Saturday 6 March 2021

Is There An Actual Need for the State of the Union 'Message'?

 No.  

It's basically a theatrical production to give the President time to appear before Congress/the Senate, and have either radio or TV giving the 'message' across the nation.

The first radio address? 1922, by President Harding.  It should be noted for the next fourteen years....it was a day-time situation, and few Americans heard it.

In 1936....under FDR, things changed and it went to a night-time event, and was blasted across the entire US.  That fundamentally changed things, and it became a free 'advertisement' by the national news media.

What is the value today?  Mostly zero....just forty-odd promises, and half of them will never occur.  Some will occur, but the price-tag will shock you.  Some will occur, and make your life more miserable than it was before.

You could probably better use the time to wash and wax the pick-up, or chat with the neighbor over NCAA football frustrations.  

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