Open SOTU — oh, hell, I’m bored already

Comment on the content of Bush’s State of the Union address if you’d like. Me, I don’t see the point. With a 28% approval rating and both houses of Congress controlled by Congress Democrats, we know that: 1) Bush’s domestic policy proposals are immaterial, since they are DOA unless they provide an opportunity for Democrats ...

By , a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School at Tufts University and the author of The Ideas Industry.

Comment on the content of Bush's State of the Union address if you'd like. Me, I don't see the point. With a 28% approval rating and both houses of Congress controlled by Congress Democrats, we know that: 1) Bush's domestic policy proposals are immaterial, since they are DOA unless they provide an opportunity for Democrats to toss some lard at their favored interests (see: energy policy, ethanol subsidies). 2) Reaction to Bush's foreign policy proposals are immaterial since Bush still controls the executive branch, Congress is really bad at directing foreign policy, and no one is going to successfully use the A-bomb of defunding a policy initiative. UPDATE: The Democratic response is by James Webb.

Comment on the content of Bush’s State of the Union address if you’d like. Me, I don’t see the point. With a 28% approval rating and both houses of Congress controlled by Congress Democrats, we know that:

1) Bush’s domestic policy proposals are immaterial, since they are DOA unless they provide an opportunity for Democrats to toss some lard at their favored interests (see: energy policy, ethanol subsidies). 2) Reaction to Bush’s foreign policy proposals are immaterial since Bush still controls the executive branch, Congress is really bad at directing foreign policy, and no one is going to successfully use the A-bomb of defunding a policy initiative.

UPDATE: The Democratic response is by James Webb.

Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School at Tufts University and the author of The Ideas Industry. Twitter: @dandrezner

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