good" or “strong” or any of those other words that Presidents say when they’re pandering to their base and bullshitting the nation, I’m going to fucking retch.
The state of the Union is not strong. It’s total shit.
Now before the rightie dumbfucks chime in with, “Iron production is up 15%, comrades. The union is strong, after all!” let me says this: Sure, the US is a great country with lots of good points, tons of strong ones. We’re not on the verge of collapse. But that’s not the point. The points are that
We’re fighting a shit war we should never have fought. It’s a certified goddamn quagmire.
The economy is doing superficially well, but the benefits are going disproportionately to the wealthy and real wages are long stagnant, so people are in a lot of pain but told to shut the fuck, the economy’s great!
Nothing new or fun is happening. We’re not adding new states, sending men to the moon, or doing anything else to make us feel proud as a nation. Instead, we’re tapping wires and torturing Arabs, we’re fucking others while fucking ourselves. In a word, we’re goddamn pathetic.
Add to that fears of terrorism, bird flu, peak oil, and whatever-the-fuck else. All the Pubbie rah-rahs can do nothing to beat the malaise.
And the Mother of all Points here is that the Bush regime is responsible for about 75% of the malaise. So don’t tell me the “state of the union is strong!” when you of all people are the one making it weak, you wretched cunt!
But still Bush is going to lay the bullshit on thick as jam and spit out factoid after factoid with his gimpy grin and spin deluxe. A day before the speech, I feel as though I’ve heard it all already:
WAR.
9/11.
ECONOMY.
MEDICAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTS.
Really, Bush, just fuck off. You have ZERO credibility–don’t you get that, stupid motherfucker?!
well you know damn well he’s going to go w/the “state of the Union is… (pause for emphasis) strong. (Pause for applause)” his address is not to the entire country but rather to his constituents, those who believe that he’s only doing “fillin the blank” to keep us safe, that the war was justified, we must stay the course and all, and the economy (their own) is doing fine, just fine, thankyew, plus they’re about to control the Supreme Court for the forseable future. what’s not (for them ) to like?
and t’other side will say all the things we’re expecting to hear too. anyhow who believes that the SoTU address is any more than a political rah-rah time for both parties should invest in some bridges I have for sale.
“Adding new states,” for example, isn’t an achievement per se. It’s something that is part of growth, progress; it’s something of interest.
The Internet boom was probably the one time in my life I thought, “These are interesting times, times in which it’s really great to be an American.” No war, high prosperity, technological progress, etc. (please don’t respond that none of it was real; part of it indeed was real).
Five years later, hoo-eee. Malaise, baby, and everyone knows it.
“…and not only are we winning the war on terror, we are now prepared to add Iraq and Afghanistan to the union and will be evicting Louisia and Mississippi for an overall net financial gain!”
Well, the state of the Union is… strong. Too fucking bad if you don’t like it. No, Bush has not destroyed American. You are not a victin, much as you seem to wish you were one. The President is required by the Constitution to give this speech. He get’s to decide what goes in iit. Yeah, it’ll be all platitudes, but when was tha last SotU speech that wasn’t.
Too bad the Dems had to select a Governor who’s been in office for about 1 month for the the response*. Maybe if they could stop squabling among themselves for a few minutes, they might actually be able to win a national election.
*Richardson’s response, to be given in Spanish, can’t really count.
Actually, he isn’t, it’s just traditional. He is required only to “from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_the_union
I totally agree Aeschines.
Which is why I’ll be joinIng in a rally in Austin to protest the bullshit and to listen to speakers that may have suggestions on more things I can do to help turn the tide.
I will make a point of reading the transcript of Bush’s address the next day however.
What fucking states are you talking about? We’ve got (I’m sure with your thinking) Afghanistan and Iraq lined up to join once Halliburton can figure out whom to pay off for a Constitutional amendment to ratification of statehood based on Presidential decree. Iran is getting nervous and I heard that the invitations to be sent to Alberta are being engraved as we speak. I’m really curious what the adding new states is supposed to mean.
And no, most people don’t know how important the moment they’re living in will be until it’s viewed in hindsight. How many people do you think stood in awe in 1977 of the personal computer? I’d say that turned out to be a pretty big thing. When you’re a bit older you’ll gain some perspective. Life is so much faster and information-filled today that we’re all accostomed to NOWNOWNOW! If a President or Senator or CEO doesn’t make a life-affirming impact on everyone, everywhere in 3 months, he’s seen as a failure.
The big picture takes time to paint. During WWI the US was extremely reluctant in joining the Allies. The fact that WWII happened shows we maybe should have been a little more concerned with resolving the situation. But at the time, as today, people focused on the minutiae and day-to-day progress. We won’t know the full effect of this war for another 20 or 30 years. But if your world-view makes you happy, have at it.
I wouldn’t say we’re wealthy, but we’re paying the bills and saving some money. Like the majority of Americans. We may not both drive Corvettes, but we’re not living some destitute shithole existence you think everyone is. If your life isn’t going so well, do something about it or keep bitching about it. It’s your choice. Beleive it or not, they’re not really out to get little ol’ you.
Yes, I suppose that he could submit a written statement, but I think you knew what I meant. He’s required to assess the state of the Union. I’m sure the OP would have had just as much whining to do about a written statement.
Hardly.
As I stated in my prior post, I will make a point of reading the transcript of Bush’s address.
However, some of us are not quite as pleased as you are with the current State of the Union.
I am ashamed that my country has gone to war-a war based on what the current administration has admitted is false information.
I am ashamed that soldiers are being asked to die and, when questioned as to why, the president can only repeat that to leave now would dishonor those already dead.
I am ashamed that my country has admitted to torture.
I am ashamed that the current administration and the Pentagon is spying on law abiding citizens like the Quakers whose only ‘crime’ is lawful dissent.
I am ashamed that months later, the citizens of the Gulf coast have received little or no assistance in rebuilding their communities.
That can’t be right, John. Last I’d heard we’re in mortal danger. Like, we could see a mushroom cloud over an American city at any moment.
Did I miss something? Have we won? Is the mission accomplished? Is the insurgency in its last throes (again)? Have we finally turned that seventh corner?
And if he says anything other than “strong” it would be a political field day for the Dem’s for months to come. The Union is strong. We don’t have a civil war or major dissent against the federal government (liberal handwringing notwithstanding). At the worst we have a foriegn war that has nothing to do with the strength of the Union, a Constitutional Issue that experts can’t agree is illegal or not.
Chill, comrade, he was speaking rhetorically about the sort of national pride and excitement that would come with a major development like, say, the admission of an Alaska or Hawaii to statehood. He wasn’t suggesting that the USA should literally annex additional territory and carve new states out of it.
Except that, as Squink pointed out above, the majority of Americans aren’t in fact saving money or even paying the bills. For the first time in over seventy years, we have a negative savings rate.
I’m glad things are going well for you personally, and I’m pleased to say that I’ve been doing pretty well too. But if the statistics show that most Americans are struggling financially, with stagnant or dropping incomes and increased debt, then I don’t think we can just shrug that off as isolated examples of lazy whiners who simply aren’t exercising their choice to “do something about it”.