Nation and leader look back on year

President George W. Bush stressed a continuation of anti-isolationism in his State of the… President George W. Bush stressed a continuation of anti-isolationism in his State of the Union address last night.

“There is no peace in retreat and there is no honor in retreat,” the president said to a crowd of dignitaries that included newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

After beginning his speech with a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.’s wife, Coretta Scott King, who died yesterday, Bush pledged to pursue terrorism and tyranny abroad, adding that a decision to withdraw from Iraq would be made by military commanders, not politicians.

The president said that the fight against enemies of the United States creates a need for such controversial programs as the USA PATRIOT Act, and telephone surveillance. He asked for a reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act.

“We will not sit back and wait to be hit again,” Bush said.

The president then outlined new plans for education – a stronger focus on math and sciences – and energy, the lessening of oil imports and an increase in spending at the Department of Energy for alternative energy sources.

On the economy, Bush called for permanent tax cuts and a commission to examine the effect that baby boomers will have on Social Security and Medicare.

The president did not explicitly talk about the indictments and corruption charges plaguing the Republican Party, but he did say that many Americans “are concerned about unethical conduct by public officials.”