Jackson Free Press

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 Commentsshow

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.

Ray Carter

Jan 23 2007

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!!!!!!!!!

justjess

Jan 23 2007

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

LawClerk

Jan 23 2007

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...

Jeff Lucas

Jan 23 2007

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....

ATLExile

Jan 23 2007

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

LawClerk

Jan 23 2007

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

DonnaLadd

Jan 23 2007

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

LawClerk

Jan 23 2007

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.

DonnaLadd

Jan 23 2007

"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.

Jeff Lucas

Jan 24 2007

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.

Ray Carter

Jan 24 2007

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

pikersam

Jan 24 2007

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.

Jeff Lucas

Jan 24 2007

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."

Ray Carter

Jan 24 2007

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.

optimisticaboutNewJackCity

Jan 24 2007