Matt Welch on Lame-Duck State of the Union Addresses
CREDIT: Whitehouse.govEvery January or February, the American media
gathers to pretend that a ceremonial speech delivered by the
president to a joint session of Congress is important, even
crucial. By March, almost no one will rememember what the president
has said. This cycle of hype and forgetfulness is even more
pronounced in second-term presidencies, as lame-duck executives
announce major policy initiatives to indifferent voters and hostile
congressmen, who tend to strangle such ideas in the crib.
But reading these forgotten speeches in 2013, argues Matt Welch, can teach us some valuable lessons. Not least of which is that grand legislative schemes tend to fail, and politicians tend to say some ridiculous things while insisting on urgent action right now.