Ukraine, inflation are topics Gov. Cox wants recognized in the State of the Union address
Mar 1, 2022, 11:46 AM | Updated: Mar 2, 2022, 10:06 am
Gov. Spencer J. Cox speaks the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. Gov. Cox and state business leaders recently returned from a trade mission to Europe. (Mengshin Lin/Deseret News)
(Mengshin Lin/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said there are a few important topics he thinks President Joe Biden should tackle during his first State of the Union address tonight.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine
“What’s happening with Ukraine, and what’s happening with inflation,” Cox told KSL NewsRadio’s Dave & Dujanovic today.
He noted the first State of the Union address from President Ronald Reagan, in 1982, and said he can find comparisons.
“Inflation was running rampant at that time, [though] the economy was not as strong. And you had the Cold War, and some of the same actors we’re dealing with now.”
And Gov. Cox said President Biden’s speech on Tuesday night should be a non-partisan speech.
“Americans and the world, they’re looking for leadership right now. War has a way of reminding us of what really matters.”
“We fight about a lot of things that don’t matter that much in this nation,” Cox said.
The governor said that if President Biden can address those issues, he could inspire confidence.
When asked what the United States should be doing differently in its approach to the crisis in Ukraine, Cox said that more money would be a good place to start.
“If you look at the amount that we’re giving to the Ukrainians and the supplies that we’re giving them, they’re very paltry by comparison to what some other places are doing,” Gov Cox said.
As of Feb. 26, the U.S. has promised $350 million in additional military aid to Ukraine. The European Union approved $450 million Euros in arms supplies as of Feb. 27.
Inflation in America
Inflation is the other topic that Gov. Cox would like President Biden to address tonight.
“There are things that government can do, but unfortunately government usually chooses the wrong things,” Cox said.
The right thing, Cox said, is to allow the market to be adjusted by supply and demand, as well as for the President to address what Cox described as “energy inflation.”
“This administration has issued zero (oil and gas) leases in the state of Utah in the last 13 months of this administration.” Cox said. “That has to change.”
