He shall from time to time

Article II

Section 3.

He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient...

But why ? The 'state of the union' address is never remembered. Sure we may remember a few phrases, or the one time a POTUS said something other than "the state of the union is strong". the pundits talk about how important this speech is, but other than them, who cares ?

I have followed politics for some time now, and other than noticing the way a POTUS speaks, I have never been enamoured of any one of the state of the union addresses. Sure some have spoken with more eloquence than others. Some have payed more attention to focus groups so they say the things that sound really good. In the end, however, most of what is said doesn't matter. Its an exercise in placation.

The friends of POTUS will feel slightly slighted. The ones who want to be, will feel that he made a great speech. Those who are not his friends... well they won't be impressed.

Its no different than listening to a campaign speech: a bit about what he has done. A bit on what he would like to do going forward. Mixed in with a dash of reaching across the party lines to 'come to a consensus' and work together.

I need more Mr. President...

Tell me that the state of the union is not strong.

There are rifts between us that threaten the very fabric who we have spent generations laboring to become. There are those among us that sew that rift for their own political and financial gain, who leave the citizenry to reap the spoiled crop of those efforts. Groups that come into our own house and destroy all that we have labored to achieve, and have the audacity to insist that we clean up their mess. No the state of the union is not strong.

We have a labor force desperate for the work that employers sent overseas. The highest unemployed and underemployed workforce than many people have a point of reference to.

We have a higher crime rate, and worse educational stats than any other industrialized nation. No, the state of the union is not strong.

That's just where he should start.

as ever, tell me what you think.

GET UP, GET INTERESTED, GET INFORMED, GET OUT AND GET ACTIVE...

Then decide.

Missing... Keith Olbermann...

Keith Olbermann, oh Keith Olbermann. where fore art thou Keith Olbermann ???

He wasn't always right. His rants often went too far. In my opinion he saw racism where there was none, but I loved the show.

Its been twenty-six hours since the end of the final "Fridays with Thurber", and I already miss the show.

Keith say it ain't so...

Honestly, who on the left can take the place of the "big O"?  Who is out there that can balance out Glenn Beck on the right ? Don't get me wrong, I love Maddow. wicked smart, funny, poignant, she gives people the chance to say their piece, but won't stomach evasion of the relevant questions. But Keith is, well, Keith. There's a reason he was the ratings king of MSNBC.

While Beck would shed tears at a wind from the east, or south, or any wind really, the few times Olberman got emotional, his father, mother, and select injustices, when Keith showed , more range than his rants or "that woman is an idiot", it felt real to me, and it felt all the more real to me.

While I have my political leanings, there are a great many things I have yet to make my mind up about: Is President Obama a good president or just on par with some in the past? Will the new Congress serve the people, or themselves ? As an undecided voter, I need Keith to balance out Glenn.

Don't be afraid to tell me what you think. How you feel. Or if you agree or not.

I already miss you Keith, good night, and God Bless.