The State Of The Union

The main theme in the president's address tonight was leaving a better America and world for our children. He outlined this approach by reforming Social Security so it is able to fulfill it's obligations to America's younger generations. Current seniors and retirees are in no danger of losing their benefits, but the program faces a big solvency problem in the not to distant future, and the best way to prevent this problem from becoming a problem is by addressing it now. As the president argued tonight, the best way to insure the longevity of Social Security is to give younger Americans the opportunity to invest some of their payroll money so they may procure a larger return upon retirement. If we do nothing, we will have to either raise taxes or dramatically cut benefits down the road. It might cost a lot to act now, but it will cost far more if we wait.

The president's second way to insure a better future for young Americans is by spreading democracy in the Middle East and throughout the world. By liberating Afghanistan and Iraq, President Bush secured greater American security for generations to come. He is not stopping there however, for tonight he called out Syria's practice of suppressing democracy and supporting terror, something he made clear must stop. He also pressured allies such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt to allow greater political participation among their people as well as expressing solidarity with democrats in Iran.

The most memorable moment of the night will surely be the embrace between the Iraqi women's rights activist and the mother of a fallen marine in Iraq. The emotional hug was not only moving but it really emphasized the great price so many brave Americans have paid so that Iraqis may enjoy the same rights we Americans do. Watching the whole thing really cemented my conviction that we must see the situation in Iraq through to success, insuring that that mother will not have lost her son in vain.

Overall I believe the president did a very good job tonight. He laid out in basic terms the problems facing Social Security and what we must do to address them. He pointed out the fact that we need to reform many things within our country to better fit the demands of a new century. And finally, he emphasized the fact that the best way to achieving peace and winning the War on Terror is by promoting freedom and democracy, with the ultimate goal of "ending tyranny in our world." For when it comes down to it, there really is no other way to accomplish this.