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State of the Union 2005: Bush Pushes Aggressive Foreign Policy
of "Spreading Democracy"
The New Bush Agenda: A Debate on Social Security with Paul
Krugman vs. the American Enterprise Institute
Chertoff's Role in Aug. 2002 Torture Memo Called into Question
at Confirmation Hearing
State of the Union 2005: Bush Pushes Aggressive Foreign
Policy of "Spreading Democracy"
President Bush used his 2005 State of the Union address
to reinforce his inauguration theme of spreading democracy
around the world. In addition to hailing the elections in
Iraq and the Palestinian Occupied Territories, Bush issued
warnings to Iran and Syria. We speak with Phyllis Bennis of
the Institute for Policy Studies.
President Bush delivered the first State of the Union address
of his second term Wednesday in which he called for a major
restructuring of Social Security and a continued foreign policy
theme of spreading democracy. On the domestic front, Bush
also called for the renewed use of nuclear energy, a war on
gangs, a constitutional ban on same sex marriage and legal
reforms to protect corporations from being sued for negligence.
But it was Social Security that formed the centerpiece of
the president's address. Bush warned that Social Security
was "headed toward bankruptcy" and offered a few
more details on his plan to partially privatize the system.
The speech kicked off a five-state campaign tour to advocate
the restructuring plan in which Bush faces nearly unanimous
opposition from congressional Democrats. Later in the program,
we are going to host a debate on Social Security with economist
and New York Times columnist, Paul Krugman and Eric Engen
of the American Enterprise Institute, but first we are going
to focus on the foreign policy aspects of Bush's 2005 State
of the Union.
Bush used the address to reinforce his inauguration theme
of spreading democracy around the world.
- President Bush, State of the Union address, February
3, 2005:
"The United States has no right, no desire, and no
intention to impose our form of government on anyone else.
That is one of the main differences between us and our enemies.
They seek to impose and expand an empire of oppression,
in which a tiny group of brutal, self-appointed rulers control
every aspect of every life. Our aim is to build and preserve
a community of free and independent nations, with governments
that answer to their citizens, and reflect their own cultures.
And because democracies respect their own people and their
neighbors, the advance of freedom will lead to peace."
In his address, Bush devoted a large portion of comments
foreign policy to Iraq. The president rejected calls for a
timetable for withdrawal of the 150,000 US troops stationed
there and celebrated the Iraqi elections that took place on
Sunday. In one of the more dramatic moments, Bush noted the
presence of an Iraqi voter in the chamber.
- President Bush, State of the Union address, February
3, 2005:
"One of Iraq's leading democracy and human rights advocates
is Safia Taleb al-Suhail. She says of her country, "We
were occupied for 35 years by Saddam Hussein. That was the
real occupation. Thank you to the American people who paid
the cost, but most of all, to the soldiers." Eleven
years ago, Safia's father was assassinated by Saddam's intelligence
service. Three days ago in Baghdad, Safia was finally able
to vote for the leaders of her country -- and we are honored
that she is with us tonight."
Bush hailed the recent elections in the Palestinian Occupied
territories and called on Congress to give the Palestinians
350 million dollars. His comments came as Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon announced he would meet with the new Palestinian
Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas next week in Egypt.
- President Bush, State of the Union address, February
3, 2005:
"The goal of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine,
living side by side in peace, is within reach -- and America
will help them achieve that goal."
In his address, President Bush also issued warnings to Iran
and Syria.
- President Bush, State of the Union address, February
3, 2005:
"To promote peace in the broader Middle East, we must
confront regimes that continue to harbor terrorists and
pursue weapons of mass murder. Syria still allows its territory,
and parts of Lebanon, to be used by terrorists who seek
to destroy every chance of peace in the region. You have
passed, and we are applying, the Syrian Accountability Act
-- and we expect the Syrian government to end all support
for terror and open the door to freedom. Today, Iran remains
the world's primary state sponsor of terror -- pursuing
nuclear weapons while depriving its people of the freedom
they seek and deserve. We are working with European allies
to make clear to the Iranian regime that it must give up
its uranium enrichment program and any plutonium reprocessing,
and end its support for terror. And to the Iranian people,
I say tonight: As you stand for your own liberty, America
stands with you."
