My State of the Union Address
If I was invited to speak and give my views as an American in a Joint Session of Congress, this is what I would have to say: (Just as a note I am not a speak writer and this could clearly be refined)
I would like to first thank the President and this Congress for allowing me the opportunity to give my perspective, and probably that of many Americans, on the State of the Union. This is truly an honor and privilege. Many people want their 15 minutes of fame and boy do I have the ultimate 15 minutes.
To Congress:
I will have to admit that I think the two houses of Congress are dysfunctional and unfortunately do not represent their constituents. They are representing what the true essence of wrong is in this country. Just look around this chamber. You are leading America with the epidemy of divisiveness, with Democrats on one side and Republicans on the other. What is the average American to think? In most cases you won’t even find State’s representatives sitting next to each other. Is that what you really want to portray to the American people? I hear the words of unity and working together but I sure don’t see it.
Senator Kennedy was asked whether or not politicians lie, he said in his southern plain-talk style that, “Some politicians lie because it is useful. Maybe George Washington could not tell a lie but just about every politician since has mastered the skill.”
Politicians are no better than the average American they are supposed to represent. Why do they pass all these laws and regulations that exempt themselves from them? It’s time to ban this political practice and rescind all current exemptions for politicians. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. For instance, the Congressional retirement system needs to move to the social security system that all other Americans participates in, and Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
In addition, look at all of the attacks on our basic constitutional rights. Sure, you say it is for the good of Country or for Americans but in reality it erodes the rights of all Americans. You expound on the misinformation or disinformation from one side or the other, so you pass laws the violate our first amendment right to free speech. That right doesn’t care if someone’s feelings are hurt or if the listeners didn’t do their own research to find the true facts. You pass laws that infringe on our second amendment right to keep and bear arms with the stated purpose of keeping us safe but in reality it only makes Americans more unsafe and the criminals more emboldened. Then there are the laws that you pass that violate our fourth amendment protections of unreasonable searches and seizures by allowing FISA courts to issue warrants on Americans. I could go on and on but all of you know that violating any right of the people, even for an instance, is unacceptable.
And then you have hours and hours of committee meetings and debates on a specific topic and pass a law. Instead of supporting that decision, you continue to debate and worst of all demonize it with foul words, unnecessary name calling, and dishonest actions. That’s not debate. It’s more like anarchy. How many times have I heard that we are in a “constitutional crises” now that some action has been taken that one side or the other disagrees with. But then you expect the average American to contain themselves and follow the laws you pass. I say you should embrace the fact that the law has passed and if you disagree with it, debate back in this forum to change the law. It’s not a constitutional crises if you disagree. Our system of government has a built in way of correcting itself; it’s called an election. Not every four years but actually every two years, the people decide on course corrections by their vote.
Oh and let’s talk about one of the most vital aspects of Congresses job. When was the last time this body has past a budget let alone a balanced budget? Every American household has to do this every year based on their current circumstances. If it doesn’t balance, they have to figure out a way to get it to balance. Why isn’t it the same for the federal government who is supposed to be a reflection of the American people? Don’t say we use the reconciliation process. This is a fancy way of saying we didn’t do our job in the first place and now have to correct our errors so we can keep doing the same thing but expect a different result. The American people are tired of kicking hard choices down the road, letting someone else deal with it.
To the President:
And Mr. President I do have a gripe with you too. But first a sidebar as you legal experts like to call it.
I would like to recognize the First Lady, Melania Trump. Over the years many on both sides of the aisle have lamented about Jacklyn Kennedy being the epidemy of a First Lady but I am here to tell you, she now has a run for her money. Mrs. Trump is graceful, charming, benevolent, elegant, intelligent and let’s just admit it, she is also just downright gorgeous. For all those publications and TV shows that have not interviewed her, you are doing your followers a great disservice. And Mrs. Trump if they still don’t want to interview you, they are just green with envy and super jealous.
