The Truth About The State Of Our Union
Congressman Kucinich talks about the effects of the Bush Administration dismantling the government of the United States as we knew it, as evidenced by the disasters along The Gulf Coast and after the hurricanes, When the State of Oklahoma had wildfires burning in 25 counties from mid-Nov almost to now, when the state asked for help from FEMA, it took 12 days for the officials in Oklahoma to be able to get through to anyone from FEMA in Dallas.

On Tuesday night President Bush will stand before the Congress and the nation to deliver his annual State of the Union address. We are sure to hear a rosy tale of an economy on the rebound, a blossoming democracy in Iraq, a terror network on the run, and a Gulf Coast region rebuilding better and stronger than ever before. As is most often the case with this Administration, the rhetoric does not match reality.

The facts are clear. Our economy is struggling and leaving tens of millions of Americans behind. According to the non-partisan National Journal, since President Bush first stood before Congress and the nation in 2001, the median income in this country has decreased, the jobless rate has jumped from 3.9% to 4.9% and the number of families living in poverty has increased from 8.7% to 10.2%. Our trade deficit has doubled. Inflation has gone up. Personal bankruptcies have gone up. Consumer debt has gone up. College tuition has gone up. And, the price of gas has gone up. All the while, this Administration has turned a $128 billion federal budget surplus into a $319 billion deficit. Today, almost 6 million more Americans do not have any health insurance than when President Bush took office. In total, over 45.5 million Americans, or over 15% of our total population, have no health care coverage at all.

During his 2003 address, President Bush told the nation that Saddam Hussein “had biological weapons sufficient to produce over 25,000 liters of anthrax”, “materials sufficient to produce more than 38,000 liters of botulinum toxin”, “as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent” and “upwards of 30,000 munitions capable of delivering chemical agents”. Today, almost three years after the start of the President’s war of choice, we know Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction, had no connection to al-Qaeda and posed no threat to our nation. Yet, our armed forces are bogged down in the middle of civil war that our own general’s say cannot be won by military force. Our presence in Iraq is counterproductive and has cost the lives of over 2,200 US troops and $250 billion.

President Bush has delivered four State of the Union addresses since the attacks on our nation on 9/11. In four speeches, the President has never once mentioned Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the terror attacks on this nation. The status of the FBI’s most wanted man apparently is not important to the state of our union. Yet, in the same four speeches, President Bush has mentioned Saddam Hussein 24 times, and Iraq 78 times.

President Bush used the opening of his 2003 State of the Union to praise the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. This year our nation, and the world, saw the result of the failure of this massive reorganization of our government. As Katrina rolled ashore, destroying large cities and small towns in four states, it was FEMA, once an independent cabinet level agency--but now rolled into Department of Homeland Security--that failed to react. The searing image of thousands of Americans stranded without food and water dying on American streets will be the lasting legacy of the Department of Homeland Security, not a reorganized government “mobilizing against the threats of a new era” as the President described in his speech.

In his 2004 and 2005 addresses, the President spent a considerable amount of time advocating policies that would roll back much of the social progress made since the New Deal. In 2004, the President touted a Medicare prescription drug bill that will fatten the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry, endangering the future finances of the entire Medicare program, while leaving seniors confused and empty handed as they try to fill their prescriptions under the new plan. In 2005, the President used his address to promote his plan strip seniors of the guaranteed promise of Social Security, and replace it with a risky scheme to gamble their future in the stock market.

What the President has in store for his message this year is not known yet. But, we do know the President Bush will speak in glowing terms about the state of our union. The truth is the state of our union is in great peril. This Administration is conducting a war with no end in Iraq, illegally spying on Americans at home, overseeing an economy that is increasingly leaving more and more Americans behind and abandoning Gulf in their hour of great need. If recent history is any precedent, then next week we should see more of the same old dance around reality that has been the hallmark of President Bush’s annual address.

MESSAGE FROM TRUEMAJORITY - A Vote on Alito Could Come Monday - Support a Filibuster Today
The news came out yesterday: Senator John Kerry will join Senator Ted Kennedy in attempting to filibuster the confirmation vote of Samuel Alito. A lifetime appointment as crucial as this one deserves a thorough debate by the full Senate, and that's the goal of this effort. For this to work, 41 senators must join the Democratic filibuster. Most Republicans and a few conservative Democrats have already pledged to vote for Alito, so getting to 41 won't be easy. Every single Democrat could end up casting the last crucial vote--and this is the moment for us to weigh in. Tell your senator(s) to join the effort:
http://action.truemajority.org/campaign/alitofilibuster/w3dkexb2o5btwwj

You've been active in opposing Alito in the past, and as the final vote draws near we thought you'd want to know about this opportunity to make a difference. As Kerry said on the blog Daily Kos, if "you want to stop Judge Alito from becoming Justice Alito...we need even more of your advocacy." It may be a long shot, but an issue of this importance requires us to stay in the fight.
http://action.truemajority.org/campaign/alitofilibuster/w3dkexb2o5btwwj

MESSAGE FROM JIM DEAN AT DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA
All over the country, Democracy for America members are stepping up and running for local office. It's what we're all about -- citizens taking action and making America better. Win or lose, these rising stars are doing what too many in Washington fear to do - fighting for what they believe.

Debra Shore is a DFA member running for Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District in Cook County, IL. She believes that we can be caring stewards of our natural resources, while building a better, healthier community. DFA members across Chicagoland support Debra because they know that the best way to elect new leadership is by working at the grassroots level. http://www.debrashore.org

Karen Felthauser is a long time DFA member, Williamson County Democratic Party member, and community activist. She recently decided to run for the Texas State House in District 52 - just northwest of Austin. Karen will make Texas more progressive by helping provide quality and affordable education for all Texans, protecting and conserving the state's public lands, and ensuring that everyone has access to quality, affordable health care. http://www.karenfelthauser.com/

Elesha Gayman, a member of Democracy for America-Quad Cities, is running for the Iowa House of Representatives in District 84. Elesha's dedication to her community inspired her to enter the non-profit sector as a grant writer, fundraiser and volunteer. Now, she is running to bring new energy to the Iowa State House. http://www.eleshagayman.com/

Andy Meisner is running for re-election as a State Representative in Michigan. He has been involved in the Royal Oak-DFA group since early 2004. In Lansing, he has fought to bring new jobs to Michigan and to ease legislative restrictions on stem cell research. With your help, he will continue to promote a strong Democratic message for the state and help take back the Michigan House. http://andymeisner.com/

Ronald Rice Jr. is a member of New Jersey for Democracy and co-organizes the Essex County, NJ DFA group. He is running for West Ward Councilman in the City of Newark. In 2002 he ran for councilman-at-large and received more votes than any previous first-time candidate in the history of Newark. His campaign is about changing the culture of city politics, empowering residents through education, and community control of all city development. http://www.ron-rice.com/

Ty Harrell is a DFA member in Raleigh, North Carolina who has spent years fighting for Democratic ideals. He has lectured at Duke University and is currently on the Arts and Sciences Development staff there. Ty is taking his experience and skills on the campaign trail in his bid for the State House in District 41. He believes North Carolina needs a better education system and a stronger health care program in order to improve the lives of its citizens. He will promote fiscal responsibility by rewarding small businesses and companies that create jobs in the state and close the tax loopholes on companies that move their business away from North Carolina. http://www.votetyharrell.com/

These DFA members are doing their part. They get an "A" from DFA. That's why we're adding them to the "DFA-List." But they need your help to win. Please visit their websites and help them in any way you can.