State of the Union Address LIVE THREAD 9:01pm EST.

White House .gov ^

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

President Bush will deliver the annual State of the Union this evening at 9:01pm (Eastern Time). The speech will be webcast live on the White House web site. The President will discuss the extraordinary challenges our country has faced and the historic achievements we have made. Yet he will also stress that there.s much more for our country to do: "America this evening is a Nation called to great responsibilities. And we are rising to meet them…" "We have not come all this way – through tragedy, and trial, and war – only to falter and leave our work unfinished. Americans are rising to the tasks of history, and they expect the same of us." He will also remind the American people that we are a Nation still at war, and our government is meeting its responsibility to protect the American people: "Our greatest responsibility is the active defense of the American people. Twenty-eight months have passed since September 11, 2001 – over two years without an attack on American soil – and it is tempting to believe that the danger is behind us. That hope is understandable, comforting – and false." "...America is on the offensive against the terrorists..." "As part of the offensive against terror, we are also confronting the regimes that harbor and support terrorists, and could supply them with nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons…" "...Because of American leadership and resolve, the world is changing for the better…" He will discuss the progress we’re making in Afghanistan and Iraq, and renew our commitment to ensuring those countries are free and peaceful: "The men and women of Afghanistan are building a nation that is free, and proud, and fighting terror…" "The work of building a new Iraq is hard, and it is right. And America has always been willing to do what it takes for what is right." On priorities here at home, the President will discuss why he’s optimistic about our growing economy, and call on Congress to take action that will help turn our economic recovery into a lasting recovery. He will call on them to help train Americans for the jobs of the 21st Century: "America’s growing economy is also a changing economy. As technology transforms the way almost every job is done, America becomes more productive, and workers need new skills… We must respond by helping more Americans gain the skills to find good jobs in our new economy." President Bush will also discuss the importance of health care and the major cause for why Americans lack health insurance: the rising costs of health care. "On the critical issue of health care, our goal is to ensure that Americans can choose and afford private health care coverage that best fits their individual needs. To make insurance more affordable, Congress must act to address rapidly rising health care costs." Finally, the President will argue that in a time of great change in our country and world, the things that make our country strong should never change: "We are living in a time of great change… Yet some things endure – courage and compassion, reverence and integrity, respect for differences of faith and race. The values we try to live by never change. And they are instilled in us by fundamental institutions, such as families, and schools, and religious congregations. These institutions – the unseen pillars of civilization – must remain strong in America…" "All of us – parents, schools, government – must work together to counter the negative influence of the culture, and to send the right messages to our children."

"The President shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." Article II, Sec. 3, U.S. Constitution • History • State of the Union History Quiz • State of the Union - 2003 • State of the Union - 2002 Q1. What President delivered the first State of the Union Address?  George Washington  John Adams  Thomas Jefferson  James Madison  Franco Harris

January 20, 2004
Communications Director Dan Bartlett discussed this year's State of the Union.

January 19, 2004
Author/Historian Richard Norton Smith discussed the history of the State of the Union address.

[clamper1797]

I know of what you speak about flying monkeys my friend ... the trolls are out tonight ... and I have to get ready for an interview ... night.

[My Favorite Headache]

Curious though...are Freepers supposed to support EVERY single thing that Bush says and does?

[FBD]

Did you like the speech? I missed it.

[Torie]

Republicans don't like it, and active Freepers don't like it.

Oh dear, if I had to strike all my posts that the majority of the above don't like, I'd be about 50% at least out of "bidness." For me, the only road with any honor one can take, is to say what one really believes, with candor, and to the extent one can, with supportive data and analysis, and without spleen or personal attacks, and trying to fairly parse the opposition's point of view, also with a minimum of rancor. And I think we both do that reasonably well, and thus give us both a pat on the back, even if one of us, or both of us, are totally and ineluctably "wrong."

[ArneFufkin]

You sure see yourself in my generalized comments of contempt and dishonor.

Why not Tooth? You rate.

And by the way, there are 3500 posters here every day, that's solid for months and years, and about 100 people newly registering each day. That's TROUBLE. Therei's 120,000 screen names and 3500 posting daily. The "inventory" is out of control.

FR, TOMORROW, should shut down and we should all re-register with at $30 entrance fee. I'm in! Let's clean the intestines, all the multiple screen names, out of the system here. This is GAME TIME, the most important political election year in our lifetimes. I wanna know who's playing in this important forum in this historic political year.

Jim, time to be bold. Everybody here starts January 21 or later. Every name here has a stake in this forum's success, whatever their political ideology or personal style. If 2500 of us want to pay $30, that's $75 grand for next quarter and we'll see what happens.

Otherwise, this place is going to implode. I see it coming.

[mountainfolk]

Haven't read many of the posts but in case there is somebody counting the yeas and nays on the President's speech, I sure want to be factored in. I thought the speech was very good. Dramatics were not needed at this particular time and I appreciated the factual report on ---the state of our union. What a relief to listen to common sense from a real leader. After listening to the incessant carping, lying, and general bad mouthing of Pres Bush by the RAT presidential wannabes I welcomed the reality check. God bless President George Bush.

