The wonks at The Center for American Progress revisit State of the Union
Addresses of years past and find a startling pattern: apparently, President
Bush hasn’t been entirely accurate.
2002:
PROMISE: “We’ll increase funding to help states and communities train and
equip our heroic police and firefighters.”
STATUS: According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), “At
least two-thirds of the nation’s fire departments are understaffed.” Cuts in
federal aid to local police agencies have pushed local agencies “to the
breaking point.” [USA Today, 11/28/04; USA Today,
11/16/04]
2003:
PROMISE: “I will send you a budget that increases discretionary spending by
4 percent next year - about as much as the average family’s income is
expected to grow.”
STATUS: Real median household income fell 0.1 percent in 2003, from $43,381
to $43,318. According to the latest census data, median household income has
dropped 3.5 percent since the beginning of the Bush presidency in 2000.
[Mother Jones, 8/27/04; Census]
2004:
CLAIM: “The tax relief you passed is working.”
STATUS: The tax cuts have drained resources from domestic programs utilized
by middle-class families. The Bush tax cuts for the richest 1 percent of
Americans this year alone will cost $148 billion. “That is twice as much as
the government will spend on job training, $6.2 billion; college Pell
grants, $12 billion; public housing, $6.3 billion; low-income rental
subsidies, $19 billion; child care, $4.8 billion; insurance for low-income
children, $5.2 billion; low-income energy assistance, $1.8 billion; meals
for shut-ins, $180 million; and welfare, $16.9 billion.” [UFE, 4/7/04;
Detroit News, 9/29/04]
STATUS: Between June 2003 and December 2004, the economy produced 3.1
million fewer jobs than the administration predicted would result after the
last round of tax cuts. [Jobwatch.org, 1/7/05]
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