Here's CNN's analysis of the speech Smirk made last night - along with my own remarks.
He ain't calling this a "state of the union" address.  He says he needs another year to know
what the state of the union is.  Here I was hoping for was his own detailed analysis (yeah, right)
on how Clinton's member screwed this country into a hole.  I was gonna make popcorn and everything.
 
Here's the link.
 
"In the first test of his leadership, Bush was trying to convince the American people and their legislators
that cutting taxes would...ensure that Congress doesn't squander the surplus on pork-barrel spending."
 
What?  I thought that was why we have regular free elections.  Anyway, don't we have Republican control of Congress?
Aren't they supposed to be the party of fiscal restraint?  When did that change?
 
"'I hope you'll join me and stand firmly on the side of the people,' Bush said."
 
Well, less than a third of us think tax cuts should be a priority, dumbass.
Besides, who do you think those 535 people out there listening to your bullshit represent, anyway?
 
"His fiscal year 2002 federal budget plan will be transmitted to members of the House and Senate
on Wednesday morning, giving them barely 12 hours to digest the contents of his speech before
the yearly congressional budgeting process begins in earnest."
 
Duh.  That's Bush's modus operandum.  Same with the "news confrence."
Lots of fanfare, but don't dare give 'em any time to actually examine what's in the box.
 
I won't even go into his remarks on Social Security, energy, and the environment.
 
"Republicans have...argued that an immediate pay-down of all the debt would force the government
to invest excess tax receipts into private property to keep surplus funds from sitting around."
 
What the hell does that mean?
Is that supposed to mean that debt is good?
What private property?
Bank certificates of deposit?
The McDonalds around the corner?
Clark Howard, please help us!
 
"While the total (defense) spending is roughly the same as in the Clinton administration's most recent
budget plans, the White House says Bush's plan includes several billion dollars to fund new initiatives
for military pay hikes, improvements to military housing and health benefits, and additional research
funds for high-tech weaponry. "
 
Under the Bush budget, all military service members would get a 4.6 percent increase in pay for 2002, an amount
mandated by Congress.  Wow, as Drew Carey would say, we're getting a 4.6 percent increase in CRAP.
Let's see, a buck sergeant makes about $1700/mo.   4.6% of 1700 is 78 bucks.
Is that enough to get ol' Sarge off food stamps?
 
"White House budget director Mitch Daniels hinted over the weekend that a variety
of corporate subsidies could be on the block....These could include government research
and investment programs and some social aid endeavors. "
 
OK, if there is genuine duplication of effort, I suppose some savings can be achieved by merging programs.
I wonder, however, which industries' subsidies are getting axed.  Tobacco?  Energy?

Smirk ain't telling.
 
This all came off CNN's allpolitics.com page.
Note, however, that the banner ad at the top of the page is for Philip Morris USA.
Hit the refresh button.  Philip Morris again!
This time talking up their volunteer service to communities just like yours.
Aren't they just SO sweet?

"Who volunteers thousands of hours to community programs across the country?
The people of the Philip Morris companies.  Working to make a difference."
Let's see.

Philip Morris is a Fortune 500 company.
I bet if you add the sum total of all the volunteer work ALREADY BEING DONE by the people
who run the cigarette making machines, the Miller bottling equipment, etc., you'd come up with
an impressive amount of community service.  Just don't fool yourself into thinking the Philip Morris
corporation had anything to do with it besides compile statistics.  I bet the employees at GE, Ford,
and IBM are just as good about volunteering their time as Philip Morris, but GE, Ford,
and IBM don't produce CIGARETTES, BEER, and JUNK FOOD as their primary sources of revenue.
 

David Jansing can be reached at Click Here