State of the Union Address

[theblazer]

Democrats are cunts and always will be.

 

[cjboog]

Democrats are cunts and always will be.

Thanks for the insight

 

[deep]

Aside from the usual partisian responses, did anyone find a component of the speech that they could fully support? Something they found to be a good new direction or initiative?

in some of his other SOTU addresses I have found a few good ideas


this was his worst


his joke about his dad's favorite two baby boomers went flat


I thought it was odd saying we would not abandon Iraq to BinLaden?




Did you hear any good ideas?

 

[cjboog]

I consider myself to be a bush hater but thought the Bush Sr. baby boomer joke was funny. I loughed out loud

 

[BonosSaint]

Aside from the usual partisian responses, did anyone find a component of the speech that they could fully support? Something they found to be a good new direction or initiative?

From what I can see, most of the responses have been laughter at the President. The vitriol was saved for the useless Democrat response. Much of his political capital is already spent--not necessarily with his party controlled Congress, but I don't think he has the capital to lead the country in any particular direction anymore. I think a lot of people still may like the President, but don't have much belief in him to fix things without getting us into some other kind of mess. Even those who believe in his sincerity aren't too sure of his ability to think things through. To my way of thinking, 25% of the country think he is the best thing to happen to America since ...I guess, Ronald Reagan. 25% hate his guts and the rest are indifferent.

For better or worse, his legacy is Iraq and his Supreme Court picks. He won't have any other legacy. He no longer really leads. He lost that a while ago. He is too compromised.

 

[cjboog]

For better or worse, his legacy is Iraq and his Supreme Court picks. He won't have any other legacy. He no longer really leads. He lost that a while ago. He is too compromised.

Good points. He doesn't really have the ability to press issues like tax and social security reform any more -- he will likely be pretty much a lame duck until the next election. As for the 25% who hates his guts. I just want to point out that I am in that 25% but I don't just hate his guts for the sake of hating his guts. Don't think my opinion is just the usual partisan jab because some of us have real objections, and there is nothing wrong that. I didn't really find much useful in the speech, but that's not because I hate Bush, it's because I didn't find much useful in the speech. Just an observation...

(falls off chair from exhaustion )

 

[BonosSaint]

Oh, the "hates his guts" was just a little hyperbole because of the right's usual comment that we let our hatred of the President (their words, just my confiscation of them) blind our reason.
I don't hate the President although I fall into that percentile that the right thinks hates the President. I actually find him funny (often deliberately) and he has a certain amount of charm. And I actually think he often believes what he says or at least wants to believe it. That being said, I have serious issues with him and little faith in his Presidency and concern about what the aftereffects are going to be.

 

[Lila64]

Democrats are just a little unorganized right now. I hate to admit it but all we can do is oppose Bush (which is good), we have trouble coming up with any real unified policies. The party should come up with its own policies instead of just opposing the administration. It's better to do both than just one.

And during Bush's speech I practically laughed out loud when he said something like "Congress didn't adopt my social security plan" and he was interrupted by a loud roar from the democrats. He basically had to completely stop his speech and listen to the dems cheer over their victory. Priceless. How could he not have seen it coming? This has probably been mentioned in the thread already, I just thought it was hilarious.

I missed the speech Caught a few minutes of it on the radio - the part about Congress not accepting his SS plan. You could hear the radio person whispering that the Democrats were standing & cheering at that point, and another point, it was the opposite. The radio person was kind of narrating the visual. I can't stand to watch the man speak, and am honestly embarrassed to have him as our president. And the 2 seconds I caught while flipping channels on TV were the 2 that Headache mentioned - when Bush mentioned Coretta Scott King and the camera trying to find the only 2 African American people they could find

And I did see Barak Obama (sp?) on Oprah last year. He seemed quite intelligent and well spoken. One to watch

<<<slips out of FYM

 

[nbcrusader]

Did you hear any good ideas?

Most of it was typical lame duck stuff. As usual, it was designed to energize the base and sound pleasant to the middle. No real challenges to the country.

Except the "addiction to oil" line could catch on. Bush only took a half step (but safer step) in the right direction. Improving existing technology is nice, but we really need a campaign to achieve new technologies.

