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Politics

State of Union's context rotates back to economy

WASHINGTON - Bound together, President Bush's State of the Union addresses are a history of the ups and downs of his presidency, of the times he got his way and the times his hopeful oratory was just that.

Last year, Bush implored a skeptical Congress to embrace his plan to send thousands more U.S. troops to Iraq. Despite growing gloom in the country about the war, Democrats failed to stop him or to set deadlines for troop withdrawals. The military buildup went ahead without impediment and is credited with lowering violence in Iraq, at least for now, even as progress in political reconciliation has proved disappointing.

Some of the ideas Bush has pushed in the annual speech have fallen flat and even backfired.

In 2005, he advocated an overhaul of Social Security, saying the program was "headed toward bankruptcy." It went nowhere in Congress. For three years running, from 2004 to 2006, he appealed to lawmakers to approve a guest worker program as part of major changes in immigration laws. Members of his own party sabotaged the plan.

The State of the Union, first delivered by George Washington in 1790, gives the president a chance to outline his agenda. Yet initiatives aired in optimism quickly can fall victim to divisive politics, budget fights or events far from Washington.

Building his case for invading Iraq, Bush stated in his 2003 address that the British government had learned that Saddam Hussein had sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. That assertion turned out to be wrong and the blunder later punched a hole into Bush's justification for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that March.

It also led to the scandal over the leak of Valerie Plame's CIA identity. A newspaper column by her husband, a former ambassador, disputed Bush's statement about the uranium, precipitated Plame's unmasking and spawned an investigation that eventually ensnared Vice President Dick Cheney's then-chief of staff.

Iraq has figured prominently in Bush's State of the Union addresses, which have defended the war while the U.S. death toll rises - from 500 when he spoke in 2004 to more than 3,900 today.

In this year's speech, set for Monday night, Bush's words on the sagging economy might command more attention from a war-weary public.

Fast facts

What he said

Some issues raised in President Bush's State of the Union addresses over the years and what became of them:

Axis of evil

In 2002, Bush branded Iraq, North Korea and Iran as members of an "axis of evil."

Iraq: The U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, but violence in the country persists. About 160,000 U.S. troops are on the ground today. The current plan is to reduce U.S. forces in Iraq by roughly 30,000 troops by July.

North Korea: International pressure has led North Korea to begin disabling a plutonium-producing reactor. But North Korea missed a deadline in 2007 to declare all its nuclear programs.

Iran: A recent U.S. intelligence report said Iran suspended its nuclear weapons program in 2003; the United States and allies say Iran is still a threat and want tougher U.N. penalties against the country.

Economy

Bush said in 2002, "We will defeat this recession."

Technically, the recession was over before Bush pledged to defeat it. The National Bureau of Economic Research said the last recession started in March 2001 and ended that November. Bush's $1.35-trillion in tax cuts in 2001 were credited with helping make the recession short and mild. Recession fears today are back and Bush is pushing a $150-billion economic recovery plan.

Iraq

In the runup to the war in Iraq, Bush said in 2003 that Hussein had taken elaborate steps to build and keep weapons of mass destruction. No banned weapons were ever found in Iraq.

AIDS

In 2003, Bush outlined a $15-billion plan for emergency AIDS relief in Africa, calling it a "work of mercy" that would save millions of lives. In May 2007, he announced plans to double that initial $15-billion commitment to $30-billion over the next five years.

Social Security

Bush pledged in 2005 to make changes to Social Security the top priority of his second term. His plan went nowhere in Congress.

Immigration

Bush pushed Congress in several State of the Union speeches to overhaul the immigration law and set up a guest worker program for immigrants. The idea died, mostly because of opposition from Bush's own conservative base.

Energy

Bush announced his plan in 2007 to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Last month, Bush signed energy legislation to bring more fuel-efficient vehicles into auto showrooms and require wider use of ethanol.

[Last modified January 27, 2008, 02:24:19]