Immediate State of the Union Thoughts

This blog was created as I watched the State of the Union. Immediate thoughts from the speech.

• One thing about Bush...he is punctual as always.
• Thinking about building the country and the world for future generations.
• Restraining spending of the government - growth below inflation, reduce deficit. It's about time.
• 150 government programs being cut - Time to cut the fat.
• Test scores are not on the rise from No Child Left Behind - We continue to struggle compared to the rest of the world in math scores.
• Tort reform sounds on the agenda. Too bad the lawyers are a large lobbying growth.
• Making health care a priority. Tax credits scare me a bit....it seems like income redistribution.
• Reducing power plant emissions is a worthy goal...however, Americans will only go for it and other environmental reforms if it is affordable.
• Tax Code review - archaic...yes. Fair Tax plan??? Hopefully.
• Immigration reform - we'll see.
• Social Security - Democrats don't seem to be to anxious about reforming it. He needs to get the young people (under 35) on board to help push this through. I don't expect to get my or my wife social security benefits. We need to fix it now, rather than later. It will go bankrupt, and even my wife (a semi-rabid Democrat) agrees that it needs to be fixed now.
• I do like the idea of the voluntary personal retirement accounts.
• Marriage definition should NOT be in the Constitution. This is not a Federal issue.
• Finally someone says how justices should not legislate from the bench. This has been happening much too long.
• DNA evidence expansion...what's next, bar codes?
• Border security is still swiss cheese in nature. I don't know what he has seen to prove otherwise. It still scares me a bit when someone refers to America is the "Homeland."
• I guess we will be at war a long time against terror. It is hard to fight a war against someone who is willing to sacrifice themselves to take out many. John Wilkes Booth said it best.
• All this stand up, sit down reminds me of a Catholic mass.
• Palenstine and Israel have not lived in peace for thousands of year. I am not sure how we achieve that. That is a tough road to hoe.
• Syria supporting terror...is water is also called dihydrogen monoxide?
• I wish Americans would have less apathy when it comes to voting. Civics does not seem to be strong focus in education in today's schools.
• It was nice to see the Iraqi woman showing how much the election meant to her.
• That's a touching scene where an Iraqi citizen is hugging the mother of a lost soldier. It really shows how much we are appreciated over there by most citizens.
• A decently speech in general. I thought it was a well written speech. 65 interruptions are a little much.
• I'm waiting for the Democratic response.
• Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi - Ugh...Harry's okay, but Nancy is a real radical.
  
• Harry does have a correct comment about how the Republicans have spent like drunk sailors.
• Why do these Democrats always seem to be looking backwards instead of forwards? Marshall Plan for America?
• Health care costs have risen year after year before Bush and while he was president. This was an issue when I worked in a pharmacy in the late 80's.
• Benefit cut? For whom? Where does he get that 4.3 trillion dollar debt figure?
• Harry needs to understand that young Americans are willing to take the chance with our financial future. This is why we should be behind the Social Security reforms.
  
• The Democrats would have been better with the Nancy Pelosi delivering anything. She does not inspire me at all.
  
• Most Iraqis do not see us as occupiers.
  
• She is not telling us that having freedom and security cannot coexist peacefully. If we try to make our country more secure, then we lose some of our freedoms.
• Looks like the Democrats have found "God." I think the said more in their rebuttal about faith than Pres. Bush in an hour.
• Both sides just love new government programs. Ugh.