“In the President’s State of the Union address, he discussed many key policy issues facing our nation. I hope the President will honor his commitment to reach across party lines in the next year to create positive changes for the American people and restore hope in our great nation.”
Economy
“The President asked Congress to make his tax cuts permanent—tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. As the cost of gas, health care and even groceries keep rising and the gap between the richest Americans and everyone else continues to grow, the President should focus on bringing relief to those who need it most—low and middle-income families.”
Fiscal Responsibility
“Under this President, we have borrowed an unprecedented amount of money from foreign governments like China, and the national debt has increased by $3.5 trillion. Just one day in Iraq costs an astounding $330 million. For this amount, we could fund nearly 1,000 research grants to find treatment and cures for cancer and other diseases. One week in Iraq would pay for 400,000 Americans to go to college for a year, and one month in Iraq would pay for one year of health insurance for 10 million American children. If we continue to cut domestic spending while borrowing more money to pay for a mismanaged war, it will be our children and grandchildren who pay the price.”
Earmarks
“For seven years, Bush ignored the skyrocketing number of earmarks under the Republican-led Congress and did nothing to reform the earmark process. On the first day of the Democratic-led 110th Congress, we adopted landmark rules that add transparency and accountability to the process, and we cut the cost of earmarks in half. I am pleased that the President has finally decided to join Democrats in this effort, but I am perplexed at his timing.”
Iraq and National Security
“At a cost of nearly 4,000 precious lives and over a half a trillion dollars, political progress in Iraq still seems like a long way off. Even General Petraeus agrees that a political solution is a prerequisite for success in Iraq, but we have little reason to believe that the Iraqi government is anywhere close to taking control of its own country.
“Because so many of our resources have gone toward the war in Iraq, we have allowed early progress in Afghanistan to slip between our fingers. Now, violence has increased and Al Qaeda has gained a new foothold in the region. If we are going to win the war on terrorism, we must broaden our view past Iraq and focus on our biggest threats across the globe.”
Energy Independence
“The President has promised this country in every State of the Union address that he would decrease our dependence on foreign oil. Enacting landmark energy legislation last year was the first major step the U.S. has taken toward becoming energy independent. After years of inaction from the Republican- led Congress on one of our most urgent problems, it took a Democratic majority to push this issue and finally work toward lessening our dependence on foreign oil.”
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