JLF: State of the Union, Part III: 2003. JLF's Response.

 "This country has many challenges. We will not deny, we will not ignore, we will not pass along our problems to other Congresses, to other presidents, and other generations."  Except the environment, deficit, international relations, education, Muslim extremists' hate towards us...

"During the last two years, we have seen what can be accomplished when we work together. To lift the standards of our public schools, we achieved historic education reform -- which must now be carried out in every school and in every classroom, so that every child in America can read and learn and succeed in life. To protect our country, we reorganized our government and created the Department of Homeland Security, which is mobilizing against the threats of a new era. To bring our economy out of recession, we delivered the largest tax relief in a generation. To insist on integrity in American business we passed tough reforms, and we are holding corporate criminals to account."  Homeland Security.  What a success.  In terms of integrity in American business, it didn't stop the collapse of the housing market.  Where are those laws for Fannie and Freddie Mac?

"Some might call this a good record; I call it a good start."  I call it a crappy start.

"Our first goal is clear: We must have an economy that grows fast enough to employ every man and woman who seeks a job. After recession, terrorist attacks, corporate scandals and stock market declines, our economy is recovering -- yet it's not growing fast enough, or strongly enough. With unemployment rising, our nation needs more small businesses to open, more companies to invest and expand, more employers to put up the sign that says, 'Help Wanted.'"  How'd that go for you?  Grow the economy into a recession?  Are you going to tell me that was the plan all along, or just ignore the recession?  Oh, the latter?

"The best way to address the deficit and move toward a balanced budget is to encourage economic growth, and to show some spending discipline in Washington, D.C."   How did that go for you, too, Mr. Biggest-Spending-President-of-All-Time?

"I will send you a budget that increases discretionary spending by 4 percent next year -- about as much as the average family's income is expected to grow. And that is a good benchmark for us. Federal spending should not rise any faster than the paychecks of American families."  Hahahahahaha.  You funny.

"Our second goal is high quality, affordable health care for all Americans. [It] will not be solved with a nationalized health care system that dictates coverage and rations care."  How'd that go for you?  (I'm tired of asking this question.)

"Instead of bureaucrats and trial lawyers and HMOs, we must put doctors and nurses and patients back in charge of American medicine." Oooooorrrrrrr, we can look to the insurance industry to set the standards.

"Our third goal is to promote energy independence for our country, while dramatically improving the environment. I have sent you a comprehensive energy plan to promote energy efficiency and conservation, to develop cleaner technology, and to produce more energy at home. [This was 5 years ago, right?  Ooooh, I get it.  By "promote" you mean "promote" not "execute."  Clever!]  I have sent you Clear Skies legislation that mandates a 70-percent cut in air pollution from power plants over the next 15 years. [B.S.  Clear Skies, for the record, LESSENED pollution restrictions - like for NO, NOx, SO2 - and pushed enforcement of public health standards until end of 2015.  I'm getting full HAWT.]  I have sent you a Healthy Forests Initiative, to help prevent the catastrophic fires that devastate communities, kill wildlife, and burn away millions of acres of treasured forest."    Wait... a policy that leaves giant logging companies in charge of thinning forests?  How could that be bad for the world?

"I ask you to take a crucial step and protect our environment in ways that generations before us could not have imagined. [...] Tonight I'm proposing $1.2 billion in research funding so that America can lead the world in developing clean, hydrogen-powered automobiles." Ummm... How'd that go for you?  I've yet to see any progress in hydrogen-powered cars.  Looks like you jumpd over from hydrogen to corn-based ethanol, right, and we know what a mess that is.

"A single chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates energy, which can be used to power a car -- producing only water, not exhaust fumes. With a new national commitment, our scientists and engineers will overcome obstacles to taking these cars from laboratory to showroom, so that the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen, and pollution-free."  It's funny, W. Bush, Man-of-Science... no exhaust fumes, but I still smell bull shit.

