State of the Union address?

[myohmy2]

...should trump give a State of the Union address next week?

...you know and I both know it's just going to be an hour long tirade against Democrats...

…trump doesn't care about the State of the Union...he only cares about the State of the Trump...

...he doesn't give a rat's ass about our country, if he did, he wouldn't have fucked it up so much...


...what do you say, should trump be allowed to give a State of the Union address next week?

...

[Watchfoxheadexplodes]

1. He will. Friday or Saturday he will be aquitted

And will use the SOTU as a damn victory lap.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. If there's votes for witnesses, this will throw a monkey wrench into this timeline

And rightfully so.

[Watchfoxheadexplodes]

6. Don't be fooled I'm thinking McConnell has the votes q

Republicans already contradicting reports from yesterday. Plus chance of three Democrats defecting.

[bdamomma]

11. I am hoping that this happens

really hoping. Who wants to hear from him more lies? and at point he will declare himself as supreme ruler.

[Mister Ed]

2. I believe the Constitution requires an annual SOTU from POTUS.

It doesn't have to be in the form of a speech to both chambers of Congress, though. I think he could even do it on Twitter and still satisfy the requirement.

[PJMcK]

3. Here's the quote

U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 3

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient...

It actually doesn't have to be a speech. The president could send a written message to Congress and this was the norm until the 20th Century. From Wikipedia:

During most of the country's first century, the President primarily only submitted a written report to Congress. After 1913, Woodrow Wilson, the 28th U.S. President, began the regular practice of delivering the address to Congress in person as a way to rally support for the President's agenda. With the advent of radio and television, the address is now broadcast live across the country on many networks.

If Trump does give the SOTU next week, it will be a shit-show to end all shit-shows.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

8. Also, it doesn't have to be televised.

Let's see the "strict constructionists" argue their way around that one.

[Mister Ed]

12. Excellent. Thanks for those details.

I see that not only is it not required to be a speech, with all the pageantry we've become accustomed to, but it also doesn't have to happen annually - just "from time to time", as the president sees fit.

Thanks again.

[PJMcK]

19. You're welcome, of course

There's an episode of "The West Wing" that deals with the State of the Union speech titled "He shall, From Time to Time..." and another episode cleverly titled "Bartlet's Third State of the Union."

Another curiosity of the protocol sn that the Speaker of the House has to formally invite the president to come to the Capitol to address the combined House and Senate (along with the Supreme Court Justices). Imagine the smile on Speaker Pelosi's face as she signed Trump's invitation!

[magicarpet]

4. Nothing anyone can do about the trDump SOTU.

Let him ramble on and on about nothing and brag his brains out until he is blue in the face.

Hopefully he is still tangled and enmeshed in the impeachment trial. To make things more topsy turvy, it would be nice if the night before or the morning of the SOTU something really juicy and nasty breaks about his illegal conduct and behavior - is smeared all over the media - then come the SOTU his head is spinning like a top, he is bouncing off of the walls, and then comes across as a world class idiot as his speech is broadcast around the world.

It will be fun watching Pelosi over his right shoulder as he has his SOTU meltdown.

[onenote]

7. It would be extremely foolish to withdraw the invitation.

First, on December 18 Trump was impeached. On December 20 Pelosi invited him to deliver the SOTU to a joint session in the House chamber. What possible reason could she give for withdrawing the invitation?

Second, Clinton delivered a SOTU to a joint session in the House Chamber while his impeachment proceeding was ongoing, so withdrawing the invitation for Trump to do the same thing would break with that precedent.

Third, Trump would love it if the invite was withdrawn. He would simply fill an arena with his adoring supporters and deliver it to them, with coverage by all the tv networks of this unprecedented event.

[ehrnst]

14. Yes, but there are people who are desperate to find something, anything, to

cast shade on Speaker Pelosi's judgement...

No matter how they cloak it in 'concern.'

[in2herbs]

9. I won't be listening but trump giving a SOTU on live TV where all of America can see and hear

his ramblings would be a good thing, especially since the latest poll has 75% of people wanting witnesses to his impeachment trial.

[benld74]

10. Yes. Perhaps Captain Mumbles will appear nt

[ehrnst]

13. ...Speaker Pelosi can humiliate him again with her FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE!! clap...

Last edited Wed Jan 29, 2020, 02:56 PM - Edit history (1)

...I look forward to it....



....besides, trying to stop him would give him talking points that Democrast were trying to censor him because they are afraid of him...

...Speaker Pelosi knows what she's doing way more than random people on the internet, as we've seen very clearly...

...

[ehrnst]

15. ...Your concern is noted...

Trying for a post where one expresses 'concern' about Speaker Pelosi's judgement that one won't feel a need to self-delete, eh?

[Wednesdays]

16. I say, let him have his meltdown on national TV!

It would be "Proceed, governer" on steroids.

[lunatica]

17. Yes. History needs to record his increasing insanity and the

Republican party’s crumbling demise as they kiss his ass in humiliated desperation. It needs to record Pence and Pelosi sitting and standing behind him. It needs to show his mental deterioration, his speech flubs, slurs, and rapid coherent decline, year by year in his SOTU appearances.

History. It’s important.

[sarisataka]

18. Be allowed?

How do you disallow something he is Constitutionally mandated to do?

Now as others have pointed out, the SOTU doesn't have to be a speech, but that is his choice on how to deliver it. If he wants to do it with a speech, he doesn't need to ask permission.