The State of the Union Is ...

"Strong."

That's the only word the President of the United States can ever use. The state of the union could be a disaster, and the prez would still say "strong."

The President of the United States is said to be the most powerful man in the world. IF that is true, it's ironic that the President is held captive by his own speech, the annual State of the Union address. Every year the speech says just the about the same thing, and touches on every political issue known to man.

I studied a little speech in college and earned a communications major. I'm no expert, but I know some. Here's a few phrases I'd like to hear from the President next year, that I believe would be genuine.

• I believe in the lowest possible taxation rates, because it's more important for you to keep your money than for the government to collect it. But if your personal conviction is to pay a higher tax, I encourage you to send in an extra check with your tax return this year. In the memo line, write the words "pork-barrel spending."
• I am asking congress to pass line item veto legislation. Democrats, you supported this measure six years ago when a Democrat was president. Why the ideological change?
• The fastest way to decrease the cost of health care is to reduce the number of lawsuits filed against physicians. The practice of medicine is, by nature, an imperfect science that carries risk. Results are not always as expected. That's why you sign a release form before the operation begins.
• Our social security system is broken. We have three methods to fix the problem. One, cut benefits. Two, raise taxes to their highest levels in 40 years. Three, increase our birth rate, so that the working population begins to grow at a faster rate than the retirement population. The president can't solve this problem alone, especially using method number three.
• As long as the United States is the world's largest importer of oil, we will be at the mercy of other countries to pay their price. There are three ways to fix the problem. One, increase our own oil production. Two, develop fuel alternatives using our own natural resources. Three, reduce our use of energy. There is no number four.
• Contrary to pupular thinking, the president does not control how many workers Ford lays off, or how many Walmarts are popping up across America. The American public does, because you vote with your pocketbooks. As long as you continue to buy Toyotas, Ford jobs will be lost. As long as you shop at Walmart, local shops will close. Your buying habits, not my foreign policy, dictate such economic terms.
• When the minimum wage increases, so does the price of every good and service in the country. Retailers know they can charge more, because even hourly wage earners now have more. Minimum wage increases, therefore, do not positively impact poverty.
• If you don't like the fact that a person running for the US Senate spends an average of $4 million per term to get elected, reward the person who spends less by voting for them. Politicians buy radio and advertising time because people won't turn out for local meetings. If you want less money spent on politics, go to a local town hall meeting, and don't expect a four-course meal.
• Our political party system has failed us. This is evident by the response to each of these points. Note that half of the members of congress gathered here are cheering my every word, and the other half are sitting in stone-cold silence. Is it any wonder that the important business of the country never gets done?

God bless the United States of America. (Also a required phrase for every state of the union speech, whether the president believes in God or not.)