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January 29, 2008

Bush speech fails to impress NW Dems

Seattle Post Intelligencer - A few that stuck out...

Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley, one of two Democrats hoping to oppose Smith this fall, said the wages of the average American family are lower than they were when Bush took office seven years ago, while such an average family's debt is higher and fewer have health insurance.

"Now they are experiencing the ravages of mass foreclosures - the result of too little scrutiny and too few protections in the mortgage industry," Merkley said.

Bingo!! The mortgage crisis is the direct result of following the intellectually bankrupt reich-wing philosophy of letting market forces dictate things. It was imminently avoidable!!

Congressman Brian Baird had a very interesting response to Bush's speech:

Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., said he wished Bush had called on the nation to invest in transportation infrastructure and energy conservation. He said Bush "should have shown bold leadership by calling on all Americans to cut their energy consumption and carbon generation by 20 percent in 20 weeks. That would immediately put money into people's pockets through savings on energy, and it would have promptly cut energy prices. It would also have shown the world that we are truly serious and willing to take the lead on stopping climate change and ocean acidification."

For his part Senator Gordon Smith called for Congress to follow Bush's lead:

Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., sounded a similar note.

"Now more than ever Congress must keep its focus on issues impacting most Americans - access to health care, the housing crisis, the family budget, a sputtering economy," said Smith, who is up for re-election this year. "Working together to find consensus is how we will tackle these challenges."

Of course "consensus" in Bush-speak means "do it my way," Which none of the NW Dems seem inclined to do. And given Bush's record I can't say that I blame them. The man has been an abject failure as a statesman.

Posted by Kevin at January 29, 2008 08:14 AM