It has been quite a while since I have been able to sit through an entire State of the Union Address. And it is not because of the President. Sometimes I might have liked the President. Other times not. But it was not the President's remarks that affected me so negatively; it was the behavior of the house.
What I saw being acted out there was hard to fathom. It was hostile, adversarial, divisive, rude, and totally lacking in civility. To be divided up the middle by a line that marks one "side" against the other "side" has always struck me as something a serious person could never admire (or stomach).
The news coverage leading up to the tonight's State of the Union Address says that there is some movement toward not being 100% a divided house, whereby some from different parties are pairing up and sitting together. Now that I find most admirable. If we ever get to the point where the chamber is even 75% mixed, rather than divided, I will be once again believe that elected officials can behave like adults and leaders. The party division by aisle and behavior has not been much above school yard gangs and bullying.
The "pairings" of Republicans and Democrats sitting together is being referred to as "a political prom date". Oh, how I wish everyone from both parties has a date for the prom! That will be something I can greatly admire, something worthy of this great nation!
No comments:
Post a Comment