Gore Vidal's State of the Union Address - Audio [Archive]

Partridge

01-31-2006, 02:42 PM

Juan Cole:

Top Ten things Bush won't Tell you About the State of the Nation

1. US economic growth during the last quarter (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1391549.cms) was an anemic 1.1%, the worst in 3 years.

2. The US inflation rate has jumped to 3.4 percent (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20060119/RTICKERMAIN19/TPBusiness/International), the highest rate in 5 years.

3. The number of daily attacks in Iraq rose from 52 in December, 2004 to 77 in December, 2005.

4. A third of US veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, some 40,000 persons (http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?StoryId=Cq9MO0eidDxmTAxjHCxrYB29 WC21LBNrHBgG), exhibit at least some signs of mental health disorders. Some 14,000 were treated for drug dependencies, and 11,000 for depression.

5. Increases in American consumer spending (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11101634/) come from borrowing.

6. The $320 - $400 bilion deficits run by the Bush administration (http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3543051a6026,00.html) may push up the cost of mortgages and loans.

7. 58% of Americans think Bush is painting Iraq as rosier than it is (http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/10731). A majority thinks we should never have invaded the country.

8. The US military is at a breaking point (http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=25145).

9. In fact, The US and Iran are tacit allies (http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/30/opinion/edtakeyh.php) in Iraq.

10. Mor e money would be needed to finish the US reconstruction projects begun in Iraq. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/30/AR2006013001494.html)