"Our fourth goal is to apply the compassion of America to the deepest problems of America. [...] Americans are doing the work of compassion every day -- visiting prisoners, providing shelter for battered women, bringing companionship to lonely seniors. These good works deserve our praise; they deserve our personal support; and when appropriate, they deserve the assistance of the federal government. [...] I urge you to pass both my faith-based initiative and the Citizen Service Act, to encourage acts of compassion that can transform America, one heart and one soul at a time."  What?  That's our forth goal?  What the hell is this?  Is this to help cocaine and alcohol users find Jesus like you did?

"And because no human life should be started or ended as the object of an experiment, I ask you to set a high standard for humanity, and pass a law against all human cloning."  Where did THIS come from?  Out of noooooowhere.  So, no life should be eneded as the object of an experiment, but we'll just throw those fetuses from fertility clinics in the trash.  Wait a second... I htink fertility clinics start AND end lives as the object of experiements.  Oh, and once they get older, President Bush says killing inmates is a.o.k., so have at it.

"The qualities of courage and compassion that we strive for in America also determine our conduct abroad."  We'll see how well this goes.  I get the feeling that: Courage + compassion = torture + secret kidnappings to take people to hidden CIA prisons in other countries.

"AIDS can be prevented."  But, that would take money and yours is gonna be all tied up elsewhere.

"There's never a day when I do not learn of another [terror] threat, or receive reports of operations in progress, or give an order in this global war against a scattered network of killers. The war goes on, and we are winning." SO, you get a report every day, but didn't pay attention to the one that read, "Bin Laden Determined to Attack In The U.S.?"  Hmmmm... And we actually might have been winning when we were just focusing on the Taliban in Afghanistan.  Not so much anymore.

"All told, more than 3,000 suspected terrorists have been arrested in many countries. Many others have met a different fate. Let's put it this way -- they are no longer a problem to the United States and our friends and allies." Let's put it this way, too, I'm going to piss on the constitution, Geneva Convention and habeus corpus to make sure they can't erase my "terrorist" label.

"America and coalition countries have uncovered and stopped terrorist conspiracies targeting the American embassy in Yemen, the American embassy in Singapore, a Saudi military base, ships in the Straits of Hormuz and the Straits the Gibraltar. We've broken al Qaeda cells in Hamburg, Milan, Madrid, London, Paris, as well as, Buffalo, New York."  Looks like we got rid of all of 'em.  How about we find/build a giant one in Iraq!  We can spend years, thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars breaking that one up!

"We've intensified security at the borders and ports of entry, posted more than 50,000 newly-trained federal screeners in airports, begun inoculating troops and first responders against smallpox, and are deploying the nation's first early warning network of sensors to detect biological attack. And this year, for the first time, we are beginning to field a defense to protect this nation against ballistic missiles." Wow, empty rhetoric.  Those either turned into nothing or were insanely ineffective.  Might have well just farted into the microphone for this one.

"The budget I send you will propose almost $6 billion to quickly make available effective vaccines and treatments against agents like anthrax, botulinum toxin, Ebola, and plague. We must assume that our enemies would use these diseases as weapons, and we must act before the dangers are upon us." That actually would have been a good use of our money.... but f it.  Bombs are cooler.

"We have called on the United Nations to fulfill its charter and stand by its demand that Iraq disarm."  Or else...

"In Iran, we continue to see a government that represses its people, pursues weapons of mass destruction, and supports terror. We also see Iranian citizens risking intimidation and death as they speak out for liberty and human rights and democracy. Iranians, like all people, have a right to choose their own government and determine their own destiny -- and the United States supports their aspirations to live in freedom."  Unless they aren't ready to determine their own destiny.  Maybe we can't shove democracy down everyone's throats?  By the way, Myanmarr (Burma) has been begging us to step in and help them get democracy... they have oil there!  Isn't that enough?

