State of the Union Address LIVE THREAD 9:01pm EST.

White House .gov ^

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

President Bush will deliver the annual State of the Union this evening at 9:01pm (Eastern Time). The speech will be webcast live on the White House web site. The President will discuss the extraordinary challenges our country has faced and the historic achievements we have made. Yet he will also stress that there.s much more for our country to do: "America this evening is a Nation called to great responsibilities. And we are rising to meet them…" "We have not come all this way – through tragedy, and trial, and war – only to falter and leave our work unfinished. Americans are rising to the tasks of history, and they expect the same of us." He will also remind the American people that we are a Nation still at war, and our government is meeting its responsibility to protect the American people: "Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American people. Twenty-eight months have passed since September 11, 2001 – over two years without an attack on American soil – and it is tempting to believe that the danger is behind us. That hope is understandable, comforting – and false." "...America is on the offensive against the terrorists..." "As part of the offensive against terror, we are also confronting the regimes that harbor and support terrorists, and could supply them with nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons…" "...Because of American leadership and resolve, the world is changing for the better…" He will discuss the progress we’re making in Afghanistan and Iraq, and renew our commitment to ensuring those countries are free and peaceful: "The men and women of Afghanistan are building a nation that is free, and proud, and fighting terror…" "The work of building a new Iraq is hard, and it is right. And America has always been willing to do what it takes for what is right." On priorities here at home, the President will discuss why he’s optimistic about our growing economy, and call on Congress to take action that will help turn our economic recovery into a lasting recovery. He will call on them to help train Americans for the jobs of the 21st Century: "America’s growing economy is also a changing economy. As technology transforms the way almost every job is done, America becomes more productive, and workers need new skills… We must respond by helping more Americans gain the skills to find good jobs in our new economy." President Bush will also discuss the importance of health care and the major cause for why Americans lack health insurance: the rising costs of health care. "On the critical issue of health care, our goal is to ensure that Americans can choose and afford private health care coverage that best fits their individual needs. To make insurance more affordable, Congress must act to address rapidly rising health care costs." Finally, the President will argue that in a time of great change in our country and world, the things that make our country strong should never change: "We are living in a time of great change… Yet some things endure – courage and compassion, reverence and integrity, respect for differences of faith and race. The values we try to live by never change. And they are instilled in us by fundamental institutions, such as families, and schools, and religious congregations. These institutions – the unseen pillars of civilization – must remain strong in America…" "All of us – parents, schools, government – must work together to counter the negative influence of the culture, and to send the right messages to our children."

"The President shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." Article II, Sec. 3, U.S. Constitution • History • State of the Union History Quiz • State of the Union - 2003 • State of the Union - 2002 Q1. What President delivered the first State of the Union Address?  George Washington  John Adams  Thomas Jefferson  James Madison  Franco Harris

January 20, 2004
Communications Director Dan Bartlett discussed this year's State of the Union.

January 19, 2004
Author/Historian Richard Norton Smith discussed the history of the State of the Union address.

[rdb3]

One secret is to just ignore them .. let them have their little rant and DON'T RESPOND. It really gets their goat!! It actually gets to be fun. Remember .. they're not saying these things because they believe them .. they're saying these things TO WATCH YOU EXPLODE. It's a game. The only way to win is not to play!

I agree. Ignore them. Why feed their inflated sense of self-worth?

But to prove what you say is true, I find myself asking one of two questions to the "Bush has lost my vote/I will never vote for him again" crowd:

1. So you're not voting for Bush. Anything else?

2. Why should I care who you vote for?

They are never answered.

They should be ignored. I don't know why most don't realize this simple truth.

[tpaine]

Where have the real conservatives gone? Those who call themselves conservatives have sold their birthright to the highest bidder, and thrown their country to the wolves.
~joanie-


______________________


Real conservatives are defined by their allegiance to our constitution.
The restoration of which was once a prime political goal of FR.
-- How times change.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Anyone that calls you, me, or some poster on here an idiot, deserves to be ignored. There should be no response to that post or poster. :-)

[longtermmemmory]

Full faith and credit MANDATES recognition. Constitutional Full faith and credit trumps DOMAs state and federal. It the law. period.

[PRND21]

"...shortcut to accomplishment..." = McGuire/Bonds

*!

[Torie]

Superb advice, and a stricture that I follow with some discipline, and have on this site, for 5 years.

[Valentine_W]

"He's proposing the Illegals be legaized, rather than deported. That's Amnesty."

I think that the main issue here was whether or not President Bush would support a policy of blanket amnesty. That clearly was not the case here. Most of us knew that there was going to be an amnesty of some sorts, what many of us didn't support (including myself) was the notion of blanket amnesty. I think it is perfectly fine to keep those immigrants here who are already productive members of society, meaning that they have a job.

