(Washington, DC) – House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair James E. Clyburn (SC-6) issued the following reaction to the President's State of the Union address:
"Security remains the top issue for all Americans — job security, financial security, Homeland Security, and personal security. These issues are not adequately or appropriately addressed in this administration's legislative agenda or in President Bush's statement tonight.
"Providing job training is not the same as creating jobs. This President has the worst job loss record of any presidency. Tonight's proposal to help unemployed workers learn new job skills is a long overdue policy, but it doesn't curb the loss of manufacturing jobs that were once the backbone of our nation's economy. The President's policies of supporting free trade agreements and providing tax breaks to corporations that send their jobs abroad will insure that those job losses will continue to mount.
"Job uncertainty and the lack of reliable or portable health care undermine many Americans financial security. Older Americans especially face insecure financial futures with the rising cost of prescription drugs and corporate scandals that jeopardize retirement savings. The only policy this Administration has offered to improve financial security is tax breaks to the extremely wealthy, which has put our nation's financial security on shaky ground because of ballooning deficits.
"Personal security after 9/11 remains elusive as well. Americans' civil liberties have been trampled in the name of national security, and our first responders haven't received the financial support from this Administration that is needed to insure they are prepared to protect public safety in the event of another attack on our homeland. And another attack seems inevitable as this President continues to inflame the animosity so many feel toward America for launching a preemptive attack against Iraq without the support of the United Nations or the world community.
"The policies of this President have compromised the security all Americans seek. He should resconsider his out-of-this-world agenda and begin to listen to the concerns of real Americans."
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