Opus 2026-115: Trump Being Trump

I watched the State of the Union Address.  I did not want to, but I knew that I would not get any honest appraisal of what was said and what happened if I didn’t watch it.  It’s one of those key moments where we have a way of stepping around the fake news and the distortions and actually going to the source.  It was my responsibility as an American citizen to listen to what he had to say, not what other people said he had to say.

There are two things about listening to this that make it painful.  The first would be the theatrical element that has crept into the State of the Union Address.  There are a lot of really nice things that happen that don’t belong in a report on how the country is doing.  Lifting up heroes is great.  Pointing out people that have risen above the crowd and gone the extra mile is wonderful, but I don’t need to be entertained with 10 minute long applause and weeping family members.  So the amount of time spent on things that have nothing to do with the purpose of this speech I find frustrating.  It’s one reason why I would rather read something than watch it or listen to it.  When I’m reading, I can skim and skip.  I find myself doing this more and more in my old age.  I learned I don’t have to read everything.  Unfortunately in real time, you have to listen to everything.

The second thing that I find painful is listening to Donald Trump.  I support him.  I think he is doing an awesome job overall.  He’s getting things done.  He loves America.  In spite of that I find it painful to listen to him with his constant hyperbole.  The problem with hyperbole when it’s overused is that it loses its impact.  He talks about having the best of this in history, really?  He says it’s the greatest in the last 50 years.  Really?  I know it’s hyperbole.  I know his point is that we are doing well, but I get tired of the exaggerations.  The two hour presentation could’ve been cut down to about 20 minutes if we cut out the theatrics, hyperbole, extended applause, and repetition.

That have been said, since it’s over and done, I am glad I listened.  Of course I’m glad that I was drafted and served in Vietnam too, but I wouldn’t want to do it again.

I really enjoyed this constant emphasis on how the Democrats were not responding like Americans but more like America haters.  Toward the end, they finally started standing up when some things were so obvious they should be approved of, but you weren’t going to catch them giving Trump the time of day.  I found his approach refreshing.  I know all the bleeding heart people that want a lot of touch and feel didn’t like it.  It made them uncomfortable.  But then the truth always does make certain people uncomfortable.

If you didn’t watch it, find time to do so.  If you don’t have time to do so, then don’t believe anything anybody tells you about it, including me.

As George Putnam used to say, “Here’s to a better stronger America.”

homo unius libri