[Wait4Truth]

W's speech is a weapon of mass destruction against the Rats.

It sure is! It is funny to listen to the pundits try to portray this speech as a loser. They really think Americans are dumb. THEY are the losers. He sent some very strong messages to the RATS and to America's enemies tonight. It is in their best interests to listen up!

[BigSkyFreeper]

It's easier on the heart too. :-) hehe

[MJY1288]

I agree that it's good work and good pay, but when union employees are being paid twice the going rate of non union employees, it's just a matter of time before that gravy train comes back to haunt us. Being paid generously for the work one does is always a good thing, but when the cost of labor in this country becomes at such a cost that it's cheaper to manufacture your goods 8,000 miles away and ship the final product all the way back here and be able to sell it cheaper than we can manufacture it here, there is something seriously wrong with the unions in this country.

I don't have the statistics in front of me, nor have I searched for them., but I would be willing to bet that 95% of all the factories closed, in the 20 year decline of the manufacturing sector in this country, employed union labor.

One of my best friends works for UPS, he has been with them for almost 30 years as a driver, he makes $80K a year and a Union member. About 5 years ago they had a strike that lasted about 3 months, after a few weeks he got his first check from the Union, it was for $66.00 and he received several more of them once a week until the fund ran dry, meanwhile Jimmy Hoffa and his buddies were criss crossing the country in their Lear Jets doing interviews with CNN and MSNBC talking about how unfair it is to work the loading dock for $21.00 an hour.

[Jorge]

Amazing, -- my post is pulled and you still reply. Great way to get the last word.

You have to be fast on FR.

And remember that pulled posts often get a second life if they are quoted in subsequent responses.

If the thread is moving fast enough the monitor(s)can't handle the volume of forbidden posts/complaints bombarding the boards.
It's a tough job!

[tpaine]

I'm surprised your post isn't pulled.

Too much truth in it..

[Valentine_W]

"And Nevada can tell them to take a flying leap, refuse to acknowledge their status from Maine. Some states do that."

No, Nevanda will not be able to legally do that. Because of the Full Faith and Credit Clause in the US Constitution, other states are legally bound to accept marriage certificates from other states, even those certificates from homosexual married couples coming in from another state where the practice is legal.

Now, Congress can try and slip in some sort of exception clause in the Full Faith and Credit Clause, or they could propose an amendment, defining marriage as being between one man and one woman. The first scenerio is more likely than the second, and probably neither of them will ever happen.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Fight on Joe!

I plan on it Dr. Hook.

[Swordmaker]

I thought he looked like Herman Munster... only not as cute.

[CholeraJoe]

Your list omitted Reagan - Army (Cavalry) then transferred to the Army Air Corps.

Mea culpa. See 3024.

Perhaps military service or government service in some way as a prerequisite to exercising the vote would result in a better informed electorate. Read Heinlein's "Starship Troopers."

[BigSkyFreeper]

think it is perfectly fine to keep those immigrants here who are already productive members of society, meaning that they have a job.

This is how I initially read into it when he proposed it 2 weeks ago. He did a wonderful job hammering that point home tonight.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"I refuse to shill for the entirely capable Matt Drudge with one more pixel."

Ah so! Gut!

[Texasforever]

Get real. If this were so American tech workers would not be loudly complaining about the HB1 program. They would all be hired ahead of HB1 workers

What you appear to be saying is that currently working H1B workers should be replaced by laid-off American workers. That would make sense if the reasons for lay-offs were ignored. Even in the best of times one of company managements major tasks is to be prepared for reductions in force. In a normal downturn, lay-offs are used to cull under performers no matter what their status and all managers keep a "cull list" of the bottom 20% of their direct reports. That list is continually updated and has nothing at all to do with the citizenship or lack thereof of that group. It is however, only human for those that have been placed in the bottom 20% of performers to look for a scapegoat instead of the fact that they have been coasting through the good times and are let go with the bad times. When, as in the case of IT, the bottom drops out and the lay-offs go beyond the cull list then the managers have to make harder decisions regarding who goes and who stays since after the deadwood is gone you are now into the more productive people on the staff. However there is still no legal requirement to lay-off an H1B just to save the job of a citizen. All things being equal as to qualifications of the citizen vs the H1B the citizen will be kept because it is more expensive to lay-off the H1B than the citizen but law does not require it. The law only requires that when there are two qualified new Applicants for a job, one a citizen and the other an H1B, the citizen gets the job.

[Miss Marple]

You know, I only post these personal reflections because I sometimes think that people here don't think that those of us who post have real lives, with their heartaches and joys.

And this goes for all of us, even those with whom I spar on a frequent basis.

I know you aren't really committed to my faith, but I always hope that some like you will understand that there is a purpose beyond what seems apparent in everyday life.

For you, I often think of our Lord's words: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Children of God."