Chronicles of People Missing the Point – SOTU Edition
Every so often, someone in the public eye spouts something so completely off base that it borders on the ridiculous. I respectfully chronicle those vacations of mental pragmatism in a segment I like to call Chronicles of People Missing the Point.
First, in an effort to extend my gratitude at Bush’s gracious remarks to Speaker Pelosi, I quote him below. Unlike some, I welcome even the appearance of his sincerity, since all consideration and respect have been lacking of late in the political arena:
Thank you very much. Tonight, I have a high privilege and distinct honor of my own — as the first President to begin the State of the Union message with these words: Madam Speaker.
In his day, the late Congressman Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr., from Baltimore, Maryland, saw Presidents Roosevelt and Truman at this rostrum. But nothing could compare with the sight of his only daughter, Nancy, presiding tonight as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Congratulations.
Notice, however, that I refer to Bush as just Bush – not Mr. President, not President Bush, not even George Bush. If he would truly like to receive the ceremonial respect of his post, he might stop using the term “Democrat Congress” within the chambers, knowing that it is an under-handed smear aimed at the other side of the aisle. How about this – you use language that is not connotatively misleading and negetive, and we won’t mention how your tail, tucked firmly between your legs, made your suit fit awkwardly.
But now onto the matters at hand. Yes, earmarks are awful, unless you’re Ted Stevens (R-AK). I actually agree with what Bush said about them:
Next, there is the matter of earmarks. These special interest items are often slipped into bills at the last hour — when not even C-SPAN is watching. In 2005 alone, the number of earmarks grew to over 13,000 and totaled nearly $18 billion. Even worse, over 90 percent of earmarks never make it to the floor of the House and Senate — they are dropped into Committee reports that are not even part of the bill that arrives on my desk. You did not vote them into law. I did not sign them into law. Yet they are treated as if they have the force of law. The time has come to end this practice. So let us work together to reform the budget process … expose every earmark to the light of day and to a vote in Congress … and cut the number and cost of earmarks at least in half by the end of this session.
Yes, earmarks cost a lot of money. It is a Congressional problem for both Democrats and Republicans; however, I would say that Bush’s extensive use of Signing Statements costs more than money – it undercuts how our democracy is supposed to work. Using Signing Statements more than 750 times to directly interpret the intent and constitutionality of a law threatens the delicate balance of our government. And thus, he hit on an idea but completely missed the point.
The real lapse in policy resembling anything even orbiting this realm of reality came with this part of the speech about Health Insurance:
Tonight, I propose two new initiatives to help more Americans afford their own insurance. First, I propose a standard tax deduction for health insurance that will be like the standard tax deduction for dependents. Families with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $15,000 of their income. Single Americans with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $7,500 of their income. With this reform, more than 100 million men, women, and children who are now covered by employer-provided insurance will benefit from lower tax bills.
At the same time, this reform will level the playing field [italics are mine] for those who do not get health insurance through their job. For Americans who now purchase health insurance on their own, my proposal would mean a substantial tax savings — $4,500 for a family of four making $60,000 a year. And for the millions of other Americans who have no health insurance at all, this deduction would help put a basic private health insurance plan within their reach. Changing the tax code is a vital and necessary step to making health care affordable for more Americans.
This is right up there with the notion of trickle down economics as policy during the Reagan era. Nothing exacerbated economic inequality like Reaganomics, and nothing makes less sense than giving a tax cut to people who can’t afford health insurance in the first place. The working poor do not need a check from the Government in the spring to offset medical bills paid from the rest of the year – they need health insurance.
This is not a difficult concept. Everyone has a right to healthcare – not a privilage, a right. May I go so far as to add, DUH!
Again, Bush hitting on an idea, but missing the point. And thus, George W. Bush is hereby inducted into the CHRONICLES OF PEOPLE MISSING THE POINT.
Congratulations. Your certificate is in the mail.