SOTU

A few quick thoughts on the President's State of the Union speech:

On Iran: Mr. Bush didn't really address what is bound to be the most important foreign policy issue of the next several years, relegating it to a few sentences in the middle of his speech. I have argued time and time again - since the 2000 campaign - that Bush isn't up to the job of president and his response to Iran's current regime and their quest for nukes is yet another piece of proof that my arguement was valid.

On Iraq: "Second guessing is not a strategy," he said. Perhaps not, Mr. President. But refusing to admit mistakes and alter policy accordingly isn't second guessing. It's a failed strategy. At the very least one has to wonder how Donald Rumseld is still Secretary of Defense.

On wire-tapping: Bush went for the jugular with the line "We will not sit back and wait to be hit again." (I couldn't believe it. Isn't that exactly what he did in August 2001 when he was given a Presidential memo titled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in the United States?") This administration thinks it is above the law. The FISA courts? FuhGetAboutIt! Geneva Conventions? Never heard of 'em! If the President of the United States is able to break the laws without fear of impeachment, then the terrorists have succeeded in their quest to ruin America. Shame on Mr. Bush and his administration and shame on the Republican-led Congress.

On energy: "America is addicted to oil," said the oilman from Texas. The President's call to be more energy independent is way too little, way too late and I can't help but think that Mr. Bush's heart really isn't in the proposed policy. If he's serious, then good for him. But bigger steps need to be taken. Our energy policies should have been gutted and reformed on 9/12/01. They weren't. And this "half policy" proposal doesn't give me confidence that the adminstration is serious.

On education: His initiative to increase successful math and science students in the United States is a step in the right direction, but like energy it is too little too late. This sort of policy should have been put into place on 9/12/01. We've lost precious time, but what's done is done. This a good place to start but we need to focus like a laser beam on this issue.

Finally, when President Bush boasted that "the state of our union is strong," I couldn't help but compare it to when President Clinton said it. Back then it was true. We were safe, at peace, with an economy that held promise for everybody. Today, the illusion of a strong union is based on back breaking deficits, a faulty war policy, and with the terrorist responsible for 3,000 murders on America's homeland still at large.

Seems to me the state of union could be stronger.