The State of Our Union
By Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson
On January 29th President Donald J. Trump will stand before a joint session of Congress, members of the United States Supreme Court, members of his cabinet and invited guests to deliver his State of the Union Address. The televised remarks will be witnessed and evaluated by millions of Americans, and by multitudes throughout the world.
I have never been, nor aspire to be, a fortune teller, and am unable to predict the substance of the president’s remarks. Yet, I am able to say that the state of our union at the moment is fractured, and in need of herculean repair.
As a nation we find ourselves in an untenable and sad predicament. We are in the midst of a government shutdown in which some federal employees are working without being paid, and others are simply being asked to stay at home.
The president seems immune to their realities, their cries of pain and anguish. Many of those affected are unable to pay their mortgages, their rents, their car notes or fees for childcare. It is as if they do not exist.
This crisis that we are facing is not simply about a wall. It is the result of a campaign promise that the president made during the 2016 campaign. His recalcitrance surfaced when extremely partisan members of the media and others informed him that he had to insist on the construction of a wall on the nation’s Southern border if he wanted their support for a 2020 reelection effort.
The State of the Union Address, mandated by the U.S. Constitution, has in the past been used by presidents to present the nation with messages laced with hope, vision and plans designed to lead to prosperity and wholeness for our nation, and its people.
One of the greatest such addresses was given by former President Lyndon B. Johnson who in his annual message spoke of a nation in which all people had an equal place, were treated fairly, with respect and decency. One writer, after listening to the president’s remarks, proclaimed that he “aimed high.”
Now more than ever, as our nation lies divided and uncertain, we need leaders who aim high, who are willing to work in a bi-partisan manner for the good of our country and not simply for the next election cycle.
All of us, including elected officials, need to look to the words and deeds of President Johnson as he aimed high. It is my hope that the current occupant of the White House will join us as we do so! @Congresswoman Johnson represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.
