Democratic response to 2006 State of the Union address
Encyclopedia
The response to the 2006 State of the Union Address was delivered by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
on January 31, 2006, after United States President
George W. Bush
delivered his 2006 State of the Union address
. The theme of Kaine's speech, "A Better Way," advocates the Democratic Party's
policies and states' rights
. Kaine delivered the speech from Virginia's historic Executive Mansion in Richmond
and the speech was televised nationwide.
missionary
in Honduras
where he learned the value
of measuring one's "life by the difference [one] can make in someone else's life." Kaine mourns the loss of Coretta Scott King
, as Bush did in the introduction of his speech, who "embodied that value."
Kaine's diction
emphasizes the role of elected officials as public servants, portraying the duties of office as a "higher calling" and referring to the federal government's
duty to "serve the American
people" as a frustrated "mission" due to the Bush administration
's "poor choices and bad management."
(See also: Criticism of government response to Hurricane Katrina
), "Families in the Gulf Coast see [the government's mistakes] as they wait to rebuild their lives," the United States economy, "Americans who lose their jobs see [the government's mistakes] as they look to rebuild their careers," the Iraq War, "and our soldiers in Iraq
see that as they try to rebuild a nation."
Kaine, "As Americans, we do great things when we work together. Some of our leaders in Washington seem to have forgotten that."
Bush, "... even tough debates can be conducted in a civil tone... our differences cannot be allowed to harden into anger... we must act in a spirit of good will and respect for one another."
and other states" were succeeding "by focusing on service, competent management and results," the theme of his speech. He also points out that, under previous Governor Mark Warner
, Virginia was voted "Best Managed State," in order to draw a stark contrast with the financial state of the nation, saying a citizen has "a right to expect that your government can deliver results."
He then poses a series of hypothetical situations using anaphora through repition of "When...." The situation of "[when there's] a crime or a fire, you expect that police and firefighters have the tools to respond" invokes memories of the September 11, 2001 attacks
, "When there's a natural disaster
, you expect a well-managed response," a criticism of the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina
, and, "When you send your children to school, you expect them to be prepared for success," a general attack on Education in the United States
.
He particularly criticizes the government's fiscal policy
, insisting that citizens "have a right
to expect [the] government to be fiscally responsible, pay the bills and live within its means," a criticism of governmental corruption
and the trillion dollar "staggering national debt." Kaine once again accuses Bush mismanagement, citing his tax cut
s, and paralleling the "huge surplus
es" of the Clinton administration with the "massive deficits" of the Bush administration
.
Kaine asks rhetoric
ally, "Why should we allow this administration to pass down the bill for its reckless spending to our children and grandchildren?" and repeats his theme, "There's a better way."
Mark Warner
. Kaine's first points attack inadequate "service... management and results." The second part of the speech is outlined by Kaine's success on a state level and Bush's mistakes on a national level, "By focusing on results we were able to... protect the essential services that families rely on: education, health care
, law enforcement."
for "wreaking havoc on local school district
s" and blames Bush for allegedly underfunding the act while "refusing to let states try innovative alternatives" and "cutting billions of dollars from the student loan programs."
He repeats his theme a third time and recalls how "governors from across the country worked together in a bipartisan fashion to reform the senior year of high school," a sentence that repeats the bipartisanship, working, and reform emphasized in his comment on the Virginia budget, "Democrats and Republicans worked together to reform our budget."
He notes how states "are working to make... pre-kindergarten
accessible to every family."
Kaine's announcement of a Democrat plan "to educate 100,000 new engineers, scientists and mathematicians in the next four years" is especially notable because this is the first time Kaine has referred to the Democratic Party as a whole, and this is the first time he has proposed an alternative policy to the Bush administration. Equally notable is the vagueness of the statement; Kaine never actually states the Democrat's plan. Instead, he points to "record investments in education... [resulting in] more accredited schools [and] better student test scores," and attributes this to Virginian bipartisan cooperation.
would be chosen to deliver the Democratic response to the 2007 State of the Union address
. In continuing the tradition of a Democrat from a red state delivering the Democratic response, Kansas Governor Kathleen Selibius gave the response to the 2008 State of the Union address. Webb's election over incumbent Senator George Allen
in the 2006 Virginia Senate election tipped control of the United States Senate
to the Democratic Party
for the first time in four years and, with the election of a Democratic majority in the US House of Representatives, resulted in the first Democratic-controlled Congress in twelve years.
