Bush's last (yippee!) "State of the Union" address last night was just another pothole in the long winding one way path called Bush Street- a path we've been traveling down for 7 years now. He spoke with the same disgusting rhetoric and jingoistic flippancy that he's been lecturing us with for far too long. He seemed to- as usual- have a penchant for entertaining and speaking mostly to his "base", while saving snarky and blunt criticisms for the "other" side of the room. I'm going to save energy and not pick apart the entire speech (I think most of you know how I feel).
But, what I'd like to do is link you to an article that summarizes my feelings quite nicely. A Slate journalist named John Dickerson whom I read frequently has written a compelling, witty, and evocative article about Bush's little ditty from last night. I've sectioned out my favorite part of the article- as I think it offers a perfect glimpse into the mindset of this irreverent and irresponsible man we call our President.
For Democratic lawmakers in the audience, perhaps the most irksome item was the president's tough new approach to congressional earmarks, those little projects lawmakers insert not into the text of bills presented to the president but in reports that accompany them. He says he will veto spending bills this year unless Congress cuts in half the amount of money earmarked for lawmakers' pet projects, and he will order agencies to ignore future earmarks unless they are explicitly listed in the text of legislation.
I am all for this. Legislators should have to be honest about what they're trying to get us to pay for. Bush is playing a political angle here. He's picking an election-year fight with Democrats who control Congress to make them look like big spenders, and he's also trying to rehabilitate his reputation among Republicans as a spendthrift. But there is chutzpah in George Bush, who perfected the use of the signing statement to circumvent Congress when it worked its will, targeting earmarks because they circumvent the regular congressional process. "If these items are truly worth funding, the Congress should debate them in the open and hold a public vote," he said. Next, Bush will offer executive orders that demand better elocution from public officials and ban smirking.
Dickerson does a tremendous job of articulating the way in which Bush decided to essentially change policy positions on the fly in order to elicit applause from that "base". Not only is he changing policy position, he's flat out lying- he's been the most consistent abuser of some of what he claims to be against. I also like the example given and shot taken at Bush's oration skills- it's not only fitting and true, it's very funny!
Thankfully, the sun is almost at its midpoint in the final year of the Bush regime. My vision of an approaching Bush setting sun have me giddy and anxious, and articles like this only fan the flames of my disdain for and disappointment in this junta. Yes, I said junta!
Peace
AM Son
