Is it just me or is the media hype behind all these "state of ...." speeches more than a little ridiculous? Just what do us mere mundanes and the ink-stained wretches of the Fourth Estate who make their living explaining it all to us expect to discern from listening to these only slightly updated versions of the monarch's throne speeches? Isn't the legislature the first amongst equals in our republican system of governance? They are the ones who actually are supposed to pass the laws we live under, no? They shouldn't be hopping off their chairs barking and clapping like a mob of trained seals seeking a thrown fish. They combine the worst aspects of lame political oration with a high-school pep rally. Bah.
