According to Gov. Jim Doyle's State of the State Address, the state government will turn its focus to the working, middle-class families of Wisconsin in the coming year. Speaking from Madison on Tuesday evening, the governor presented his "affordability agenda," which will aid in providing health care and education for middle- and lower-class families.

"Even though we've made real progress for real people, we know there's more to do, particularly for middle-class families who are getting squeezed," Doyle said. "Too many of our neighbors are struggling to pay the bills, the taxes and do the best they can for their kids."

Throughout his speech Doyle, a Democrat, revealed his plans on a variety of issues and political topics. In addition to lowering taxes, Doyle's agenda includes a plan for a "healthy Wisconsin."

"The wealthiest nation on earth should be the healthiest," he said.

As a part of his effort to help the working class, Doyle said he hopes to lower insurance rates and the cost of health care plans. While higher income families may have to pay a little more under his BadgerCare Plus plan, Doyle said, every child of a working parent will receive necessary medical attention.

On withholding health care, Doyle said: "It is unfair, it is unethical and we should make it illegal… Healthcare should be a birthright and not a ticket to bankruptcy."

Education was another significant point in Doyle's address. Doyle, who said he refuses to cut school funding, hopes to increase support for smaller classes and four-year-old kindergarten. Through an agreement called the Wisconsin Covenant, Doyle promises all Wisconsin children the possibility of a college education at a state school if they agree to certain terms, such as getting good grades and staying in school.

Among other issues Doyle also made clear his support of stem cell research, stating "politics should never stand in the way of curing disease." Although he recently vetoed a bill in support of human cloning, the governor defends and aids steam cell research as a means to cure various diseases.

"Gov. Doyle has a progressive agenda that I strongly feel is going to make the state of Wisconsin a better place," said Jason Rae, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences and member of College Democrats. "Gov. Doyle did a phenomenal job."

But Republicans are skeptical.

"What we saw (Tuesday) night was a candidate for governor who's down in the polls and reverted to his old government self to try to fire up his liberal democratic base," said Dan Suhr, a first-year law student and a member of College Republicans. He also mentioned Doyle's "selective amnesia." Suhr said the governor pointed out his accomplishments but failed to mention what detractors call his shortcomings.

"Gov. Doyle gave us a lot of pretty-sounding ideas, but he didn't tell us how he is going to pay for it," Suhr said. "He talked about an affordability agenda, but what the people of Wisconsin deserve is an accountability agenda."