The first couple of months of the year customarily featured a flurry of speechmaking by government officials addressing the state of their respective jurisdictions, in the wake of the start of new terms.
President Biden delivered his annual 2023 State of the Union Address on the evening of February 7, with the newly-elected House Speaker Kevin McCarthy seated behind him. In the SOTU address, President Biden presented many proposals, and after noting the progress that had been made, he frequently said, "Let's finish the job." These included addressing healthcare, infrastructure, taxes on those making above a certain threshold of money, education, and police reform. He also made a big emphasis on cancer research. Social issues like abortion, in the wake of the Dobbs vs. Jackson decision, and the LGBTQ got more or less a passing mention. Somehow, hearing that phrase "Let's finish the job" constantly throughout the speech speaks to why I don't think President Biden inspires much confidence. Many of the ideas are great, but he doesn't seem to ignite the level of confidence that would befit such efforts.
When it came to the Republican response, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivered magnificently. She immediately came across as confident and poised. There was a bit of disconnect, admittedly, that she addressed social issues that President Biden didn't mention in his SOTU address, including critical race theory. I also feel like there was a better way to word her statement when she said, "The dividing line in America is no longer between right or left. The choice is between crazy and normal." "Crazy" doesn't seem to be quite the right word. Nevertheless, it's true that some of the policies promoted are not in line with good common sense as things get out of hand with sound ideology, which I feel she captured well in describing how President Biden has surrounded to the woke mob that can't even define what a woman is. I felt heartened by how the power of faith shined throughout her speech, and how she made it clear that is a bedrock in her life, and how its absence is affecting so much of our society as people are advocating for the wrong kind of aims. She truly spoke eloquently about the values that matter most, and appealed for us to embrace them. The story at the end of her speech was great, especially when she described what she witnessed from the troops in Iraq, including their shouts of "USA!" over and over when they saw President Trump. It's that kind of strong patriotism and a firm belief in the power of freedom to edify all Americans that truly makes our country great. Arkansas is honored to have her as its first female Governor.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker started a new term in January. His inaugural speech sought to strike an optimistic tone, especially in light of overcoming the challenges in the intensity of the recent pandemic, although I still feel some of his efforts as governor were too extreme. In his speech, he highlighted some of his agenda aims, many contrary to what I feel is best for the State of Illinois.
In February, he delivered his State of the State and Budget Address. He had many noble proposals, all aimed at bolstering the quality of life for the people of Illinois. He also ended his speech on a note acknowledging the hard-working nature of Illinoisans. His speech also addressed social issues that, again, are opposite of what I feel is best. He talked adamantly about protecting and expanding access to abortion in Illinois, but nothing about how to support mothers to carry children to term and care for and raise them. And he adamantly spoke about standing against book censorship, but said nothing about how he would dialogue with those who have legitimate concerns about the content of books in libraries and navigating their children through them. Despite his efforts, Governor Pritzker doesn't inspire much confidence in me, and hopefully, the right voices will help steer the state of Illinois back in the right direction.
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