SOTU

Some random thoughts on the State Of The Union speech delivered tonight by President Bush. 

• President Bush said, "As we make progress on the ground and Iraqi forces increasingly take the lead, we should be able to further decrease our troop levels. But those decisions will be made by our military commanders, not by politicians in Washington, D.C."  We still have a civilian run military, right?  Aren't these exactly the decisions politicians, not generals, should be making.  Clearly President Bush is not reading his Elliot Cohen. 
• When you look at John Roberts and Samuel Alito from behind, they both look like Franciscan Friars with their cute little bald spots.  That should stir discussion of the coming theocracy. 
• Iran is run by "a small clerical elite."  Who knew that those devils running Iran were actually very short and snobbish file clerks.  Kidding aside, Iran should have gotten more and firmer discussion. 
• The first half of this speech was excellent.  Bush once again articulated the Bush Doctrine: America has the duty to expand liberty, both for our own security and for the good of the world.  Both of those propositions can be questioned, but it is a powerful argument that speaks to our finest principles. 
• Now to the dreck.  The laundry list of domestic proposals.  Take me now Lord!  Bush proposes eliminating 140 "non-essential" programs, saving a whopping $14 billion.  Yes, that sounds like a lot, but for a government that spends $2.6 trillion a year, it's chump change.
• The real money is in entitlements.  Give Bush kudos for talking about it.  Since his Social Security proposal went nowhere, he is doing what we expect politicians to do: propose a commission.  I hate to tell you, but we already had an entitlement commission in the 90s.  It was headed by Senators Al Simpson of Wyoming and Bob Kerrey of Nebraska.  It made very sane proposals.  Those proposals were eviscerated by the interest groups (i.e., the AARP), and nothing came of that commission.  Expect more of the same.
• What will Bush's oil buddies think of his energy proposals? 
• I think Americans can all rest easy knowing the American Competitiveness Initiative is on the horizon. 
• Blah, blah, blah.  More itty bitty proposals designed to make the President look good.  Come on. Does anyone oppose the Ryan White Act?
• And finally, did you ever notice that almost everytime Bush gives a big speech, he wears a blue tie? 

The second half of this speech was Clintonian in style, substance, and its interminable length.  It seems we have not elected a president, but a national governor who thinks it is his job to solve every problem we face.  I can't wait for the program to fight the ketchup crud that forms on the nozzle of my ketchup bottle.  That's a problem John Kerry was born (actually, married) to fight.  It is all enough to yearn for the days before Woodrow Wilson when presidents just sent Congress a letter on the State of the Union and did not burden us with tedious acts of political pandering masked as constitutional duty.  Yet another reason to hate Woodrow Wilson.