits in increasing, prompting legislation that would provide more congressional oversight of the practice. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) will hold a hearing on the issue today.

After failing to force the passage of a White House bill, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) relented yesterday "and said he would offer a short-term extension of an anti-terror surveillance law, set to expire this week." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has sought such an extension, but President Bush issued a veto threat.

Some 9/11 responders were on-hand last night to listen to Bush's State of the Union. "I'm fed up with how we're treated," said Queens paramedic Marvin Bethea. Ground Zero volunteer John Feal added, "You got $3 billion a month to kill people, you got $3 billion a year for health care."

A new report by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction found that eight of 11 rebuilding projects assigned to embattled American contracting company Parsons "were terminated by the United States before they were completed."

Democrats were "elated" last night to listen to President Bush's final State of the Union speech. "I think everybody is ready to turn the page," said Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO). "Next year we'll have a different president, which I look forward to," added Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) "unveiled a rival plan to stimulate the economy, offering a $500 check to virtually every American — including low-income seniors and rich financiers — in a direct challenge to the bipartisan deal reached last week by President Bush and House leaders."

And finally: In their "by the numbers" breakdown of the State of the Union, Jeff Dufour and Patrick Gavin note that there were 71 rounds of applause last night. Among the highlights: two Democratic claps against Bush, 3 rounds of laughter with Bush, 1 Democratic chuckle at Bush, and 1 Democratic hiss.

Some 46,000 freight rail workers across the country "have a new contract that improves wages."

ILLINOIS: "Substandard care at a southern Illinois Veterans Affairs hospital may have contributed to 19 deaths over the past two years."

CALIFORNIA: "Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) effort to retool California's healthcare system ran aground yesterday."

WEST VIRGINIA: Record numbers of West Virginians are dying in a "quiet epidemic, mostly from prescription painkillers such as OxyContin, Vicodin and methadone."

THINK PROGRESS: White House Press Secretary Dana Perino inaccurately cites Iraq's national flag law as sign of political progress.

DRUM MAJOR INSTITUTE: Progressive policy response to President Bush's State of the Union proposals.

WARMING LAW: Auto and manufacturing industries continue their disinformation campaign against state-based emissions standards.

LAWYERS, GUNS AND MONEY: National Review's Jonah Goldberg gets tricked into posting an e-mail mocking him as praise for his new book.

"This means that if you do not act by Friday, our ability to track terrorist threats would be weakened and our citizens will be in greater danger. The Congress must ensure the flow of vital intelligence is not disrupted."
-- President Bush's State of the Union address, 1/28/08 on a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act extension

VERSUS

"Kenneth L. Wainstein, assistant attorney general for national security, said in an interview that if the August bill was allowed to expire in 10 days, intelligence officials would still be able to continue eavesdropping on already approved targets for another year under the law."
-- New York Times, 1/23/08

Think Progress

What's Old Is New Again

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