The State of the Union is fragile at best...

Now-the long awaited thoughts on the state of the union address. although i thought most of the speech was the typical political rhetoric that we expect from an address of this type, there were a few points that i thought were particularly effective in communicating a clear political message. His talk about the War on Terror will largely be ignored, because he is the source of the informations, however true it may be.

His emphasis on the individual in the political machine was particularly strong. unlike hillary's claim that it takes a village, the president insists that it takes an individual. similar to the founding father's ideal that the individual is the key to political justice.

"In the work ahead, we must be guided by the philosophy that made our nation great. As Americans, we believe in the power of individuals to determine their destiny and shape the course of history. We believe that the most reliable guide for our country is the collective wisdom of ordinary citizens. And so in all we do, we must trust in the ability of free peoples to make wise decisions, and empower them to improve their lives for their futures. "

it takes an individual to control the machine, it takes an individual to stand up to injustice, it takes an individual to prevent 1984.

i particularly liked how the president differentiated between a peace-keeping operation and the true definition of the battle in which we are currently on the front lines.

"We are engaged in the defining ideological struggle of the 21st century. The terrorists oppose every principle of humanity and decency that we hold dear. Yet in this war on terror, there is one thing we and our enemies agree on: In the long run, men and women who are free to determine their own destinies will reject terror and refuse to live in tyranny. And that is why the terrorists are fighting to deny this choice to the people in Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Palestinian Territories. And that is why, for the security of America and the peace of the world, we are spreading the hope of freedom.

it is essential that we continue to fight on the front lines of tyranny and injustice, regardless of the monetary cost, regardless of the lost family time, regardless of the economic struggle. "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -Thomas Jefferson

By trusting the people, our Founders wagered that a great and noble nation could be built on the liberty that resides in the hearts of all men and women. By trusting the people, succeeding generations transformed our fragile young democracy into the most powerful nation on Earth and a beacon of hope for millions. And so long as we continue to trust the people, our nation will prosper, our liberty will be secure, and the state of our Union will remain strong.
So tonight, with confidence in freedom's power, and trust in the people, let us set forth to do their business. God bless America.