Introduction
Imagine, based onthe above image, that several other skunks are with that one in your front yard. That image is fitting, as the final conclusion will explain. Yes, skunks invaded our front yard.
Greetings, dear reader. I trust that you are well. It is a warm and rainy Sunday afternoon in this neck of the woods. There are no skunk sightings today.
I apologize for the need to write my sixty-fourth article on “poly-ticks” (Greek πολύς, meaning “many,” and “ticks,” or blood suckers). I prefer to continue working on the sixth article in my Christian Evidences series. I, however, will remove these “many ticks” from my thoughts by writing this article, if you will indulge me.
The news media—specifically, the 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 weeks a year type—present the “reactions” of various pundits to trending news topics. I don't care to know the reactions of pundits. I have my own reactions. I am not a pundit. The news media simply need to state only the facts as verified by accurate information. If they did only this, they would not need to be on constantly.
This article denotes my public “reactions,” first to the Tennessee State of the State Address on 2/6/2023 and then to the State of the Union Address on 2/7/2023. I did not listen to either televised live address. Instead, I read each address, based on the references listed below.
TN State of the State Address (Monday, 2/6/2023)
The Address
The complete text of Governor Bill Lee's address is found at TN, Office of the Governor, 2023 State of the State Address, 2/6/2023. (The spending details—of a billion here and a million there, in nine spending categories—are found at TN Office of the Governor: “Gov. Lee Delivers 2023 State of the State Address – ‘Tennessee: Leading the Nation,’” 2/6/2023.) The televised live record is at “Governor Bill Lee – 2023 State of the State Address” on The National Governors Association (YouTube).
The governor spoke for 59 minutes. I read his address. I didn't watch it, since I preferred to watch an episode of Gunsmoke. Four of the governor's five main topics by section were on:
Good Jobs + Opportunity
Great Schools + High-Quality Education
Safe Neighborhoods
Brighter Future
My Reaction
My general reaction to those four topics was nominal interest. Tennessee by law must balance its budget—unlike the USSA (Ununited Socialist States of America). The bureaucratic details bored my mind. The governor wants to spend money on stuff.
I hope that his “choice lanes” idea will repave roads near us—not just repatch the patched potholes again. The immorality of citizens causes unsafe neighborhoods. Good and moral neighbors—with my weapons to stop a threat if it arises—keep Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and me safe at home under the Good Lord's provision. Apparently, the “brighter future” involves a cleaner, greener, and more nuclear environment.
As long as the governor plans to restrict further government intrusion into my life, maintain a balanced budget, and not increase taxes, whatever he said is of mundane interest. Bill Lee is doing well enough. Regrettably, he knows too well how to write and speak like a bureaucrat.
The governor's other topic was on Strong Families, on which he stated in part:
There was a significant shift in this country last year when it comes to protecting the lives of the unborn. We now all have an opportunity and a moral obligation to support strong Tennessee families ....
... Tennessee has the opportunity to ease one of the biggest financial burdens on mothers. We are going to propose covering the cost of diapers during the first two years of a baby’s life for mothers on TennCare.
My article from 6/30/2022 referenced the Supreme Court's 6/24/2022 decision and affirmed the pro-life position. In general, I agree with the governor's remarks under his Strong Families topic, the bureaucratic minutiae notwithstanding.
Individuals, families, and churches have the primary moral obligation to support families. Fathers should not be absent. The government usually “supports” families by funding programs.
Amazingly, the governor's plan proposes that TennCare buy diapers for babies. Is that a moral obligation? The governor, apparently, thinks that it is.
Mom washed cloth diapers (in an old washing machine or the bathtub) for us four boys, when we were young enough to need them. Those diapers were reusable. By the way, my father was, of course, in the home.
In his closing remarks, the governor stated, “In many ways, our country is off track. But America’s best days are not behind her.“ Generally, I am a realistically optimistic person. Unlike the Governor, I am not optimistic about America (the USSA). I wish that I could be.
Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I, however, are glad that we live in Tennessee. The state government is bloated by layers of bureaucracy, lack of common sense, incompetence, waste, and inefficiencies. I know, based on my ten years as a state employee and on my recent interaction with the Tennessee Department of Revenue (which my 12/5/2022 article highlighted). My 9/3/2006 article on the “Big Dig” denoted wasteful spending. We don't ever plan to move to California, for example.
