The President's speech tonight was more of the same. Just a speech. Empty rhetoric from a man and a party who have consistently failed to lead our country on the most pressing issues. Health care costs and energy bills continue to hammer working families, and we still don't have a plan for our troops in Iraq. All this was true before the President's speech, and it remains true now.
The State of the Union showed that once again, the President is choosing lobbyists and special interests over the American people. Last year, it was Social Security; this year, it's Health Savings Accounts. President Bush may think Americans should pay more to get less, but Democrats will fight for real reform - because it's right, and because the nation's economic security depends on it. The President's health care plan is brought to you by the same people who created the confusing and special-interest driven Medicare prescription drug bill and promoted privatization of Social Security. Americans didn't fall for privatization of Social Security, and they know that Health Saving Accounts will do nothing to reduce soaring health care costs or the number of uninsured Americans.
I invite everyone to visit HouseDemocrats.gov to learn more about what we're doing on health care, energy, innovation, honesty in government, and holding the Administration accountable.
PS: Be sure and read these blog posts by my House colleagues: Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) on energy and Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) on seniors. You might also be interested in the live blogging after the State of the Union by Congressmen John Conyers (D-MI), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Tim Ryan (D-OH) over at Stakeholder.