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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- =============================== NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100 Washington DC 20037 World Wide Web: http://www.LP.org =============================== For release: January 30, 2002 =============================== For additional information: George Getz, Press Secretary Phone: (202) 333-0008 Ext. 222 E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] =============================== Bush's State of the Union speech was a historic 'missed opportunity' WASHINGTON, DC -- George W. Bush missed a historic opportunity in his State of the Union address last night by not refocusing the federal government on its primary function: Defending the lives and rights of American citizens. Instead, he outlined a laundry list of 39 new government proposals, new expenditures, and expanded programs -- as well as a potentially endless, worldwide "War on Terrorism," said Libertarian Party Executive Director Steve Dasbach. "George Bush's compassionate conservatism is sounding a lot like compulsive Clintonism," he said. "Instead of using September 11 as an opportunity to limit the federal government to its core role of defending America, President Bush is using the tragic terrorist attacks as an excuse to further expand the federal government." In fact, during his 48-minute speech, Bush proposed 39 new or expanded government initiatives, according to the Cato Institute -- which is almost as many on a per-minute basis as Bill Clinton proposed in his last State of the Union address. Such a strategy not only flies in the face of what conservatives profess to believe -- it also makes Americans less secure, said Dasbach. "A sprawling, trying-to-do-everything federal government cannot effectively focus on protecting Americans against foreign threats," he said. "A government that tries to do too much will end up doing too little where it really matters -- keeping us safe from foreign threats." In his State of the Union speech: * Bush proposed the "largest increase in defense spending in two decades." He also said the U.S. will take action against an "axis of evil" -- nations like North Korea, Iraq, and Iran which have the potential to develop weapons of mass destruction. Missed opportunity: America doesn't need to spend more money to protect itself -- it needs to spend less money smarter, said Dasbach. "September 11 could have been used as an opportunity to bring American troops home from the 144 nations and territories where they are stationed; to stop subsidizing the defense of wealthy European nations; and to stop intervening in foreign conflicts that do not affect our security," he said. "Instead, September 11 is being used as an excuse to rid the entire world of 'evil-doers,' while spending more money than we did during the Cold War. "What President Bush should have done is announce clear, measurable, and finite goals for this War on Terrorism. Our nation's best interests will be served by decisive action that targets the guilty, spares the innocent, and ends as quickly as possible." * In a clear reference to Enron, Bush said corporations should be "held to the highest standard of conduct." Missed opportunity: Bush should have used the Enron debacle to vow to end wasteful corporate welfare, said Dasbach. "While there is clear evidence of irresponsibility by Enron executives, many Americans don't realize that politicians used tax dollars to irresponsibly enrich those same executives," he said. "Over the past few years, Enron has received at least $1.6 billion from the federal government in Import-Export Bank subsidies and from the federal Overseas Private Investment Corporation. "What Bush should have done is promise to immediately end all Aid to Dependent Corporations -- especially ones with corrupt executives and shoddy accounting practices." * Bush unveiled the USA Freedom Corps, which will expand the AmeriCorps program and the Peace Corps, and promote "service" to the nation. Missed opportunity: Bush should have abolished Bill Clinton's tax- funded AmeriCorps program, said Dasbach -- and publicly rejected the notion that compassion comes with a government paycheck attached to it. "President Bush should have realized that you don't display your love for country by becoming a tax-funded volunteer," he said. "And Bush should have promised to take the money that has been squandered on the AmeriCorps program and return it to individual citizens -- who can best decide how to spend it to help their nation." * Finally, Bush promised to extend unemployment benefits, expand the Head Start program, upgrade teacher colleges, enact a Patients' Bill of Rights, and expand Medicare to give seniors coverage for prescription drugs. Missed opportunity: Bush should have used the current economic downturn to start trimming government programs and spending, said Dasbach. "Bush's modest tax cuts, which passed last year, were a nice start to help revitalize the economy," he said. "But that effort will now be undercut by more government spending, more bureaucracy, and higher deficits. Regretfully, each of Bush's 39 new and expanded programs will further slow the effort to create economic growth." In his State of the Union speech, Bush said he supported "limits on state power," noted Dasbach. "Whether in the area of national defense, corporate welfare, volunteerism, or federal programs, Bush should start to put that limited-government principle into practice," he said. "The fact that he did not do so was his greatest missed opportunity." -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQCVAwUBPFhF79CSe1KnQG7RAQH7bwP/SqA7tkon1ZAywVTEoaHOydIDcUHPL11S TCIIbNlCdTXyCpzVNo7hgZ6RM2F1GdcpuwaqZ8hpbwu19WlNWizUmfeOz6iZhRr6 6eUeWqhkpG1HKAtmmesw4MjRHlB3xtITiZO2IbdBTD4XaE0/5U0L6Ege0BWvPQ3x ly9CP0EhhKQ= =r5j/ -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - The Libertarian Party http://www.lp.org/ 2600 Virginia Ave. NW, Suite 100 voice: 202-333-0008 Washington DC 20037 fax: 202-333-0072 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - For subscription changes, please use the WWW form at: http://www.lp.org/action/email.html Alternatively, you may also send a message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> with just the word "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" in the subject line. ------- End of forwarded message ------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Forwarded as information only; no endorsement to be presumed + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. -Marcel Proust + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. 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