State of the Union

Tonight President Bush gave his State of the Union Address. I enjoy being able to sit and listen to the President's speeches. Its not like I'm a great political junkie. But for the 8 years of the Clinton administration I rarely got to listen to anything old slick Willie had to say. Everytime I would see him on television, I'd start muttering something about "listening to the lying sack of s--t" and then change the channel.

I'm not going to go into a deep analysis of the State of the Union Address. There will be plenty of those flying around the internet and the main stream media. Often this analysis will be provided by much more politically astute or more intellegent people than I am. But here is my impressions of tonights speech

I liked most of the Presidents speech. I liked the parts about staying to course in the War of Terror. I liked when he explained why he had the authority for the wiretapping and why it was necessary. The only thing that would have made this part of the speech better would have been seeing the President stick his tongue out at Ted Kennedy during the applause. OK, maybe not really but it's fun to imagine

I wasn't really pleased with his new ethanol initiative. Sounds just like more spending on farmers who we pay too much not to grow things already. I mean really, who thinks that more ethanol is going to solve our oil problems?

I thought it was amusing that the only thing that got the Democrats on their feet and cheering was the Presidents remark that the senate failed to do anything about fixing Social Security last year. Isn't it kind of telling that the Democrats are proud of thier ability to obstruct an attempt to fix a large looming problem? I wonder if the Democrats who were standing and cheering thier obstruction of an attempted Social Security reform understood how stupid and idiotic they looked standing there cheering their failure to do something.

I would have liked to hear the President be a little more forcefull about stopping illegal immigration. I would also like to hear more about his science and math education intiatives.

Overall it was a pretty good speech. The President was upbeat and positive. But it was a typical State of the Union Address. The Presidents party loved it and the opposing party hated it. Just like every year.

Then I decided to stick around and see what kind of train wreck the Democrats sent out to do their rebuttal. I was actually shocked at the rebuttal given by Tom Kane the Governor of Virginia. Where is the world did the Democrats find a calm rational soft spoken member who could get through a speech without yelling, turning red faced, spraying spittle around or just ranting incoherently? Guys like Governor Kane worry me. If the radical right wing of the Democratic party keeps letting men like him speak people might actually start listening to them.

Now that said, what did Governor Kane actually have to say. He said "There's a better way." The only thing he didn't say was what the better way was. What I heard during his speech was that the Democrats don't really object to the job President Bush is doing, they only object to the fact that it is him doing it instead of one of them.

So in the interest of fairness and because this is my blog and I can do so if I want to I can offer my own rebuttal to both speeches.

To President Bush:

More non-corn ethenol is not going to solve our dependance on foreign oil. Illegal immigration is a major hole in your war on terror and needs more than just some lip service. Yes immigrant labor is an important part of our national economy. But so is the drain on our economy that the cost of welfare, education and health care that is spent on illegals.

I liked the Presidents comments on both parties working together for the good of the nation. But surely you have figured out after 5 years that holding your hand out to the democrats is only going to get you bit. You need to stop worrying about trying to include the Democrats wishes in your plans. Do what you think is right and if they disagree with it let them win enough elections to stop you. Otherwise let their obstructionist policies continue to push them into obscurity.

To Govornor Kane.

If there is a better way, tell us what that way is. You gave a wonder travelogue style retrocspective of what Virginia is like. Sure it's a nice state to live in. But that is because it is a red state. Now show us a blue state that is prospering as well and we might be impressed.

Maybe it's time for your party to stop telling us that there is a better way and start concentrating on doing what is right for America. Not what is best for your political party. Your partisan politicing has become the showcase for everything that is wrong with America. When our enemies start sending out tapes and press releases that sound like your press releases maybe it's time for you to start asking yourself whose side you are really on. America's or Howard Dean's.