Reflections
on the State of the Union Address
By MPAC CA
In his State of
the Union Address, President George W. Bush underscored
his dedication to spreading democracy and ensuring
the security and prosperity of the American people.
The President's remarks revealed an encouraging
improvement in the Administration's public recognition
of important current issues that will define his
legacy as President. While an admittedly grisly
undertaking, foremost among the President's domestic
policy concerns is re-igniting the debate surrounding
Social Security.
President Bush outlined his proposal to create
personal retirement accounts for under-55 taxpayers,
and referred to a number of alternative proposals
by Democrats, all of which bear serious bi-partisan
consideration. Congress should consider with great
caution introducing volatility to the retirement
funds of hardworking American taxpayers. Health
and financial security are basic to human survival.
MPAC supports President Bush's proposal to put
a cap on compensation awarded in medical malpractice
lawsuits, and also calls for a firm handling of
superfluous lawsuits in order to reduce medical
care costs and improve quality of treatment. President
Bush also praised the progress of America's public
schools, and indicated an attention shift to improving
our nation's high schools.
In the wake of the "No Child Left Behind" campaign,
we must also address the disparity in quality
of education, not to mention funding, between
schools in high-income and low-income communities.
Increasing the size of Pell Grants is a good start
to improving access to higher education. Helping
families pay for college is also an important
step in promoting human freedom on the domestic
front. Since 1988, MPAC has worked to make a positive
contribution to national policy through engaging
all levels of public life.
In all aspects of our work, MPAC has worked to
foster inclusion of American Muslims and further
American policies that promote the Islamic values
of mercy, justice, peace, human dignity, freedom,
and equality for all. President Bush's promotion
of democracy in the Middle East and the establishment
of a Palestinian state echo MPAC's repeated calls
for such forward thinking. Highlighting the need
for reform in the Middle East, President Bush
recognized that by and large, the leaders of Arab
countries are a "tiny group of brutal, self-appointed
rulers control every aspect of every life." As
an organization that has advocated for democracy
in that region as a catalyst for realizing the
will of the people, MPAC is encouraged by the
President's overt articulation of applying a common
yardstick in assessing the extent to which nations
meet democratic principles.
President Bush named Iran and Syria as the next
targets for reform due to their alleged lack of
adherence to international law; so, too, should
the governments of friendly nations -- such as
Egypt, Israel, and Saudi Arabia -- be held to
international human rights and electoral standards.
The President also offered reassurance that the
United States has "no right, no desire, and no
intention to impose our form of government on
anyone else." Bolstering the ability of people
around the globe to produce organic models of
political representation could do more to improve
America's image than any other single action.
As with countless policy initiatives, any focused
campaign to "build and preserve a community of
free and independent nations, with governments
that answer to their citizens and reflect their
own cultures" will require the experience and
expertise of American Muslims. President Bush
also commended the Iraqi and Palestinian people
for electing their own leaders, and reiterated
his commitment to realizing peace in the Middle
East. "The goal of two democratic states, Israel
and Palestine, living side by side in peace is
within reach," President Bush said. MPAC has long
supported a two-state solution, in which the Palestinian
people would be guaranteed a viable, sovereign
and independent nation on contiguous territory.
Ensuring a safe and secure Palestine and Israel
would require the dismantlement of illegal settlements
and the controversial "Security Fence." The President's
request to Congress for aid to the Palestinians
underscores the need for a comprehensive, well-financed
Marshall Plan in order to give hope to the hopeless,
rebuild demolished villages, and generally foster
peace and security. After World War II, President
Truman's Secretary of State George Marshall observed
Europe's economic plight and proposed a plan that
eventually provided over $13 billion to rebuild
war-ravaged Europe. Such far-reaching aid is needed
now. This is just as vital as the President’s
striking recognition that we must seek to "eliminate
the conditions that feed radicalism and ideologies
of murder."
Identifying and rooting out the causes of terrorism
is an unavoidable step in the journey toward realizing
not only security, but also human freedom. In
this spirit, MPAC has worked diligently to counter
religious and political extremism. Once again,
American Muslims are a vital part of a much-needed
discourse that would fortify our nation's counter-terrorism
policies and efforts. American Muslims are eager
to participate in the upcoming debate on these
critical domestic and foreign policies. It is
only with the inclusion of the American people
in general and the American Muslim communities
in particular that success can be realized in
serving our nation's interests.
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