Left with a Democratic majority in Congress, President Bush knows full well that he will have little success in the coming year unless he increases his political flexibility and changes his tone.
Such was evident in his yearly address to the nation.
Tuesday's particularly eloquent State of the Union Address reflected a far more moderate, reserved president, however he still maintained similar initiatives to those he has sought throughout his tenure.
Bush prefaced his remarks with a call for bipartisanship, as he now finds himself in an unusual position vying for Congressional concession.
Expectedly he called attention to the expanding U.S. economy, touting that in roughly three and a half years the country has seen 7.2 million new jobs. H also outlined a plan to balance the federal budget, called for the end of indiscretionary spending by members of Congress through legislative earmarks and stressed the importance of fixing the mammoth shortfalls of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Nothing new.
Tackling the issue of immigration, the U.S. dependence on foreign oil, addressing the Iraq war, concerns in Afghanistan and reminding us of the constant threat of terrorism are things that we have also seen before. Many claim the president's plan calls for "more of the same, on top of more of the same."
What was new and perhaps the most promising is Bush's plan to assist those without health care, calling for a plan to eliminate income or payroll taxes on the first $15,000 of a family's income if they hold a health insurance policy. Under the same plan, single Americans will not pay tax on the first $7,500 of income.
But will anything come to fruition?
With 2008 presidential hopefuls already hot-to-trot, it is unlikely that tremendous strides will be made in Congress to accomplish what Americans need most.
These issues will likely be tabled by selfish presidential candidates so that they may bolster their own campaign platform in lieu of taking action now.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
