"There are times a country is so tired of bull that only the truth can provide relief." -Molly Ivins
Boy Howdy, are we ever in for a boxcar full of the aforementioned "bull" ... and there will be very little of that truth stuff. Best to turn on NETFLIX and save yourself some heartburn.
SOTU: Have some fun. Think up your own definition for those strung-together letters of the alphabet.
How 'bout:
Say
Only
Ten
Untruths ?? Well, you get the idea (and trust me, when the current occupant of the Oval Office stands up in front of Congress - on national teevee, there will be more that ten of them there"untruths" spoken). Maybe we should emulate that idiot and simply characterize his utterances as "Fake Facts." Perhaps a buzzer sounding for every lie/falsehood wouldn't be inappropriate.
Anyhow, Donald of Orange didn't get to stick with his schedule but now he's going to appear on
5 February (check your local listings). Before he shows up to make a total mockery of his office (and these suggestions would be applicable to all further SOTU addresses by any chief executive) then there should be a few rules for the public conveyance of this
Constitutional requirement, which would also restore some degree of decorum, dignity and solemnity to what has become a media driven, political side-show. It's probably too late now to implement these rules, but something needs to be done for the future (and our overall sanity).
Here are my suggestions:
1. No one except the sitting members of the House and Senate may be present on the House floor.
---- These rules apply equally to the Senate chamber should the address occur there.
2. Seating in the gallery of the chamber will be open to all citizens chosen by a random lottery. Applicants must submit their own entry - no sponsorship.
Supreme Court justices, cabinet members, military brass, congressional staff/ advisors and all other celebrities, hanger-ons, lackeys and assorted horse holders can submit their names for the lottery and take their chances along with the rest of us.
3. Seating in the gallery will be on a first-come, first-seated basis for lottery ticket holders. No reservations or reserved seating will be allowed. Should you be lucky enough to get a ticket, you might have to sit next to someone above or below your perceived social status, a sexual/gender orientation or ethnic/religious background different than your own or an opposing political persuasion and/or party affiliation ..... tough, we're an egalitarian society: suck it up and play nice together.
4 The speech will NOT be televised. Radio only. A visual recording may be made (for historic/accuracy purposes) using a single camera, but may only show the speech giver head-on, neither the audience nor those on the dais will be shown.(Let the radio commentators describe the ceremonial entry and leave us to our imaginations.)
5. A verbatim transcript of the speech will be posted within 24 hours in the Congressional Record and any other Congressional or Executive branch website. It may not be edited for content. It will also be made available to any requesting media organization.
6. Should the president choose, she/he may submit the contents to the Congress in writing. Within 24 hours of its receipt, it will be handled per item 5 above.
7. Should the president choose to make a televised production of this Constitutional requirement from somewhere other than the Capitol, the broadcast will be required to comply with the rule regarding visual recording (point 4 above).
