A Turn Around for Bush ?

I was shocked at the things that were coming out of Bush's mouth last night. He was talking about continuing to reform education, to increase the access of health care and reduce fraudulent lawsuits. He said he would veto any bills that include pork-barrel spending that were not debated and voted in Congress and wanted both parties to reduce the number of such projects (to which the Democrats have already cut in half in the past year).
Bush also said that he would, "send you a budget that terminates or substantially reduces 151 wasteful or bloated programs, totaling more than $18 billion. The budget that I'll submit will keep America on track for a surplus in 2012." That's great, but considering how the war in Iraq costs us $275 million/day Nat'l Priorities Project, which means $100 billion/year, we could instead not cut funding to perhaps essential programs.
He also took an unexpected turn to focus on the environment, saying that the US should invest in clean energy programs. However, he only talked about increasing the use of nuclear power (what nuclear waste?) and increased coal usage. He also wanted an international agreement to "slow, stop, and eventually reverse the growth of greenhouse gases. This agreement will be effective only if it includes commitments by every major economy and gives none a free ride." Now is he really going to go after the environment when he has rejected the Kyoto Protocol, opened up oil drilling in Alaska, and signed a weak energy bill a month or two ago? He also wanted to expand "funding for this type of ethical medical research...and we must also ensure that all life treated with the dignity it deserves." Judging from his past vetoes to not use embryonic stem cell research as well as use religion as the overruling authority on science, things still do not look too good for scientific research.
But then he spent the last half of the speech going back again to the war on terror and how we have to increase spending for Iraq and Afghanistan. He really got my hopes up before this; perhaps he was going to pursue programs and plans that would really help the country and go somewhat against his party in his last year as president. But I guess those hopes are all gone...until next year.
Transcript (CNN)
P.S. He was also kissed by Connecticut Congressmen Christopher Shays when he walked down the aisle.

Last State of the Union

Tonight, President Bush gives his last State of the Union address. The thought of that brings joy to my heart. I only have to hear his droning on about how great this country is doing and how we are (still) winning the war on terrorism. The good part is that he's cutting into primetime tv shows. I guess with the writer's strike going on, all Bush will be cutting into is reruns. I will only have to hear one more of his fragrant lies and optimism on the economy. But, as an educated person, I will still listen in as one has to be educated about a topic to make opinions of it. :)

Mayor Bloomberg Joins Governors Rendell And Schwarzenegger To Create "Building America's Future" - A Non-Partisan Coalition For Federal Infrastructure

An example of how the Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, is the Unconventional Mayor. Going from a grassroots initiative to try and force change at the federal level takes a lot of courage. Although I often like to characterize Bloomberg's criticisms of the Bush administration (global warming, education...) as Leftist, an issue like this with our transportation infrastructure being graded by the American Society of Civil Engineers as "dangerous" should deserve universal, bipartisan attention.

Mayor Bloomberg Joins Governors Rendell And Schwarzenegger To Create "Building America's Future" - A Non-Partisan Coalition For Federal Infrastructure Investment | Mike Bloomberg.com