Back to Business: State of the Union

Back to Business

January 27, 1998 — NEW YORK — Crisis? What crisis?

President Clinton gave his State of the Union Address last night, rolling out an ambitious series of programs for the nation.

The points of his program for 1998:

the success in balancing the budget — 1999 marks the first submission of such a budget in three decades
saving Social Security with prudent use of the surplus
continuing efforts to improve the public education with smaller classes and an end to social promotion
trade agenda emphasis on advancing worker and environmental standards, a "G I Bill for Workers," the African Trade Act, renewed commitment to the IMF (I know our man in Hong Kong, Chris Gelken, was paying attention to that point) and ending abusive child labor
more choice for people in managed care programs
a new war on teen smoking
more accessible child care for more working Americans
funding for 100,000 more police, a new Juvenile Crime Bill and afterschool programs
focusing more attention on fighting the "drug was" at the borders
breaking the judicial nominee logjam
expansion of NATO
remaining in Bosnia beyond this summer
a war on weapons of mass destruction (predictably, this is where he read Saddam Hussein the riot act)
campaign finance reform, including free air time
substantial IRS reforms
targeted tax cuts
a Clean Water Initiative
tax cuts and research aimed at cleaner energy
a national initiative on race
the White House Millennium Program, which includes funding to preserve America's most valuable historical artifacts
funding increase in history for the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Cancer Institute, a technologically improved Internet backbone and the International Space Station

Yes, it is quite a handful of programs, but their scope and scale look realistic and achievable. The President received the anticipated strong applause from the Democrats and "polite but restrained" reception from the GOP.

This morning on ABC's Good Morning America, Hillary Clinton engaged in a more personal interview than her "opening volley" yesterday on Today. She commented on her own feelings and her husband's State of the Union Address, but continued her attack on activist elements of the right-wing, pointing out a number of "curious" relationships between individuals, foundations, and other organizations.

Her best sound bite of the morning on the suspiciously serendipitous timing of the recent raft of allegations against the President following the President's recent deposition in the Paula Jones trial: "If you find a turtle on the fence post, you know it didn't get there by accident, and I look at the landscape and I see a lot of big ol' turtles sittin' on a lot of fence posts."

Her comments yesterday — that certain right-wingers have conspired to "undo the results of two elections" and take down her husband — set off a firestorm of denials and angry reaction from many of the key players and right-wing pundits embroiled in the current fracas.

A talking head for the Rutherford Institute denied the charges — and frankly didn't sound plausible in the least.

Ken Starr called it "nonsense" — but the poor guy is neck-deep in the brown sauce over his involvement in "Peeping Tom" tapings, so what else can the poor guy do but deny?

George Will on Nightline looked as if he was trying to restrain himself from having an apoplectic fit.

Alan Keyes was furious on Politically Incorrect — but rather than respond to Mrs. Clinton's charges he continued to attack Clinton, charging like a wounded bull in the ring and speaking the usual right-speak nonsense with more bluster than usual.

Dozens of denials, no substance.

What has them all worried is that the press is finally starting to do a job they should have begun during the 1992 election cycle and look into the right-wing "network" that takes the smallest allegation of wrongdoing, spins it into a "scandal," and generally undermines faith in our government. Yesterday and today, investigative stories have begun to appear.

The heat will be turned up on many of the figures involved in the taping scandal. Something tells me we're going to be seeing more of the names Lucyann Goldberg and her client Linda Tripp… and it's not the kind of publicity Goldberg generates for a client.

It's also worth noting that some commentators are putting a postmodern and frequently funny spin on the President's current problems. Lisa Jervis, editor of Bitch: Feminist Response to Pop Culture, "an uppity little 'zine printed on pulped trees" (as they put it), wrote a scathingly hilarious critique of the situation published yesterday on the Mother Jones web site.

I don't know about you, but I plan on writing my Senators, Congressman and the White House to let them know I support the President's plans as outlined in the State of the Union, and I expect Congress to act decisively and positively. Do the same.

'Nuff said.

Dave "Doctor" Gonzo