"On the Korean Peninsula, an oppressive regime rules a people living in fear and starvation. Throughout the 1990s, the United States relied on a negotiated framework to keep North Korea from gaining nuclear weapons. We now know that that regime was deceiving the world, and developing those weapons all along. And today the North Korean regime is using its nuclear program to incite fear and seek concessions. America and the world will not be blackmailed."  We might not be blackmailed, but we will turn the other cheek.

"Our nation and the world must learn the lessons of the Korean Peninsula and not allow an even greater threat to rise up in Iraq. A brutal dictator, with a history of reckless aggression, with ties to terrorism, with great potential wealth, will not be permitted to dominate a vital region and threaten the United States."  He got rough with the only one without a real army.

"[Saddam Hussein] pursued chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, even while inspectors were in his country."  Or not.

"[Saddam Hussein] has shown instead utter contempt for the United Nations, and for the opinion of the world."  Whereas Iran, North Korea and China are U.N. BFFs.

"The United Nations concluded in 1999 that Saddam Hussein had biological weapons sufficient to produce over 25,000 liters of anthrax -- enough doses to kill several million people. He hasn't accounted for that material. He's given no evidence that he has destroyed it."  Wait... he didn't provide proof of destruction of something he didn't have?

"The United Nations concluded that Saddam Hussein had materials sufficient to produce more than 38,000 liters of botulinum toxin -- enough to subject millions of people to death by respiratory failure. He hadn't accounted for that material. He's given no evidence that he has destroyed it."  Again... he didn't provide proof of destruction of something he didn't have?

"Our intelligence officials estimate that Saddam Hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent. In such quantities, these chemical agents could also kill untold thousands. He's not accounted for these materials. He has given no evidence that he has destroyed them."  Or not... and we might destroy anyone who proves that statement wrong.  (Ahem, Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame.)

"U.S. intelligence indicates that Saddam Hussein had upwards of 30,000 munitions capable of delivering chemical agents. Inspectors recently turned up 16 of them -- despite Iraq's recent declaration denying their existence. Saddam Hussein has not accounted for the remaining 29,984 of these prohibited munitions. He's given no evidence that he has destroyed them."  Again... he didn't provide proof of destruction of something he didn't have?

"From three Iraqi defectors we know that Iraq, in the late 1990s, had several mobile biological weapons labs. These are designed to produce germ warfare agents, and can be moved from place to a place to evade inspectors. Saddam Hussein has not disclosed these facilities. He's given no evidence that he has destroyed them."  Again... he didn't provide proof of destruction of something he didn't have?

"The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in the 1990s that Saddam Hussein had an advanced nuclear weapons development program, had a design for a nuclear weapon and was working on five different methods of enriching uranium for a bomb. The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. Our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production. Saddam Hussein has not credibly explained these activities. He clearly has much to hide."  Oh, did we find it.

"The dictator of Iraq is not disarming. To the contrary; he is deceiving. From intelligence sources we know, for instance, that thousands of Iraqi security personnel are at work hiding documents and materials from the U.N. inspectors, sanitizing inspection sites and monitoring the inspectors themselves. Iraqi officials accompany the inspectors in order to intimidate witnesses."  Marines?  Ready!

"Iraq is blocking U-2 surveillance flights requested by the United Nations. Iraqi intelligence officers are posing as the scientists inspectors are supposed to interview. Real scientists have been coached by Iraqi officials on what to say. Intelligence sources indicate that Saddam Hussein has ordered that scientists who cooperate with U.N. inspectors in disarming Iraq will be killed, along with their families."  Media spin?  Ready!

"Evidence from intelligence sources, secret communications, and statements by people now in custody reveal that Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorists, including members of al Qaeda. Secretly, and without fingerprints, he could provide one of his hidden weapons to terrorists, or help them develop their own."  Halliburton?  Ready!

