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The Daily Dose/January 8, 2008
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
   
More notes from around the Human Experience, with exclusive On This Date action today, as look back at the first presidential State of the Union address, working hard to make it relevant to today, plus, a time of zero national debt and the War on Poverty and if that isn't enough for you, we also look back at a great moment in Ruskie space history, plus the AT&T breakup. And, it's Babes In Government Week at the Column Four Foto, as we feature US Trade Representative Susan Schwab!
ON THIS DATE: In 1790, President George Washington delivered the first State of the Union message to Congress. Speaking before both houses at Federal Hall in New York City, Washington's address checked in at 1,089 words, the shortest annual message in history,and, about the length of an average edition of the Daily Dose.
Just Wait Till The Lobbyists Arrive: The nation was young, and, evidently, those in charge were still operating under the illusion they were gathered to do what was in the best interest of the country and not their own reelection. Get a load of Washington's exhortation to Congress:
"Still further to realize their expectations and to secure the blessings which a gracious Providence has placed within our reach will in the course of the present important session call for the cool and deliberate exertion of your patriotism, firmness, and wisdom."
Peace Through Strength: Considering Washington was the commander of the rag-tag, poorly paid, miserably-equipped army that had to sit through a winter at Valley Forge, that he favored a well-equipped and fairly paid military is hardly a bulletin:
"To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace…The proper establishment of the troops which may be deemed indispensable will be entitled to mature consideration. In the arrangements which may be made respecting it it will be of importance to conciliate the comfortable support of the officers and soldiers with a due regard to economy."
Be All That You Can Be: While soldiers in the Revolutionary War had trouble getting fed and staying warm, raw recruits in today's military start at just over $16,000 a year and the enlisted pay scale tops out at just over $75,000 a year. A brand new, shiny First Lieutenant or Ensign starts at $30,276 a year and members of the Joints Chiefs of Staff make a tad over $220,000 a year.
Well, At Least We're Halfway There: "A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined.."
If he were around today, Washington would find a people who vigorously utilize and defend their right to bear arms, but also, on average, watch four and half hours of tee vee a day, which comes out to a tee vee watching career of 14 years out of a 75-year life.
The Three R's: Washington also discussed government involvement in education:
"Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of public happiness… every valuable end of government is best answered by the enlightened confidence of the people, and by teaching the people themselves to know and to value their own rights..."
Washington would vomit if he were alive today and he is probably rolling in his grave right now. His government of patriotism, firmness and wisdom has devolved into nightmare of special interests and the politicians that cater to them, and his citizenry that should know and value their rights is actually putting up with it, because year in and year out they either 1) do not vote, or, 2) if they do vote, they don't care enough to demand better. A fellow president, Gerald Ford, said it perfectly: government will continue to be about as good as concerned as conscientious citizens make it.
Good Luck With That: Washington closed with this fantasy:
"The welfare of our country is the great object to which our cares and efforts ought to be directed, and I shall derive great satisfaction from a cooperation with you in the pleasing though arduous task of insuring to our fellow citizens the blessings which they have a right to expect from a free, efficient, and equal government."
Mark Your Calendars: President Bush will deliver the 2008 State of the Union address on Jan. 28.
Dry, Technical Matter: On Jan. 8, 1835, in the Andrew Jackson administration, the national debt of the US is $0.00, for the only time in its history. Today the national debt is roughly $9.2 trillion, and as a US citizen your share is just over $32,000.
Boy, Those Presidents Sure Are Busy: On this date in 1964 President Lyndon Johnson announces the War On Poverty. In 1964 about 14 percent of Americans lived in poverty, which was actually down a few points from the late 1950's. The current poverty rate in the US is about twelve percent. That's not too bad. I mean, it's more or less a free country, where people are required to use their time and talents to provide for themselves, and, history has shown you are always going to have a certain number of misfits who are unwilling or unable to do so.
FunFact II: The current poverty line is $10,210 for one person and 20,650 for a family of four.
3...2...1...Blastoff: On this date in 1994 Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov blasts off on a Soyuz mission to the Mir Space Station. Polyakov will not leave Mir until Mar. 22, 1995, a record 437 days in space.
Workhorse: From Aug. 1988 through April 1989 Polyakov spent 240 days onboard Mir and his 678 total days in space is the third most in human history, behind two other Ruskies whose names you can't pronounce. He retired from the space program in the summer of 1995 and is currently a public health official in Moscow.
Still More On This Date! In 1982, AT&T settled the US Justice Department's antitrust lawsuit, initiated in 1974, by agreeing to divest itself of its 22 Bell System companies. Consumers are now able to actually purchase their phones instead of leasing them, and also enjoy the benefits of competition for their business, competition which will lower long distance rates, however local phone service, whose costs had been subsidized by long distance revenues, go up.
This all seems rather quaint now, as there are now more mobile phones than land lines in the US.
Answer To The Last Trivia Question: Eight people from Texas' death row have been exonerated for crimes they did not commit.
Today's Trivia Question! Which president had the longest State of the Union message ever? - Answer next time!
Threats? Recipes? Trivia question answers? Email The Writer's Shack Here!
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