President Bush told Americans about his domestic programs and his plan for reducing terrorism in the world during the annual State of the Union address Tuesday night.

Bush laid down four domestic goals: improving the economy, health care reform, environmental protection and compassion for those in need.

Decreased unemployment and tax cuts were the major points of his plan for economic relief.

“We must have an economy that grows fast enough to employ every man and woman who seeks a job,” Bush said.

He also proposed income tax reductions set for 2004 and 2006 to be put in effect this year.

“And under my plan, as soon as I’ve signed the bill, this extra money will start showing up in workers’ paychecks,” Bush said. “Lower taxes and greater investment will help this economy expand. More jobs mean more taxpayers and higher revenues to our government.”

Dave Sprau, chairman of the ISU Republicans, said Tuesday night he was surprised to hear what Bush said about the economy.

“[Bush] believes tax cuts lead to job growth and that is where he gets the most criticism,” Sprau said.

Bush also proposed $1.2 billion to be spent in research to develop a clean, hydrogen-powered automobile.

“With a new national commitment, our scientists and engineers will overcome obstacles to taking these cars from laboratory to showroom, so that the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen and pollution-free,” Bush said.

Sprau said he was also surprised to hear Bush talk about spending money on a hydrogen-powered car.

“It’s a good program to reduce dependence on foreign oil,” Sprau said.

Bush also put a health care reform package on the table.

“We must work toward a system in which all Americans have a good insurance policy, choose their own doctors, and seniors and low-income Americans receive the help they need,” he said.

Bush said his budget will give an additional $400 billion over the next decade to reform and strengthen Medicare.

Matt Denner, president of the ISU Campus Greens, said he was pleasantly surprised to hear Bush speak on health-care reform but said Bush made it clear the U.S. government will continue to provide poor health care and Medicare won’t be the best option.

“[Bush] acted as if he saw the need for reform but told seniors that it was their job to find solutions by finding the best health care provider,” Denner said.

Bush reminded Americans that the threat of terrorism hasn’t disappeared. “There are days when our fellow citizens do not hear about the war on terror. There’s never a day when I do not learn of another threat or receive reports of operations in progress or give an order in this global war against a scattered networks of killers. The war goes on and we are winning,” Bush said.

He also tried to strengthen his case for war against Iraq.

Robert Lowry, associate professor of political science, said Bush was doing double duty.

“He is trying to walk a line between protecting sensitive information and making a case for war,” he said.

Bush informed Americans that on Feb. 5 Secretary of State Colin Powell will ask the United Nations Security Council to consider the facts of Iraq’s continued “defiance of the world.”

Lowry said this was the first time a deadline had been set regarding informing people about the situation in Iraq. He said Bush is trying to get people to join forces but said the U.S. would act alone if it had to.