Americans Want a New State of the Union, Not a Third Bush Term
January 28, 2008
While the president prepares to deliver his final State of the Union Address tonight, a speech that media reports say will offer no new ideas, it's clear the Republican presidential candidates are following in Bush's footsteps offering no new ideas of their own, only a third Bush term. [AP, 1/25/08]
From the war in Iraq to denying health care to low income kids to the economy, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Rudy Giuliani offer more of the same failed Bush policies while Democrats are all offering new solutions to the country's problems. And the country is certainly looking for a new direction with 75 percent of Americans believing that America is on the wrong track, according to a recent New York Times/CBS poll. [New York Times, 1/28/07]
"After eight years of failed Republican leadership, Americans are ready for change, not the third Bush term we'd get with any of the Republican presidential candidates," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "President Bush's final State of the Union must be just that. America literally cannot afford another State of the Union address by a Republican who may have a new name, but most certainly will support the same policies that have kept us in a never ending war in Iraq and gave us an economy that's not working for all Americans."
That's why the American people are overwhelmingly supporting Democrats in the presidential nominating contests. In every state so far, we have seen record turnout on the Democratic side and lagging enthusiasm among Republicans. In South Carolina, a state President Bush won with 58 percent of the vote in 2004, more people participated in the Democratic primary than the Republican primary and Democratic participation surged to 530,322 from 291,175 in 2004--an increase of 82 percent. In Iowa, Democrats doubled Republican turnout. In New Hampshire, a record 287,821 people voted in the Democratic primary, while GOP turnout fell. And in Nevada, three out of four Nevadans caucused in support of a Democrat.
Record turnout is fueled by Americans trusting Democrats on the issues. According to a Wall Street Journal poll, "Americans continue by double-digit margins to favor Democrats over [Bush's] party to get the country out of a recession, and to handle a range of issues - the economy generally, budget deficits, health care, energy policy and homeownership problems, as well as global warming and the nation's low standing abroad." [Wall Street Journal, 1/25/08]
