State of the Union

Last night, as I write this, was President Bush’s final State of the Union address. I made myself watch it; if you read this space, you know I’m no fan of the president. The speech was a resume of Bush’s two devastating terms in office and a wrist-slap to an uncooperative congress.

I heard the subtext as . . . I wanted to play this, but you wouldn’t let me.

And then I got real. Who in me wanted to play what, and who wouldn’t let me? There is nothing projected that doesn’t reflect the projector, my friend. Nothing.

I am following presidential primary politics more closely than I ever have in my adult life. Part of the reason why is because there is a woman running for whom I could vote if I so choose. When I was a little girl, I was told it would never happen in my lifetime. Well, it has.

Another reason I’m following the races is because I am a true believer in the oft-spoken saying, “If you don’t vote, you don’t get to complain.” I really believe this. Voting is a sacred duty for me, and I need to be as informed as possible when I do it.

I’m in a bit of a bind as far as whom to choose. A friend and I had a long conversation about this last night before the speech. He agreed with my assessment of both parties. I’d love to have Obama’s optimism with Hillary’s experience in one person. That would be perfect, but that doesn’t exist so I have to choose between them.

I’ll tell you one thing for sure. This is the first election I can remember wherein I can actually vote for someone instead of against someone else. To me, that means that the state of our union is growing, changing, striving, waking up and growing up.

Whatever else one might say about our current president, his policies and his actions have caused many, many Americans to wake up and participate and that’s not such a bad legacy, is it, Mr. Bush?