Bush Lays Out a Modest Agenda for His Final Year As President

Jan 28, 07:00 PM

The address seemed aimed more at what presidential advisers called "realistic" goals for the year than trying to establish a lasting Bush legacy.

Though he remained insistent that his Iraq policy is working well _ saying, according to speech excerpts released in advance, that "the American and Iraqi surges have achieved results few of us could have imagined just one year ago" _ he barely mentioned other initiatives that were the centerpieces of his earlier annual addresses, notably overhauls of immigration and Social Security, which both failed.

Instead, Bush talked of what may be possible in his final year in office. He voiced special pride in the $150 billion economic stimulus plan that he and congressional leaders forged last week.

And he offered more humble initiatives, such as urging the ratification of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, new help for military families and $300 million in scholarships for poor children to help them attend private and faith-based schools or out-of-area public schools.

This was a gentler, more accommodating president, one signaling that he was still wounded from the bruising fights he endured last year with the Democratic Congress.

"In this election year," the president said, according to speech excerpts released in advance, "let us show our fellow Americans that we recognize our responsibilities and are determined to meet them. And let us show them that Republicans and Democrats can compete for votes and cooperate for results at the same time."

Bush gave a sober assessment of the country's economy, acknowledging that "at kitchen tables across the country, there is concern about our economic future. In the long run, Americans can be confident about our economic growth."

He cited a need for tax breaks, both short and long term, and promised to veto any measure that doesn't halve the number and dollar amount of "earmarks," special projects that lawmakers insert into spending bills without due review.

"The people's trust in their government," Bush said, according to the excerpts, "is undermined by congressional earmarks."

He touched only briefly on several vexing problems that he's been trying to ease throughout his presidency. Bush called for making health care more affordable and once again brought up health care savings accounts, but he quickly dropped the subject. Nor did he dwell on the looming fiscal crisis in Social Security and Medicare, both due to cost taxpayers trillions in the near future as baby boomers retire.

He called the coming fiscal crisis, as well as an immigration overhaul, "pressing challenges that I have raised before this body and that this body has failed to address."

Then the gentler Bush resurfaced: "Now I ask members of Congress to offer your proposals," he said, according to the excerpts, "and come up with a bipartisan solution to save these vital programs for our children and grandchildren."

White House counselor Ed Gillespie seemed almost apologetic about including such lofty subjects, saying that viewers would be disappointed if such an important speech didn't mention such topics. But, in briefing reporters before the speech, Gillespie acknowledged that little progress was expected on them this presidential election year.

One of Bush's few new initiatives would allow service members to transfer any unused GI education benefits to spouses or children. The Army currently permits such transfers; under the Bush plan, all veterans, spouses or children could get up to 36 months of help for college, technical or vocational courses or job training.

Bush also would extend federal government hiring preferences now available to veterans to their spouses. Such ideas are unlikely to meet serious resistance.

But the Iraq war, which enters its sixth year in March, is far less popular. Nevertheless, the president wouldn't budge from his view that the war is a noble and increasingly successful cause.

"Some may deny the surge is working," he said, "but among the terrorists there is no doubt. Al-Qaida is on the run in Iraq, and this enemy will be defeated."

America's enemies in Iraq, Bush said, "have been hit hard. They are not yet defeated, and we can still expect tough fighting ahead. ... American troops are shifting from leading operations to partnering with Iraqi forces and eventually to a protective overwatch mission."

Bush also called for the extension of the Protect America Act, which gives the government broad power _ critics say far too much _ to monitor suspected terrorists. The act expires Friday.

The president looked far from Iraq, too, offering what he called a "global compassion" agenda.

More than half the world's food assistance comes from the United States, and Bush proposed to help provide that aid by buying crops from farmers in developing nations.

He also asked that his emergency plan for AIDS relief get double its current funding. The program is aimed at providing treatment for people in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Bush plans to visit Africa next month.

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HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESIDENT BUSH'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS:

_Economy. Urges Congress to pass the $150 billion stimulus package quickly and to "make sure the tax relief that is now in place is made permanent."

_Budget. Vows to veto any spending legislation that doesn't cut in half the dollar amount and number of earmarks, or special projects. Will issue an executive order Tuesday directing agencies to ignore any future earmark that Congress doesn't enact.

_Military families. Proposes hiring preferences for military spouses and extending unused education benefits to spouses and children.

_Education. Asks Congress to back a new $300 million "Pell Grants for Kids" program that would give scholarships to poor children in underperforming schools, allowing them to attend private or public schools of their choice.

_Terrorism. Calls the law giving the government broad authority to monitor terrorist communications "one of the most important tools we can give the men and women who protect us from attack" and urges it be extended. Law expires Feb. 1.

_Iraq. Wants full funding for the war. Insists that "the American and Iraqi surges have achieved results few of us could have imagined just one year ago."

_Global compassion. Would double AIDS relief to certain countries and provide food assistance by purchasing crops directly from farmers in developing countries.

_Trade. Wants Congress to approve free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.

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(c) 2008, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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