Each year, the Speaker of the House of Representatives extends an invitation to the president to present his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress.
I find it ironic that the purpose of the presentation is to allow the president to outline his legislative agenda, for which he asks Congress’ approval.
If ever there was a time for the Speaker to ask the president to submit his January report in writing, it is now. Speaker John Boehner should respond to President Obama’s arrogant, open rebuke of Congress, whether it is his stonewalling Congressional investigating committees or the recent go-it-alone decision on immigration.
President Obama rudely chastised the Supreme Court for its decision on Citizens’ United during his 2010 State of the Union Address. Note Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner smiling and applauding at left. (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
And let’s not forget how the president used his 2010 address to chastise the Supreme Court over the Citizens’ United decision. The rude statement served to spur Democrats to intimidate the IRS into targeting conservative groups seeking tax exemption.
I don’t expect this to happen. The GOP is too skiddish. Remember how they got blamed for the government shutdown? Standing up for your principles these days is interpreted as being “mean-spirited.”
So, we can expect the president to again tell us our economy is strong, and we can be confident our national security is in his competent hands as he stands piously in the people’s house taking applause from the left.
Expect him to again tell us how well ObamaCare is working, how he was forced to execute an executive action on immigration. He will tell us again how the jobs picture has improved, using figures sure to be questionable. And, he will again highlight the usual “wish list” topics of investment in infrastructure, pay equality, pre-school education and college tuition. Of course, he will for call climate control to be a top priority of the next Congress.
Despite the fact that we are being hoodwinked by the Iranians, he will tell us how productive the talks have been. He will say our air strikes against ISIS have been decisive, and the progress of our training in Iraq is “on schedule.” One wonders what he can possibly say about Ukraine, but that hasn’t stopped him in the past. His continuing effort to close Guantanamo will be a throw-in for applause from his base.
It’s like watching a rerun when you not only know how it ends, but the lines have become so familiar you can recite them without a teleprompter.
Cartoon Courtesy Michael Ramirez, Investors Business Daily
President Thomas Jefferson discontinued the formal practice of delivering the address in person, believing it was too monarchical, like a speech from the throne. All quite fitting, however, for King Obama.
