In an annual address, President called for the US to wean itself off of Middle Eastern petroleum and adapt to a globalising world, Paul Wulfsberg writes from Washington US President George W delivered the annual State of the Union address on Tuesday, focussing on national security before moving on to cover a broad array of economic and social domestic issues with the theme of "keeping America competitive". Except for an unyielding defence of the controversial domestic spying programme and a set of proposals on energy policy, was decidedly unambitious in his speech. In a Congressional election year that is sure to be hotly contest, and his political capital almost running on empty by most accounts, the president shied away from the major policy initiatives which often emerge in State of the Union addresses. In 2005, had called for sweeping reform in Social Security and tax codes, measures which were defeated in Congress -- this year the president settled for a bipartisan commission to "examine the full impact of baby boom retirements on social security, medicare and medicaid", effectively an admission of defeat on this front for the time being. The president did call for increased government spending on education, energy, and research and cutting the federal budget deficit in half by 2009. The very modesty of his spending proposals revealed how little budgetary flexibility he has, but given that also announced a plan to render permanent a set of tax breaks which have cut government revenue by $880 billion over the last five years, many pundits found even these unreasonable. "I think he's got his head in the sand and he's promising Americans things that we may not be able to afford," Steve Clemons, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan New America Foundation, told Al-Ahram Weekly. "All his proposals cost money, and so there is no sense of choice." In perhaps his only truly groundbreaking proposal, the president devoted several minutes to addressing energy policy. "America is addicted to oil which is often imported from unstable parts of the world. The best way to break this addiction is through technology." then introduced the Advanced Energy Initiative, a 22 per cent increase in research for clean energy sources, and promised to slash US imports of Middle Eastern oil by 75 per cent before 2025. Though the Persian Gulf has about 65 per cent of the world's proven oil reserves, accounting for almost 60 per cent of its exports, most of these supplies go to Asia and Europe. Under a quarter of US crude oil imports comes from the Middle East, with closer exporters such as Canada, Mexico and Venezuela being its main suppliers. The proposed funding for improving transportation efficiency was largely government support for already-existing programmes at leading car manufacturers, such as ethanol research and hybrid car development. "To some degree, you can't tell in 's speech what is corporate welfare and what is going to credibly create new and innovative alternative fuel sources," commented Clemons, while dismissing 's mention of solar and wind energy as "lip service". Throughout the speech reiterated the need for the US to reject "the false comfort of isolationism" and remain an active superpower. "In a complex and challenging time, the road of isolationism and protectionism may seem broad and inviting, yet it ends in danger and decline." This came in apparent reference to growing calls for the US to withdraw from Iraq, a step suggested "would simply move the battlefield to our own shores". In a surprise development just before took the stage, anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq, was arrested by police and removed from the premises while wearing an anti- war t-shirt at the speech. Sheehan had been invited to the State of the Union as the guest of liberal Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey of California. In discussing other aspects of foreign policy, remained focussed on the Middle East, calling on the Egyptian government to "open paths of peaceful opposition that will reduce the appeal of radicalism" while saying that Hamas after its triumph in Palestinian elections last month "must recognise Israel, disarm, reject terrorism and work for lasting peace." The Democratic response to the State of the Union was delivered by a political newcomer, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, who came to office in November 2005. Kaine stressed bipartisanship, the need for government to serve the people, and repeatedly asserted, "there is a better way", while offering few details. The State of the Union comes at a time when the Republicans have been shaken by a series of scandals, and 's approval ratings remain just above 40 per cent, raising the prospect of Democratic gains in November's elections. A 22-25 January Bloomberg/ Los Angeles Times survey of American public opinion found that a 2-1 margin of respondents felt is leading the country in the wrong direction. The survey also showed that had lower favourability ratings than the Democrats on a range of domestic and foreign policy issues, with terrorism being the only topic where 's ratings were higher. Earlier on Tuesday, President had achieved a welcome political victory with the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, a rare respite from the recent wave of scandals and setbacks afflicting the administration. The Republican-controlled Senate confirmed Alito on a 58-42 vote with 95 of the 100 senators voting along party lines, with each side accusing the other of what Republican Senator Orrin Hatch called "repugnant partisanship". Clemons interpreted the confirmation and the administration's survival thus far in the face of scandals as evidence "that the White House has recovered and the Democrats have failed, particularly over Alito." The nomination was staunchly opposed by most Democrats, as he is expected to give the court a decidedly more conservative tint, replacing the moderate Sandra Day O'Connor. But five days of confirmation hearings were relatively uneventful, and a faction within the Democratic Party led by former presidential nominee John Kerry was only able to muster 25 votes, well short of the 41 needed to delay Alito's confirmation indefinitely by filibustering. "It's remarkable that the right wing could kill off Harriet Miers and the left could not kill off a judge like Samuel Alito, who, while being a distinguished judge, is going to be far, far more detrimental to their agenda over the next generation," observed Clemons. Also on Tuesday, the Senate gave Ben Bernanke a nearly unanimous confirmation by voice vote as the new Federal Reserve chairman, replacing Alan Greenspan, who is retiring after 18 years. Bernanke is expected to pursue broadly similar policies to those of Greenspan, keeping a close eye on inflation, particularly with the high current level of energy prices. (see p.9)
