Senator Boxer Reacts to President's State of the Union Address

January 28, 2008 -- "Today, the White House said the theme of President Bush’s State of the Union Address would be “trust and empower.”

Nearly eight years ago, the American people empowered George W. Bush and gave him our trust. But year after year, President Bush has squandered the hopes and dreams of the American people, and nothing he said tonight indicates we should expect anything but more of the same in domestic and foreign policy.

Tonight, the President had a wide-open opportunity to bring about what the American people are clamoring for every day—meaningful change.

We need meaningful change to end our open-ended commitment in Iraq, which has claimed the lives of 3,940 of America’s brave sons and daughters, and left more than 29,000 more wounded.

And we need meaningful change to rejuvenate our ailing economy, not just in the short term but in the long term as well.

Where true leadership and bold action is needed, the President gave us empty rhetoric and baby step ideas. Instead of embracing the bipartisan Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act and the solutions needed to avert dangerous global warming, the President walked away and recommended nothing that will get the job done.

Instead of pursuing a foreign policy that would restore our standing in the world, the President continues with his failed Iraq policy that has incited extremists, emboldened Iran, strained our military, drained our treasury, and left us less safe at home.

Instead of committing to work with the Congress to address the concerns of the American people as they face a home mortgage crisis, high gas prices, and skyrocketing healthcare costs, the President issued veto threats and advocated permanent tax cuts for millionaires and special interests.

This is not the change our nation so desperately wants and needs. In the coming weeks and months, I will be working with my colleagues to begin the deep changes that are needed in our country, so that the next President will not inherit a disastrous situation, both at home and abroad."

Source: Senator Barbara Boxer

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