8 Comments
Feb 15, 2023Liked by Lindsay M. Chervinsky

Great information! Thank you.

Question - do you think in this hyper partisan performative time that it could be possible for Congress to not invite the President to deliver the SOTU in person? Or am I missing something that states this option has to happen?

If delivering the speech in person is at the discretion of the House, I think we will see a day when the opposing party in the House simply refuses to invite the president and provide the platform. What do you think? Thanks!

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Feb 25, 2023Liked by Lindsay M. Chervinsky

I need to read more about Question Time in the UK and any equivalent occasions in other democracies. I suppose there are too many Congresspeople to make that practical in the US in person. A blog with length limitations and bipartisan moderation of comments? Spurious insults, etc. would be shown but sent to the bottom of the stack.

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Excellent newsletter. For my part, I stopped watching the SOTU address many years ago. I find the intended purpose of this constitutional requirement almost totally obfuscated by how this has morphed into political theater intended to play to the cameras and delineate the differences between factions rather than effectively discuss and debate the actual SOTU. My interest waned when the opposing party rebuttal started being broadcast immediately after the president’s remarks in the late 80’s. I’d much rather see the executive branch provide an actual report on the SOTU and dissenting opinions with alternative discussions cogently formulated and articulated after an honest appraisal of the information therein. In other words, start doing you jobs of governing rather than continually posturing for power and making no positive progress.

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This is a Comment I wrote in response to an article about Biden's State of the Union Address. 28 people recommended it.

Chevy

South Hadley, MA Feb. 8

The State of the Union should be less of a cheerleading rally that surveys the entire landscape and go more in depth on the crucial challenges facing America. For example, abortion was given short shrift, but is there any issue that is tearing our nation more apart?

Now we even see a group from Texas that is trying to influence LOCAL legislation in New Mexico! The Supreme Court upset this apple cart: there is no reason not to have one uniform law throughout the United States. Take it a step further: there is really no reason to have any law at all that deals with the very private decision about whether or not to procreate.

One more thing: I remember the year when someone yelled "Liar!" as President Obama presented his message to Congress. The occasion was particularly fraught because Obama was Black. Now such incivility goes unchecked, directed at Biden who was once Obama's Vice President. It is just inexcusable and a sad commentary on how quickly Republicans have sunk to the lowest common denominator of their party.

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Feb 15, 2023·edited Feb 15, 2023

Great article as usual. Wish you would write more often

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