State of the Union Debrief

Transcript is here.

This is based on reading the transcript. I did not watch; not watching serves as a control on blood pressure and as TV insurance.

(Bush points are in italics)

INTRO AND WAR ON TERROR
    King tribute — Nice. Necessary. Hearfelt.
    Our security depends on end of tyranny — Can’t be said enough.
    Calls out Radical Islam — Keep doing that.
    Letter from Marine Sergeant killed in action — Inspiring. Won’t get printed anywhere. Nice gesture to have parents there.
    “And now the leaders of Hamas must recognize Israel, disarm, reject terrorism and work for lasting peace.” — Important marker laid down.
    Statement of support to Iranian citizens — As far as he could go.
    “The terrorist surveillance program has helped prevent terrorist attacks. It remains essential to the security of America. If there are people inside our country who are talking with Al Qaida, we want to know about it, because we will not sit back and wait to be hit again.” — shouldn’t need to say this, but thanks to traitors disguised as journalists at the NY Times and elsewhere, he had to.

ECONOMY
    More jobs created than EU and Japan combined in past 2-1/2 years — and their combined population is almost double ours (EU 459 million, Japan 127 million, US 298 million).
    Wants tax cuts permanent — Wish he would have reframed (”lock in the current tax structure”)
    “Congress did not act last year on my proposal to save Social Security…” Democrats applauded (update - and according MKH at Hewitt, a standing ovation). — Congrats guys, the hole is $660 billion deeper, and you’re happy. Jerks. (Well, of course. If state control of our health and well-being is their goal, and it is, time is on their side.)
    Another SocSec/Medicare/Medicaid commission. — Oh bleep. The can gets kicked down the road one more year. The education effort stops for at least 6 months. Another $660 billion pushed onto future generations. Arguments about who’s on the commission, majority and minority reports, and (I’m afraid) nothing we don’t know already — argh. At least all the big problems are being addressed at once.
    Litany of things he’d like to do seems like wish list he’s not serious about, until he gets to energy. Ideas are good, but he need to allow markets to work.
    The math-science teachers idea — Nice, but the educators will try to make hash out of it.

OVERALL: B-minus. Holds his own on War on Terror and tax cuts. Entitlements drift for another year, while the time to address them constructively is running out. Maybe the fact that all three biggies are on the table at the same time will lead to a comprehensive solution, but I’m not optimistic. Nothing else really inspiring in the rest.
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ADD-ONs (grade doesn’t change): Bush made some good points about ethics and earmarks, and Lincolnlogs reminds me that he asked for a line-item veto. Perhaps the President has the sense that, unlike what happened in 1998, the current Supremes will uphold a line-item veto appropriately drafted.