state of (denial) address

The State of the Union Address is an annual event in which the President of the United States reports on the status of the country, normally to a joint session of the U.S. Congress (the House of Representatives and the Senate). The address is also used to outline the President's legislative proposals for the upcoming year. It has occurred in January except for six occasions in February since 1934. The 2006 address took place on January 31.

Modeled after the monarch's Speech from the Throne in the UK, the address is required by the United States Constitution

Instead of trying to compose one of my typical screeds about such things, I conducted an experiment. As I listened to the State of the Union Address as well as the commentators and the response, I jotted down words that spontaneously came into my head. I also wrote down some used by the speech makers that struck me as being interesting at best. I tend toward one of my favorite descriptive phrases "grotesquely ironic".

It won't hurt you to stretch your brain a little and check your vocabulary too. Take a look, remember who said it and how they use the words they use and see what you think.

In the interest of accuracy I checked my understanding of the words against the dictionary definitions, which I have included below.

If you came to a similar enraging/depressing conclusion as I did; you can read the short story by C. M. Kornbluth, The Marching Morons or Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman: The Classic Story by Harlan Ellison. I might also suggest watching V for Vendetta .

It won’t change anything but it may provide comfort (or not) without the nasty hangover of an all night drunk.

I leave it to you to review these words against the context of the speech and assorted commentaries. See if you can figure out which is whose; fools words, political speakers words.

Balderdash: senseless, stupid, or exaggerated talk or writing; nonsense.

Malarkey: speech or writing designed to obscure, mislead, or impress; bunkum: The claims were just a lot of malarkey.

Unctuous: characterized by excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, esp. in an affected manner; Having the quality or characteristics of oil or fat.

Disingenuous: lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous; insincere

Sycophant: a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite.

Sociopath: someone whose social behavior is extremely abnormal. Sociopaths are interested only in their personal needs and desires, without concern for the effects of their behavior on others.

Psychopath: a person with an antisocial personality disorder, especially one manifested in perverted, criminal, or amoral behavior.

Congress: the national legislative body of the U.S.

Congress: coitus; sexual intercourse.

Politician: a seeker or holder of public office, who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles.

Vermin: noxious, objectionable, or disgusting animals collectively, esp. those of small size that appear commonly and are difficult to control, as flies, lice, bedbugs, cockroaches, mice, and rats.

Sectarian: adhering or confined to the dogmatic limits of a sect or denomination.

Partisan: a fervent, sometimes militant supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea.

Democracy: the common people, considered as the primary source of political power.

Totalitarian: of or pertaining to a centralized government that does not tolerate parties of differing opinion and that exercises dictatorial control over many aspects of life

Freedom: the power to determine action without restraint.

Terrorism: the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.

Mob: directed at or reflecting the lowest intellectual level of the common people

Robot: a person who works mechanically without original thought, especially one who responds automatically to the commands of others.

Brainwashing: the application of a concentrated means of persuasion, such as an advertising campaign or repeated suggestion, in order to develop a specific belief or motivation.

Patriot: a person who regards himself or herself as a defender, esp. of individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government.

Complacency: a feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy.

Dupe: a person who unquestioningly or unwittingly serves a cause or another person.