comments_image -

Updated: Progressives Rip Bush's Speech [VIDEO]

"He's weak, and you sense he knows it." Louise Slaughter (D-NY) is "Flummoxed!"
January 23, 2007  |  
 
Advertisement
 

Bush's 6th State of the Union speech is, well, over.

Below is an overview of progressive responses, both general and specific. For the video of the official Democratic rebuttal, go HERE.

*Blogger Josh Marshall videotaped his response, video right, touching on Iran in the crosshairs and the pathetic undertones of the speech in general.

*Many (including Obama) have noted that Katrina didn't rate a single mention, despite last year's pronouncement that:

"A hopeful society comes to the aid of fellow citizens in times of suffering and emergency -- and stays at it until they're back on their feet. So far the federal government has committed $85 billion to the people of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. We're removing debris and repairing highways and rebuilding stronger levees. We're providing business loans and housing assistance. Yet as we meet these immediate needs, we must also address deeper challenges that existed before the storm arrived."

*Calling his few policy proposals "uniformly awful," Ezra Klein sums up the pompless pomp best:

"The Democratic Majority robbed the threat of action from Bush's rhetoric. His cruel health plan and Social Security fear mongering are evanescent annoyances, not upcoming agenda items. He's weak, and you sense he knows it. The speech hit the notes it needed to and no more. It was, this time, a formality, a book report bound and delivered to Congress, just as the assignment called for. He sought checkmarks for attendance and completion, and went home."

*John Aravosis, in a post titled "Man, that sucked," goes the Christo route, noting what was missing:

"Speaking of ignoring, what the hell happened to family values and the social conservatives. Did they get ANYTHING in the entire speech? Abortion, gone. Activist judges, gone. Gay marriage, gone. That's the sleeper shocker of this speech, the utter cleansing of anything that would appeal to the family values crowd. They have truly become the crazy aunt in the attic, to be hidden at all costs."

Here are some other progressive responses to issues Bush actually did raise...ON KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES:

"President Bush's address proved that he exists in his own bubble. He can't level with the people on Iraq, and he has no clue about the economy's effects on working families. As a result, the policies that he proposed on Iraq, health care, education and the economy ignore the realities that we face and only dig our country deeper into the hole."

--Robert Borosage, co-director, Campaign for America's Future

ON HEALTH CARE:

"President Bush's health care proposals are dead on arrival. They will not be taken seriously by the Congress because no proven health expert and few American families believe that a tax credit will help Americans get good health care coverage. The president's health care proposals are like his rejected plans to privatize Social Security, his health savings accounts and his Medicare prescription drug plan. They benefit the wealthy and the special interests, leaving the rest of us on our own."

--Roger Hickey, co-director, Campaign for America's Future

ON ENERGY:

"Like on Iraq, President Bush isn't listening to the American people on energy independence. The president convinced us that we have an energy problem, but he hasn't convinced us that he has a solution. He defined a bold goal, but needs to give us the tools to reach it. Members of Congress from both parties have proposed legislation that goes farther than what the president put on the table. President Bush could be leading this march, but instead, he is falling to the back of the line."

--Jerome Ringo, president, Apollo Alliance

Evan Derkacz is an AlterNet editor. He writes and edits PEEK, the blog of blogs.
submit to reddit

-
Email
Print
Share
LIKED THIS ARTICLE? JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST
Stay up to date with the latest AlterNet headlines via email
See more stories tagged with: bush, progressives, sotu
Alternet Special Coverage - Occupy Wall Street
Advertisement
Most Read
Most Emailed
Most Discussed
On REDDIT
On DIGG
 
loading most read content ..
Advertisement
On Today's AlterNet Radio Hour: Naomi Klein, Sarah Posner and Dean Baker!

By Joshua Holland | AlterNet

 
 
San Francisco Police Department Releases 'It Gets Better' Video

By Tara Lohan | AlterNet

 
 
Occupy Protesters Mic-Check Palin During CPAC Speech

By Adele M. Stan | AlterNet

 
 
Apple, Accustomed to Profits and Praise, Faces Outcry for Labor Practices at Chinese Factories

By Amy Goodman, Juan Gonzalez | Democracy Now!

 
 
Could Santorum Actually Beat Romney? And Would the Obama Campaign be Ready?

By Steve M. | Booman Tribune

 
 
Bill Moyers: The Economy Has Been Engineered to Screw Over Millennials (With an AlterNet Shoutout!)

By Staff | AlterNet

 
 
Maher: Conservatives Are the Ones Dividing the Country

By Sarah Seltzer | AlterNet

 
 
In Kansas, Is Catholic Church Trying to Destroy A Victim's Advocates Organization?

By Julie Cain | Ms. Magazine Blog

 
 
Obama vs. the Concern Trolls on Nonsense "Religious Liberty" Issue

By Digby | Hullabaloo

 
 
At CPAC, Santorum Surges Despite Idiotic Claims; Romney Poses as 'Severe' Conservative; Gingrich Makes War on GOP

By Adele M. Stan | AlterNet

 
 
 
Reverend Billy Talen
 
 
 
loading ...
POWERED BY DIGG'S USERS
 
[ page served from web 1 ]