 

[YBORCITY]

Most of it was typical lame duck stuff. As usual, it was designed to energize the base and sound pleasant to the middle. No real challenges to the country.

Except the "addiction to oil" line could catch on. Bush only took a half step (but safer step) in the right direction. Improving existing technology is nice, but we really need a campaign to achieve new technologies.

How do you propose to fund this "achieving new technologies"? It all sounds nice and I agree with your points about energizing the base and pleasentries to the middle - in fact not long ago I might have been part of the middle leaning a bit to the right. Unfortunately, I can't just mindlessly go along with everything this Administration shovels out anymore. Bush said that we are at a very crucial time in the history of this WORLD and what really scares the sh out of me is that this Guy is in control of this time in History. He has made one mistake after another. I can't believe he would bring up Bin Laden's name. To me it's emberassing. This guy should have been eradicated within weeks of 9/11 and he's allowed to still live and obviously conduct his affairs to this very day. I actually was personally touched by those tragic events that happened in New York City that day, so maybe my view is a bit askew about this.

As for the Democrats, they are getting exactly what they deserve. For some reason they still haven't found a way to use the incompetancies of this Administration against them. As a few posts sad above...............GROW SOME BALLS!!!!

 

[phanan]

The reason they chose a governor was likely because it came to the Democratic Party's attention, following the defeat of Kerry, that governors are more electable for the presidency than senators. Such has been the prevailing belief since.

I sure hope the Democrats aren't just realizing that, or else they are in trouble. Four of the past five presidents were governors before they took office.

 

[Justin24]

I have my own opinions on Bush, but how can we all "hate" Hate is such an awful word. Why not I dislike Bush and his administration???

Oh and try this out. Make Bush your Exercise bitch.

http://www.radioearth.com/BushAerobics.html

 

[nbcrusader]

How do you propose to fund this "achieving new technologies"? It all sounds nice and I agree with your points about energizing the base and pleasentries to the middle - in fact not long ago I might have been part of the middle leaning a bit to the right. Unfortunately, I can't just mindlessly go along with everything this Administration shovels out anymore. Bush said that we are at a very crucial time in the history of this WORLD and what really scares the sh out of me is that this Guy is in control of this time in History. He has made one mistake after another. I can't believe he would bring up Bin Laden's name. To me it's emberassing. This guy should have been eradicated within weeks of 9/11 and he's allowed to still live and obviously conduct his affairs to this very day. I actually was personally touched by those tragic events that happened in New York City that day, so maybe my view is a bit askew about this.

I would like to see the US approach energy solutions in the same way we approached space flight and the moon landing. We landed men on the moon in the 60’s with less than a decades worth of planning and preparation. Perhaps it would be controllable fusion reactors (or the dream of “cold fusion”). Something radically beyond alternative fuels for internal combustion engines or better batteries.

As for the foreign affairs aspects, I think we undervalue the global increase in democracies since 1945. Continuing this work through the Middle East and Africa, while not a panacea, certainly provides the framework for achieving permanent goals – which could not be achieved by continued strings of totalitarian regimes.

As for Bin Laden, I doubt he is still alive because anyone in the Administration wants him alive.

 

[YBORCITY]

I would like to see the US approach energy solutions in the same way we approached space flight and the moon landing. We landed men on the moon in the 60’s with less than a decades worth of planning and preparation. Perhaps it would be controllable fusion reactors (or the dream of “cold fusion”). Something radically beyond alternative fuels for internal combustion engines or better batteries.

As for the foreign affairs aspects, I think we undervalue the global increase in democracies since 1945. Continuing this work through the Middle East and Africa, while not a panacea, certainly provides the framework for achieving permanent goals – which could not be achieved by continued strings of totalitarian regimes.

As for Bin Laden, I doubt he is still alive because anyone in the Administration wants him alive.

Points very well taken. I think sometimes I get caught up in the Media Machine and listen to the drivel that's poured forth.

 

[the rockin edge]

I would like to see the US approach energy solutions in the same way we approached space flight and the moon landing. We landed men on the moon in the 60’s with less than a decades worth of planning and preparation. Perhaps it would be controllable fusion reactors (or the dream of “cold fusion”). Something radically beyond alternative fuels for internal combustion engines or better batteries.

yes, if we really focus on the energy problem like the focus on the 60's space race then solutions should come

Except the "addiction to oil" line could catch on. Bush only took a half step (but safer step) in the right direction. Improving existing technology is nice, but we really need a campaign to achieve new technologies.

