
<p>One of the major stories of President Biden’s State of the Union Speech was what was described as rude behavior by a few members of the Republican majority. ; There were some boos on occasion – and even calling Biden a liar when he misrepresented the Republican position on Social Security.</p>



<p>In fact, MSNBC’s Chuck Todd led off his analysis of the Speech by saying that what “jumped out” at him was the behavior of the Republicans. ; So typical of Todd. ; The Speech dealt with the most critical issues facing America, and Todd finds a few catcalls in the headline news.</p>



<p>Keeping with the theme of GOP rudeness, a number of cable news talking heads brought up the time Republican Congressman Joe Wilson called President Obama a lair during his State of the Union Speech.</p>



<p>Oddly, not one of the lefty news folks brought up the singularly most notable example of rudeness associated with a State of the Union Speech. ; Remember? ; It was when then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi ripped up her copy of Trump’s State of the Union Speech in front of millions of viewers. ; (How could Todd have forgotten that?)</p>



<p>The Founders intended the President’s report on the status of the Union to be presented factually and objectively to the Congress. ; It was not intended to be a presentation to the people. ; The earliest presidents provided their reports in writing. ; They later addressed Congress – but in the absence of radio and television, we the people, could only read scant newspaper reports. ; And there was not a lot of those. ; ; ; ;</p>



<p>President Coolidge was the first to present a State of the Union Speech on the radio in 1923. ; The first televised State of the Union Speech was delivered by President Truman in 1947. ; As was the tradition, they were given during the daytime working hours. ; The first televised Speech in evening primetime was given by President Johnson in 1965.</p>



<p>Unfortunately, the evolution into a major political public relations event turned it into a presidential dog-and-pony show – a scripted reality event designed to persuade, not inform. ; Gone was any effort to report on the state of the Union objectively. ; It has transpired into the President’s annual exercise in self-praise and partisan bragging. ; It also became less objective and accurate. ; It is now nothing more than a campaign speech for the person and the party that holds the White House. ; One reporter even called the speech Biden’s launch of his 2024 presidential election.</p>



<p>The modern State of the Union Speeches are riddled with propaganda, misinformation and … yes … lies. It is no longer a civic or constitutional event but rather a partisan political charade.</p>



<p>Personally, I would like to see us transform the State of the Union event into something more like the British Parliament’s weekly “Prime Minister Questions.” ; We would not have to do it weekly but more than once a year would be great – maybe every quarter.</p>



<p>Imagine if after the President makes his remarks, the assembled members of Congress – House and Senate &#8212; could pose questions for the next hour or so. ; Misstatements and lies could be challenged in real time.</p>



<p>One of the characteristics I like about the British system is the ability of members to express their feelings with moans, groans, cheers and the stomping of feet. ; It is so institutionalized that it does not seem rude at all. ; Democracy is at its best when it is boisterous. ; We see that in protests and at government meetings at all levels.</p>



<p>I was driven to that understanding when I took a visiting Chinese intern to a meeting of our local village board.  ; She was astounded to see people in the audience openly disagreeing with the public officials – even yelling. ; She said that such behavior would never be allowed in China. ; People in her country had to quietly accept what government officials said and treat them as wiser than the public. ; There is no opportunity for opposing opinions. ; (Sound familiar?)  ; Silent politeness is how authoritarians operate, not democracies. ; In a true republic, we the people are loud.</p>



<p>Congress itself was not always suffocated by decorum. ; There used to be a lot of yelling and fist-shaking. ; There was even violence, with members pulling out guns and, in one case, the severe beating of a Republican Senator on the floor of the Senate by a Democrat House member – although I am not proposing we return to that level of hostility.</p>



<p>We no longer have a real State of the Union report. ; We now have the President’s personal political spin. ; What Biden gave us is the state of his presidency as he sees it from a partisan perspective – or would like us to see it – and that also applies to all modern presidents.</p>



<p>“Questions for the President” would be more interesting, more informative than what the State of the Union report to Congress has become in the age of media.</p>



<p>So, there ‘tis.</p>

America Needs a Bit of the Loud, Rude, Uncivilized British System
