Letter to the Editor – January 24, 2007

The State of the Union

Most State of the Union speeches have been judged by certain standards. In Bush’s passionless speech, he failed to meet the benchmarks of vision, substance and creditability. Some Presidents, through the majesty and timber of their voices, have inspired us. John F. Kennedy’s challenge to put a man on the moon in a decade, or Franklin D. Roosevelt setting forth the “Four Freedoms” and Ronald Reagan articulating a vision of a “shining house on the hill,” were inspiring to millions. Because I had no such great expectations from George W. Bush, he, therefore, didn’t let me down. The State of the Union address with its feel good litany of inspirational guests, references to sacrifice and faux camaraderie has become this leader’s annual attempt to re-shape his disastrous and flawed legacy. His talk of energy and health reform, are hollow echoes of half-hearted, never fulfilled, initiatives. What is really most apparent is that we are being held hostage to his failed presidency regarding the lives of our brave and patriotic military. It is these men and women who have become the pawns in this losing chess game. The two issues, in the coming year, are how do we extricate ourselves from this sinkhole in Iraq that was promulgated by falsehoods and deception, and by what means do we start bridging the ever-widening divide between those who have plenty and those who are living the lives of quiet desperation. Is it to be more tax cuts for the super wealthy and lies about terrorism and Iraq, or the hard decisions of what is really needed and demanded by the American public?

Richard J. Garfunkel