Anyone investing the time to listen to tonight's address may well be wondering just what state our union is in, Bush wasn't about to say. by Gary Wood
(libertarian)
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
I've watched the President's State of the Union address for nearly 40 years. Some have been quite moving while others were not. Tonight President Bush delivered his final State of the Union address and it was not. A key component of most State of the Union speeches is an actual reflection of the current conditions and challenges facing our nation.
President Bush invested one sentence to actually discuss our current conditions at home if you listened close. In case you missed it, regarding the economy he said, "But in the short run, we can all see that that growth is slowing." Slowing is an understatement for many of us living day to day yet there it is. Quickly he followed that with the "robust growth package" his administration and the House leadership had put together. He warned the Senate not to adulterate it and not to slow down the approval of it.
He managed to squeeze in just about every initiative he could that the Congress needed to support. Each one usually received a standing ovation from slightly less than half of the audience. Knowing full well most of what he demanded be accomplished would not be during this Presidential election year he still invested much of his final address to actions which amounted to no more than feel good but empty words.
Calling for making his tax cuts permanent and pointing out the failure to curb earmark attachments to bills he did threaten to use his veto power more than any other time he addressed the nation and the full assembly of Congress. There was even a portion of the address devoted to a call for the strengthening of the "No Child Left Behind Act" as well as a new $300 million program he called "Pell Grants for Kids." Keep in mind this and other additional programs were discussed after his reminder there could be no tax increase and spending had to be brought under control.
There was time devoted to thanking the men and women serving in uniform. He trumpeted many victories in the war on terror as well as in Iraq. The goal he set was to reach a phase of "...eventually, to a protective overwatch mission." Perhaps this is connected to the program Sen. McCain was thinking about when he said he could envision a presence in Iraq for the next 100 years.
There were the staples of a Bush State of the Union. For the past several we remember these words, "I've submitted judicial nominees who will rule by the letter of the law, not the whim of the gavel. Many of these nominees are being unfairly delayed. They are worthy of confirmation, and the Senate should give each of them a prompt up-or-down vote." Perhaps the speech writers are able to save time with cut and paste for this section.
Also, we knew there would be saber rattling and to be sure to not disappoint he stated, "Our message to the leaders of Iran is also clear: Verifiably suspend your nuclear enrichment, so negotiations can begin. And to rejoin the community of nations, come clean about your nuclear intentions and past actions, stop your oppression at home, cease your support for terror abroad. But above all, know this: America will confront those who threaten our troops. We will stand by our allies, and we will defend our vital interests in the Persian Gulf."
He mentioned a clear foreign policy that was anything but clear, more ambiguous and open for very wide interpretation. The words sound good to the ear, "Our foreign policy is based on a clear premise: We trust that people, when given the chance, will choose a future of freedom and peace."
There was one aspect above all others that really reached a near level of pure disingenuous commentary. It wasn't the call for the government to balance the budget since households have to balance theirs. Even discussing the need to cut taxes and reduce spending while also presenting additional, expensive programs isn't it.
The most disingenuous words delivered in tonight's final State of the Union Address by President George W. Bush were referencing something not seen at any time during his administration, either by his administration or by the United States Congress. " By trusting the people, our Founders wagered that a great and noble nation could be built on the liberty that resides in the hearts of all men and women. By trusting the people, succeeding generations transformed our fragile young democracy into the most powerful nation on Earth and a beacon of hope for millions. And so long as we continue to trust the people, our nation will prosper, our liberty will be secure, and the state of our Union will remain strong. So tonight, with confidence in freedom's power, and trust in the people, let us set forth to do their business."
If it were that Bush and the Congress actually embraced these closing remarks our nation would not be facing the challenges never discussed tonight. Had the past 7 years been administered in this spirit, truly in step with the Constitution of the United States our nation would be standing as a beacon of hope for the world and the approval ratings of our government would be extremely high. Instead, as the speech ended, I found myself relieved it was the last time I would have to endure another State of the Union Address by President Bush.
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2008 by Gary Wood - Permission to copy with attribution granted.
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I missed the actual speach last night - but of course I caught the media wrap up on the way to work this morning. It was sounding like the same old, same old until that last line. Almost like he took it off a Ron Paul slim jim. I almost choked on my bagel...Bush talking about liberty in OUR COUNTRY??? I thought the plan was to sacrifice our liberty so that those in the middle east could have some...under the barrel of our guns.
Posted By: patrick henry
Date: 2008-01-29 12:13:53
I felt when he talked to the "Terrorist" that someone was holding a mirror in front of his face. Everything he said we are against is everything we are doing? Then to wrap it up with talk of LIBERTY and the CONSTITUTION, all eye wash.
I also noticed one REPUBLICAN that did not give blanket lipservice/applause for the empty rhetoric of the feel good machine. The same one that has been fighting all the lies and power grabs in DC.
RP2008
LIBERTY or DEATH
Posted By: Kevin Mitchell
Date: 2008-01-29 13:25:42
" By trusting the people, our Founders wagered that a great and noble nation could be built on the liberty that resides in the hearts of all men and women. By trusting the people, succeeding generations transformed our fragile young democracy into the most powerful nation on Earth and a beacon of hope for millions. And so long as we continue to trust the people, our nation will prosper, our liberty will be secure, and the state of our Union will remain strong. So tonight, with confidence in freedom's power, and trust in the people, let us set forth to do their business."
