Day 59: What's the State of the Union? Pretty Damn Awful and it's All Our Fault.

Tuesday is the State of the Union address. I am hearing and reading a lot about the wacky notion that Republicans and Democrats might dare to . . . wait for it . . . SIT TOGETHER!!! I know, crazy! The men and women we elected to represent us in the House and Senate have thought long and hard about what they can do to ease the ever-mounting tension and discord between the two parties, and this is what they came up with.

I think it's great that everyone wants to get along, but the answers to today's problems are not going to be found in simply picking a bosom buddy with whom to watch the speech. Once again, they are missing the point and each legislator seems to be using this a PR opportunity. Go in the room, sit down in the first available seat and shut up. You are not special because you decided not to express your inherent opposition by your geographic location for a whole hour. Get a grip.

While we're at it, let's all get a grip. Let's talk about what we'd like the President to address. An article on Yahoo! listed the items most wished for as Presidential topics by their contributors. Among them, job creation, Medicare benefits, education, taxes, financial aide for universities, retirement benefits, the war and several other, more personal issues. It's pretty obvious the President cannot address every topic of concern to Americans any more than he can hope to please all sides affected by the topics he does discuss. That's just reality. The responsibility on our political leadership is great, regardless which side of the aisle they usually stand on. All elected officials and public administrators run the risk of alienating some sector by taking one stand over another, not taking a stand, taking too strong of a stand and anything else done in one's job.

What about our responsiblity? Where do we fall as citizens in terms of our obligations to uphold current policies and work to create better living conditions? So what, you're poor. Does that mean I or my government owes you a dollar? So what, you're rich. Should you get a tax break because you're in a higher bracket or conversely, should you be taxed higher because of your good fortune? You say the education system isn't what it used to be? Your kids are not getting the time and attention they need to adequately learn and succeed because teachers are overworked and classrooms too full? Ever think maybe a teacher is a supplementary aide to what you should be teaching them? They're YOUR kids, you lazy harpy, why would you prefer a stranger be the sole gatekeeper for their education?

There is no common sense in our society anymore and I have had just about enough of the selfishness played out in the name of "the children," "the elderly," "the sick," "the rich," "the poor," etc. Every one of us wants some presidential policy to benefit ourselves. We are selfish even in the name of the greater good. My dream speech from the President might tell all the whiners to shut the hell up. If you're poor and cannot afford to raise your children on your low-income wages, maybe you should stop breeding. So what if you're old. It's not our fault you didn't take care of yourself and ate gravy and white bread for 70 years, do you deserve more medical assistance than those younger or poorer? You can't get a job because you're overqualified and the PhD after your name is scaring off employers? Utilize the delete key you self-aggrandizing ass and leave that part off. You can pull out the "Doctor" title after you land the job.

I'm not asking for big changes, just some common sense. It should not be an educator's job to teach your child everything from potty training to quantum mechanics. Take some responsibility. You asked for war, for two wars, and you got them. Now that we're embroiled in the rebuilding of what we tore down and have created more insurgents in other places don't expect the military to be able to wrap up in a neat and tidy way.  And if you're rich, just shut the fuck up about your taxes. The government needs money, you have it, the poor and working class do not. I'm sorry you have to pay more, but you have more to give so shut up and count your blessings that you are still able to feed your family and pay your bills. Think of it as your ticket to that Heaven you're so fond of preaching to everyone after you spend your 60 minutes a week in church while worrying someone might scratch your new Lexus in the parking lot.

You all make me sick and by "you" I mean people in general. Everyone wants something for nothing and we all think that our needs are important enough to be singled out by the President we elected and then turned against within 12 months because we weren't suddenly rich again and the wars still existed. I'm not saying I'm any better, I just acknowledge my hypocrisy. We could all use a dose of reality, rationality, and humility. Three things I've come to learn are pretty alien to the average American. That's what is on my wish list for things I'd like to hear the President address. We're fat, lazy, stupid and selfish and we've got no one to blame but ourselves.