"Before September the 11th, many in the world believed that Saddam Hussein could be contained. But chemical agents, lethal viruses and shadowy terrorist networks are not easily contained. Imagine those 19 hijackers with other weapons and other plans -- this time armed by Saddam Hussein. It would take one vial, one canister, one crate slipped into this country to bring a day of horror like none we have ever known. We will do everything in our power to make sure that that day never comes."  Fear machine?  Ready!

"Some have said we must not act until the threat is imminent. Since when have terrorists and tyrants announced their intentions, politely putting us on notice before they strike? If this threat is permitted to fully and suddenly emerge, all actions, all words, and all recriminations would come too late. Trusting in the sanity and restraint of Saddam Hussein is not a strategy, and it is not an option."  Super fear machine?  Ready!

"The dictator who is assembling the world's most dangerous weapons has already used them on whole villages -- leaving thousands of his own citizens dead, blind, or disfigured. Iraqi refugees tell us how forced confessions are obtained -- by torturing children while their parents are made to watch. International human rights groups have catalogued other methods used in the torture chambers of Iraq: electric shock, burning with hot irons, dripping acid on the skin, mutilation with electric drills, cutting out tongues, and rape. If this is not evil, then evil has no meaning."  We're going to take out all evil leaders!  I'm game!  Wait... we're only taking out this evil leader?  That.... doesn't... make... sense.

"And tonight I have a message for the brave and oppressed people of Iraq: Your enemy is not surrounding your country -- your enemy is ruling your country. And the day he and his regime are removed from power will be the day of your liberation."  Liberation = new enemy for you to hate and feel oppressed by.

"The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. [We can wait no longer!!]  America will not accept a serious and mounting threat to our country, and our friends and our allies. The United States will ask the U.N. Security Council to convene on February the 5th to consider the facts of Iraq's ongoing defiance of the world. Secretary of State Powell will present information and intelligence about Iraqi's legal -- Iraq's illegal weapons programs, its attempt to hide those weapons from inspectors, and its links to terrorist groups."  We're going to war!!!

"We will consult. But let there be no misunderstanding: If Saddam Hussein does not fully disarm, for the safety of our people and for the peace of the world, we will lead a coalition to disarm him." We're going to war!!!

"Tonight I have a message for the men and women who will keep the peace, members of the American Armed Forces. Your training has prepared you. Your honor will guide you. You believe in America, and America believes in you."  We're going to war!!!

"Sending Americans into battle is the most profound decision a President can make. This nation fights reluctantly, because we know the cost and we dread the days of mourning that always come"  We're going to war!!!

"We seek peace. We strive for peace. And sometimes peace must be defended. A future lived at the mercy of terrible threats is no peace at all. If war is forced upon us, we will fight in a just cause and by just means -- sparing, in every way we can, the innocent. And if war is forced upon us, we will fight with the full force and might of the United States military -- and we will prevail." We're going to war!!!

"And as we and our coalition partners are doing in Afghanistan, we will bring to the Iraqi people food and medicines and supplies -- and freedom."  Remember when we actually HAD partners?

"America is a strong nation, and honorable in the use of our strength. We exercise power without conquest, and we sacrifice for the liberty of strangers."  I think you're sitting on the motorcycle of America at this point, and you're ready to rev the engine and exercise your power all over this planet.  Leave your mark, W.

"Americans are a free people, who know that freedom is the right of every person and the future of every nation. The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world, it is God's gift to humanity."  I don't quite believe he speaks like this.  Is he serious?  I think those are the words of a religious extremist...  It's no different than, "Allah says..." or "Zeus dictates..."

"We do not know -- we do not claim to know all the ways of Providence, yet we can trust in them, placing our confidence in the loving God behind all of life, and all of history." May we be led by a holy book!  Just like them Middle Easterners!

"May He guide us now. And may God continue to bless the United States of America."  "He" is the almighty dollar.

 

Always your pleasure.

 - JLF



Find me on Facebook.com, and join the HAWTaction.com Reader group.  My name there is Johnny LeadFoot (they didn't allow the space).