Ohio Congressman Charlie Wilson has already issued a statement condemning the budget, saying that he plans “to take a look at the President’s priorities and identify wasteful spending”.

“This troubling budget plan put forth by the President takes this country in the wrong direction. Overall, I’m very disappointed to see heavy cuts in social programs. Programs like LIHEAP, Medicaid and Medicare are important to the residents of Ohio’s Sixth District. As a Blue Dog Democrat I’m committed to keeping spending under control, however, cutting Medicare by $556 billion over 10 years and cutting heating assistance by $570 million is not the answer. That’s just cutting people who are already hurting. Over the next couple of weeks I plan to take a look at the President’s priorities and identify wasteful spending.”

– Rep. Charlie Wilson

According to Wilson’s press release, Ohio would lose the following under Bush’s budget:

• $5,408,000 in law enforcement grants
• $24,018,000 in firefighters grants
• $14,369,000 for dislocated workers
• $4,788,000 in grants to improve teacher quality, as required by No Child Left Behind
• $45,210,000 in career and technical education funding
• $1,342,000 in Child care development block grant funding
• $16,173,000 in LIHEAP funding
• $22,125,000 in federal-Aid Highways Program funding

Apparently President Bush must be preparing to become a used car salesman when he leaves office, because this budget is a lemon.

“There is little doubt that the economy needs a short-term shot in the arm, which is why I agree with the President’s call for quick passage of an economic stimulus plan by the Senate.  However, we have to couple that with a long-term plan for sustainable economic growth.  Without that, a stimulus package will have little chance to succeed.

“I also agree with the President’s claim that we need to break our dependence on foreign oil, and I am confident that the advances being made in Southeastern Ohio toward advanced energy will help lead the way.  Hopefully, the President’s call for carbon capture will mean that we take great advantage of clean coal, the God-given natural resource we have in abundance. 

“Where I think this President continues to have a tin ear to the needs of the American public is on immigration and free trade.  With the President’s ongoing insistence on free trade agreements – which do nothing but undermine our domestic job market – a new long-term plan is increasingly necessary.  President Bush has told us tonight that he will spend his last year in office pushing more free trade deals that will only further hurt Ohio and will push for an immigration policy that will effectively grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants. 

“The President is once again asking America to ‘stay the course’ with jobs moving overseas and illegal immigrants flowing into the country.  These are not the priorities that Americans are calling for.”

– Rep. Zack Space

Congressman Charlie Wilson’s Statement Following President Bush’s Final State of the Union Address

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Charlie Wilson (OH-6) tonight attended President Bush’s final State of the Union address.  Despite our struggling economy, a continuing war in Iraq, and the many other great challenges facing our nation, Congressman Wilson said he felt the President’s speech included few new ideas for solving many of the country’s most pressing problems. 

“The economy is the number one issue right now,” Wilson said. “We all want to hear a plan from the White House for an American economy that works for everyone. We need a real plan to lower health care costs and insure 10 million children.”

Wilson was proud of the bipartisan work the President highlighted in tonight’s speech. Prior to the State of the Union Address, Democrats worked in a bipartisan way in the House and with the President to fashion a bipartisan economic stimulus package that will be voted on in the House of Representatives tomorrow.

“I’m proud we have a bipartisan plan to give relief to the families who need it most,” Wilson said. “I hope both parties can continue to reach across the aisle and work together to put working families first.”

However, the President called for more of the same in Iraq and offered no hope for a change of direction in Iraq. 2007 was the deadliest year for U.S. troops in Iraq and the President’s refusal to change direction comes even though the troop surge has failed to meet its stated objective: political reconciliation in Iraq.

To help break U.S. dependence on foreign oil the President also called for the harnessing of the power of coal, which is abundant in Ohio’s Sixth District, while capturing carbon emissions.

“I am pleased the President is putting such an emphasis on clean coal technology,” Wilson said. “I believe in advancing the use of coal to provide the affordable energy needed to ensure continued American prosperity and future energy independence.  America possesses 250 years of domestic coal reserves and I’m confident that further development of clean coal technologies will enable coal to be utilized in an environmentally friendly way,” Wilson said. 

“I believe an investment by Congress in clean coal technology is an investment in the future of America,” Wilson added.

The President’s speech also included a belated call for reform of the earmark process.

“I’m glad he’s coming around to our way of thinking,” Wilson said. “We look forward to working with Republicans to continue the process of reform that Democrats started.

The truth is, earmarks exploded under Republican leadership – spending was out of control. Democrats led the way in bringing transparency and accountability to earmarks.  The amount of earmarks funded in the 2008 budget was half of what the Republicans funded in the last budget they passed. That’s what we promised we’d do and that’s what we did.  That’s real reform and I’m glad the President wants to join us as we continue to clean up spending in Washington,” Wilson said.

The President also called for making his tax cuts permanent. However, Wilson, and other fiscally responsible Democrats believe that making permanent tax breaks for multi-millionaires three years from now is not fiscally sustainable nor a sound policy to ensure America’s economic future.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke cautioned this month against actions that would have the effect of increasing the U.S. deficit over the long term.

“To make tax cuts permanent without paying for them is fiscally irresponsible,” Wilson said. “The real way to strengthen our economy is to lower health care and energy costs, bolster the housing market, improve education for a new generation, strengthen American infrastructure and restore fiscal responsibility,” Wilson said.

Democrats have already passed billions of dollars in small business tax cuts and middle-income tax cuts.

“This year, we will build on this progress, enacting appropriate tax cuts to spur economic growth and extend middle-income tax relief,” Wilson concluded.

Update – 10:15 PM 1/28/2008

MSNBC has the text of the speech here. Apparently ThinkProgress broke the embargo.

Update – 10:23 PM 1/28/2008

The four DCCC text messages:

Bush: We share a common goal- making health care more affordable and accessible for all Americans.
Reality: He vetoed healthcare for 10 million kids, twice.

Bush: 116 million American taxpayers would see their taxes rise by an avg of $1,800.
Reality: Middle income Americans will receive less than half that.

Bush: Trust in innovative spirit of medical researchers, empower them to discover new treatments
Reality: Bush vetoed funding for stem cell research, twice

Bush on Iraq: The truth is Bush’s endless war in Iraq is not only costing American lives, but also $11 billion a month.

“President Bush has vetoed legislation that offers hope for a cure to diseases such as diabetes, legislation that would provide health insurance to underprivileged children, legislation that would provide vital water control projects, legislation that would bring our troops home from Iraq, and now Administration officials are threatening to veto programs our farmers and rural communities rely on.  Is there nothing safe from the veto pen?

“This bill is too important to be subject to the Administration’s misguided effort to score a few political points.  This veto threat represents a slap in the face to farmers in Southeastern Ohio.

“I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to continue to work for the best interests of farmers in Ohio and across the United States.  Those of us in Congress will strive to ensure we continue to have the safest, cheapest, most abundant food supply on the planet.”

– Rep. Zack Space

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — President Bush will veto a revised bill for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, the White House said Thursday, as the new plan doesn’t meaningfully address prior objections.

The revision still calls for a hike on tobacco product taxes to fund a $35 billion expansion over SCHIP’s current $25 billion five-year funding baseline.

"Of course [Bush] would veto it — in some ways this bill is worse than the previous bill," said Tony Fratto, White House spokesman. "It raises taxes on working Americans in order to move people from private insurance to public assistance. No tax increase of any kind is needed to fund this program."

Today’s proposal passed by a margin of 265-142, but still isn’t enough to override a veto.

Source: Bush threatens to veto revised health insurance plan – MarketWatch