State of the Union

5:51 - I'm watching the State of theUnion address tonight. I'm trying something I have often seen other people do, and commenting on it as it occurs to me, and as I have the ability to do it.

5:56 - My roommate will be joining in too. I'll put a link up when (1) it's done and (2) when I think about it. He has markedly different political views than I do, which makes for interesting conversations, like the one that kept me up far too late last night. He also tells me I cannot use the words "idiotic liberal."

5:59 - I had hoped to watch the address on Fox. Evidently, they're showing The Simpsons. So I have to watch it on NBC. In other news, it's interesting that Samuel Alito, as one of his first acts as a Supreme Court Justice will be attending this speech.

6:06 - Got into an interesting conversation about the merits of Alito. He doesn't particularly like him, fearing that he won't have a passionate enough opposition to the Legislature. I disagree.

6:08 - Here comes the President. The speech is supposed to be 36 minutes, excepting time for applause, etc. I saw Harry Reid talking to someone off-camera. The announcers are now talking about how Cindy Sheehan was invited as a special guest to a Representative from California, but was arrested and taken off the premisis.

6:12 - The first thing the President is speaking about is the death of Coretta Scott King. I like that. I would like a moment of silence, not applause, as a fitting memorial. But silence doesn't make for good TV.

6:13 - How can we hope for civil discourse in Washington these days? I believe Bush tried early on, weak from a contested election in 2000, but was met with vicious attack from the get-go.

6:14 - Isolationisim and Protectionism. Very dangerous ideas. The U.S. does need to be actively involved in the world - the current struggles in the WTO with subsidies on agriculture are a good example.

6:15 - First mention of 9/11. The idea? That democracy is needed to replace dictators who may be able to inflict great damage even though far away. I wonder what he will say about the Hamas win in Palestine?

6:16 - 122 Democracies? I wonder how many are hideously corrupt, or more of a farce than anything, like in Egypt.

6:17 - A longer list of troubled countries, including N. Korea, Syria, Iran, and interestingly, Zimbabwe.

6:18 - Would terrorists be seeking to take control in Iraq if we were not there? This is an honest question, not a rhetorical one. I like the play on words... "they believe that through vicious acts the violent will in herit the earth." How does a country be meek? Should it?

6:19 - "We cannot retreat within our borders." "There is no peace in retreat and there is no honor in retreat." I agree with this. It is important that the U.S. does not back down to terrorism, because that will embolden it. It is for this same reason that we do not negotiate with terrorists.

6:20 "We accept the call of history to deliver the oppressed." I wonder how much work we are putting into the resurging genocide in Darfur...

6:21 "... so that the insurgency will be marginalized." I hear that this is already happening. Like the anti-Al Quaeda protests when a hotel was hit in Jordan - the more the people in the country become the targets the more they will reject the attackers. "[The war] is difficult because our enemies are brutal." This is true. They correctly know that Americans grow tired of bloodshed quickly.

6:23 - I wonder what the security is around the Capitol building is tonight? I assume very good, that nothing is getting through, no matter how hard anyone tries. Must be a logistical nightmare.

6:25 - "There is a difference between responsible criticism and defeatism." Sorry - couldn't keep up. The idea that we ought to speak honestly, and not spend time looking back and saying what ought to have been done differently. This is the biggest problem with Democrats - a backtracking on what has been said, and posturing as though any good has been done by them and all bad has been done by the Administration. See also, domestic wiretapping issues.

6:27 - We have another instance of antecdotal point-making. I hear this started in force with President Reagan. I think it is a most impressive rhetorical tool. May God grant peace to the family of that man and of the many others killed in action.

6:28 - I like how George Bush smiles when he seems sincere. I think sometimes he seems forced or rehearsed. But sometimes he seems very straightforward, and I believe this is his biggest tool when speaking. He must believe in what he is doing.

6:29 - "Hamas must recognize Israel, disarm, and work for lasting peace." I agree. I do not think that the end is nigh because of their election, but that governmental responsibilities will force them to become less marginalized.

6:30 - I thought the regime in Iran was popular. I know that there was a parlimentary vote ordering the leadership to suspend any diplomatic activities if we dared to push them on the nuclear issue.

6:32 - I don't see why people don't like the way that Bush speaks. Churchill misspoke, but that did not make him a better or worse leader.

6:33 - I wish that abolishing the human slave trade was a major U.S. Foreign Policy objective. Girls sold into slavery, held as prostitutes, and abused their whole life... that is a horrible, horrible, horrible thing.

6:34 - The PATRIOT Act. I think Senator Clinton just looked constipated.

6:34 - 9/11 hijackers made calls to Al Quaeda operatives. We now want to monitor such things to prevent it in the future.

6:35 - "Like Martha Stewart on crack." Good one, Daran.

6:36 - I think that the phone tapping issue is serious. It can be abused, and Hoover and Kennedy (RFK) abused this power. I think that to use the ability to monitor intra-state communications for blackmail or political power is treasonous, and should be dealt with accordingly.

6:38 - We need a good dialogue about how the international economy will work. This is a crucial debate, often overshadowed by partisan arguments. Immigration (when controlled) is good for the economy. Sending jobs overseas makes both countries stronger.

6:39 - I only support continued tax relief if the Administration controls spending. Taking credit for the current expansion because of the tax cuts is as fallacious as saying the Clinton expansion happened because of tax increases. Neither is true. The biggest thing the Administration can do is reduce spending, significantly.

6:41 - $14 billion next year? I'll believe it when I see it. But I hear that a lot of CBO projections don't include things like the war on terror.

6:42 - "Two of my dad's favorite people: me and President Clinton." I laughed out loud. I hear Hillary had an interesting look on her face.

6:44 - The coming Entitlement Crunch is a huge problem. But I have seen interesting thoughts that wonder if increases in production that outpace increases in entitlement obligations, then maybe we won't be crushed.

6:45 - "With a level playing field, no one can compete with the American Worker." I think that this is likely untrue. That's a pretty broad statement.

6:46 - Affordable Health Care. Step 1 - people need to know how much is being spent. Seeing the bill for a brief trip to the ER wakes a person up.

6:50 - Got busy talking. Alternative fuels. Good idea. Hydrogen and Ethanol are great because they are as abundant as anything on the planet except maybe dirt.

6:51 - Knowing may teachers, I wish there was less myopic focus on Math and Science. Reading, History, Government, Art, Music - we need these things. No Child Left Behind is a farce, and a poor burden.

6:52 - We need more emphasis on vocational work. The crazy, single-minded push for a College Education devalues the value of that education. College becomes not a center of advanced learning, but a social atmosphere, an experience. Suddenly it is not a high school diploma that is the "key to the future" that it once was, but a College degree.

6:54 - I wish people spoke about adoption more, especially as an alternative to abortion.

6:55 - "We must never give in to the belief that America is in decline, or that our culture is unravelling." It is important for the President to give us an optomistic look to the future.

6:57 - "Human life is a gift from our Creator, and should never be discarded, devalued, or put up for sale."

7:00 - "More opportunities to own a home..." I could use me some of that. The price of the median home in Washoe County is roughly 10 times my annual salary, before taxes. That hurts. Carson City is worse.

7:02 - "Will we turn back, or finish well?" "Courage." "Lead freedom's advance." "We move forward..." I'd say that overall, he gave one of his more solid speeches. No mention of Alan Greenspan, which is interesting, but not so noteworthy.