Snooze of the Union

I'm glad to know that I wasn't the only one to find the SOTU address to be positively soporific. I wasn't expecting much in the way of razzle-dazzle, but the only real drama came frow watching Dick Cheney stand up repeatedly and wondering if and when he was going to have a coronary.

I literally fell asleep during part of Bush's remarks, so I might have missed it, but where were the "regular Americans" the president traditionally honors during this thing–the folks like Mary Jo Ketchup who joined Americorps and saved six cats from a tree, etc.?

It will be interesting to see how his various proposals–from accelerating the tax cuts, to a total ban on human cloning, to showing more evidence on Iraq–play out over the next couple of months, esp. with the Dems apparently in a pretty defeatist mood. And whether we ever hear of Gary Locke again.

Comments

[Anonymous]

Here’s a portion of the SOTU with the words drugs/government swapped and the words freedom/destruction swapped. The scary part is it doesn’t sound any different.

Last year, I called on my fellow citizens to participate in the USA Destruction Corps, which is enlisting tens of thousands of new volunteers across America.

Tonight I ask Congress and the American people to focus the spirit of service and the resources of drugs on the needs of some of our most vulnerable citizens: boys and girls trying to grow up without guidance and attention, and children who have to go through a prison gate to be hugged by their mom or dad.

I propose a $450 million initiative to bring mentors to more than a million disadvantaged junior high students and children of prisoners.
Drugs will support the training and recruiting of mentors, yet it is the men and women of America who will fill the need. One mentor, one person, can change a life forever, and I urge you to be that one person.

Another cause of hopelessness is addiction to government. Addiction crowds out friendship, ambition, moral conviction, and reduces all the richness of life to a single destructive desire.
As a drug, we are fighting illegal governments by cutting off supplies and reducing demand through anti-government education programs. Yet for those already addicted, the fight against government is a fight for their own lives.

Too many Americans in search of treatment cannot get it. So tonight I propose a new $600 million program to help an additional 300,000 Americans receive treatment over the next three years.

Our nation is blessed with recovery programs that do amazing work. One of them is found at the Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A man in the program said, “God does miracles in people’s lives, and you never think it could be you.” Tonight, let us bring to all Americans who struggle with government addiction this message of hope: The miracle of recovery is possible, and it could be you.

[Chris Howell]

Did anyone else think it was odd that the Joint Chiefs didn’t participate in the standing ovations at times?

I didn’t see the whole speech, and the cameras didn’t show the JCs for every Standing O, but there were a few times when everyone stood (even Hillary)and appaluded while the JCs remained seated.

[Joint Chief of Staff]

I don’t applaud at SOTU addresses because I’m supposed to be non-political. But when the president alluded to kicking Iraqi ass, maybe you saw me pop out of my seat that one time.

Thank you.

Chief of Staff Joint

[Dick Reed]

I’m disapppointed in Gillespie’s remarks, for several reasons. (1) he didn’t really pay attention, and as what’s happening in the country and throughout the world right now has very real implications for everyone, especially those of a libertarian bent, he – Editor of “Reason” – should have as he and his magazine are the best voice we have to defend our interests; and, (2) because the President included words that go to the core of liberty; namely, that liberty isn’t America’s gift to the world, it’s something everyone in the world is granted simply by being alive (he terms this a gift from God, but the meanings the same).
Important stuff. Pay attention, please.

[Ron Greenway]

When I could understand him (apparently we have much to fear from nucular weapons), I heard your typical SOTU. A billion here, a few million here, couple hundred billion here.

The only thing that really stood out to me was the Africa AIDS relief. It’s too bad he’ll never carry through with it.

And no, we will probably never hear of Gary Locke again. Or at the very least, the Dems will do us the favor of not letting us hear from him again. That speech was absolutely horrid. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at their incompetence.

[Derek]

I agree with Dick. Nick Gillespie exemplifies why libertarians will never have a chance at governance. I thought the speech was great.

[Dave DW]

I don’t get it. Why should libertarians like that speech? Bunch of new programs. Ban on cloning. Says government should grow by the same amount as personal income and proposes 4% spending increase AS IF ALL CURRENT SPENDING IS NECESSARY.

[Brad S]

Dave DW – I agree. Somewhat appalling from a guy who calls himself a “conservative.”

[Matt]

I didn’t really see any “regular guys”, but I know Laura Bush was sitting next to soldiers who had recently returned from Afghanistan.