DEMOCRATIC SENATORS, POLICY EXPERT DISCUSS BUSH’S LEGACY OF BROKEN PROMISES

Washington, DC—Democratic Senators Edward Kennedy and Robert Menendez joined Melody Barnes, Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress, today to discuss the Bush Administration’s legacy of broken promises to middle-class Americans.  For the past seven years, President Bush has repeatedly failed to deliver on pledges he has made to the American people during his State of the Union addresses.  Democrats remain committed to holding the President accountable for his failed policies and unfulfilled promises.

“I predict that after hearing the President’s speech Monday might, Americans will be more convinced than ever that it’s time for change,” Senator Kennedy said.  “They’ve heard seven long years of broken promises from this Administration.  But we have a chance this year to elect a President who does care about these issues – someone who will make the needs of working Americans, not corporations, the highest priority; someone who will work to make health care and education more affordable, and who will finally bring the troops home.”

Said Senator Menendez: “In listening to the President’s speech, it will be instructive to think back to the seven previous State of the Union addresses and remember how time after time, the words and the goals were commendable, but after the speech, the follow through was non-existent.  In times like these – with a tanking economy, with working Americans struggling to get by, with thousands upon thousands of our troops stuck policing a war zone – making more promises that can’t be kept won’t do any good for anyone.  But sensible proposals backed up by real follow-through can get us going in a new direction, which is what we desperately need.”

“For seven years the President has stood before the American people making promises about sustainable economic growth and job creation,” Barnes said. “The reality is that he made promises he couldn’t keep and pushed policies that have set us back.  It is time for us to push a smart progressive plan for economic recovery, housing market stabilization and restoration of long-term growth.”