FEBRUARY
5, 2006 --
LPR
thought that President Bush was confident, resolute, relaxed
as he delivered his State of the Union address, last Tuesday
night.
Alessandra Stanley, commenting on the speech in The New York Times, February
1, saw the President as "defensive," and "combative," and "relieved" after
completing the address.
LPR has no reason to believe that Ms. Stanley wrote her column prior to the
speech. For this writer, the President's steadfastness on fighting terrorism
was reassuring.
The President seemed about to oppose a greater role for Washington assuming
more power and taking a "larger role in
directing the economy, "yet proceeded to propose programs that would increase
the power of the federal government -- in the name of "the hopeful society."
The President's criticism of his countrymen as "addicted to oil" was
cheered in an otherwise severe New York Times editorial, February 1.
It is not clear to LPR how this phrase indicated that the President stands
with the American people.
LPR would better understand inclusion of that phase to goad The New York Times
into grudging approval to something in the speech -- as, of course, happened.
When the President called for "affordable healthcare," however, he
might have noted that costs have a tendency to rise with greater involvement
of government, and there was nothing in his address to
indicate a reduced role for government in healthcare.
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It
is encouraging to be told that the "economy is healthy and
vigorous," but this does not explain the stagnant performance
of stocks, during the Bush
presidency, including lower prices for many.
When the President declared that the "greatness" of our country " is
not measured in power or luxuries, but by who we are and how we treat one another," this
writer was reminded of the crushing credit card interest rates, reaching 29.99%
that perhaps do not reflect what the President termed "a compassionate,
decent, hopeful society."
It is not clear that the term "the hopeful society" will take its
place next to Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society," or FDR's "New
Deal."
Would it be more precise to say that it is the helpful society -- more than
the hopeful society" -- that aids "fellow citizens in times of suffering
and emergency"?
This writer is hopeful that the country is not in decline, that it is not unraveling.
In this regard, LPR remains convinced that presidential reaffirmation of the
counsel in Federalist 57 for leadership in our democratic republic -- would
be most helpful indeed.
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