Jan. 23 State of the Union Address....
The State of the Union Message is a message from the President to Congress, usually given once a year in January or February. In the message, the President talks about important issues facing Americans and offers his ideas on solving the nation's problems, including suggestions for new laws and policies.
The Constitution of the United States requires that the President give Congress a State of the Union message from time to time on the condition of the country. Some Presidents delivered their message in writing — others have given a speech. Tonight, President Bush delivered his State of the Union Message on Tuesday, January 23 at 9:00 p.m.
On State of the Union night, members of the House of Representatives and the Senate gather together in the House chamber, along with the Speaker of the House and the Vice President (who is also President of the Senate). The Speaker and the Vice President sit on the dais, a raised platform directly behind where the President speaks. When the President arrives, he is escorted to the chamber by members of both the House and the Senate. The arrival of the President is announced by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives. The Speaker then introduces the President, who delivers his speech to the Congress.
In custom, one member of the President's Cabinet does not attend the State of the Union address. This way, if a catastrophe should happen that harms the President, the Vice President, and the other members of the Cabinet who are attending, the Cabinet Secretary who did not attend could then take over the duties of the President.
The President usually invites several American citizens to the House chamber for his State of the Union message. These citizens have been invited because they have done something extraordinary. During his speech, the President introduces them and honors them for their achievements.
After the State of the Union message, there is an "opposition response." This gives the opposing political party a chance to express their views on what the President said. Usually, they will offer suggestions different from the President's on how to improve America.
How many of you watched the Presidents address this evening? I the beginning of the broadcast the president mentioned something significant that was happening for the first time that evening, rate how important this occassion really was. Hypothesize the value of the tactic of keeping away one of the Cabinet Members...can you name the person who was not present tonight? ...kin of like a "Where's Waldo" of American Governement! As an American propose what significance this address has on your life and that of your family? What about if you are of another nationality?
The Constitution of the United States requires that the President give Congress a State of the Union message from time to time on the condition of the country. Some Presidents delivered their message in writing — others have given a speech. Tonight, President Bush delivered his State of the Union Message on Tuesday, January 23 at 9:00 p.m.
On State of the Union night, members of the House of Representatives and the Senate gather together in the House chamber, along with the Speaker of the House and the Vice President (who is also President of the Senate). The Speaker and the Vice President sit on the dais, a raised platform directly behind where the President speaks. When the President arrives, he is escorted to the chamber by members of both the House and the Senate. The arrival of the President is announced by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives. The Speaker then introduces the President, who delivers his speech to the Congress.
In custom, one member of the President's Cabinet does not attend the State of the Union address. This way, if a catastrophe should happen that harms the President, the Vice President, and the other members of the Cabinet who are attending, the Cabinet Secretary who did not attend could then take over the duties of the President.
The President usually invites several American citizens to the House chamber for his State of the Union message. These citizens have been invited because they have done something extraordinary. During his speech, the President introduces them and honors them for their achievements.
After the State of the Union message, there is an "opposition response." This gives the opposing political party a chance to express their views on what the President said. Usually, they will offer suggestions different from the President's on how to improve America.
How many of you watched the Presidents address this evening? I the beginning of the broadcast the president mentioned something significant that was happening for the first time that evening, rate how important this occassion really was. Hypothesize the value of the tactic of keeping away one of the Cabinet Members...can you name the person who was not present tonight? ...kin of like a "Where's Waldo" of American Governement! As an American propose what significance this address has on your life and that of your family? What about if you are of another nationality?
posted by Mrs. Osimanti at 6:55 PM
8 Comments:
I did not watch the State of the Union, but I heard the general points that Bush mentioned. Nancy Pelosi being the first female Speaker of the House was significant and will be memorable in the future, since this is such a big step in the government, which is predominantly male driven. I think it's a kind of odd idea for one of the members of the Cabinet to not be invited, although I can see why they would do that. Since I didn't watch the address, I don't know who was missing, although it might be hard to tell since the cameras are on the president for most of the time. Obviously, whatever the President says is going to impact Americans in some way since he is talking about the state of our country, but what I don't understand is why the content of what the speech is going to be about is released to the news stations before the president even reads it. I could hear on the TV on all the news channels they were saying what Bush was "expected to talk about" during the state of the union. Why don't they just let him do his speech and then review it?
I actually did watch as much of the State of the Union as I could, but fell asleep half way through, and wokeup a couple minutes before the end.
However, I did see when President Bush recognized Nancy Pelosi as the first woman Speaker of the House, and that was probobly the best part of the broadcast. Besides that, I was glad that he mentioned global warming as an actual threat, and dissapointed that he mentioned nothing about Hurricane Katrina, especially because things are still a disaster in Louisiana.
It is important for a president to broadcast a State of the Union in person (even though the speech is available to read anyway) because then the people can feel more involved in the government and the state of the country.
I didn't watch it, but I heard it was kind of cool. Bush was there. Doing his thing. Thats good.
good.
I did not watch the State of the Union address becuase i was probably sleeping. however, I do find it very interesting that one cabinet member does not attend the event. In fact, I think that this is a very good idea, just in case an atrocity were to happen. I know that it is very important to watch these speeches, but since I am still living in my parents home, it's not necessarily that important for me right now. But once I am on my own, it will definately be important for me to watch these speeches.
I did not watch the State of the Union, but passed it when I was looking through channels. I think that the speech does not effect me directly, but I believe that people of voting age are effected because they might later have to vote on either the president or an issue discussed in the speech. I don't know what you mean by other nationalities though: other nationalities existing completely outside of the US, or other nationalities currently residing in the US? For nationalities outside of the US, I think that only foreign governments need to be concerned, not all foreign citizens of whatever country they pay their allegiance to. For other nationalities existing within the US, they are just as effected as those voting American citizens because there is so much debate now about immigration and what the nation's policies should be about immigrants, that they should be informed and if not watch the State of the Union, then at least look at a news article summarizing key points of it.
I agree with Chris when he said that it is a good idea to keep one cabinet member from comming to President Bush's State of the Union. I watched most of the State of the Union and was very happy with some of the people he introduced. Two perticularly stuck out in my mind. The first was the guy who jumped onto the railroad tracks and covered a man who was having a seizure. He got a lot of applause, which he deserved. The second was a soldier from Iraq who, when a a grenade was thrown into the room he and his fellow soldiers were in, jumped on the grenade to take the blow. Fortunantly, he did not die. He also got a big round of applause. Both of these people deserved honorable mention for the great things they have done.
The special occation was that Nancy Pelosi was going to be the first woman Speaker of the House. I think this is a huge step for women. We were once never considered ever worthy to be involved with decisions or in government. Now, we have a woman Speaker of the House. It just shows that American might even be readuy for a woman president sooner then we all thought.
I also noticed while watching the pre-show as news chanels counted down the seconds until the President spoke, thatone member of the govenrment was no present. He was put into a bunker far away from the Capital Building and ensured safety. The reporters said that he was a member of the Cabinet and had a title refuring to nation security, im not exactly sure what it was. He would have to be the President in the case that a majority of the people in the room died. He is there so if a dissaster happeend then the government would have somewhere to start in putting the country back together.
I did see the State of the Union address even though it was more than two months ago. The clapping at these events gets on my nerves pretty quickly though. I think it's pretty interesting that one cabinet member stays behind, that'd be a pretty big shock if he took over Presidential duties. I also thought it was nice that the man from the subway rescue and the soldier both got applause that night. I didn't really find the rest of the night to be very moving at all though.
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