The Great Divider’s state of the union speech sticks to low ground

In accordance with Article II, Section 3 of the United States Constitution, on January 8, 1790, George Washington gave Congress “Information of the State of the Union.” Since then, every president has executed that responsibility, giving a detailed report on relations with other nations, the state of the Treasury, and the condition of the populace. Traditionally, the address has been rendered in a spirit of solidarity. For example, Abraham Lincoln cautioned in 1861, “A nation which endures factious domestic division is exposed to disrespect abroad, and one party, if not both, is sure sooner or later to invoke foreign intervention.”

In 1955, Dwight D. Eisenhower stressed that it was essential to maintain “justice and freedom among ourselves and to champion them for others so that we may work effectively for enduring peace.” George H.W. Bush stated in 1992, “By the grace of God, America won the cold war.”

In 2008, George W. Bush paid homage to the first female Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. His following address dealt with issues including medical technology, global hunger, free international elections, and the need for a Palestinian state. He defended the controversial war in Iraq with analysis that showed detailed knowledge of the country’s various factions.

In 2019, Donald Trump, in perhaps the most egomaniacal moment in a self-serving address to Americans, bragged, “If I hadn’t been elected, we would be at war with North Korea.”

He had already neglected in his introduction to address Nancy Pelosi, by whose invitation he was there. Instead, he addressed First Lady Melania.

He asked two Second World War veterans and an astronaut to stand up, to general applause, but ignored the ladies present who were dressed in white in homage to women’s suffrage.

And he lied. He bragged that the United States is the “hottest” economy in the world, though China, India, and several other countries are all growing faster. He exaggerated the number of jobs created during the last two years and claimed falsely that economic growth had doubled since he took office.

He threatened Democrats, saying, “An economic miracle is taking place in the United States. And the only thing that can stop it are foolish wars, politics, or ridiculous, partisan investigations.”

He never mentioned his month-long government shutdown, which had sent Federal workers to food banks and threatened their mortgages.

He railed against illegal immigrants, cartels, drug dealers, and human traffickers, none of whom have been stopped by walls, but by a shortage of agents at border entry points, a direct result of his own failure to fill government jobs.

Then, remarkably, he openly denigrated an American city. “El Paso, Texas,” he said, “used to have extremely high rates of violent crime, one of the highest in the entire country.” But, since erecting a “powerful barrier,” it was “one of the safest cities in our country.”

He next turned on women, describing legislation passed in New York allowing an abortion at 24 weeks when the fetus is not viable or the mother’s health is threatened as “allowing a baby to be ripped from a mother’s womb moments from birth.”

Referring to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s suggestion, supported by both Democrats and many Republicans, that there be a 70 per cent marginal tax rate on income over $10 million, Trump thundered, “Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country!”

He attacked the now-repealed individual mandate that has fuelled the Affordable Care Act and given 13 million Americans health coverage as a “cruel tax.”

After the address, The mayor of El Paso was quick to respond to Trump. “El Paso was NEVER one of the MOST dangerous cities in the US,” tweeted Dee Margo.

Trump, the Great Divider, has since announced that his next rally will be in El Paso. But if the president got a comeuppance, it was during the address, from the ladies in white. As he took credit for increasing women’s employment, they stood and cheered.

“You’re not supposed to do that,” he said, confused.

John Kneeland was born in the U.S. to Canadian parents. He has lived about half his life in each country.