Mr. Smith may need a medal for slogging through all of this to write about it so concisely--well, either a medal or a therapist. Thank you for your service. I used to look forward to such events. Joint sessions of Congress are rare. They are business meetings, not a reality t.v. show.
I don't think it's a louder message so much as a deeper message that needs to be felt. A dear, learned colleague of mine of likes to say, "I believe in the Constitution."
I do not. It's just ink on paper. "What's the law amongst friends?" "It's better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission." I've heard those tired tropes for decades. They lead to where we are today.
Rather, I believe that people of integrity will adhere and give meaning to the Constitution. Time is ticking for people of integrity to adhere and give meaning.
For example, the United States Government has a Department of Defense--not a department of war. If someone wants a department of war. Okay. Fine. Ask Congress to amend the law.
But there's waaay too many mindless media types and, yes unfortunately, irresponsible commanding officers in the armed services who are willing to roll over and play pretend. Why?
Likely because they are afraid and they are willing to defer judgment to others. Fair enough. We all have bills to pay.
However, if persons are afraid to honor the legal name of federal cabinet agency, which is a very, very responsibility, can they be trusted with more serious responsibilities?
Perhaps instead of "thanking" armed service members for their service, folks should instead start asking military personnel when they will fully honor their oaths of service?
Then just leave the question hang. Don't push it. Don't argue. Let it hang. Encourage the individual's conscience to get to work.
He loves to reduce the importance of awards he presents. The highest presidential award is sullied by giving it to a hockey player who had a great game. Overall, he’s won less than 50% of his games this year. The Purple Heart is awarded to those hurt/killed in battle, not to national guardsmen patrolling streets and happen to get shot (horrible thing) but hardly worthy of that kind of recognition.
Wonderful breakdown of the speech that I couldn't stomach to watch. I appreciate folks like you cutting through the boisterous claims and relaying the accurate information for readers to consider. I loved the little Carlin quote in the middle about rebranding war as operations and was reminded of George Orwell's essay Politics and the English Language. It is a great dissection class in how people alter language to offset the severity or exaggerate current event to uninformed listeners or readers.
The entire State of the Union Address is very un-American… reminiscing of a king addressing his subjects and completely getting backwards the Congressional and presidential relationship
Mr. Smith may need a medal for slogging through all of this to write about it so concisely--well, either a medal or a therapist. Thank you for your service. I used to look forward to such events. Joint sessions of Congress are rare. They are business meetings, not a reality t.v. show.
This message needs to become a lot louder.
https://youtube.com/shorts/5CXwF0iEY_Q?si=eRQsF7Avni-Qs_UY
What do you think?
I don't think it's a louder message so much as a deeper message that needs to be felt. A dear, learned colleague of mine of likes to say, "I believe in the Constitution."
I do not. It's just ink on paper. "What's the law amongst friends?" "It's better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission." I've heard those tired tropes for decades. They lead to where we are today.
Rather, I believe that people of integrity will adhere and give meaning to the Constitution. Time is ticking for people of integrity to adhere and give meaning.
For example, the United States Government has a Department of Defense--not a department of war. If someone wants a department of war. Okay. Fine. Ask Congress to amend the law.
But there's waaay too many mindless media types and, yes unfortunately, irresponsible commanding officers in the armed services who are willing to roll over and play pretend. Why?
Likely because they are afraid and they are willing to defer judgment to others. Fair enough. We all have bills to pay.
However, if persons are afraid to honor the legal name of federal cabinet agency, which is a very, very responsibility, can they be trusted with more serious responsibilities?
Perhaps instead of "thanking" armed service members for their service, folks should instead start asking military personnel when they will fully honor their oaths of service?
Then just leave the question hang. Don't push it. Don't argue. Let it hang. Encourage the individual's conscience to get to work.
He loves to reduce the importance of awards he presents. The highest presidential award is sullied by giving it to a hockey player who had a great game. Overall, he’s won less than 50% of his games this year. The Purple Heart is awarded to those hurt/killed in battle, not to national guardsmen patrolling streets and happen to get shot (horrible thing) but hardly worthy of that kind of recognition.
Wonderful breakdown of the speech that I couldn't stomach to watch. I appreciate folks like you cutting through the boisterous claims and relaying the accurate information for readers to consider. I loved the little Carlin quote in the middle about rebranding war as operations and was reminded of George Orwell's essay Politics and the English Language. It is a great dissection class in how people alter language to offset the severity or exaggerate current event to uninformed listeners or readers.
And I'm really diving deep down in Orwell hole lately… can't believe how much he wrote at such a young age that is still sticking today.
The entire State of the Union Address is very un-American… reminiscing of a king addressing his subjects and completely getting backwards the Congressional and presidential relationship