Skip to content

The State of the Union

Dear Mr. President,

In a couple of hours you will come to Congress and tell them and our nation about the state of our country. The State of the Union address is a report from you to the legislative branch about where we are, where we have been and where you see us going in the coming year.

Mr. President-the State of the Union is not so good.  I wish I could say it better. But it is tough out there.  Jobs keep disappearing.  People are working harder than ever to keep their job. The time has come for a stronger stimulus package that would increase jobs and training in our country.  Businesses need incentives. Banks need to lend money so business can grow.  You need to use the bully pulpit to help make that happen.

Your health care plan is fading away as we speak. The truth is I didn’t like big pieces of it anyway. I can’t stomach that your fellow party members caved in to the demands of those who would take away federal funding of abortion and reproductive health care for the poorest women in our country.  How shameful. 

The word on the street is that you are going to call for a repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. CNN is reporting that you will be finally calling for an end to this cruel policy crafted during the Clinton administration.  I hope you will and I hope Congress will come to its senses and do away with this.   My good friend Dan Choi is a victim of this policy.   A fine outstanding citizen who was serving his country.  He loves America. And was a translator of the Arab language.  He is also a gay man.  Even as you ramp us our troops in Afghanistan, even as we recognize that there is a shortage of qualified speakers of Arabic, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is playing havoc with our military success.   I hope you stick to your guns, and work actively for a repeal of this policy.

Mr. President when you campaigned for office you promised to be a force for hope.  Your first year in office –has flown by.  The act of governing is different from campaigning.   Tonight is a night to help us all hope again.  Inspire us. And inspire yourself to greater achievements.