Now Mr. President, I don’t care about you rhetoric or your way of getting your point across. I don’t even care about the language you use at times. I do wish you would tone down the name calling because it doesn’t get anyone anywhere. But what I do care about is those young men and women in uniform that are there at the White House or on Marine One or Air Force One deserve the same respect they give you. They are not there just as “window dressing”. They are providing a service to this country and you. I am willing to bet that anyone of them would as a matter of training, instinct, or just plain respect, stand in the way of anyone trying to harm you or your entourage. And I am willing to bet that it’s not only their duty but also their honor to salute you whenever you approach. That salute is a sign of respect. They might not like you personally, but they have the professionalism and respect for the President and the Office. You should in turn have the same respect for them. It’s like being able to tell a lot about a person by shaking their hand. A proper salute demonstrates a commitment to tradition, discipline, and pride. Your salute should do the same.
The proper salute is a crisp, quick, and immediate gesture.
1 - Keep your hand and wrist straight
2 - Tilt the outer edge of your hand down slightly
3 - Keep your elbow slightly forward and your upper arm horizontal
4 - Ensure your thumb is along your fourth finger
5 - Bring your hand down straight
To the Supreme Court Justices:
Now let’s talk Supreme Court and Justices for a few moments. I am sick of people calling the justices either liberal or conservative and then thinking they know how the Justices will rule based on their personal beliefs. This should never be the case, and Justices should only be Constitutional justices. Their job is to interpret what is before them based solely on history, tradition and the Constitution’s meaning and nothing else. Their feelings should be checked at the door.
And why is the Supreme Court taking only 60 – 70 cases per year? This is about a 50% reduction in what they should be hearing. Instead of decreasing cases they should be increasing them considering the strife and separation throughout our country. They should be the glue that holds all of us together. There is a lot that needs to be righted and in light of all that is going on, only the Supreme court can steer us on the correct course. The Justices could put an end to much of the “lawfare” and deluge of frivolous law suits.
And then there are the inferior federal courts. When is something going to be done with these rogue federal judges that think they have all the power, and they can’t be touched? When were the district federal judges given the power to rule for the entire country when they were only appointed to a specific area. The last time I read the Constitution, the Supreme Court only had this power. And if Congress granted this power when it ordained and established the lower courts, then Congress needs to amend the lower courts to take this power away from them. Or when is the Supreme Court going to stand up for their decisions and the Constitution and let the lower courts unequivocally know that they are overstepping their authority?
To the Military:
Oh and by the way we have the military sitting there thinking they have escaped my thoughts. Well you would be wrong. I hear constantly that the military equipment and training is in dis-repair, outdated, or non-existent. And my first thought is, Where has all the money gone? We have spent billions each year only to again hear that our military doesn’t have the best.
Generals you have let your troops down. You have allowed vast amounts of waste, don’t hold the senior levels accountable and have failed in your basic mission of combat readiness. The military doesn’t need more money right now. They need to realign their priorities to focus strictly on force and mission readiness. These means cutting all those unnecessary billets and changing the procurement system. Even the simplest things such as purchasing nuts and bolts for maintenance. I have seen where a nut that costs five cents in the open civilian market, cost the military 5 times that amount. You start multiplying these costs for the hundreds of thousand nuts needed and it starts adding up to a large sum of money. And that’s just one little item. What happens when you start talking about massive weapon systems? Just answer this question, why does it cost the government more for an item than what a civilian could purchase. The government has a guaranteed payment.
I don’t know who came up with the brilliant idea to call up our National Guard and deploy them as well as our Coast Guard overseas. These two groups are for our defense and not some other countries. This practice needs to end immediately. Our country has a better need for them. We have plenty of uses for these men and women in some of our most desperate times during national disasters and internal strife.
In Closing:
Mr. President, I think I have pissed off enough people for one night. And if you are one of those people in the audience, ask yourself, is it because he has told the truth or he has struck a nerve or I hate being called out?
But with all of this being said, isn’t it great to be an American? Where else in the World could you have historic debates, be better off than most, and have a hope and dream of something far greater than it is currently. I can’t think of any other place I would rather call home. Yes we have our problems and disagreements but at the end of the day we can sit back and enjoy the sunset. In closing I would like to repeat some words from the Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
Again, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak my mind. God bless these United States, this assembled body, and the American people. Semper Fi and stay safe.
NOTE: A pdf version of this document is available by clicking here !
