Biden’s 2022 State-of-the-Union

I took a look at the Full Transcript of Biden’s State of the Union Address by Joe Biden (New York Times) and took some notes. As these things go, it wasn’t the stupidest State of the Union I’ve heard, but it was pretty stupid.

“Throughout our history we’ve learned this lesson: When dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos.”

This is 100% true. It was also delivered without irony or shame.

“Putin’s latest attack on Ukraine was premeditated and totally unprovoked.

“He rejected repeated, repeated efforts at diplomacy.”

This is a lie.

“We countered Russia’s lies with the truth.”

This is a lie.

“We are coming for your ill-begotten gains.”

The phrase is “ill-gotten”. Your gen-y speechwriters are showing.

“But let me be clear: Our forces are not engaged and will not engage in the conflict with Russian forces in Ukraine.”

I hope that this is not a lie.

“[…] we’ve mobilized American ground forces, air squadrons, ship deployments to protect NATO countries, including Poland, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.”

Well, you have to do that, don’t you? And if those countries provoke Russia into attack with their arms shipments? Then U.S. forces will be engaged with Russian forces, … but not in Ukraine.

You could have also said, “we are waging a proxy war against Russia and hope to do so indefinitely, selling weapons to our allies, who will die using them to kill Russians, who we wish an unhappy quagmire in Ukraine that we honestly hope stays in the current limbo with no resolution for a very long time, long enough for us to sell all of our LNG and weapons to Europe while Russia starves.”

“America will lead that effort, releasing 30 million barrels from our own Strategic Petroleum Reserve.”

A strange coincidence, that. The U.S. manages to kill off a major competitor by provoking a war and then cleans up in its former markets. Ruthless.

“When the history of this era is written, Putin’s war on Ukraine will have left Russia weaker and the rest of the world stronger.

“While it shouldn’t have taken something so terrible for people around the world to see what’s at stake, now everyone sees it clearly.”

This is not a lie. This is 100% what will happen. People will “see it clearly” because it will have been made clear through indoctrination.

¼ of the speech was Ukraine and Russia. What would he have talked about without the Russian invasion?

“And as my dad used to say, it gave the people just a little breathing room.”

What? Your Dad was in the American Civil War, Joe. And “giving people breathing room” is not an expression that you have to credit to anyone.

“But that trickle-down theory led to a weaker economic growth, lower wages, bigger deficits and a widening gap between those at the top and everyone else in nearly a century.”

An interesting nugget to throw in there. Are you just mentioning the policy? What’s the point of mentioning it? Did he mean to detract from a policy that his administration clearly continues to support in almost all policy?

“The federal government spends about $600 billion a year to keep this country safe and secure.”

This was literally a non sequitur in a discussion of infrastructure. The number is far too low. This is basically a lie.

Next, he talks about buying American a lot.

Then he talks about insulin prices being too high.

Then he talks about taxing billionaires.

“The point is even they understand they should pay just the fair share. Last year, 55 of the Fortune 500 companies earned $40 billion in profit and paid zero in federal taxes. Look, it’s not fair. That’s why I proposed a 15 percent minimum tax rate for corporations.”

Sure, sure. But I think you’re just making noises with your mouth. You will almost certainly not follow this up with any policy.

“By the end of this year, the deficit will be down to less than half of what it was before I took office.

“The only president ever to cut the deficit by more than $1 trillion in a single year.”

JFC. C’mon, man. That’s like the home run of taking credit for shit that you didn’t do. The deficit was gargantuan in 2020 because of COVID policies that helped the nation get through it. Taking credit for a deficit reduction in the following year is super-dishonest.

“Capitalism without competition is exploitation — it drives up profits.”

Yeah, no shit. See you next year, when you might mention it again.

“Tonight, I’m announcing a crackdown on those companies overcharging American businesses and consumers.

“And as Wall Street firms take over more nursing homes, quality in those homes has gone down and costs have gone up.

“That ends on my watch.”

Excellent ideas. See you next year, when you might mention it again.

“Raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and extend the Child Tax Credit, so no one has to raise a family in poverty.”

Excellent ideas. See you next year, when you might mention it again.

On to COVID.

“And we’re launching the “test to treat” initiative so people can get tested at a pharmacy, and if they prove positive, receive antiviral pills on the spot at no cost.”

That actually sounds pretty good.

“Let’s use this moment to reset. So stop looking at Covid as a partisan dividing line. See it for what it is: a God-awful disease.

“Let’s stop seeing each other as enemies, and start seeing each other for who we are: fellow Americans.”

Excellent advice. I hope that this is the message people take away from this speech. OMG obviously, they won’t, because even if they wanted to, the media will belay that command. Also, Jen Psaki (the real president) will belay that command.

“We should all agree: The answer is not to defund the police. It’s to fund the police. Fund them. Fund them. Fund them with resources and training. Resources and training they need to protect their communities.”

So long, progressives! Good ol’ police-loving Joe is back.

Now he’s talking about the Supreme Court.

Now he’s talking about refugees and immigrants.

Women, abortion rights.

LBGTQ+.

Opioid epidemic.

Mental health in children.

Veterans.

“I don’t know for sure if the burn pit that he lived near, that his hooch was near, in Iraq and earlier than that in Kosovo is the cause of his brain cancer, or the diseases of so many of our troops.

“But I’m committed to find out everything we can.”

That is a helluva sentence to hear in a State of the Union. “hooch”? That sentence is a grammatical train-wreck.

End cancer.

“My fellow Americans, tonight, we have gathered in this sacred space — the citadel of democracy.”

JFC. Lay it on a little thicker.

“We built the strongest, freest and most prosperous nation the world has ever known.

“Now is the hour.

“Our moment of responsibility.

“Our test of resolve and conscience, of history itself.

“It is in this moment that our character of this generation is formed. Our purpose is found. Our future is forged.”

Oh, OK. I guess you did lay it on thicker. Again, with that classic Biden attention to grammar. These are just words you’re making with your mouth.

“God bless you all, and may God protect our troops. Thank you. Go get ’em.”

Whoops. Saying the quiet part out loud.