21 Comments on the State of the Union Address

Posted by Joshua White on 01.25.2007

Twenty just wasn't enough! Twenty two was way too many!

Comments on the State of the Union Speech

- As I said in the roundtable I think that it was a very nice touch for Mr. Bush to make the comment about "Madame Speaker of the House."

- I know that a lot of people have already made this point, but sweet Jesus please stop blinking Nancy Pelosi. Seriously, I counted one time and I swear it was at 60 bpm (blink per minute).

- On the other side of the screen, we had Mr. No Emotion. As opposed to Pelosi, Cheney not only barely blinked, but he rarely moved or showed any signs of life (other than getting up when appropriate).

- I found it slightly amusing to watch Pelosi throughout the entire speech. I noticed several times that she couldn't always tell if she was to clap or not clap, rise or stay seated. "Wait, Bush said something positive about the troops...I need to clap right? Yeah, I need to clap." Then, later on, "What? Did he say something about lowering taxes? I will remain seated with a slight, but noticeable, look of annoyance on my face as "those people" stand and clap."

- "We are now in the 41st month of uninterrupted job growth -- in a recovery that has created 7.2 million new jobs ... so far. Unemployment is low, inflation is low, and wages are rising." After Bush said this, everyone applauded. Bush continued, "This economy is on the move -- and our job is to keep it that way, not with more government but with more enterprise." Then, only the Republicans clapped. This is what annoys me. Why would it be a terrible thing for the Democrats to value? Why would the Democrats hate more American enterprise and less government intervention in the private life? This is the kind of partisan, political crap that is annoying to me.

But then, later on when Bush said "We must increase funds for students who struggle -- and make sure these children get the special help they need" even Pelosi clapped. If you don't want the image as a party that just wants to spend money on everything, then stop clapping every time people talk about spending more tax money and resolutely not clapping when they talk about tax breaks. Lame people!

- "when not even C-SPAN is watching." HA!!

- I think that he did a nice job of talking up the American economy. Jobs up. Wages up. Inflation low. Unemployment low. U-S-A! U-S-A!

- I realize that you can't go into every little detail when explaining how a new bill will work, but I didn't even come close to understanding this new health insurance tax proposition. Further, upon looking at what Bush said I still can't figure it out. Here, let me show you what I mean:

First, I propose a standard tax deduction for health insurance that will be like the standard tax deduction for dependents. Families with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $15,000 of their income. Single Americans with health insurance will pay no income or payroll taxes on $7,500 of their income. With this reform, more than 100 million men, women, and children who are now covered by employer-provided insurance will benefit from lower tax bills.

At the same time, this reform will level the playing field for those who do not get health insurance through their job. For Americans who now purchase health insurance on their own, my proposal would mean a substantial tax savings -- $4,500 for a family of four making $60,000 a year. And for the millions of other Americans who have no health insurance at all, this deduction would help put a basic private health insurance plan within their reach. Changing the tax code is a vital and necessary step to making health care affordable for more Americans.
Ok, if I have a family and health insurance, then I won't pay taxes on $15,000 of my combined income. So far that sounds pretty suh-weet. But how does this affect people who buy their own health insurance? And how does this even tough people without health insurance? What is happening? Again, I realize that Bush can't discuss everything, but give me some clue as to what is going on. Get me excited for my cash-money instead of getting me confused. Great communicator you are not, Mr. Bush.

- Did you hear the roar when Bush said that he wanted to pass medical liability reform?

- I don't think that I mind a "temporary worker program" if that means that they come, work, leave, while getting few to no benefits of American citizens. I'm fine with people coming to American, working for us, paying the same taxes that we do, spending money here, and not taking anything from our social programs.

" And we need to resolve the status of the illegal immigrants who are already in our country -- without animosity and without amnesty." Here is a time that I would like to hear an explanation of how he's planning on doing this. Hell, even a simple hint...but something. If he'd like some possible ideas, he could always refer to my first column. (Pay no attention to the title-talk. That has all but been forgotten.)

- While I really do like his alternative energy ideas (the bio-diesel, wind power, etc.) again, I would really like to hear how he plans on attaining these ideas. Further, is it just me or is Mr. Bush leaning a little left these days. Temporary workers, "resolving the status of the illegal immigrants already here", working towards alternative energy... I'm not saying that conservatives should be opposed to any of these ideas. I'm just saying that most in the past have been.

- It's known that the Democrats are the party of global warming. Some in the opposing party claim that global warming is just a myth. Bush himself has stayed away from the term for most of his administration. But then:

"These technologies will help us become better stewards of the environment -- and they will help us to confront the serious challenge of global climate change."

CLIMATE CHANGE? Look guys, "global warming" is a leftish sort of term. The right has made it that way. But "climate change"... that is more left than left. Maybe that is why Bush used the term. Maybe it is so left that it is now right!

- Why would the left have a problem giving federal judges a "prompt up-or-down vote"? That seems like a reasonable request and the left refused to stand for this.

- I think that it was important and wise to remind the American public that there have been successes in preventing terrorists from hitting us on American soil. Without these victories we'd get annoyed at many of the restrictions that have been put on us since 9/11.

- Did you see Pelosi virtually jump out of her chair when Bush acknowledged the devotion of the "public servants." She really is becoming a stereotype of what a Democrat is supposed to be.

- Condi...chill out! She looked so mad, and I'm not even sure what about.

- Leiberman, stop blinking so much.

- Belarus? Burma? Why are these countries part of our state of the union address?

- "We hear the call to take on the challenges of hunger, poverty, and disease -- and that is precisely what America is doing." Except in Darfur.

- I realize that it is a tradition to bring some guests to the state of the union and show them off as American success stories or use them as a point in your speech, but Dikembe Mutombo? The lady who created Baby Einstein? This all just seemed so forced and awkward.

- Bush had finished saying the second S in "God bless" by time John Kerry had gotten up and started running up the aisle. What's the rush Lurch?

Well followers, these are the highlights that I remember from the state of the union. If there are ones that you think that I have forgotten or if you think that I have taken a wrong approach to any of my points, please email me. I'd like to hear any of your ideas.

Until next time…believe nothing unless you read it here.