College of Political Knowledge
I was up most of the evening trying to find something to say about Obama’s recent State of the Union….I watched…I chuckled and I wanted to puke…..but enough about me….after many hours of thinking about the speech and about 2 in the morning I had an epiphany……NOTHING NEW!
Same song…..same dance….different president…….I could leave it there but for those who do not normally pay attention to the ramblings of a president….let me elaborate……
He wants the US to be innovative, competitive and creative…….he would emphasize education….he would decrease the deficit…..he would like a innovated infrastructure….he wants investment in the future……he would champion bi-partisanship….he wants a reformation of government……he also threw in the obligatory mention of the troops and their families…..But WAIT! There was something a bit new….a mention of a spending freeze…..but how does spending cuts lead to investment?
All in all a good speech but most of Obama’s speeches are good speeches…..(wait for it)…….But (and there it is)……he said all the things that Americans want to hear……and he said NOTHING that past presidents from Nixon to Obama have not said at almost every state of the union especially the education thing….always gets lots of lip service and goes NOWHERE…if we had spent the money that the presidents had promised in the last forty years, we would be unstoppable globally…..we are NOT! Another major thing is the deficit…..but if anyone thinks that you will get a grip on spending by cutting funds to NPR or any of the other smaller recipients of government funds….then one would be an idiot! The major spending programs must be addressed…all of them or the only success that he will have had would be another good speech or idle words….like so many others before him……..
Recently a friend and I were talking about the state of the union speech and she asked if the president has to give the speech……..Not really! The president is NOT required to give a speech bur…..the Constitution has the answer…….
according to Article 2, Section 3, is:
He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.
So NO….he is NOT required to give a speech only to inform the Congress an outline of his direction……(and that is the American History lesson for today)…….Or he could do what so many other presidents have done……send a letter to Congress outlining his proposals……this is what was done from Jefferson to Wilson, who made a speech which we Americans have come to expect……but the American people are like that schizoid woman who wants to hear ‘I love you’ before she has sex and then the promise dies and we go about our business until the next time we want a feel good moment…….and between the speeches we go about waiting for those promises to be fulfilled until we need another shot of verbal ejaculation to alter our feelings…….
All this is so much political theater…..even the BS of unity by these Reps sitting together in a show of civility….it is so much crap! American were told what they wanted to hear….NEVER what they need to hear…..and the song goes on…..Promises said…promises broken….NOTHING new here!
THIS IS A WASTE OF TIME!