State of Disappointment

I had the notion that I would do a thoughtful analysis of the State of the Union speech, and maybe I still will, but now, immediately afterwards, my feeling is: What's the point? It was all just bullshit wrapped in the rhetoric of freedom.

Freedom around the world! And end to tyranny! Liberty and justice for all! Not so fast, faggots...

How can a speech riddled with references to freedom and equality contain a call for a federal marriage amendment denying rights to a sizable portion of the American public? Or a demand to make tax cuts favoring the wealthiest permanent? Or a recommitment to funding faith-based initiatives over those which, in a country where freedom to practice or not practice religion as one sees fit, do good works in the name of humanity instead of God? Unmitigated horseshit.

I'm also wondering, by the way, how in the hell Bush can get away with promising that "personal savings accounts" will perform better than Social Security. He kept talking about how one's contributions would grow, but no one can make those kinds of promises about the market. The NASD regulations prevent your average Joe Schmoe stockbroker from making promises like that every day; promise your client something like that, and you'll lose your damn license. So how is it legal for the president to make the same outrageous claim in his sales pitch to reform Social Security?

And what was that wink at the associate justices of the Supreme Court when he was babbling on about activist judges?

And did I see Joe Liebertwat actually go up and KISS him after he was through with his ode to rubbish? Ugh! Just cross the aisle already, you sorry excuse for a Democrat!

And what was with the Dems' rebuttal? Fucking hell, could Harry Reid have been a bigger snoozefest?! I kept expecting him to put on a cardigan and some sneakers and break into "It's a Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood."

Nancy Pelosi looked like Joan Rivers on valium, and delivered her entire speech with this desperate half-smile that smacked of ingratiation rather than stern opposition: Please like me. This was not the time to rehash John Kerry's stump speech...unchecked cargo, loose nuclear material, blah blah blah...this was the time to say, "Everything you heard was crap, and here's why." Jumping bejesus, I'm a Democrat, and I could barely keep my eyes open.

Then she ends with a line about protecting America for our kids and grandkids that sounded like it was pilfered directly from Bush's speech. Yeah, that's the way to differentiate yourselves as the opposition. Shit.

And hey, President Bush - remember how you promised to catch Osama bin Laden dead or alive? You didn't mention that in your speech. How's that going?