What's Your State of the Union?

President Bush delivers his seventh -- and mercifully, last -- State of the Union address on Monday. If it's going to be anything like the previous six, it will be loaded with misleading rhetoric that's completely detached from reality.

For example, as I noted here before last year's State of the Union, Bush has repeatedly pledged to bring about energy independence and affordable health care for all. In reality, he has led a band of conservative obstructionists, well-financed by corporate interests, to block progress towards those goals.

Why wait until he has the national megaphone all to himself to blast another round of distortions? Let's tell the real story of the State of the Union, now.

At Campaign for America's Future, we've launched an effort to deliver the "pre-buttal" to Bush's State of the Union. We've taken the first step and released this video below, comparing last year's address with what's really happening to the foundations of our country.

But that's just us. What's your story? How has the state of our union, under seven years of conservative misleadership, impacted you, your family and your community?

At the new Campaign for America's Future website, you can share your story. Collectively, we can push back on the false picture Bush will surely try to paint, specify how exactly conservative policies have failed us, and help establish an unmistakable mandate for lasting progressive change.

He may have the constitutional obligation to deliver the State of the Union -- a rare instance when Bush follows the Constitution -- but we have no obligation to sit idly by while he misinforms the Congress and the public.

It's our democratic obligation to deliver the ground truth to our leaders. Let's get to it.

Comments

[Sundialsvc4]

The State of the Union is that everything that Dwight Eisenhower warned us about 47 years ago this month has come true.

The State of the Union is that it corrupted all three branches of government simultaneously, defeating the protection of "checks and balances."

The State of the Union is that the "fourth estate" became a propaganda machine, abdicating all its responsibilities to relentlessly seek-out and present the truth even in the presence of the greatest informatio­n-distribu­tion device in the entire history of man.

The State of the Union is that the Republic and all that it has ever stood for is now in grave peril, as it threatens the very world that it once saved, and repeatedly betrays the trust of the entire world for the enrichment of just a few thousand men and women.

One lamp burns, how dimly now!, in Christ Church Tower this night: "One If By Land."

[scooperss]

It's obvious. He'll talk about how his new FISA (with retroactive immunity) needs to be passed before we get attacked. He'll talk about how in a spirit of bipartisanship he's going to send people money. He's going to say congress needs to approve that guy (don't remember his name) who wrote the torture memo. He'll talk about how well the surge worked and call on others to help in Afghanistan. SSDD

[Crowhaul]

Why do the American people endure a president that does not obey them? His position is one of service to the will of the people.

GWB must be impeached as soon as possible, and tried for the treason of which he is guilty.

[realpolitic]

This YouTube debate effectively shows what a phony Bush is. He spoke last year for increasing children's health care funding and then he vetoed a bill that would provide it. When he speaks of peace in the Middle East he really means endless warfare. It shows when we elect a shallow, intellectually uninterested man who is not swayed by evidence we get policies one would associate with such a head-in-the-sand nonentity.

Bush has tried to model his presidency on when he was a fraternity president at Yale, to just occasionally show up and leave the real work to others. We need a President with an intellectual interest and knowledge of the world who occasionally reads.

[realpolitic]

It will be so funny when Bush takes the podium to tell us the State of the Union has never been stronger, as our economy is collapsing and we wage two endless wars and our station in the world has never been lower. Bush is a disaster. Wouldn't it be refreshing if he would just admit how he has really messed things up and conservative economic policies don't work and endless warfare is perhaps a bad idea. At least then he would go out with an honesty and candor that has not seen the light of day in this inept, corrupt administration. Bush is too small a man to admit his mistakes or may not realize them himself, which is even sadder.

[Historybuff]

My State of the Union, under a Conservative president, is great - BUT, I live in Michigan where the 'State of the State', Under a Liberal Governor, is terrible.

Union domination, overspending, overtaxing, and focus on Politically Correct issues has left this state broke, with more lay-offs coming, and no future for young people.

Thank You, Liberals.

[outnow]

Two trillion dollars later and the GOP wonder when their taxes can be reduced. The role of government is not to wage undeclared wars, according to the constitution. The purpose of war is to coerce other countries to allow investment in their countries by the wealthy elite. Let them pay for the resource wars out of their share of the spoils. And if there is a "containment theory" then let those who believe in that fight the war, as in Vietnam. The reason that the U.S, is not competitive is that all of the tax money goes into defense spending and intelligence agencies budgets. The People do not run this country anymore.

[Zaro]

What's the difference between 935 lies and a handfull more?

[Zaro]

Well, let me get my notepad ready so I can jott down what this visionary has say.

[research]

Iran must be stopped from getting WMD!

That's what Bush will talk about.

Impeachment is off the table for another reason:

Criticizing the President is forbidden by the Congressional House rules.

in a statement issued to The Plain Dealer this afternoon, Stearns explained his objections to Kucinich's remarks:
"This morning, Rep. Kucinich used the House floor to launch a personal attack against President Bush and Vice President Cheney and accused them of lying to the American people. He also said that the House was 'living a lie.' His outburst was a violation of House rules and I asked that his remarks be taken down and the Speaker upheld my objection. Kucinich withdrew his remarks rather than have his words struck down, which would have forced him to leave the House floor for the day. After he decided to withdraw his remarks, I stated that I would not object " 'with the understanding that these egregious accusations are in violation of the House rules and his statements must stop for the civility of the House anddebate.­' "
http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2008/01/kucinich_causes_fuss_in_announ.html

[raptor]

It will be business as usual. Ignore the negatives. What can he in all honesty say about Iraq, Afghanistan, and the dollar and the economy? Make promises and then do just the opposite, when everybody expects them to be fulfilled and take their eyes off the ball.

In this modern world, it is no longer necessary to be present to hear or watch it. Members of Congress can read a transcript or watch a replay.

I think the Democrats should just boycott it.

Watch and see which ones are all smiles and applause. This is a watchbird, watching you.

[LeftRight]

Let's see, I don't have enough room to accurately answer the question here. So I'll just sum it up in the only words from Reagan that I ever liked (though not the way he meant them):

Are you better off than you were four (or eight) years ago?

And the simple answer: HELL NO!!!

[RTIII]

In my view, the state of the union can be summarized as collapse.

First, we're now clearly a fascist country, not a democracy. Our democratic institutions are in serious trouble and if not fixed soon, might never recover in our lifetimes. The honesty of the vote is seriously in question, the rule of law is only enforced on the little guy, and the executive is completely immune from prosecution for anything at every level. Our judicial has become corrupt, starting with the unconstitutional involvement in Florida in 2000 and continuing to the Padilla case, meanwhile subpoenas against members of the executive branch are ignored. Our congress has gone over to the dark side and refuses to impeach the most obviously law-breaking administration in our history while taking away civil liberties for no gain in security, creating "thought crimes", mandating fuel economy my '71 Karmann Ghia can meet, etc.
Meanwhile, here on main street, nearly all of us are skrimping, watching what we spend. The numbers of homeless are outrageous, and the unemployment is well over double what the official rates are, thanks to changes in the way its counted that exclude people who aren't actively seeking/getting government services. (Used up your unemployment but still out of work? YOU aren't counted any more!) Jobs pay less and more and more of us are taking second and third jobs. Dare I mention forclosures? Bankruptcies? Anybody notice the changes to bankruptcy laws that help predatory bankers take _everything_ you own?
The state of our union, my friends is nothing short of on the verge of collapse.

[desmirl]

Bush II will show up in history books written in the mid-twenty-first century (assuming this Republic survives the rest of his term in office) as an unmitigated disaster, and a liar of such towering criminality that Clinton's fibs about sex will fade into utter insignificance.