[My Favorite Headache]

I'm game. But imo I believe the election of our lives was 2000.

[Fledermaus]

Anyway, legalizaing Illegals is Amnesty for Illegals.

Most people understand this, and giving Illegals blue cards before green cards before citizenship is just the lipstick on the pig.

I don't buy this argument. Sure, I'd like them, as current law says, to have to go back home to apply, but we already have guest worker programs and I wonder how many "illegals" are counted as illegal that are currently in these programs. I know many businesses that use this program.

Also, it at least, if enforced, makes them go to some government agency to at least get documented and it takes 3-9 years as a "guest" before they can even consider trying to become a citizen.

So what we are back to arguing is the level of LEGAL immigration we are willing to accept and given the 8-12 million classified as illegal today (let's average that to 10 million) over the last 20 years, that's 500,000 a year. Too many? Not enough? I don't know.

I also sympathize with those from other places that aren't Mexico that DO come here and legally go through the INS and have to spend years and thousands of dollars to become citizens. It's not fair. But that doesn't address the problem as we have it.

Deport them all? Sure, let's do it. The cost would be ungodly but maybe many would leave on their own. Fine the businesses that hire them illegally, YES! We should be doing that now because it's the law.

But I think something has to be done and Bush is at least willing to put the poker in the fire and have the debate, something we haven't seen since 1984 leading up to the 1986 amnesty. But I don't see this as amnesty if it takes over 9 years to even start becoming a citizen. That alone proves it's not amnesty and is just trying to fix the problem that has festered for 20 years. If we made marijuana legal today, it's not giving amnesty to those that illegally smoked it in the past.

Again, it, to me, comes down to a debate on how many immigrants we want to allow in every year and how many new citizens from foreign countries we want. And I want it to be equal for all involved regardless of where they come from...Europe, Asia, Mexico, South America, Africa, etc.

I welcome the debate and I welcome the possibility of working this out. But too many want to proclaim anyone that doesn't agree with them on this issue as an "idiot" or a "moron" or "Bush lover" or "Bush hater" or "anti-American", etc. That doesn't do any good and in my opinion those people ought to be exported out since they don't understand what our country truly stands for...freedom of the individual and ideas.

And I always appreciate your level headed discussion on all topics. Many regards.

[Fledermaus]

Whatever.

Oh yeah, now there is an itelligent repsonse. I guess next it will be "you don't know me" or "talk to the hand".

[longtermmemmory]

From a legal perspective and from a conservative perspective, I see the Federal Marriage Amendment only codifying was is the state of the law now. It also is taking the federal government out of the marriage issue and putting it back where it belongs, to the states INDIVIDUALLY. (Remember not all states recongnize common law marriage.)

It it making this one less issue to be in government hands.

Marriage (or civil unions or civil marriages) are a by their very nature a public act. Peoples private sexual bedroom behavior should remain private and not part of the public instutition.

I am just very grateful GWBush considered it valuble enough to his administration to put it in the last state of the union speech of his first term. It also boxes in the seven dwarves. Dean would abolish marriage and make everything civil unions. Clark would probably "me too" that notion. You will not find any democrat who will support marriage as crystal clear as the Republican.

The democrats will weasel. Then again, weaseling is to be expected from the French looking Kerry.

[ArneFufkin]

We didn't have a War on Terror ... an ongoing REAL War to keep our citizens from being blown to hell on our streets ... waging in November 2000. We do today.

If we elect a Democrat ... we lose the War. Our citizens die. It's that clear for me.

[1redshirt]

Which person are you talking about ... texasforever or clamper1797 ... just curious

[Mo1]

Not a bad post .. an actually debate and discussion of the issue ..

It's refreshing .. Thanks

[tpaine]

"I see it coming."


Arnie Fufkin, one of the masters of the universe..

[Torie]

The "inventory" is out of control.

What does that mean exactly? The public square is a noisome and often somewhat raucous place. Some tolerance of that is what public squares are all about. They are not meant to be drawing rooms of an exclusive club. That said, a civility of manners should be the norm in Jim's house. In that sense, I think this place does a great service. It teaches many posters a bit more about how to disagree without being disagreeable. It teaches them how to argue their points, and marshall their arguments. That is a benefit of Jim's house, that is not appreciated as much as it should be. He helps many of us to become more effective citizens, and for that I salute him.

[Fledermaus]

What was I thinking? lol

[Mo1]

oh hell if I know .. LOL

But you were and that's a good strat ;0)

[Brad’s Gramma]

#2895

NOW! HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Fledermaus]

Excellent analogy. I, for one, try my best to maintain my manners in Jim's house. And if I don't I'm not going to blow a gasket if I'm admonished for not using coasters as is the rule! lol

[ArneFufkin]

If I had that curiosity, I might visit profile pages.