Tim Kaine
Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011...
on January 31, 2006, after United States President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
delivered his 2006 State of the Union address
2006 State of the Union address
The 2006 State of the Union Address was delivered by United States President George W. Bush at 9 p.m. EST on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 to a joint session of the U.S. Congress...
. The theme of Kaine's speech, "A Better Way," advocates the Democratic Party's
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
policies and states' rights
States' rights
States' rights in U.S. politics refers to political powers reserved for the U.S. state governments rather than the federal government. It is often considered a loaded term because of its use in opposition to federally mandated racial desegregation...
. Kaine delivered the speech from Virginia's historic Executive Mansion in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and the speech was televised nationwide.
Introduction
Kaine begins his speech by recalling his work as a CatholicCatholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
where he learned the value
Value theory
Value theory encompasses a range of approaches to understanding how, why and to what degree people should value things; whether the thing is a person, idea, object, or anything else. This investigation began in ancient philosophy, where it is called axiology or ethics. Early philosophical...
of measuring one's "life by the difference [one] can make in someone else's life." Kaine mourns the loss of Coretta Scott King
Coretta Scott King
Coretta Scott King was an American author, activist, and civil rights leader. The widow of Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King helped lead the African-American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.Mrs...
, as Bush did in the introduction of his speech, who "embodied that value."
Kaine's diction
Diction
Diction , in its original, primary meaning, refers to the writer's or the speaker's distinctive vocabulary choices and style of expression in a poem or story...
emphasizes the role of elected officials as public servants, portraying the duties of office as a "higher calling" and referring to the federal government's
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
duty to "serve the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
people" as a frustrated "mission" due to the Bush administration
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
's "poor choices and bad management."
Criticism of government policies
Kaine attacks the government's most controversial actions and positions; the Federal response to Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
(See also: Criticism of government response to Hurricane Katrina
Criticism of government response to Hurricane Katrina
The criticism of the government response to Hurricane Katrina consisted primarily of condemnations of mismanagement and lack of preparation in the relief effort in response to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Specifically, there was a delayed response to the flooding of New Orleans, Louisiana...
), "Families in the Gulf Coast see [the government's mistakes] as they wait to rebuild their lives," the United States economy, "Americans who lose their jobs see [the government's mistakes] as they look to rebuild their careers," the Iraq War, "and our soldiers in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
see that as they try to rebuild a nation."
Bipartisan cooperation
Both Bush and Kaine emphasize the need for bipartisan cooperation.Kaine, "As Americans, we do great things when we work together. Some of our leaders in Washington seem to have forgotten that."
Bush, "... even tough debates can be conducted in a civil tone... our differences cannot be allowed to harden into anger... we must act in a spirit of good will and respect for one another."
Kaine's theme: "A better way"
Kaine offers "good news," stating that "VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and other states" were succeeding "by focusing on service, competent management and results," the theme of his speech. He also points out that, under previous Governor Mark Warner
Mark Warner
Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of...
, Virginia was voted "Best Managed State," in order to draw a stark contrast with the financial state of the nation, saying a citizen has "a right to expect that your government can deliver results."
He then poses a series of hypothetical situations using anaphora through repition of "When...." The situation of "[when there's] a crime or a fire, you expect that police and firefighters have the tools to respond" invokes memories of the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, "When there's a natural disaster
Natural disaster
A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard . It leads to financial, environmental or human losses...
, you expect a well-managed response," a criticism of the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, and, "When you send your children to school, you expect them to be prepared for success," a general attack on Education in the United States
Education in the United States
Education in the United States is mainly provided by the public sector, with control and funding coming from three levels: federal, state, and local. Child education is compulsory.Public education is universally available...
.
He particularly criticizes the government's fiscal policy
Fiscal policy
In economics and political science, fiscal policy is the use of government expenditure and revenue collection to influence the economy....
