State of the Union Post-Game

I didn't consider live-blogging the President's speech, and by the time I reconsidered it was already underway.

Without getting into much detail, I thought it was a standard Bush speech. Optimistic, forward-looking, overly conciliatory, getting the big things right (the GWOT, which includes Iraq - though it was flaccid on the ultimatum that needs to be given to Iran - giving shout-outs to Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito and declaring that the Senate can expect more nominees just like them, banning human cloning, making the tax cuts permanent) and the "little" things wrong (weak on immigration, statist on energy policy - c'mon, nothing on expanding domestic energy exploration? - a mixed bag at best on health care, and punting not just Social Security but reform of Medicare and Medicaid as well to yet another "blue ribbon commission" - though I did like his rebuking line following the Democrats' boorish cheering about not doing anything about SS that, "This problem will not go away," which elicited a raucous GOP counter-cheer. Me thinks he and his speechwriters were anticipating the Donk response...).

But what can you say? Bush is a "big-government conservative," always has been, always will be. Never met a spending bill he wouldn't sign and never will. Open borders uber alles. No Reagan is he, but he's the best we're going to do for the foreseeable future.

Besides, always remember the alternative....