January 26, 2011
The State of the Union address last night was predictable, except for the Republicans and Democrats who sat together in the chamber and the new speaker who replaced Nancy Pelosi sitting behind the president.
The speech was about government, when it should have been about "We the People." The president spoke of five pillars essential to our economic recovery and well-being. He listed them as innovation, education, infrastructure, deficit reduction and reforming government.
All of those words have been poll-tested to resonate with people who think government does none of these things well. Education? A joke. We're spending more on public education than ever with fewer results. Innovation? What does government invent or produce that people want to buy? Deficit reduction? That's a joke. The administration that is spending us into oblivion will now reduce spending? Don't make me laugh. They want to increase taxes. Reforming government? Tell it to get out of the way. That would be the best reform.
This was a show to boost the president's poll numbers. He is what he is: a hard core leftist. That won't change with a speech.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.
