WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2007
Text Of Bush's State Of The Union Speech
President Defends His Iraq Policy, Outlines Energy Plan
-
Play CBS Video Video Bush On The Economy In his speech, President Bush laid out three economic priorities: balancing the federal budget, reducing earmarks and saving Social Security while fixing Medicare and Medicaid.
-
Video Bush On Health Care President Bush proposed initiatives to help more Americans afford health insurance and to help states cover the uninsured.
-
Video Bush On Gas Consumption President Bush wants to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and put forth a goal of reducing gasoline use by 20% over the next 10 years.
-
President Bush (AP)
-
Interactive 2007 State Of The Union President Bush lays out a streamlined agenda to Congress, VIPs, invited guests and the nation.
-
Interactive Presidential Approval Ratings A sampling of President Bush's overall job approval ratings at selected points during his term in office.
-
Interactive New Plan For Iraq Key elements of the plan, excerpts from the president's speech, reaction and more.
Madam Speaker, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
This rite of custom brings us together at a defining hour — when decisions are hard and courage is tested. We enter the year 2007 with large endeavors under way and others that are ours to begin. In all of this, much is asked of us. We must have the will to face difficult challenges and determined enemies — and the wisdom to face them together.
Some in this chamber are new to the House and Senate — and I congratulate the Democratic majority. Congress has changed, but our responsibilities have not. Each of us is guided by our own convictions — and to these we must stay faithful. Yet we are all held to the same standards, and called to serve the same good purposes: To extend this nation's prosperity ... to spend the people's money wisely ... to solve problems, not leave them to future generations ... to guard America against all evil, and to keep faith with those we have sent forth to defend us.
We are not the first to come here with government divided and uncertainty in the air. Like many before us, we can work through our differences and achieve big things for the American people. Our citizens don't much care which side of the aisle we sit on — as long as we are willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done. Our job is to make life better for our fellow Americans and help them to build a future of hope and opportunity — and this is the business before us tonight.
A future of hope and opportunity begins with a growing economy, and that is what we have. We are now in the 41st month of uninterrupted job growth — in a recovery that has created 7.2 million new jobs ... so far. Unemployment is low, inflation is low and wages are rising. This economy is on the move — and our job is to keep it that way, not with more government but with more enterprise.
Next week, I will deliver a full report on the state of our economy. Tonight, I want to discuss three economic reforms that deserve to be priorities for this Congress.
First, we must balance the federal budget. We can do so without raising taxes. What we need to do is impose spending discipline in Washington, D.C. We set a goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009 — and met that goal three years ahead of schedule. Now let us take the next step. In the coming weeks, I will submit a budget that eliminates the federal deficit within the next five years. I ask you to make the same commitment. Together, we can restrain the spending appetite of the federal government, and balance the federal budget.
Next, there is the matter of earmarks. These special interest items are often slipped into bills at the last hour — when not even C-SPAN is watching. In 2005 alone, the number of earmarks grew to over 13,000 and totaled nearly $18 billion. Even worse, over 90 percent of earmarks never make it to the floor of the House and Senate; they are dropped into committee reports that are not even part of the bill that arrives on my desk. You did not vote them into law. I did not sign them into law. Yet they are treated as if they have the force of law. The time has come to end this practice. So let us work together to reform the budget process ... expose every earmark to the light of day and to a vote in Congress … and cut the number and cost of earmarks at least in half by the end of this session.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The secrets of tennis legend 
- 1
- 2
- next
See all 24 CommentsMOre importantly it should be noted that he has plenty of hidden agendas in this speech, like his plan to make sure employers are not hiring undocumented workers...here comes the US Citizen ID idea again...a way for the Repubes to track us all with the technology that could be used develop and promote sustainable energy. And note his intentions to create "affordable" health care coverage, not actual health care just insurance, which is all about the big business, insurance stockholders and CEO who make 400% more than the working poor or even the working middle class.
We may never know the truth about what steps led to the decision to attack Iraq, but we all can agree it was a mistake. What's troublesome is that Iraq is no longer a stable, secular state--it now shares Islamic extremism with Iran, Afghanistan, and a number of the other Islamic states. And this is not religious--it's about power and wealth, with religion used as a tool, just as Christianity has been used to keep peasants in their place by powerful Western leaders. The hornets' nest has just increased in size and focus since our regime change in Baghdad.
The only real hope is to develop alternative energy sources and stop wasting our resources and relying on foreign energy with gas-guzzling cars and MacMansions. We The People have to get a grip and stop it ourselves.
Until we start insisting on smaller vehicles and homes, we are at the mercy of Islamic extremists, irrespective of how many of our pristine wilderness areas we drill.
Both dems and repubs need to wake up and quickly refocus on this issue and forget about red herrings that both parties use to grab our attention.
I am quite sure that Bush actually stated "Democrat majority." Important distinction given that right wing Repubs have made it their goal to deny the Democratic party the use of the word democratic. If I am correct, I would respectfully ask CBS to make this correction.
I can't get over how stupid SOME of the people who post on this board really are.
Yes democrats voted to go to Iraq and it was based on the information they were given by bush and cheney.
And it has been proven that the information was false fabricated by bush and cheney.
Now just what part of that do you not understand?
A... chief [executive] strictly limited, the right of war vested in the legislative body, a rigid economy of the public contributions and absolute interdiction of all useless expenses will go far towards keeping the government honest and unoppressive." --Thomas Jefferson to Lafayette, 1823. (*) ME 15:491
More can be found at: http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff0650.htm
He says that we're in the 41st month in which there have been no job declines, but, my tio licho just lost his job...j/k about that..comic relief
how can he be offering tax cuts, when there is a freaking $8.6 TRILLION deficit! what a moron!
jazthegenius pointed out that he said "minority students are closing the achievement gap."...what the hell???..why doesnt he worry about the redneck hillbillies in the south, they're dumber than rocks!
i guess his immigration policy is...ok
i didnt buy any of the oil ***, striaght up BS
he spoke too much of the "totalitarian ideology", and only achieved making me rethink wether "ideology" is a word, b/c it just sounded weird after the kagillionth time.
and i found it hilarious that he thanked God for the TSA workers, i mean, they do great things, like, mope around all day and get payed $15 per hour.
what stood out themost was this little phrase : "they [iraqis] just want to live in peace"...hilarious!!! i bet he thinks we think he thinks we think its his fault...well, it is!
and finally, all that *** about helping Africa with HIV and AIDS, total BS, he only pledged like..1/5 billion, yet he spends 6 billion per month on this damned war...ay yayay!
But, President Bush and the Republican held congress at that time promised a strategic military plan that would bring our fighting forces home, and leave just a small compliment of soldiers to help the Iraqi's with small sectarian squirmishes and humanitarian operations. This is where the comments made by the Democratic response tonight holds great strength...the President has refused to listen to the military advisors and continues his Napoleonic ideology on the war in Iraq.
It is time to bring all of the Middle Eastern countries together at the diplomatic table and try to find a sense and an end to sectarian violance and a peaceful exsistance of all, in this important and historic region of our world.
Its time to bring our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, cousins, neighbors, our friends home from the front lines of battle.
- 1
- 2
- next
See all 24 Comments