The State of the Union address

[Scrooge McSam]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

You have the opportunity to rebut later, and in the case of the SotU, that chance comes 30 minutes or so later.

Yeah... Pity you missed that.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Scrooge McSam

Yeah... Pity you missed that.

Oh, not really. In the same spirit that a few here have said they couldn't watch the SotU, I would not have done well watching the rebuttal.

[Gemini Cricket]

JOHN ROBERTS (CBS White House correspondent): At a couple points in this address, it looked more like the British Parliament than the United States Congress. I've never heard the minority party shout at the president during the State of the Union address. [CBS, post-speech coverage, 2/2/05]

I think there should be this opened up style of back and forth communication with Congress and the President. Has anyone ever seen Blair and the House of Commons go at it? It's brilliant. There is a freedom in that chamber to speak your mind and an opportunity for many people to do so.

It's interesting that the UK has this sort of freedom to speak with their leader, while we're the ones who have to deal with a king.

[Gn2Dlnd]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

It's interesting that the UK has this sort of freedom to speak with their leader, while we're the ones who have to deal with a king.

We do have that freedom, we just don't use it much out of fear of retribution.

It occurs to me, that, in Europe, when a sizeable portion of the population is fed up with some government failing or another, they go on strike. Not like Disneyland Cast Members who belong to Hospital and Service Worker's Union Local 486 going on strike for an extra nickel per hour, but whole social groups refusing to buy, work, use public transportation, or contribute to the economy in any way.
What do you suppose would happen if everyone who felt that relying on the stock market to keep their bills paid upon retirement was a bad idea, decided to stop shopping at Wal-Mart, buying gas, or showing up to work? What do you suppose would happen if every out Gay man and woman decided to stop contributing to society? Wouldn't it be interesting for the rest of American society to find out their IT guy, waitress, doctor, car repairman, cable guy, Sparklett's guy, barrista, teacher, pastor, gym trainer, postal worker, website administrator, radio show host, etc., etc., etc., wasn't at work today, or tomorrow, or until some movement started being made to respect their equal place in society? Aside from the /obvious/ hack jokes about hairstyles and interior design suffering, what do you think would happen if we just started saying, "No?"

[Ghoulish Delight]

I would pay to see Bush being but to the test in Parliament.

[wendybeth]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

I would pay to see Bush being but to the test in Parliament.

Lol! It would be a major 'deer in the headlights' moment. I love the way the British, usually so noted for their manners and decorum, behave in the House of Commons. Fun to watch.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

Lol! It would be a major 'deer in the headlights' moment. I love the way the British, usually so noted for their manners and decorum, behave in the House of Commons. Fun to watch.

We could always head further down the path - ins't it South Korea or Taiwan or somewhere that has had more than one riot erupt in the last decade or so?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

We could always head further down the path - ins't it South Korea or Taiwan or somewhere that has had more than one riot erupt in the last decade or so?

Several Asian countries have had brawls errupt. But it hasn't happened in Parliament for quite some time. Of course, Parliament is cleverly designed such that the two sides of the house are exactly 2 sword lengths apart

[wendybeth]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

We could always head further down the path - ins't it South Korea or Taiwan or somewhere that has had more than one riot erupt in the last decade or so?

The Dems would kick Republican ass.

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

The Dems would kick Republican ass.

Yes. We could roll Ted Kennedy over all of them.