- Phyllis Bennis, fellow at the Institute
for Policy Studies in Washington DC, specializing in
Middle East and United Nations issues. She is the author
of the book "Before and After: U.S. Foreign Policy
and the September 11th Crisis."
The New Bush Agenda: A Debate on Social Security
with Paul Krugman vs. the American Enterprise Institute
President Bush devoted a large portion of his State of the
Union address to his push to restructure Social Security,
kicking off a campaign to advocate for the privatization of
the system. We host a debate with Paul Krugman of The New
York Times and Eric Engen of the American Enterprise Institute.
President Bush devoted a large portion of his State of the
Union address to his push to restructure Social Security.
The address kicked off a five-state campaign-style tour to
advocate for the privatization of the system. The plan faces
nearly unanimous opposition from congressional Democrats,
few of whom stood up or applauded during the Social Security
portion of the president's speech. In his address, Bush argued
that the retirement system was headed toward bankruptcy.
- President Bush, State of the Union address, February
3, 2005:
"For younger workers, the Social Security system has
serious problems that will grow worse with time. Social
Security was created decades ago, for a very different era.
In those days, people did not live as long. Benefits were
much lower than they are today. And a half-century ago,
about sixteen workers paid into the system for each person
drawing benefits.
Our society has changed in ways the founders of Social Security
could not have foreseen. In today's world, people are living
longer and, therefore, drawing benefits longer. And those
benefits are scheduled to rise dramatically over the next
few decades. And instead of sixteen workers paying in for
every beneficiary, right now it's only about three workers.
And over the next few decades that number will fall to just
two workers per beneficiary. With each passing year, fewer
workers are paying ever-higher benefits to an ever-larger
number of retirees.
So here is the result: Thirteen years from now, in 2018,
Social Security will be paying out more than it takes in.
And every year afterward will bring a new shortfall, bigger
than the year before. For example, in the year 2027, the government
will somehow have to come up with an extra $200 billion to
keep the system afloat -- and by 2033, the annual shortfall
would be more than $300 billion. By the year 2042, the entire
system would be exhausted and bankrupt. If steps are not taken
to avert that outcome, the only solutions would be dramatically
higher taxes, massive new borrowing, or sudden and severe
cuts in Social Security benefits or other government programs.
Today we host a debate on Social Security.
- Paul Krugman, New York Times columnist and Professor
of Economics at Princeton University. He has recently published
a new college textbook called "Microeconomics."
Chertoff's Role in Aug. 2002 Torture Memo Called
into Question at Confirmation Hearing
At the confirmation hearings for President Bush's Homeland
Security chief nominee, Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) questioned
Michael Chertoff about his role as head of the criminal division
of the Justice Department in the formulation of the Aug. 2002
so-called "torture memo" that provided a very narrow
definition of torture. We hear an excerpt of the hearing.
The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
held confirmation hearings yesterday on Michael Chertoff,
President Bush's nominee to head the Department of Homeland
Security.
Chertoff is a federal judge who worked under John Ashcroft
in the Justice Department after Sept. 11. He led the government's
move to jail hundreds of Muslim and Arab men without pressing
charges. He was also a chief architect of the USA Patriot
Act. Chertoff is expected to be easily confirmed when the
committee votes on Monday.
Yesterday's hearing was overshadowed by the continuing Senate
confirmation debate of Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General.
While most committee members praised Chertoff at the hearing,
Democratic Senator Carl Levin of Michigan questioned Chertoff's
role in the infamous Aug. 2002 so-called "torture memo."
That justice department memo provided a very narrow definition
of torture, arguing that only physical abuse "of an intensity
akin to that which accompanies serious physical injury such
as death or organ failure," amounted to torture.
- Sen. Carl Levin (D-Michigan) questioning Homeland Security
Secretary nominee Michael Chertoff at the Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs Committee confirmation hearing.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
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