What does the rest of the world think of President Bush’s last State of the Union Address? Among a number of quite skeptical reactions on WORLDMEETS.US, this editorial from de Volkskrant of The Netherlands assures, ‘One thing is certain: he will not be remembered as a uniter.’
EDITORIAL
Translated By Meta Mertens
January 29, 2008
The Netherlands – de Volkskrant – Original Article (Dutch)
At the beginning of his first term in 2001, George W. Bush promised to work as a “uniter, not a divider.” Over the years, this pledge has become a shrill echo. The last word on the meaning of Bush’s presidency has yet to be uttered, if only because he still has nearly a year to go and in his remaining time he isn’t as much of a lame duck as is sometimes suggested. One thing is certain: he will not be remembered as a uniter.
Monday night, he delivered his last State of the Union speech to Congress WATCH . The President himself of course assured that the country is well-governed, but the reality is different. The nation is deeply divided over the ongoing war in Iraq, even though last year’s surge led to a decrease in sectarian violence. In addition to this divisive struggle, the United States has recently been struggling against a looming recession.
The manner in which Bush treated economic problems in his speech is indicative of his unwillingness to compromise with the Democratic majority in Congress. To save the economy from a recession, the White House has launched a stimulus plan that consists primarily of a tip to tax payers. This is too little too late …
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