I read an interesting article about someone’s personal response to the State of the Union. The article brought up many interesting points about the clear divide between the democrats and the republicans, the article also discusses the oddities of the event and speech itself. Personally, I did not pay attention to the State of the Union, I nearly forgot about it since the news had mostly been following the impeachment trial which had just concluded.
It was clear that Trump was going to use the State of the Union to revel in the fact that the senate had acquitted him. It was very clear early on that tensions were high between the two parties. As the post mentions, Trump ignored Nancy Pelosi and decided not to shake her hand even though she is Speaker of the House. This led to the retaliation of Pelosi who at the end of the event ripped up Trump’s speech. This act of defiance created a frenzy as it is very clear that there is no mending the divide between parties so long as Trump is in office. This clear lack of respect for eachother is concerning as a resident since it shows that neither side will be willing to negotiate or compromise with one another. This undermines the entire fondation that this country was created upon. Washington argued against party loyalty, and instead asked politicians to listen to their constituents, and what they personally believed to be right instead of what their affiliated party’s desired.
The post also brings up Trump’s speech, and the lack of concrete evidence to back up his claim of what he has achieved in the past years. Trump kept mentioning how he has been able to reach the highest unemployment rate ever in the history of the US. This is a blatantly untrue statement, since unemployment rates have actually dropped every year since Trump has been elected. The numbers are still high, however, they do not compare to what Obama achieved during his time in office. Trump is known for making outlandish claims that he does not have the evidence to backup. By the Republican party allowing Trump to make these statements without any consequence sets a dangerous precedent for the future of politics. Without requiring that statements be presented truthfully, the public will no longer be able to rely on the government for any reliable type of information. This practice also allows for under qualified people to have higher roles in office than they can actually handle. We already see this occurring with Trump, but it is concerning that a political party rather not admit failure than do what is right for the people that they claim to serve.
It is clear that the State of the Union was the culmination of multiple clashing people. It is a terrifying sight to see as the upcoming presidential election looms over us. The post was a great explanation on why it is important that we pay attention to what our politicians are saying, and that we call them out when we notice that things are amiss.
Here is a link to the post I read, so that you can see their thoughtful breakdown of the State of the Union.
Gemma: The New Girl in Town 