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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe State of the Union Revealed a Sad Reality. David Frum
He writes long paragraphs
President Trumps State of the Union address last night was very like the man who delivered it: divisive, abusive, and childish.
The speech turned reality on its head in many ways. The president who has enriched himself and his family by more than a billion dollars in his first year in office called on Congress to clean up its corruption. The president who has collected about $175 billion in illegal tariffs from the American people falsely told them that he had given them a great big tax cut. The president solemnly condemned political violencethe same president who ended his first term by inciting a mob to sack Congress and overturn an election. Maybe most shocking, Trump demanded that members of Congress rise to agree that its the first duty of government to protect American citizenseven as his own government by its brutal police methods has shot American citizens dead on the streets and then tried to deceive the country about how those Americans had been killed and why. Then of course there were the many misstatements of fact about the economy, about crime, and about wars and peacemany of which look like deliberate decisions to deceive the public watching on television.
The most radical fantasy in the speech, though, was its claims of a new golden age of prosperity. That misstatement surely deceived nobody. Prices continue to rise; the job market stagnates. In almost every way that can be measured, Americans are communicating economic anxiety and discontent. Trump insisted that they are all wrong. It is as if the nation were being soaked by a torrential downpour, water rolling over umbrellas and into boats, soaking everyones clothesand the leader whose job it is to lead them through the deluge insists that it is not raining at all, that in fact it is sunny, the sunniest day ever.
But there comes a point when sad realities must be faced. The speech last night was empty and uselessly garrulous. Its length was its first declaration of disrespect for those obliged to sit through it. Trumps name-calling of his predecessor and of the members of Congress in the chamber, his demands that legislators rise at his command, his strategic deployment of systematic untruth in service of those demands to rise and clapput together, he misused the State of the Union ritual in ways so radical as to call the ritual itself into question. Are members of Congress really supposed to sit meekly and quietly while the president uses the rostrum of their chamber to abuse and insult them in the ugliest language? The president is present in Congress as a guest: Thats the reason for the famous language about the high honor and distinct privilege of welcoming him to speak. He has no right to be heard in person; its a courtesy.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/02/trumps-childish-state-of-the-union/686133/?gift=j8JiJIlliWfcdD_mDVMd94I5LFigbGOIYL8rso4U9_Y
bucolic_frolic
(54,754 posts)It was lies and projection to cover up the crimes and inhumanity.
underpants
(195,857 posts)Last edited Wed Feb 25, 2026, 01:51 PM - Edit history (1)
The Atlantic has done really good pieces. I subscribed and I find it well worth it
wnylib
(25,506 posts)warning in 2020 of how Trump would refuse to acknowledge a Biden win and what he might do about it.
They did not specifically mention an attack on the Capitol, but they did suggest a coup attempt by creating violence and using that as an excuse for martial law. If I remenber right, they suggested that he might call upon his militia supporters.
dalton99a
(93,289 posts)leftstreet
(39,839 posts)at 3 am
C_U_L8R
(49,213 posts)Last edited Wed Feb 25, 2026, 03:46 PM - Edit history (1)
a friggin snoozefest delivered by a senile angry old fart.
Trump is waning.
lastlib
(27,937 posts)"Tiresome" it was! Projection, hypocrisy, grievances, obnoxious rants, falsehoods by the silo-load, and filled with really dumb, boring tangents, using people for props--every speech teacher I ever had would have given it at best a "D", but more likely an "F".
And what does he promise for the future? Only more of the same tiresome, boring, disgusting, obnoxious bullshit.
delisen
(7,310 posts)Apparently that is all that is required.
He can send his lies on paper. no reason to waste the time of our representatives or to spread falsehoods around the nation in real time.
underpants
(195,857 posts)Given the intentional abuse of Congresss time and hospitality last night, the next speaker, if there is a different next speaker, should consider very hard whether to extend another such invitation. The case for suffering Trump is that the tradition, if interrupted, may take a long time to return. A future Republican Congress will requite the next Democratic president the same way. But theres also a risk of setting a precedent that anti-institutional Republicans get to smash things, which pro-institutional Democrats must then clean up. Maybe the only way to restore norms is by imposing some meaningful costs for breaking them. Next January, the next speaker could do everyone a favor with a letter that begins: Dear Mr. President, the time has come for your State of the Union message. Please send it in writing in the enclosed envelope. Congress will give it all the attention it deserves. This is the method that was good enough for Rutherford B. Hayes, and, Mr. Trump, it is more than good enough for you.
delisen
(7,310 posts)Now I have, it was well worth it.
BattleRow
(2,194 posts)He's busted up the union of states and created political devisiveness in unprecedented ways.
He is more interested in serving self than serving the American people..he's an employee of the populace.
Oh,to hear,"You're fired!",Mr.Trump.
wnylib
(25,506 posts)and thinking that the applause given to the recipients is meant for him.
B.See
(8,170 posts)BIZARRO WORLD of deviants, dictators, and psychopaths, lies are 'truth' and truth, lies.
And last night (apparently), Trump brought 'truth' social to primetime.
hoosierspud
(231 posts)Is the Russian word for truth. He could have been more creative.
B.See
(8,170 posts)told him to call it the English translation of Pravda, and 'social' was the creative part.
Cherrycheeks
(314 posts)He helped it to get to this point.😡
Seeking Serenity
(3,306 posts)I don't listen to neo-con, pro-war Bushites, TYVM
Initech
(108,305 posts)That is out for absolute dominate power in the United States. They are bloodthirsty, ruthless, and want to do unspeakable things to eliminate any opposition. And yes this is about Donald Trump and his ass kissing goons.
Exp
(868 posts)lastlib
(27,937 posts)would require him to construct sentences with cogent thoughts---that's above his pay grade. (there was a reason he was nicknamed "Dimson."
pnwmom
(110,235 posts)AI has been training us to think a paragraph should consist of three 5-word sentences.
Skittles
(170,576 posts)pnwmom
(110,235 posts)Skittles
(170,576 posts)and that a big reason is because they are so used to getting all their news and entertainment in snippets
it's pretty fucking disturbing, really
Kablooie
(19,084 posts)When he talks about the great economy its only about how much he and his cronies have grabbed for themselves. It has nothing to do with the economy of anyone else.
I dont know why that isnt focused on. It should be the primary takeaway when thinking of the Trump economy. It was mentioned in the rebuttal but it should be drilled into everyones head daily.
Its not about economy for you, only about the economy for himself
Grokenstein
(6,323 posts)(skip to 4:20 for the most relevant part)