Ellington

President Bush must give a difficult "State of the Union" tonight to a nation that has turned against his policies. Please join us here at the JFP to blog it live. The New York Times is reporting:

arrying some of the worst public approval ratings of any president in a generation, President Bush is heading into his State of the Union address on Tuesday night seeking to revitalize his domestic agenda but facing stiff resistance over the initiatives the White House has previewed so far. Administration officials said Monday that among Mr. Bush's proposals would be a plan to help states provide health care coverage to people who lack insurance by diverting federal aid from hospitals, especially public institutions. The provision is likely to draw loud criticism from municipalities across the nation and will significantly affect the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, the nation's largest municipal health care system.

Officials said Mr. Bush's speech would include proposals to address the nation's energy needs and global warming, partly by promoting the use and development of alternative fuels. He is also expected to renew his call for an overhaul of immigration law and to propose altering tax policies to help the uninsured.

Previous Comments

ID

91077

Comment

And if he really goes domestic he will bring our troops home soon without any enhancement of efforts. Otherwise, I see just another sham and lie.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-01-23T13:45:32-06:00

ID

91078

Comment

The only thing Bush could possibly say to America in his State of the Union is: We have put up the White flag - the War is over! Or, if he wants to speak these words in Bush Language: Call in the Dogs and Pi$$ on the Fire - Hunting Season is OVER!!!!!!!!!

Author

justjess

Date

2007-01-23T14:28:43-06:00

ID

91079

Comment

I would like him to retake the oath of ofice and pay particular attention to the "Upholding the Constitution" part of it.... :) lc

Author

LawClerk

Date

2007-01-23T14:33:10-06:00

ID

91080

Comment

Well, I'll be watching Heroes from last night...thank God for Tivo. And it's really nice of Bush to get around to addressing those pesky domestic issues...six years into his presidency! Getting us off this damn Middle Eastern oil should have been the first agenda of his White House, let alone after 9/11. Our gasoline dependence has allowed the Saudis to grab us by the ___ since this war began and even longer. And closing the borders...

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2007-01-23T16:59:14-06:00

ID

91081

Comment

I am afraid he is the consumate lame duck now......more so now than ever. This will be painful to watch. But it is part of our very great American process and the people have spoken....

Author

ATLExile

Date

2007-01-23T17:11:43-06:00

ID

91082

Comment

Ejeff, Our oil policies suck. Period. All the way back to Carter... it's not anything new, it's just that Presidents and Politicians aren't effected by the price of gasoline as regular Americans are. lc

Author

LawClerk

Date

2007-01-23T20:59:15-06:00

ID

91083

Comment

So, it sounds like he's going to finally ask for sacrifice. Right on schedule.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-01-23T21:15:52-06:00

ID

91084

Comment

I'm watching right now, and I wonder... Is Ted Kennedy awake?

Author

LawClerk

Date

2007-01-23T21:27:59-06:00

ID

91085

Comment

I'm listening as I work. Bush-the-tree-hugger. That's something. Amazing what the presence of a few Dems can do. I'd feel so much better had he talking about cutting gas consumption because it was the right thing to do—not because he's suddenly losing politically. It's gross. He seems to have no problem being such a political hypocrite. That said, let's cut gas consumption. Now, I hear he is talking about Iraq. He's really got credibility on that one. But, hey, he just said the words "Osama bin Laden." That's different.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-01-23T21:39:05-06:00

ID

91086

Comment

"Our oil policies suck. Period. All the way back to Carter... it's not anything new, it's just that Presidents and Politicians aren't effected by the price of gasoline as regular Americans are." LawClerk, I agree wholeheartedly. Clinton and Reagan each had 8 years to ween us off of our dependence of Mid-East oil and neither did anything substantial to move us in that direction. Neither did Bush the Elder. At least Clinton was a bit more *progressive* in moving forward with petro/electric hybridization intiatives, but with gas prices around $1/gallon (the good ol' days) during much of his administration it seemed like the will to make a massive changeover on the part of the auto industry and the American people just wasn't there. I singled out Bush because his connections to the oil industry I believe have made him sheepish about pushing this agenda before now in spite of the War on Terror and the way OPEC has been playing with the supply and driving up prices because they are in collusion with, or at least sympathic to our enemies. And the oil companies are only so happy to pass along the additional cost to consumers while making record profits in the process.

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2007-01-24T11:17:04-06:00

ID

91087

Comment

After Mutombo, the baby einstein woman (name I can't recall) and the good samaritan (name I can't recall) I then expected Bush to hold up a replica or picture of the baby Jesus before proceeding. Somebody wrote him a good sounding speech. Too bad he didn't seem to care about poor folks, guvment spending, affordable healthcare, cutting oul consumption and dependence when he was all powerful. He was a full if sh!t as a Christmas repubican.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-01-24T12:02:15-06:00

ID

91088

Comment

This pretty much sums it up here. props to bcruzan / Fark

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-01-24T12:49:47-06:00

ID

91089

Comment

Finally catching the first half of the speech on C-SPAN.org. The thing that struck me about this speech is how subdued and more conciliatory he seemed compared to past speeches...except on Iraq. Just more rhetoric on increasing troop levels. This coming from a guy who has proven over and over that he isn't capable of handling complex situations like Iraq. It is clear that with a Democrat controlled Congress and many in Bush's own party having practically abandoned him, he has become the textbook definition of a lame duck president.

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2007-01-24T12:50:28-06:00

ID

91090

Comment

Why did they do that beautiful women like that? A better cartoon or caricature would be Bush in headlights. At one point during the applause I saw Bush smiling and saying to himself "I can't believe these people are falling for this deer in headlight bullsh!t. They're dumber than me. I always knew I was smarter than some of these people."

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-01-24T13:04:37-06:00

ID

91091

Comment

Bush taking us off oil is just another sham. He is from West Texas which LARGELY depends on the oil industry. I'll believe it when I seem him put money behind it.

Author

optimisticaboutNewJackCity

Date

2007-01-24T17:23:11-06:00