President Bill Clinton's State of the Union Address last night drew mixed responses across campus as Democratic and Republican student groups met to watch the speech on television.
The Conservative Union at Dartmouth met in the basement of Streeter Hall while the Young Democrats met in Rockefeller Center to view the speech. Both meetings were open to the public.
Clinton opened his speech referring to legislation passed in 1993, including the Brady Bill, the North American Free Trade Agreement, the National Service Act, the Family Leave Bill and his budget and tax plan.
He addressed the need for health care, education and welfare reform as well as tougher anti-crime legislation. Clinton also said he plans to reduce government bureaucracy.
When Clinton said that presidential reforms have not affected all Americans yet, Republican Isaac Thorne '96 shouted out, "Wait until April 15."
But across the street in Rockefeller, about 40 Young Democrats offered signs of support for the President's speech.
"I thought it was great that he started his speech with all the wonderful things Congress has passed to help students, families and the middle class," Young Democrats President Laurel Shanks '95 said.
Clinton continued his positive message, saying that the improved economy has proved his critics wrong.
"His economic plan has had nothing to do with the recovery," said Mathew Berry '94, president of the Conservative Union at Dartmouth. "The plan didn't take effect until January 1, but the recovery began in the middle of 1992."
"He sounded like a rooster taking credit for the sun coming up," Berry said.
Clinton emphasized education reform and said his Goals 2000 program "links world-class standards to grass-roots reform." He said education should allow American students to "compete and win in a global economy."
He also defended his spending cuts, claiming that he will eliminate 225,000 federal jobs within five years.
But Berry was skeptical about Clinton carrying his plans through. "Clinton says he's spending more on this, more on that, more on all these great programs," Berry said.
