Baby Einstein

You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war
--Albert Einstein

But I think that what goes on in that first two seconds is..thinking -- it's just thinking that moves a little faster and operates a little more mysteriously than the kind of deliberate, conscious decision-making that we usually associate with "thinking."

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Malcolm Gladwell

I think Malcolm Gladwell has touched upon the mysterious ways in which the President's mind works. President Bush basically closed his State of the Union speech yesterday by praising the Baby Einstein Company. Pity that George Sr. and Barbara couldn't expose mini-me to the series. Hopefully, future presidents will actually be grown-up Einsteins.

GWB recognized absent Senator Johnson and Congressman Norwood, but he neglected to mention absent Senator Ney (Oh.) and Representative Foley (FL). Aren't those party faithful missed by GWB, too?

His opening exhortations also pledged "spending discipline in Washington D.C." and "to protect America against all evil." Well, maybe not all evil. And Washington D.C. is probably the one place you're not likely to find spending discipline. At least not at the big white building on Pennsylvania Ave.

Later, while talking of border issues, GWB emphasized the need to "leave border agents free to chase down drug smugglers and criminals and terrorists." Hmmm...I thought drug smugglers and terrorists were criminals, aren't they?

Always tell the voter what the voter wants to hear

--Chumbawamba

As for the growing the economy comments, let's wait and see what scenarios his state of the economy speech will promise. It is doubtful that everything's coming up roses, as GWB intimates.

He claims that the economy is on the move and "not with more government," yet he also wants to establish a "volunteer civilian reserve corps." You can't have it both ways--you either favor restricting the growth of federal government, or you don't. He says citizens should receive federal funds, but doesn't say where they will come from. Possibly they will be funded by the tax cuts.

"We need to pass medical liability reform to protect good doctors from junk lawsuits." One would like to think that good doctors could protect themselves in court from ill-founded lawsuits. Good U.S. doctors kill over 90,000 Americans per year through medical errors. Americans have a greater chance of dying at the hands of medical science, yet this fact does not lead to preemptive invasions of hospitals.

GWB understands that "(T)he lives of our citizens across our nation are affected by the outcome of cases pending in our federal courts." But if our federal courts are such successful arbiters of disputes, then why are terrorists denied access to this bedrock source of justice for all?

"We stopped an Al Qaida plot to fly a hijacked airplane into the tallest building on the West Coast. We broke up a Southeast Asian terrorist cell grooming operatives for attacks inside the United States. We uncovered an Al Qaida cell developing anthrax to be used in attacks against America. And, just last August, British authorities uncovered a plot to blow up passenger planes bound for America over the Atlantic Ocean."

But of course, GWB doesn't mention that none of these scenarios were based upon combat operations. These were conducted by intel/police functions, which then neutralized the threat.

GWB said that terrorists "preach with threats, instruct with bullets and bombs." Yes...and how do we do it? Remember "Shock and Awe"? How about U.S. reaction to Iran. Isn't our entire foreign policy based on that very foundation of "bombs and bullets"? Perhaps he's grooming some of his "armies of compassion" to preach to these sand devils.

"And so it remains the policy of this government to use every lawful and proper tool of intelligence, diplomacy, law enforcement and military action to do our duty, to find these enemies and to protect the American people." Were it only true.

Law enforcement is not aimed at enemies, but rather, criminals. The legal fabric of the War on Terror is completely based upon illegality and falsehood. Warrantless wiretaps, militarization of intelligence functions, disregard of international laws and the Geneva Convention, extraordinary rendition, torture, military tribunals-- does GWB not inhabit the same universe as the rest of us mere mortals?

With the old swagger he asserts, "Free people are not drawn to violent and malignant ideologies." This is a false presumption, just as mistaken as Socrates' belief 2,500 years ago that men will always do what is best for them. So that's why they smoke, and gorge, and shoot up, and everything else so conducive to living the Good Life? The Confederate States of America, Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy also suggest otherwise.

Mr. Bush got on the phone with Iraq and Iran and said
Now you sons-of-%$#@!es you better not be doing any business
with that Taliban
--The Taliban Song, Toby Kieth

"We advance our own security interests by helping moderates, reformers and brave voices for democracy;" "In the last two years, we've seen the desire for liberty in the broader Middle East;" "(W)e're working with Jordan and Saudi Arabia and Egypt and the Gulf States to increase the support for Iraq's government." So...where are these moderates and reformers? Do they dwell in the wildly democratic countries that GWB invokes? The countries mentioned constitute a rogues gallery, but certainly not of democratic institutions.

It's a shame that Pakistan was not mentioned, since they are the 3rd largest beneficiary of U.S. foreign aid. This key ally in the War on Terror is so democratic that the intelligence organizations semi-openly provided material support to the Taliban and its leadership. Yup, the foregoing list of democracies on the march would be somehow incomplete without Pakistan.

"We are pursuing diplomacy to help bring peace to the Holy Land." Now this one's really scary, because your and my tax dollars are supporting this Holy Land crusade. I wonder--does GWB mean the Israeli/Christian, or the Muslim "Holy Land"? When did the secular U.S. government get into the Holy Land security business? I can't find it in our Constitution. Why not just make Israel or Iraq a U.S. state and be done with this stupid Christian idea of Holy Lands?

"In Afghanistan, NATO has taken the lead in...the first time the alliance has deployed forces outside the North Atlantic Area." Wrong! The Luftwaffe and Bundeswehr (FGR) deployed to Bosnia, as did other NATO forces. Unless Bosnia has been repositioned, it is out of the North Atlantic area. Possibly GWB should vet his speeches with General Wesley Clark. I'd be a little shaky on going to Colin Powell, and Mr. Clark does so enjoy the spotlight.

"We are pursuing intensive diplomacy to achieve a Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons." He does mean theirs, right? Unless this foreshadows a U.S. removal of its nuclear weapons from the peninsula, but somehow, I think this is not GWB's intention.

"We will continue to speak out for the cause of freedom in places like Cuba, Belarus and Burma." This is embarrassing, but I can't seem to find Burma on my map. Hopefully, the State Department's down with this. Places we will not speak out for include Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, or any other country selling oil to U.S. interests. The march of freedom stops at the oil spigot.

"And our plan will help the Iraqi government take back its capital and make good on its commitments." If a country can't control its own capital, then it doesn't fulfill even the narrowest concept of sovereignty.

"My fellow citizens, our military commanders and I have carefully weighed the options," but will do what we choose anyway, despite the mandate of the voters and carefully skirting Congressional oversight.

"For America, this is a nightmare scenario." Did anybody consider this prior to the ill-advised invasions? Possibly it was the Burma specialists what got us into this mess.

Now give me money, that's what I want
--Berry Gordy

GWB waxed warmly over African NBA star Dikembe, suggesting that any successful professional athlete is welcome to citizenship in America. We want money makers here, and we want to be amused; if you can be star of stage-and-screen, or trip the light fantastic on the b-ball court, come. But if you're from Haiti, then you can tread water back to where you came from.

So, we're back to Baby Einstein. Yes, Julie Aigner-Clark is inspired and a wonderful tale of American get-up- and-go. Unfortunately, Ford Motor Company is going, going...