STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

[indianasmith]

Does anyone else watch these?  As a history and government teacher, as well as a political junkie in general, I started watching them with the basic motivation of simply staying informed on current events and political trends about 20 years ago.  Then I discovered that I actually enjoyed them.  I have only missed one since 1992.

As I listened to Bush tonight, I realized something.  I am going to miss this man being President.  I know right now that 60% of the public does not share that opinion - many emphatically so - but it's how I feel.  He doesn't have the inspirational eloquence of Reagan, the fire of Kennedy, or the packaged slickness of Bill Clinton, but there is a simplicity and an earnestness about him that I find compelling.  I get the feeling he is a regular guy doing the best he can in the most difficult job on earth, and I am profoundly grateful that I do not have his responsibilities resting on my shoulders day after day.  I hope history will be kinder to him than his contemporaries have.

Anyone else out there listen to him tonight?

[AnubisVonMojo]

As I listened to Bush tonight, I realized something.  I am going to miss this man being President.

You and every comedian in the free world, sir. 

[lester1/2jr]

lol. scratch that

[frank]

I guess I could be tempted watching a political speech like that if one of those "State of the Union - Drinking Games" was involved... Sounds fun if taken seriously.

[indianasmith]

I figured I would be in the minority, and lose karma points, over this one.  Oh well!  Vive la free expression!

[CheezeFlixz]

I watched it and the evident partisan divide in congress is really disturbing. I believe that all of these old school Washington politician need to be shown the door and bring a new crop in with TERM LIMITS. These clowns that have never had any job outside of politics are just clueless to what it is to live in the REAL AMERICA. I'm talking about both sides of the aisle, it's time us voters clean house. I'm getting to be as about anti incumbent as I can be.

[Allhallowsday]

I watched it and the evident partisan divide in congress is really disturbing. I believe that all of these old school Washington politician need to be shown the door and bring a new crop in with TERM LIMITS. These clowns that have never had any job outside of politics are just clueless to what it is to live in the REAL AMERICA. I'm talking about both sides of the aisle, it's time us voters clean house. I'm getting to be as about anti incumbent as I can be.

Agree with you CHEEZEWIZ: "These clowns that have never had any job outside of politics are just clueless to what it is to live in the REAL AMERICA."  I must point out that the resume of our sitting President is not impressive. 

[Susan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYvfxvDwJxA  

[CheezeFlixz]

Agree with you CHEEZEWIZ: "These clowns that have never had any job outside of politics are just clueless to what it is to live in the REAL AMERICA."  I must point out that the resume of our sitting President is not impressive. 

What ALLHOLLOWHEAD agrees with me? I'm shocked. Never said the Prez did, but at least he's had a couple of real jobs as opposed to many on both sides that have never done nothing but politics.

[ulthar]

it's time us voters clean house. I'm getting to be as about anti incumbent as I can be.

Bang on that, brother.  I'm so sick of politics - all sides.  It's all just talk talk talk.  The sick thing is that they KNOW they don't mean a word they say, we KNOW they don't mean a word they say, they KNOW we KNOW, and still the wheel keeps turning with the same submoronic idioticy day after day.

Clean house.  There's a campaign slogan I can sink my teeth into.

[RCMerchant]

 I think my opinion of Bush has been documented on the board before...though I have to admit...listening to him talk is entertaining in a 'BAD' kinda way....it's almost frightining in it's absurd-ness. Almost surreal...
...and thats coing from a flake who believes in 'flying saucers' and thinks Bela Lugosi is the Second Coming.

So I guess you can interpet that any way you want...

it's time us voters clean house. I'm getting to be as about anti incumbent as I can be.

Bang on that, brother.  I'm so sick of politics - all sides.  It's all just talk talk talk.  The sick thing is that they KNOW they don't mean a word they say, we KNOW they don't mean a word they say, they KNOW we KNOW, and still the wheel keeps turning with the same submoronic idioticy day after day.

Clean house.  There's a campaign slogan I can sink my teeth into.

I basiclly believe all politictions are full of sh!t...left or right. I have no use for there lying,phoney hucksterism.

[CheezeFlixz]

Clean house.  There's a campaign slogan I can sink my teeth into.

I've thought if having bumper stickers printed to that effect. Either that or another classic, "Throw the bums out!"

[Allhallowsday]

Agree with you CHEEZEWIZ: "These clowns that have never had any job outside of politics are just clueless to what it is to live in the REAL AMERICA."  I must point out that the resume of our sitting President is not impressive. 

What ALLHOLLOWHEAD agrees with me? I'm shocked. Never said the Prez did, but at least he's had a couple of real jobs as opposed to many on both sides that have never done nothing but politics.

touche...   
As for "Real jobs"?  I don't think so; it's all family money, mismanagement, forfeiture, and questionable ethics.  But the W did make BIG BUX!     

[indianasmith]

Let me inject this into what has become an interesting discussion:

Term limits are a bad idea, unless they are the Constitutional variety - that is, imposed by the voters with their ballots.  But if you look at history, again and again, it is the men who have spent a lifetime in government service who wind up saving the day.

Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and John C. Calhoun each had 40 years in government when they engineered the Compromise of 1850 that forestalled the Civil War by a decade and probably wound up saving the Union.

Winston Churchill had been in Parliament for 40 years when he was called on to lead the country in its darkest - and finest  - hour.  He not only saved England, you can make a very convincing case that this remarkable, stubborn, incredibly alcoholic Victorian throwback saved the whole world.

Vote the bums out, if you think they deserve it.  But leave the Constitution alone - mandatory term limits are one of those things that seem like a good idea, but come replete with unintended consequences.

[ulthar]

and probably wound up saving the Union.

You say that like it is prima facie a good thing.  My question to you is: what do you speculate would have happened if the South split away, and the Union became two countries?

I'll tell you my speculation after I hear yours, but I'll give you a hint as to what I am thinking.  I don't think we'd be much different now, 150 years later, than we are now.

I'll turn the mike over to you....