State of the Union Address (Tuesday, 2/7/2023)
The Address (including my efforts to read and watch)
The televised audio and transcript of President Joe Biden's live address are found at The White House: February 7, 2023, State of the Union Address. The address as prepared for delivery is found at The White House: Remarks of President Joe Biden – State of the Union Address as Prepared for Delivery, on 2/7/2023. I wonder who prepared the remarks. The president spoke for one hour, twenty minutes, and seven seconds.
The president's remarks as prepared for delivery are not organized by topic, as Governor Bill Lee's were. Initially, on 2/8/2023, I started to read every word of the prepared remarks; however, the political spin was so fast and furious that I became dizzy! Thus, I glanced for key topics and phrases. That was all that I could endure. Finally, with reluctance, on 2/9/2023, I printed President Biden's prepared remarks and read them more closely.
On 2/7/2023, I did not listen to the president's televised live address. (I preferred to watch an episode of Star Trek.) On 2/10/2023, I listened to much of his address from the first website reference listed above until I could endure no more. I did not compare the transcript of the president's live address to the prepared address.
My General Reaction
From what my closer attention could determine, the president jumped, fairly randomly, from topic to topic. An organized outline, by topic, would have been better. The political spin was intense and obvious. President Biden spoke from a teleprompter on the following primary topics, as underlined. (My reactions, notes, and comments are included in parentheses.)
His “accomplishments” in two years (which are rife with spin and do not mention the Biden family investigations that are being conducted in the House).
COVID-19 (including his spin. I have written 30 articles on “Corona Myopia.” I am done with the new cold virus. I have moved on.)
The events of January 6, 2021 (with his abundant spin).
The Slavic war, or the Russian invasion of Ukraine (as I call it, not “Putin's war,” which did not cause economic decline in this nation. I have written five articles on the “2022 Slavic War,” which began on 2/24/2022.)
American assistance to Ukraine (i.e., spending federal Monopoly money on weapons to give to Ukraine).
The economy (with several pages on inflation, jobs, manufacturing, wages, imports and exports, infrastructure, supply chain, and so forth with an abundance of socialist spin).
Veterans (with proper emphasis on their care, often and unfortunately through the improved but still too bureaucratic, wasteful, and inefficient VA).
The “Respect for Marriage Act” (but see my 12/15/2022 article on that act).
Healthcare and health insurance (in the context of the socialism that monopolizes both with abundant socialist spin).
“Clean” energy and electric cars (in the context of the global climate “crisis,” which is a cover phrase for a propagandized and socialist agenda).
Border insecurity (which is obvious, despite the President's spin) and “immigration reform” (i.e., the “pathway to citizenship” for illegal alien invaders).
Drug trafficking (especially due to border insecurity and human immorality).
The federal government's Monopoly money spending (as I call it; see my most recent, 1/23/2023, article on the topic).
The national debt (which is huge), debt limit (which is too high already), and budget (which continues to spend more than it receives).
The federal tax system (i.e., taking more from the haves to punish them and giving to the have-nots to keep them dependent on socialist government programs).
Big corporations and “Big Oil” (with emphasis on taxing more of their “exorbitant” profits, which will raise prices for consumers).
Public (i.e., socialist) housing and public (i.e., socialist) education.
Public safety (or the lack thereof, due to the moral decline in the nation).
“Gun control” (i.e., again about banning so-called “assault weapons” with no comment on the moral decline in the nation).
A cure for cancer by a “Cancer Moonshot” (whatever that will be and cost).
“... to protect every woman's constitutional right to choose” (i.e., to murder their unborn babies, which is not a constitutional right.) See my 6/30/2022 article on the topic. The President, once again, did not say what is chosen, which is usual for those who advocate the moral evil of murdering unborn babies. To choose what, Mr. President?)
Ensure the “safety and dignity” of LGBTQ citizens (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.) Not for safety and dignity; this is the forced acceptance of those immoral lifestyles. See my 6/26/2022 article under the “LGBTQ Pride Month” section.
China (and its military and economic domination, with only a mild inference to their recent spy balloon).
Voting (with spin and labeling against those who want only fair elections).
My Specific Reactions
In his introductory remarks, President Biden stated his “vision for our country,” which included “to restore the soul of the nation” and “to unite the country.” I doubt that the president's vision is based on biblical values and the biblical worldview. (See my eight articles so far under the Worldviews in Conflict topic section.)
Early into his remarks, the president stated in part that he “ran for President to fundamentally change things....” That was a very vague statement, but the president revealed his change agenda throughout his address. The change should be to return to founding constitutional principles, not to further advance socialism and immorality.
