EDITORIAL: Get It Done: President Bush Delivers His Last State of the Union Address, Still a Force t

Jan 29, 05:20 AM

Jan. 29--All but eclipsed by the democratic process of choosing the next chief executive, President Bush delivered his last State of the Union message Monday night. Straddled by Kennedy family endorsements of Sen. Barack Obama and the Florida primary elections today, Bush made a valiant attempt to persuade Americans that the economy is sound, if temporarily uncertain, and that the war in Iraq has been worth the cost and will be won.

Rejecting any suggestion of irrelevance, the president called on Congress to cooperate for results. Recent agreement between the White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on tax rebates and other economic stimulants show how it can happen.

The enduring problem, however, is that Bush and congressional Democrats (and sometimes congressional Republicans) seek opposite results. Democrats, for instance, want to significantly expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program; Bush vetoed the legislation. Many members of both parties don't wish to give up "earmarks," the euphemism for local pork projects and bridges to nowhere. Bush rightly threatens to veto bills that don't cut earmarks in half.

The president's plan to partially privatize Social Security died a slow death, and in his speech Bush called on Congress to craft proposals to make Social Security and Medicare more secure. Congress should oblige. Bush is right that costs are increasing more than we can afford.

"We have unfinished business before us," Bush challenged Congress, "and the American people expect us to get it done."

That was a line officials on both sides of the aisle could applaud. But the American people, weary of bitter partisanship, are looking to the day when a new president will have the chance to get it done.

-----

To see more of the Houston Chronicle, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.HoustonChronicle.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, Houston Chronicle

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. EDITORIAL: Get It Done: President Bush Delivers His Last State of the Union Address, Still a Force t
Back to Current Headlines