State of the Union
I watched the state of the union last night on Fox. I thought it was pretty good. Nothing earth shattering perhaps, but still pretty good. I also watched the Democratic Response. Nothing against her personally, but Nancy Pelosi's response (House Demcratic Leader) is exactly the kind of reason I'm not a democrate. I must admit that I don't follow politics all that much, so I don't know the congress and senators. But I liked some of what Tom Daschle had to same. It was much more positive than what Ms. Pelosi had to say.

Some highlights from Bush's speech:

• Last month, the leader of Libya voluntarily pledged to disclose and dismantle all of his regime's weapons of mass destruction programs, including a uranium enrichment project for nuclear weapons. He doesn't want to be another Hussien
  
• Some critics have said our duties in Iraq must be internationalized. This particular criticism is hard to explain to our partners in Britain, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Italy, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, the Netherlands, Norway, El Salvador, and the 17 other countries that have committed troops to Iraq. A frequent democratic response is that this was a US only show. OK... so that isn't a list of every country in the world, maybe not even a majority, but it isn't like ALL our allies thought this was a bad idea.
  
• We expect third graders to read and do math at third grade level, and that is not asking too much... This nation will not go back to the days of simply shuffling children along from grade to grade without them learning the basics. I refuse to give up on any child, and the No Child Left Behind Act is opening the door of opportunity to all of America's children.
  
• So tonight I propose a series of measures called Jobs for the 21st Century. This program will provide extra help to middle- and high school students who fall behind in reading and math, expand Advanced Placement programs in low-income schools, and invite math and science professionals from the private sector to teach part-time in our high schools. Cool - I'll be interested in seeing the details of that program.
  
• I propose larger Pell Grants for students who prepare for college with demanding courses in high school
  
• What the Congress has given, the Congress should not take away: For the sake of job growth, the tax cuts you passed should be permanent. The democrats hated that. The 'we don't want to give money back to the rich' rethoric. Hey, I'm not rich and I'd like to keep my money please.
  
• Younger workers should have the opportunity to build a nest egg by saving part of their Social Security taxes in a personal retirement account. We should make the Social Security system a source of ownership for the American people. No kidding! Again, the demoracts respond with 'the republicans want to give away all the old people's money and gamble with our future.' If congress thought that Social Security was so great, than why aren't they apart of the program? Why do they have their own fund? Because they know it doesn't work.
  
• We will double federal funding for abstinence programs, so schools can teach this fact of life: Abstinence for young people is the only certain way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. I think it is quite a stand for him to state these kind of things. Again, not earth shatterning, but it will draw some real opposition.
  
• A strong America must also value the institution of marriage. I believe we should respect individuals as we take a principled stand for one of the most fundamental, enduring institutions of our civilization. I thought this was a great way to state it. Said No to same-sex marriage - but that people should still have rights and we should be compassionated, etc.
  
• By Executive Order, I have opened billions of dollars in grant money to competition that includes faith-based charities. Tonight I ask you to codify this into law, so people of faith can know that the law will never discriminate against them again. That is what separation of church and state is all about. That the state doesn't discriminate against religion... it has gotten so twisted.

One of the commentators did mention how much the President's faith seemed to drive what he said. Like it was a bad thing. It is one of things I liked.

While I don't follow policitcs closely, I usually try to catch this. I think it is important to see what the President has to say. It kind of shows where we'll be going. And personally, I liked quite a bit of what he had to say. And as a high-tech professional - in a math and science sector, with a teenage daughter who plans on going to college, a wife who is a pastor, and a tax payer - I think the plans he outlined could effect my life. So I'm glad I took the time to watch it.