State of Disinformation

For those who watched the State of the Union last night, here is the fact checks done on NPR News Blog (w/ my comments)

Health Insurance: "The changes [Bush proposes] might also require some people with generous employer-provided coverage to pay taxes on that insurance for the first time, a significant reason why Congress didn't want to take this proposal up last year when it was first offered." What the fuck?! My solution: universal health care... but then I'm a crazy socialist.

Education: [quote from Bush this time, not NPRs anaylsis] "I ask you to support a new $300 million program called Pell Grants for Kids. We have seen how Pell Grants help low-income college students realize their full potential. Together, we have expanded the size and reach of these grants. Now let's apply that same spirit to help liberate poor children trapped in failing public schools." "Pell Grant for kids"= school vouchers . How about this crazy idea, using those funds to fix public schools that are "failing"?

Energy and Climate Change: Ok, he did do some good things. "...the new energy law, passed last December. It probably did more for the climate than anything the White House has conferred its blessing to: it raised fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks for the first time in 32 years." However Bush's push for investing in technology doesn't help the urgency need to address global warming. If we wait too much longer, the damage to areas like the polar ice caps will already be too far advanced. We need more aggressive legislation again major polluters like oil companies.

Climate Change: "As for an international agreement to slow and reverse growth of greenhouse gases, the president has never supported the Kyoto Protocol, the only international agreement so far with specific limits and mechanisms for reducing warming — one that every industrialized nation except the U.S. has signed onto." The only other thing I can add is that the US should be setting the standard for aggressive measures to combat climate change, not just expect the rest of the world to do it while we twiddle our thumbs.

Freedom Agenda: "...the democracy agenda took a hit when Hamas, which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization, won elections in the Palestinian territories two years ago and when the Muslim Brotherhood made gains in elections in Egypt before that." I love how Bush seems to have a selective memory when it comes to foreign policy, in some cases perhaps even an imaginative memory.

The Surge in Iraq: "There is unquestionably better security throughout the country, although there are now dangerous pockets of insurgent activity around the northern city of Mosul. ...the whole point of the surge was to create what administration officials called 'breathing space' for reconciliation. And on that point there has been little progress." Until the day when I stop hearing about deaths in Iraq everyday in the news, I will not believe this bullshit that the surge is working. ( more NPR's analysis on Bush's statements on Iraq and also on the Middles East)

Entitlement Reform: [quote from Bush this time, not NPRs anaylsis] "...entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is growing faster than we can afford." Hmm... isn't there something else that is growing faster than we can afford? Oh wait, the war in Iraq. How about we cut back on that instead of reducing these programs? I guess helping people with health care (and saving lives) isn't a big priority with Bush administration.

Iran: [quote from Bush this time, not NPRs anaylsis] "Our message to the people of Iran is clear: We have no quarrel with you, we respect your traditions and your history, and we look forward to the day when you have your freedom" Wow, deja vu... didn't he say this before he invaded Iraq?!!

Intelligence Surveillance: "Under existing legislation, the attorney general has to certify that the surveillance meets the legal conditions. Those certifications will not expire on Feb. 1. There will be no disruption of current monitoring. The wiretapping can continue regardless of what Congress does. It is true, however, that the executive branch will not be able to make new certifications and therefore open new surveillance cases." It pissed me off that they have allowed surveillance without judicial review in the first place, so Bush's bitching does not move me in the slightest.

The Economy: "President Bush acknowledged the economy faces difficulties, but glossed over the seriousness of the problem. Some economists believe the U.S. is already in recession." I could be wrong on this, but I believe that it was during Bush's administration that the changes in lending practices that allowed predatory lending (and the housing market crisis) to occur came into effect. So, in a sense, Bush is responsible for this recession.

Extending Bush's Tax Cuts: "The Citizens for Tax Justice estimate that the middle 20 percent of Americans will receive 11 percent of the Bush tax cuts between 2001 and 2010, while the top 1 percent will receive 36 percent. That means the middle 20 percent would lose about $540 a year in tax breaks if the Bush tax cuts are not renewed. The top 1 percent would lose an average of $34,000 a year." Bush wants to extend tax cuts for the rich indefinitely? He's such a "defender" for lower income individuals/families and has "only" their needs in mind.... right, thats totally believable (rolls eyes).