Later, but still into his early remarks, the president stated in a single paragraph, “I’m a capitalist. But just pay your fair share.” I simply had to laugh out loud! I assume that the president was joking by stating that he is a capitalist. “Fair share” is the commonly used and euphemistic expression for taxing the haves more to give to the have-nots to further expand the socialist federal government.
In his closing remarks, the president stated in part:
My fellow Americans, we meet tonight at an inflection point.
We are a good people, the only nation in the world built on an idea.
That all of us, every one of us, is[sic] created equal in the image of God. A nation that stands as a beacon to the world.
Because the soul of this nation is strong, because the backbone of this nation is strong, because the people of this nation are strong, the State of the Union is strong.
I have never been more optimistic about the future of America.
Those words did nothing to inspire me. The inflection (or turning) point should be to repent as a nation and to return to godly and moral living under the original intent of the Constitution, which is based on biblical values. The president, of course, believes that some of us are more equal than others (i.e., the socialists are elevated, while the conservatives are relegated). He, of course, does not affirm the equality of the unborn child. This once-great nation needs to return to the Beacon to the world in Christ. The souls of true followers of Christ are strong. The national soul, which, in majority, does not follow Christ, is morally weak and corrupt. The State of the Union is at best continuing to weaken ever so slowly.
I am a realistic optimist. I, however, am very pessimistic about the socialistic future of America.
The Blackburn Report: Responding To The State Of The Union
Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn's The Blackburn Report, which I received by email on 2/10/2023, is the title of this section. I subscribe to her weekly emails.
Senator Blackburn's introductory paragraph is as follows. (The website links are in her original paragraph.)
This week, President Biden delivered his second State of the Union address in front of a weary nation. On the day Biden walked into the Oval Office, inflation sat at 1.4%, border encounters were three times lower, and our adversaries feared us. Two years later, inflation is at a 40-year high, our national debt has exceeded $31 trillion for the first time ever, 4.6 million immigrants have illegally crossed the southern border, and Chinese spy balloons are violating U.S. airspace. The Biden administration has intentionally implemented policies to further a destructive left-wing agenda, and the American people are paying the price.
The inclusion of Senator Blackburn's response to the president's State of the Union Address, is added to this article simply to strengthen my own response.
“Supper” Bowl Sidenote
Apparently, today is “Supper” Bowl Sunday. It is the 57th “Supper” Bowl. The football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles starts at 6:30 PM.
About that time, our supper should be finished, and Molly (our “old puppy”) should be inside with us. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman will probably be washing dishes. An episode of Gunsmoke will most likely, as usual, be my television selection.
Previous notes about the “Supper” Bowl are in my articles from 8/8/2021 and 2/20/2022. Roger Goodell never did reply to my 7/19/2021 email to him.
Conclusion: Balancing the President's Spin
Apparently, I was one of millions who chose not to watch the president's 2/7/2023 State of the Union address. See “27.3 Million Watched the 2023 State of the Union Address,” Nielsen, 2/8/2023. The article states that viewership was down 29% from President Biden’s 2022 State of the Union address. The article includes historical audience data for State of the Union addresses from 2/17/1993 to 2/7/2023.
The latest Gallup poll, “Presidential Approval Ratings—Joe Biden” (1/2-22/2023), shows that 41% of Americans approve of his job performance.
The viewership and approval ratings, which I have cited, place into context President Biden's political spin and propaganda in his 2/7/2023 address. I do not understand how even 10% of Americans could approve of the president's job performance. At least 41% of Americans, apparently, are drinking the poison-laced, socialist Kool-Aid.
Final Conclusion
What about the skunks, which the introduction mentioned? Why did I select the above photograph for this article? I will explain as I close.
Last Sunday night into Monday morning, the skunk invasion of our front yard occurred! Early in the morning darkness on Monday, 2/6/2023, when Mrs. Appalachian Irishman was leaving for work, we both smelled the pungent odor of skunk spray, even before she opened the garage door.
Later that day, I noticed several diggings in and around our front yard. I spoke with a neighbor a few days later. He had spoken with other neighbors. The conclusion was obvious! Numerous skunks had entertained themselves in at least three yards by having a skunk war! The spray lingered for two days. The diggings are still present in our yard.
Thankfully, Molly was not sprayed. She did, however, do a lot of barking and sniffing around the skunk diggings.
Beware of political skunks. Their stinky spray is unpleasant. We can't keep from smelling it. Just don't let them spray you directly.
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