Don’t you just love the protocol for the State of the Union Address? Okay, maybe “love” is a little strong. But I always find it amusing how one side stands and cheers at practically everything the president says (that would be the Democrats) while the other side (the GOP) sits in obvious discomfort, like captives at a party they wished they’d never attended.
But then, sometimes, in the true spirit of bipartisanship, both sides come to life, standing and cheering madly for policies they both seem to agree on – Obama’s embrace of offshore drilling and nuclear power, for example – or for one of those ubiquitous “are-we-a-great-people-or-what?” lines.
And how about education, which the president discussed in his speech? How will it fare in the Obama Administration’s Year Two? Newspapers last week reported a $4 billion addition to the President’s 2011 education budget, but Rob Manwaring of the Quick and the Ed is skeptical about whether that really is an increase.
Speaking of skeptical, Frederick Hess, of the American Enterprise Institute, isn’t trilled about the Obama’s administration’s idea of “transparency” when it comes to awarding Race to the Top Funds: He calls the process downright secretive. However, Eduwonk seems to be OK with it.
Finally, we turn to one pol who hasn’t been nearly secretive enough about his rather antediluvian views. I’m referring to Andre Bauer, the lieutenant governor of South Carolina, who recently likened the federal government’s free and reduced lunch program to feeding “stray animals.” Apparently, he added, they just go on to “breed.” As humorist Dave Barry likes to say: ”I am not making this up.” Indeed, you can see the clip of Bauer’s statements on Jon Stewart’s ever-topical Daily Show, which blogger Alexander Russo has helpfully provided.
No, you can’t make this stuff up.
Lawrence Hardy, Senior Editor
