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You can read about Bush’s speech by clicking here, and read a transcript of the speech here.
On energy independence and climate change, Bush called for reducing the nation’s gasoline usage by 20 percent in the next 10 years by increasing the use of alternative energy – in particular ethanol – and pushing tougher fuel efficiency standards. He acknowledged for the first time the need to confront “the serious challenge of global climate change.”
U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. and chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said he was encouraged that the president has set a goal of reducing the nation’s gasoline usage by 20 percent in the next 10 years.
“That is an initiative all Americans can get behind,” Bingaman said. “But I am very disappointed that the president did not say much about addressing global warming in a comprehensive way. There is a great desire across the country – including from leading American companies – for presidential leadership on this important issue. By essentially ducking the issue of taking a mandatory, economy-wide approach to the problem, the president has missed a real opportunity.”
Sen. Pete Domenici, the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said he agreed with the president’s plan to expand the ethanol standard included in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, saying that “raised the bar on our commitment to renewable fuels.”
But he said he was disappointed that Bush “didn’t give greater attention to the tremendous promise nuclear power holds for us. Nuclear power is a carbon-free energy source, and expanding its use is the single most significant thing we can do to confront climate change.”
U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., said Bush has promised every year to lessen
“Americans need more than lip service; we need a new direction in our approach to energy as we know it,” Udall said. “… While I commend the president for acknowledging the seriousness of global warming, I will continue to urge both he and my colleagues in Congress to acknowledge that this is one of the most pressing issues facing our nation, and it demands immediate action. We cannot wait.”
Gov. Bill Richardson, a 2008 presidential contender, said Bush’s proposal isn’t comprehensive enough to have an effect.
“Ethanol is a critical part of the solution, but not the only part. Our approach must be comprehensive, exploring all opportunities with renewables, including solar, wind, biomass, fuel cells, and distributive generation, to name a few,” he said. “… Ultimately, we need a man-on-the-moon effort focused on energy independence. Anything less will not create the change necessary to make a lasting difference.”
Health care
To deal with a struggling health care system, Bush proposed turning health benefits into taxable income. Up to $15,000 in health-insurance premiums would be deductible, while premiums over that amount would be penalized. Critics say the plan penalizes those with good insurance, shifts burden from companies to working Americans, and does little or nothing for the poor who have no health insurance.
“The burden of having so many patients unable to pay is crushing the health care system, and all of us are paying the price,”
Bingaman said he is “concerned that the president’s proposal would make health care more expensive for millions of middle-class Americans, especially those with chronic diseases,” and said the plan “may undermine incentives for employers to provide robust health insurance coverage for their employees.”
“If we want to make health care more affordable, and extend coverage to the nearly 50 million people who are currently uninsured, the president’s proposal is not the most effective and efficient way of doing so,” Bingaman said.
Overall assessment
U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., praised the proposals made by Bush.
“I applaud the president for reaching out to the new Democratic majority in Congress,” Pearce said. “I fervently hope they will reach back, and I will do everything in my power to serve as a bridge to the promise that goal holds for
“It’s clear that the president intends to forge forward with a bold agenda to win the war on terror and build upon our strong economy,” Pearce said. “I’m particularly encouraged by his proposals to expand access to health care and attack wasteful spending.”
Udall said Democrats have already reached out.
“The new Congress already has taken several bipartisan steps to move
Domenici acknowledged the difficulty Bush faced in addressing the Democratic majority in Congress because of his dismal approval ratings and the unpopular war in
“President Bush obviously had to deliver this speech under difficult circumstances,” Domenici said. “I want to learn more about some of the proposals he rolled out tonight, including his plans for the military and health care.”
“Welcome to the party, Mr. President. The rest of the country and the world have been talking and doing something about these issues for years,” he said. “In addition to being years behind, what the president is proposing doesn’t go far enough and isn’t realistic.”
Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., didn’t release a statement about the speech, and told the Albuquerque Journal only that she continues to remain a skeptic of Bush’s plan in