MR. PRESIDENT, Monday night you will address the American people on the State of the Union.
While the Democrats will respond after the fact, I, being fairly certain what you will tell us, will give you my rebuttal ahead of time.
Mr. President,
You are going to tell us that we are winning the war on terror and will undoubtedly point to the fact that recent reports indicate that 75 percent of Baghdad is now secure.
What you will not tell us is that 100 percent of Baghdad was secure until America arrived with bombs blasting in air in March 2003.
You also will not tell us that since your last State of the Union address, we still have found no weapons of mass destruction in that country--which was your premise for war.
You, sir, will also ignore the fact that the American presence in Iraq has caused so much instability there that it has allowed al-Qaida and other anti-West extremist groups to use that country as a training ground.
And you will not remind us that the war you declared won in one month is now poised to enter its seventh year with almost 4,000 Americans dead and some 30,000 wounded.
Mr. President,
On the home front you will declare that although the financial world is hitting a bump in the road, our economy is basically strong, that the jobless rate is at an acceptable level and that there are no inflation worries.
What you will not say is that while energy prices have skyrocketed, wages have remained almost flat and many companies and government agencies have implemented hiring freezes.
Nor will you stress the fact that it is almost impossible to sell a house, that many homeowners are faced with ballooning mortgage payments and that foreclosures are at record levels in some areas.
And you will no doubt ignore the fact that many consumers are as deep in credit-card debt as the federal government's budget is unbalanced.
Yes, you will tell us that you are proposing an economic stimulus package that could send a government check for $300 or more to every taxpayer.
With all due respect, perhaps I should point out to you that $300 is only about
Further, sir, I am still waiting for my $400 check from your 2002 economic stimulus package. Even though I work three jobs, I was apparently not considered worthy enough to qualify for that refund.
You will also likely point out that the Federal Reserve Board lowered interest rates by three-quarters of a percent Tuesday, a move that appeared to be motivated by panic--not reason--following the sell-off in world markets the previous day.
While that move may prop up the stock market for a few days, it will mostly benefit large banks and have little effect on home mortgages and no effect on credit-card rates, which are the two most troublesome problems right now.
And, sir, with the Fed short-term rate now at 3.5 percent, Washington can't do much more trimming.
Mr. President,
America is bleeding, both literally and figuratively.
We are spending $275 million a day fighting an immoral war while schools and social programs are scrambling for operating funds and middle-class Americans are having their homes taxed out from under them.
Energy prices are straining household budgets and your war for oil has only moved crude prices to record levels.
One thing I am certain you will not mention Monday night is that we are now in the second economic recession of your administration. No other president has been able to claim such a distinction.
To sum up, Mr. President,
Today, America is engaged in a war with no end in sight, faces rising energy prices with no end in sight, is invested in a stock market that is plummeting with no bottom in sight, trying to dig our way out of a sub-prime mortgage debacle that could put many homeowners out on the street and is home to a middle class up to its ears in credit-card debt.
We can't sell our houses, we can't get raises at work and soaring oil prices are sending us to the poorhouse.
We are at war with Iraq, Afghanistan, illegal aliens, illegal drugs and, at times, especially politically, each other.
Iran and Pakistan have their sights on us and Russia last week reiterated the fact that it will use nuclear weapons if necessary to protect its interests.
Our allies are abandoning us, oil-producing countries are using us and most of the world despises us.
On top of that, the Earth may be sucked into a black hole on Dec. 21, 2012 (or did that already happen in November of 2000?).
Other than that, everything is just peachy keen.
That, Mr. President, is the State of the Union on Jan. 28, 2008, at least in the eyes of this American.
Donnie Johnston:
Email: djohnston@freelancestar.com