BUSH'S PAST SOTU SPEECHES

Glimpses of past Bush SOTU speeches, courtesy of The Dallas Morning News, with some editorializing by yours truly:

2001
It is not customary for a newly inaugurated president to give a State of the Union. "It would be a little presumptuous of the brand new president to get up and talk about the State of the Union," said Senate historian Richard Baker.

Instead, Mr. Bush presented what aides called "a budget address." In the 49-minute speech, Mr. Bush said the country could afford a $1.6 trillion tax cut over 10 years and still improve schools, health care, the environment and national defense. Mr. Bush also said the country could repay a large portion of the national debt and emphasized a projected budget surplus of $5.6 trillion over the coming decade.


2002
THE WAR ON TERROR
WHAT HE SAID
President Bush said the war on terror, begun in Afghanistan, "is only just beginning." He labeled North Korea, Iran and Iraq an "axis of evil" and said the United States will work with other nations to deny terrorists and their state sponsors the materials and technology to create weapons of mass destruction.
WHAT HAPPENED
Congress passed a resolution authorizing Mr. Bush to use military force to compel Iraq to disband its suspected nuclear weapons program. Mr. Bush declared that Iraq "is a part of the war on terror" and that Saddam Hussein must disarm.
[ED. NOTE: Bush has a record of failure in nuclear security.]

DEFENSE SPENDING

WHAT HE SAID
He called for the biggest increase in defense spending in two decades, saying, "Whatever it takes to defend our country, we will pay."
WHAT HAPPENED
Mr. Bush signed a $355.4 billion defense bill that increased spending by more than $34 billion from the previous fiscal year. He had sought $367 billion but ran into bipartisan resistance to a $10 billion fund he could tap without congressional input to fight terrorists overseas.
[ED. NOTE: That amount does not include the $300 billion in supplementals required for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.]

HOMELAND SECURITY
WHAT HE SAID
He proposed nearly doubling funding for homeland security, focused on bioterrorism, emergency response, airport and border security, and improved intelligence.
WHAT HAPPENED
Congress created the Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security that merged 22 agencies with combined budgets of $40 billion.
[ED. NOTE: See A Homeland Seccurity Report Card and Homeland Security Bush's Biggest Failure.]

ECONOMY
WHAT HE SAID
He made jobs the centerpiece of his economic package and called on Congress to pass an economic stimulus package for a quick end to the recession.
WHAT HAPPENED
Congress passed his economic stimulus package, which extended unemployment benefits by 13 weeks and provided business with tax breaks.
[ED. NOTE: See Show Us The Jobs.]

SAFEGUARDING PENSIONS
WHAT HE SAID
He asked Congress to enact new safeguards for 401(k) and pension plans.
WHAT HAPPENED
Congress debated the measure but didn't pass it.
[ED. NOTE: Obviously not a priority, the Resident still has not expended any of his "political capital" towards seeing this done.]


2003
IRAQ
WHAT HE SAID
Mr. Bush made a case for American involvement in Iraq, saying, "If Saddam Hussein does not fully disarm, for the safety of our people and for the peace of the world, we will lead a coalition to disarm him."
WHAT HAPPENED
Eight weeks later, Mr. Bush launched a war with Iraq that began with a U.S. missile strike at dawn in Baghdad.
[ED. NOTE: U.S. calls off search for Iraqi WMD's.]

SOCIAL SECURITY
WHAT HE SAID
He repeated a 2000 campaign promise to let workers invest in private retirement accounts for Social Security.
WHAT HAPPENED
The proposal generated a little talk but not much action.
[ED. NOTE: He'll keep trying.]

MEDICARE
WHAT HE SAID
He again called for overhauling Medicare to allow seniors to choose between the existing system and an option that would include prescription drug benefits.
WHAT HAPPENED
Congress passed a prescription drug benefit to begin in 2006. Medicare beneficiaries in June 2004 could buy drug discount cards to save up to 25 percent on some retail drugs.
[ED. NOTE: Another Bush Ripoff.]

HYDROGEN VEHICLES
WHAT HE SAID
He proposed spending $1.2 billion to speed the development of hydrogen-powered, zero-emission fuel cell vehicles.
WHAT HAPPENED
In 2004 the Energy Department announced $350 million in grants to put hydrogen-fueled cars on the road by 2015.
[ED. NOTE: The rest of the story.]

LAWSUITS
WHAT HE SAID
He urged lawmakers to cap certain damages in malpractice awards.
WHAT HAPPENED
Mr. Bush is still pressing the issue.
[ED. NOTE: Here's why.]


2004
IRAQ
WHAT HE SAID
Mr. Bush reiterated his commitment to full sovereignty for Iraqis by the end of June.
WHAT HAPPENED
On June 28, the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority turned sovereignty over to an Iraqi government headed by interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. American troops retained broad military and police powers.

SOCIAL SECURITY
WHAT HE SAID
He pressed Congress again to overhaul Social Security to let workers invest in private retirement accounts.
WHAT HAPPENED
Little has happened.

TAX CUTS
WHAT HE SAID
He urged Congress to make tax cuts permanent.
WHAT HAPPENED
Congress extended middle-class tax cuts.

STEROIDS
WHAT HE SAID
He called on professional sports team owners, union representatives, coaches and players to "get rid of steroids now."
WHAT HAPPENED
Mr. Bush signed an anti-steroid measure into law that curtailed sales of steroid precursors and established a program to teach young people about the drug's dangers. Last month, Major League Baseball and the players union announced a beefed-up steroid screening program.

[ED. NOTE: Does 2004 sound remarkably redundant?]

UPDATE: The Center for American Progress does a much better job of deconstructing previous Bush SOTU addresses.