Cross-posted to
Blog and Tan.
Was President Bush talking about the United States of America, or some other union, when he made the State of the Union speech?
One thing I noticed--or failed to notice, rather--was that there wasn't much talk about Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that devastated the Gulf. People often think of media spin regarding FEMA victims without initiative when Katrina is mentioned, but here's a random
Flickr photo that shows what "devastation" means, taken on January 29. Katrina alone was the cause of what some called the "
biggest resettlement in American history," when over half a million people were ordered out of the city of New Orleans and surrounding areas just before and for weeks after Hurricane Katrina. It also devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Yet, to the dismay of many of the area's residents, the disaster merited a total of
165 words out of the 5,300 word address.
Here are a few other items that lead me to question whether Bush was thinking about the USA while speaking:
- "we must act in a spirit of good will and respect for one another. And I will do my part." Bush has, by playing good-cop-bad-cop with Dick Cheney, attempted to appear above the fray. But it is clear through Cheney's hardline approach where the administration stands, and they do not generally speak in a "spirit of good will and respect." Must be someone else.
- "On September the 11th, 2001, we found that problems originating in a failed and oppressive state 7,000 miles away could bring murder and destruction to our country." First, apparently he was addressing a nation that had never heard of 9/11. Otherwise, he'd be guilty of repeating it ENDLESSLY for political gain. Not to mention, which nation is he speaking of? Iraq or Afghanistan?
- "Dictatorships shelter terrorists, and feed resentment and radicalism, and seek weapons of mass destruction." The U.S. supports dictatorships; in the past, it supported Saddam Hussein in Iraq because strengthening Iran was against our best interests. The US and CIA in particular have been accused of supporting the overthrow of many governments for political purposes.
- "Every step toward freedom in the world makes our country safer, and so we will act boldly in freedom's cause." Before the speech, Cindy Sheehan was removed from the House and arrested for wearing a t-shirt that listed the number of American soldier casualties and the question "How many more?" Nice example to show the world, unless this isn't the state of the United States.
- "In the coming year, I will continue to reach out and seek your good advice." In January, Bush allocated 5-10 minutes for discussion with past Cabinet members--including Colin Powell, George Schultz, Alexander Haig, and a handful of others--in a glorified photo-opportunity. He must be referring to something/someone else.
- "With so much in the balance, those of us in public office have a duty to speak with candor." Apparently this does not concern Hurricane Katrina, as the White House is refusing to release records concerning its communications with Homeland Security and FEMA. As we know the White House blames the first-responders, who admittedly did perform quite badly (esp. Captain Chocolate), I can't see what or who is being protected by not releasing the records to aid in the investigation. Must be another country.
- "This year my budget will cut it again and reduce or eliminate more than 140 programs that are performing poorly or not fulfilling essential priorities." This could be about the US--how about FEMA for example? Nothing like hiring the undeniably incompetent Michael Brown to head up the agency responsible for handling emergency management, watching it fail miserably--let's see if this is the next agency to be "drowned in the bathtub" due to "performing poorly."
- "Our government has a responsibility to help provide health care for the poor and the elderly, and we are meeting that responsibility." In 2004, 45.8 million Americans were uninsured. Clearly he's talking about another country.
- "So tonight I announce the Advanced Energy Initiative -- a 22 percent increase in clean-energy research at the Department of Energy." According to the New York Times, the Department of Energy is about to lay off workers because of budget cuts in the CURRENT fiscal year. Does this remind anyone else of a grocer raising the price on a loaf of bread and then saying it's on sale? Maybe it's someone else's Department of Energy.
- "Tonight I announce the American Competitiveness Initiative to...give our nation's children a firm grounding in math and science." As long, apparently, as that scientific education includes Intelligent Design--because "both sides ought to be properly taught." Must be someone else that believes in real science.
- "Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of medical research: .... buying, selling or patenting human embryos. Human life is a gift from our creator, and that gift should never be discarded, devalued or put up for sale." Patenting and profiting from the human genome, however, is perfectly OK. Maybe the genome isn't a gift from our creator?