I tried to make notes on the State of the Union speech but I have to say the President hit me with so many initiatives I couldn't keep up. We had "I announce the Advanced Energy Initiative. . . I announce the American Competitiveness Initiative. . . I urge you to support the American Competitiveness Initiative . . . the Helping America's Youth Initiative." There might have been a couple more but I got dizzy..
He's big on freedom, too. He loves that word. In fact he said it, by actual count (mine), 16 times. Not bad.
I also liked what he had to say about Iraq: "First, we are helping Iraqis build an inclusive government, so that old resentments will be eased, and the insurgency marginalized. Second, we are continuing reconstruction efforts, and helping the Iraqi government to fight corruption and build a modern economy, so all Iraqis can experience the benefits of freedom. Third, we are striking terrorist targets while we train Iraqi forces that are increasingly capable of defeating the enemy. Iraqis are showing their courage every day, and we are proud to be their allies in the cause of freedom." So after they get an inclusive government and a modern economy and they're all trained up, do they get running water and electricity?
One question. After the new Iraqi government has finished fighting corruption there. Can they come over here and help us? Maybe they could assist in the rendition of Jack Abramoff?
Hey, let's give it up for ethanol and "better batteries." Don't forget that part of the talk because he promised to make the "ethanol, not just from corn but from wood chips, stalks, or switch grass." What is switch grass? And do we have a lot of it?
George Bush is a great guy for the details. He's fixing it so we're going to have "pollution-free cars that run on hydrogen." Specifying the fuel that way, that's attention to detail. Maybe soon he will figure out a way to get a bag of ice from St. Louis to New Orleans which, as thing stand now, is almost as hard as to manage as those "cleaner, cheaper, more reliable alternative energy sources" he's promising us.
Oh, and bless the man for figuring out how we are going to pay for the doctor. Health Savings Accounts. Last year, of course, the country spent more than it saved, so there's a gap there but with right initiative, some research money and a quart of ethanol we'll have it licked.
And his ending was classy as a befits a classy guy. I am referring to the double blessing which was almost Papal. You remember when he said, "so we move forward - optimistic about our country, faithful to its cause, and confident of victories to come. . .God bless you, and may God bless America."
Oooo! I felt the electricity run down my arms and up my legs and all sorts of places.