President George W. Bush's seventh and final State of the Union address presented a host of general, yet provocative policy proposals in the face of an uncertain economy, ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and tight election year races. However, while one must approach any State of the Union speech ready to read through the self-congratulatory lines, The Miami Student editorial board feels that Bush's speech outlined admirable goals but presented problematic methodology.
Bush focused heavily on spending reforms and presenting Congress with a balanced federal budget. Working to balance the budget is laudable, however fiscal responsibility has hardly been a hallmark of Bush's administration over the course of the past seven years. Curbing earmark spending-hopefully without bringing the Congress to a standstill-and cutting funding to yet unnamed programs will not be enough to balance the budget, especially with the president pledging to make permanent the tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans.
Passing a bipartisan healthcare initiative that will help ensure universal access to health insurance is perhaps the most pressing domestic issue Americans face. Bush's proposal to make health insurance more affordable to small business owners through incentive packages and health savings accounts is not enough. While ensuring competitive consumer choice is an important facet of any plausible universal health insurance program, Congress must go further to craft a more far reaching healthcare initiative that involves private insurers, large pharmaceutical companies and the federal government.
President Bush contradicted himself on the issue of education, overstating the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) program's success, while then urging greater flexibility for educators and greater accountability for schools. Regardless of its merits, NCLB has reduced teachers' flexibility, instead encouraging curriculum to be tailored for mandatory tests. Rather than creating long-term opportunities for children faced with crumbling school systems, Bush's $300 million Pell Grant initiative will siphon additional funds that could better be used to assist in rebuilding the nation's public schools.
The president was however on target with his calls for Congress to build upon last fall's bilateral trade agreement with Peru, by approving trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. Such trade agreements are economically beneficial, while also giving the United States strategic leverage.
This editorial board opposes the president's call for Congress to renew the Protect America Act and to also pass legislation that would grant telecommunications companies liability protection. The United States government has a responsibility to protect its citizens. However, this has been done and can continue to be done without weakening or removing judicial oversight and accountability. When a party involved is an American citizen on American soil, the FISA courts-an institution that has proven flexible and timely-should be employed to grant investigators the necessary warrants.
President Bush's praise of General Anthony Petraeus was worthy and much deserved. On the heels of his success in reducing levels of violence in Iraq, and reigniting hopes for success, the president has signaled that 20,000 Marines will be permanently withdrawn from Iraq. If this decision has been made after a careful evaluation of the strategic situation on the ground, it is long welcomed. However, we hope that this is not a politically motivated move-spurred by the 2008 elections-that might jeopardize Petraeus' recent successes. Additionally, it is important that Bush demonstrated renewed focus on the critical war in Afghanistan and will be deploying 3,200 more troops in country to bolster NATO forces.
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