The dismal State of the Union

George Bush's dreary address to Congress on Iran, Katrina and energy underscored the failure of his Presidency. But any alternative administration is unlikely to be better, writes Vincent Browne

The State of the Union Presidential address to the US Congress is one of the rituals of American politics and has, in the past, been an opportunity for the announcement of major Presidential initiatives. Three years ago George Bush signaled the invasion of Iraq and further menace to the other two countries in his "axis of evil", Iran and Syria. This year's State of the Union address, delivered on the evening of Tuesday, 31 January (US time) was a dismal signal of the failure of his Presidency. But there was reason for hope.

There was hope in the acknowledgement of impotence in "facing down" Iran's determination to start a nuclear programme, which, incidentally, it is entirely entitled to do under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a treaty which the US has defaced by its connivance in Israel's nuclear weapons programme. There was no hint in the address that anything of consequence would happen to Iran. The direct appeal to the Iranian people and the line: "We respect your right to choose your own future and win your own freedom" signaled impotence.

He said: "The Iranian government is defying the world with its nuclear ambitions – and the nations of the world must not permit the Iranian regime to gain nuclear weapons. America will continue to rally the world to confront these threats." Not much menace there. In fact George Bush has done much to enhance Iran's prestige and influence. The invasion of Iraq has resulted in an expansion of Iranian influence. Iraq seems certain to become almost a client Shiite state of Iran, whereas formerly it was a bitter Baathist enemy.

America had an opportunity to defuse the impasse over the nuclear power issue but it refused to take part in the negotiators with Iran instigated by Britain, Germany and France. Its refusal to take part ensured the failure of those talks. Diplomacy has failed and military action is clearly not on the agenda.

For Americans the Katrina disaster was perhaps the epiphany moment of the Bush administration – the utter helplessness of the most powerful nation in the world to cope with a natural disaster in its own country. In the State of the Union address George Bush said: "As we recover from a disaster, let us also work for the day when all Americans are protected by justice, equal in hope, and rich in opportunity... In New Orleans and in other places, many of our fellow citizens have felt excluded from the promise of our country."

Many Americans must have smiled.

According to the US Census Bureau, the poverty rate has risen each year since 2001, with 12.7 per cent of the population now living in poverty. African-American poverty has risen from 22.7 per cent in 2001 to 24.7 per cent in 2004, and child poverty has gone from 16.3 per cent in 2001 to 17.8 per cent (1.3 million children under the age of 18).

Meanwhile, in a mockery of his promise of fairness, it emerges that, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, the tax legislation enacted since Bush came to office in 2001 "has helped high-income households far more than other households". Households with incomes exceeding $1 million have received average tax cuts of $103,000, "an increase of 5.4 per cent in their after-tax income". But in 2005, the bottom fifth of households "will receive an average combined tax cut of $18 from these bills, raising their after-tax income by 0.3 per cent." Median incomes have dropped every year of his Presidency. He went on to promise in the speech to make his tax cuts for the wealthiest permanent.

There was a brief hint that his Presidency might deal with the American addiction to oil but instead of proposing tax measures that might curtail that addiction and, incidentally, lessen the profits of the oil corporations who have been among his most generous backers, there was a proposal for a new tax credit, an "Advanced Energy Initiative – a 22-per cent increase in clean-energy research", almost certainly yet another giveaway for the oil industry.

The Bush Presidency has deepened inequalities in American society, vastly enriched an elite, undermined the liberties and freedoms of which he speaks so often and made America more vulnerable to attack. His foreign policy has resulted in the alienation of more of the world than was formerly the case and has disillusioned many of America's friends, although, obviously, not the Irish government, for whom, apparently, American can do no wrong.

The depressing realisation is that any alternative administration is unlikely to be any better.

Just like here.