Musings: [[2002 State of the Union]]

It was a good speech, but I have some concerns.

##Foreign Policy

I, as most Americans, am thrilled by the way that President Bush is handling the war on terrorism. His attitude is justified and proper, and we as a nation shouldn’t worry too much about what the rest of the world thinks. We didn’t start the fight, but we’re going to finish it. ‘Nuf said.

###Homeland security

I don’t know about everyone else out there, but all this talk of **Homeland Security** has a slightly disconcerting tone to it. When President Bush talked about being vigilant citizens and keeping a watch for things that aren’t quite right, the alarms started going off in my head.

If you’ve never seen the movie “Brazil”, you need to go find it right now and watch it with an eye towards the road our country is on right now. Pay close attention to details in the background that are seemingly unimportant.

It seemed as though Bush was pushing paranoia and encouraging people to spy on their neighbors. I’m sure (at least I hope) that that’s not what he was doing, but it sure sounded that way. And if it sounded that way to me, I’m sure it sounded that way to many other people.

I for one find this uncomfortably close to the way that it worked with the KGB in the Soviet Union.

##Domestic Policy

On the domestic front, things were a little more vague and he sounded a bit less sure of himself. Gone was the leader with a vision for a world without terror, and in his place was the campaigner from the 2000 Presidential race saying the same old tired Republican catch phrases… cut taxes… fiscal responsibility… stronger national defense…

Not that I have any problems with any of these. Quite the contrary! But, I was hoping we could get past the cliche’s and get some more substance behind the rhetoric.