 

[nbcrusader]

Points very well taken. I think sometimes I get caught up in the Media Machine and listen to the drivel that's poured forth.

I think that is understandable for everyone here, self included. The State of the Union has evolved from a defining moment in a President's term to a carefully orchestrated hurdle that must be crossed annually. Style replaces substance for the majority of the speeches.

 

[nbcrusader]

yes, if we really focus on the energy problem like the focus on the 60's space race then solutions should come

There is one potential risk that we would need to face. The space race was largly built on the fears of the Soviet Union. A common enemy unites and drives the masses.

A parallel could be drawn to the Middle East. The oil producing states could be "demonized" so that we desparately want to make them insignificant by having our own sources of energy. This may be a goal in a number of policy questions, though not stated so bluntly.

 

[the rockin edge]

The State of the Union has evolved from a defining moment in a President's term to a carefully orchestrated hurdle that must be crossed annually. Style replaces substance for the majority of the speeches.

i agree totally

if Bush could give a half decent speech then maybe it wouldn't be such a hurdle

 

[verte76]

I didn't watch it, I went someplace.

 

[nbcrusader]

i agree totally

if Bush could give a half decent speech then maybe it wouldn't be such a hurdle

His post 9/11 speeches were highly regarded.

I think of it like the presidential debates. So highly orchestrated and analyzed, that little new comes from the event.

 

[verte76]

The State of the Union has evolved from a defining moment in a President's term to a carefully orchestrated hurdle that must be crossed annually. Style replaces substance for the majority of the speeches.

Very true.

 

[Sherry Darling]

I'm coming a bit late to this game, so I'll only offer a couple of general comments.

RE "addicted to oil"--we need a real leader (probably not someone actually in office, maybe from the NGO sector) to lead a social movement here to get us OFF oil, because it will not come from either major party, particularly not the Republicans. I have this idea that we should start wearing "oil patches" on our arm as we metro into work. You know--kicking the habit. It's gimmicky enough to catch on.

RE education, I want to see us move in a direction that embraces interdiciplinary teaching (eg, match and science together, literature and history, etc), experiential learning and authentic assessment. Standardized test have some small place but they are not a substitute for WRITING and READING and problem-solving and engaging in projects that demand critical and creative thinking. Mutliple choice and T/F questions do a poor job of evaluating this, and so what I disklike perhaps more about NCLB is that these tests are its centerpiece and (even worse!) a determinant of funding that struggling schools get.

 

[angelordevil]

I find it hilarious how Bush co-opted the Democrat’s own material as his own. It’s simply brilliant strategery at its finest!

 

[melon]

A parallel could be drawn to the Middle East. The oil producing states could be "demonized" so that we desparately want to make them insignificant by having our own sources of energy. This may be a goal in a number of policy questions, though not stated so bluntly.

I think they've already been sufficiently demonized in the eyes of the American public, so I don't think that's going to be a problem.

Melon

 

[U2phan]

Something in his speech stuck out like a thorn for me.

The lack of any mention of Bono's war on AIDS and poverty.



2005 was the year organizations like the UK's "Make Poverty History" campaign and the One Campaign made serious efforts to better the situation in Africa. Bono was boasting on Conan O'Brien's show about the 2 million members that signed the One Campaign Declaration. LIVE 8 was the most publicized event in the history of the world, with reports of 2 BILLION people tuning in on TV and the Internet.

DID IT WORK?

All these promises the politicians made to Bono, Geldolf, and the rest...will they follow through?

Apparently Mr. President didn't mention this at all. Shame, shame, SHAME on you. At times I wonder how Bono could be so optimistic about wiping out poverty, especially with people like Bush in office. That's a travesty.

 

[U2Girl1978]

Don't mean to derail this thread but watching the State of the Union address and coming here on FYM makes me want to go into Politics-International Relations so much more. Everyone on here has so many great ideas and their insights to alot of the issues facing us is interesting. And some of you are so eloquent in your writing.