Preemptive SOTU Pushback
Now Playing: Franz Ferdinand / Franz Ferdinand / This Fffire
By all accounts, the State Of The Union will include a hefty dose of health savings accounts, some security talk, and some greenwashing efforts to make it look like the President is a Carteresque tree-hugging conservationist. Along with -- get this -- President Bush scolding Congress for its ethical problems. This is great theater, but the facts on the ground tell a different story. The political reality for the Blue Team looks something like this:
Security: Nice work on the non-proliferation front. On Bush's watch, the number of countries with nuclear weapons has already gone up by one, may soon go up by another, and the Army is bogged down in postwar stabilization in Iraq. Also freedom led to the Palestian authority electing terrorists. We've tried it your way; it's not doing too well. We have done some good in Iraq by eliminating Saddam and moving the country towards, but at this point we are a target and our presence fuels terrorism.
Culture of Corruption: The fox cannot guard the henhouse. Eliminating public corruption requires electing new leaders who are interested in serving the public rather than building a "K street project" that unites politicians and lobbyists. We can pass all the lobbying reforms that we want, but at the end of the day the people must guard against corruption. You have the power to force Congress to do better.
Health Care: Did you like the Bush Medicare Bill? No, I didn't think so. People who don't like government aren't very good at running the government. Wait until you see how his Health Savings Accounts turn out!
Energy Independence: The President is looking for small solutions, when we should really be looking for big, tear-down-the-doors, bankrupt-Saudi-Arabia solutions. Schweitzer is pushing clean coal in Montana; Gregoire is working on biodiesel in Washington state; I'm sure Vilsack is doing the same; somebody somewhere is interested in wind, etc. etc.
That's 70 words, and it covers what are likely to be all four major themes of the speech.
'Cowboy up, everybody.
Drinking Liberally starts at 5:45 pm this week in preparation for the SOTU Drinking Game. In addition, free beer for anyone who shows up in Seahawks gear.
