State of the Union
© David Volk

For those of you who weren't keeping score at home, here are the highlights of GW's speech last night:

Bush came out in favor of marriage. This was a politically risky stand considering how many Senators, Congressmen and members of the religious right had been supporting divorce.

Bush said he favors abstinence. Another tough position that is likely to alienate drug companies that sell and distribute condoms and other forms of contraception. It's also expected to erode his support among contributors to Planned Parenthood clinics.

He announced a new drug and health care initiative. He's now asking coaches to tell their players not to use drugs. This program is expected to cost 10's of dollars.

His boldest initiative of the evening was a multi-million dollar training program to give job skills to prisoners returning to society at a time when there are no jobs. Despite all evidence to the contrary, this is not a waste of money because those who will benefit are not regular criminals who are just happy to be out and are not likely to return to the system. No, this program is for the most dangerous portion of the prison population considered most likely to re-offend. Yes, that's right. It's an employment program for former executives at Enron and future indictees at Haliburton.

Remember, you heard it hear first.

From a man who's ready to vote for a cake of tofu,

David G. Volk