Thursday, March 28, 2024
Miles from the Mainstream
D. R. ZUKERMAN, proprietor
The LPR Response to the
State of the Union Address

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.


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.