State of the Union Address (SOTUA)


We have the acronym POTUS for the President of the United States and now SOTUA for State of the Union Address. I like simplicity and brevity so I suggest that we replace POTUS with I and SOTUA with C. I stands for idiot and C stands for crap (I would have used S but for my conservative American neighbours who prefer to say "shoot" so they don't offend anybody, especially themselves). Unlike two years ago, there is a growing chorus of protest at the platitudes and lies which for pass for political discourse in this country. For all his faults as a leader, I would welcome a sharp-tongued and literate Paul Keating (Aussie PM 1991-1996) to take the floor of congress and let loose with some well-directed barbs of criticism, mockery and abuse. Americans would not know what had hit them. The outright lies and fabrications of previous SOTUA (or C) have been replaced by self-delusion (David Corn). Gore Vidal can still appreciate the values of the old republic and how far the current POTUS (I) has taken it from its solid roots. Nat Hentoff worries about James Madisons' current sleep patterns, how he must be tossing and turning at night over how the checks and balances designed to check "unitary executive power" have unravelled in recent years. And Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war mother of a dead soldier, who was evicted from the premises for wearing a T-Shirt with the current death toll printed on it. It makes you wonder. See analyses of the SOTUA by Stephen Zunes . Robert Dreyfuss .Sidney Blumenthal and again . Andrew Bacevich . Andrew Sullivan's suitably cynical response. Alexander Cockburn is the only one to notice GW's ban on animal-human hybrid research - thus in one stroke losing the Centaur vote in the next election. Tom Engelhardt is shocked by the continuing absurdities of the Bush regime.

Her are some cartoons which capture the event quite nicely:

On rhetorical ability:





On the steady stream of good news:



and on partisan politics in the chamber (has anyone pointed out to the Americans that both donkeys and elephants are both slow and stupid animals?)



there is no more

Posted: Thu - February 2, 2006 at 11:16 PM        

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