Originally Posted January 23rd 2007 "Fate of The Union"

Tonight as we listen to the President's address please think about the following:

Is there anything new or will he try and sell us the tired old notions of connecting 9/11 to Iraq, weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? Iraq as the center of the "War on Terror"?..Fight them there so we don't have to fight them here?

All these ideas have been debunk-ed. Clearly we have been brought into this war for reasons other than those stated. Follow the money or OIL perhaps?

Is there anything worthwhile?

Or will he try and give a "lip service" push to a domestic agenda; challenging congress to fix Social Security, Health care or perhaps to address education?

Mr Bush has had 6 years of a republican congress in his pocket which could have allowed him to effectively address many domestic issues and all he has done is facilitate the transfer of wealth from the middle class to the elite. He doesn't care about the elderly; he wants to privatize Social Security to provide a wind fall profit for Wall St. He doesn't care about health care; he wants profits for the drug companies. How much have your health care premiums increased in the past 6 years?. Please do not fall for the argument that utilization has increased. The facts are, that the same amount of money is being spent in health care, but without federal oversight HMOs etc can pass on any fluctuation in cost to the consumer and preserve their profits!. In the past there had to be documented utilization trends, over several quarters before a company could raise premiums. Now they are allowed to raise rates for any reason. Even 1 quarter of utilization increase, or even 1 incidental "Overhead Event" ...including senior management bonuses are passed on to the consumer, without any justification! And what if the utilization goes down? Well I haven't heard of any ones' premiums dropping. Have you?

If we really want health care reform, get the government to underwrite health care. Medicare only cost 2-4% in administrative fees vs private health care companies with 20-30% administrative overhead. Will that save a penny or two?

Want to really help business? Help them keep jobs in the US and help restore the middle class! Universal health care will certainly put us back on that road! If we can shovel tons of cash onto the Iraq - Haliburton dung heap, then we can spend some money to help businesses and working people stay healthy. Keep them from choosing between proper health care and heating oil.

Is there anything visionary?

Or will we hear more about trips to Mars and breaking our addiction to oil?

What we really need is a massive commitment to seeking out and developing energy alternatives....and not just switching lobbies form oil to corn. We need a project that is federally funded to help us re-build the aforementioned middle class. Put people back into well paying jobs. Jobs with a future.

As you listen tonight think about the "fate of our union".

What will it be?

A country that in spite of it's foibles is still the envy of the world? Still the leader on human rights? Still the shining light of opportunity? A country where we deal with terrorists threats as they arise with solid intelligence and police work and military action if needed? A country where we invest in our own infrastructure? A country that makes friends by helping other countries not by occupying them? A country that negotiates with our potential enemies instead of baiting them?

Or will it be a militarized, neo fascist society? A society blindly led to protect the interests of a small upper class while creating a vast lower class and all the while decimating the middle class?

FDR, and even Eisenhower believed in a middle class and so did the founders. The middle class they created was actually the most radical notion of this new country. A middle class that drove the economy, stood guard over our freedoms and was guarded in turn by a system of checks and balances. Today we have a situation where the Attorney General shocks even me by proclaiming that he is not certain that Habeas Corpus is "in the constitution"!!

Think about our fate as you listen tonight. Think about the fate of your children. The one thing Mr Bush has given us; is a chance to see what as a people, we do not want to become. He has given us a wake up call perhaps?

The fate of the Union is in our hands. Or perhaps it could be, if we stop sitting on them.

Be Lucky!....Mike