State of the Union Means State of the EconomyState of the Union Means State of the Economy

President Bush, in what will probably be his last State of the Union address tonight, is expected to focus on economic issues and measures to forestall a recession.Pundits expect the president to concentrate more on urging passage of previous economic proposals than on setting out new initiatives. Foremost is likely to be passage of the stimulus package hammered out by the House of Representatives and the Treasure last week, though that may face resistance in the Senate from lawmakers unhappy with the absence of immediate relief for laid-off workers. He is also expected to urge permanent extension of his 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, though some question how such a move would stimulate an economy that has already absorbed the cuts' effects.CNN Money