, insisting that citizens "have a right
Right
Rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory...
to expect [the] government to be fiscally responsible, pay the bills and live within its means," a criticism of governmental corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
and the trillion dollar "staggering national debt." Kaine once again accuses Bush mismanagement, citing his tax cut
Tax cut
A tax cut is a reduction in taxes. The immediate effects of a tax cut are a decrease in the real income of the government and an increase in the real income of those whose tax rate has been lowered. Due to the perceived benefit in growing real incomes among tax payers politicians have sought to...
s, and paralleling the "huge surplus
Economic surplus
In mainstream economics, economic surplus refers to two related quantities. Consumer surplus or consumers' surplus is the monetary gain obtained by consumers because they are able to purchase a product for a price that is less than the highest price that they would be willing to pay...
es" of the Clinton administration with the "massive deficits" of the Bush administration
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
.
Kaine asks rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
ally, "Why should we allow this administration to pass down the bill for its reckless spending to our children and grandchildren?" and repeats his theme, "There's a better way."
Success in Virginia
Kaine switches his focus from an international level to a state level, discussing the fiscally successful budget reached "Two years ago in Virginia" by Republican legislators and former Democratic Virginia governorGovernor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
Mark Warner
Mark Warner
Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of...
. Kaine's first points attack inadequate "service... management and results." The second part of the speech is outlined by Kaine's success on a state level and Bush's mistakes on a national level, "By focusing on results we were able to... protect the essential services that families rely on: education, health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, law enforcement."
Education
Kaine denounces the No Child Left Behind ActNo Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
for "wreaking havoc on local school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s" and blames Bush for allegedly underfunding the act while "refusing to let states try innovative alternatives" and "cutting billions of dollars from the student loan programs."
He repeats his theme a third time and recalls how "governors from across the country worked together in a bipartisan fashion to reform the senior year of high school," a sentence that repeats the bipartisanship, working, and reform emphasized in his comment on the Virginia budget, "Democrats and Republicans worked together to reform our budget."
He notes how states "are working to make... pre-kindergarten
Pre-Kindergarten
Pre-kindergarten refers to the first formal academic classroom-based learning environment that a child customarily attends in the United States. It begins between the ages of 3-5 depending on the length of the program...
accessible to every family."
Kaine's announcement of a Democrat plan "to educate 100,000 new engineers, scientists and mathematicians in the next four years" is especially notable because this is the first time Kaine has referred to the Democratic Party as a whole, and this is the first time he has proposed an alternative policy to the Bush administration. Equally notable is the vagueness of the statement; Kaine never actually states the Democrat's plan. Instead, he points to "record investments in education... [resulting in] more accredited schools [and] better student test scores," and attributes this to Virginian bipartisan cooperation.
Political significance
The success of Democrats in Virginia, notably Kaine's election as Governor, provided a success story for national Democrats to begin 2006, which was to be a year of a Congressional midterm election. The success of Kaine and Warner in rebuilding the Democratic Party in the Republican-leaning state was rewarded with Kaine's response to President Bush, which highlighted the competence of Virginia's Democratic administration with the perceived incompetence of the Bush Administration in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The political success and strength of Virginia Democrats would be heightened the following January, when newly-elected Virginia Senator Jim WebbJim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
would be chosen to deliver the Democratic response to the 2007 State of the Union address
2007 State of the Union Address
The 2007 State of the Union address was a speech given by United States President George W. Bush on Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 9:13 P.M. EST. The speech was given in front of a joint session of Congress, presided over by Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Vice President...
. In continuing the tradition of a Democrat from a red state delivering the Democratic response, Kansas Governor Kathleen Selibius gave the response to the 2008 State of the Union address. Webb's election over incumbent Senator George Allen
George Allen (U.S. politician)
George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the son of former NFL head coach George Allen. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress, winning election to the Senate in 2000...
in the 2006 Virginia Senate election tipped control of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
to the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
for the first time in four years and, with the election of a Democratic majority in the US House of Representatives, resulted in the first Democratic-controlled Congress in twelve years.