This is a very long post, but we have learned that classes are canceled at Columbia College tomorrow. Dr. Munsell is on sabbatical, but wanted to offer a lesson for the snow day. As most probably know, President Obama offers his State of the Union Address tomorrow evening. Below is a cut and paste of an old outline/handout from when Dr. Munsell taught a special topics Presidential Rhetoric class. It outlines the genre of State of the Union Addresses from Karyln Kohrs Campbell and Kathleen Hall Jamieson and then offers Washingtons and thus the first State of the Union Address. We encourage you to read through this material and watch the speech tomorrow night in lieu of going to classes: State of the Union Addresses A Discussion of Chapter 6 in Presidents Creating the Presidency Presidential Rhetoric, Columbia College The State of the Union Address, Basic Info • The State of the Union Address was originally called the “annual message” and its current name and function actually is mandated by the constitution, article 2, section 3 which basically says the president shall “from time to time give to the Congress information on the state of the Union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” • This is a huge rhetorical opportunity! C & J say the president becomes a “national historian” here because the president can reconstruct history, reshape reality, etc… Not by lying or anything, but by framing the history, the present, and the future in a particular way. The president tries to persuade folks to see reality particular way. Of course, the president always does that, but the State of the Union is a recurring, automatic chance to do so. It is a pivotal rhetorical moment for the president. • More history info: Of course, the constitution doesn’t say actually what the process ought to be. Washington and Adams delivered the “annual” message orally, but Jefferson sent written messages and that trend lasted until the early part of the 20th Century when Wilson, very rhetorically clever, decided to give them orally. • Again, it’s important to note that its current manifestation is an important opportunity for the president. Both house of Congress are there, the Supreme Court justices are too, as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff, members of the cabinet, member of the public are there, tons of folks watch on TV during prime time. “The setting ritualistically reaffirms the existence of the three branches of govt. and that each is playing its constitutionally ordained role.” But at the same time, “the annual message is uniquely presidential genre and, as such, helps to maintain the role of the executive. In a way, it all about maintaining and at times increasing the role of the executive. Moreover, and as already mentioned and better put in paragraph 4, this is a change for the president to offer his interpretation of our historic and contemporary “state of the union” and how to deal with it through specific policies. Through that process, the president articulates specific values he things are important and guides us to see the world (the union) in a particularly way. • And while each State of the Union that has been presented has been somewhat unique, the president usually uses his first one to forecast the term, the middle ones sort of take about the accomplishments and the frustrations of progressing on a certain agenda, and the last one summarizes that president’s term. In all cases the president will “create and celebrate a national identity, tie together the past, present, and future, and sustain the presidential role.” Basic Key Elements of the State of the Union—Element 1, Public Meditations on Values • This is part of the big process of crafting a national identity. This kind of public meditation on values usually includes a retelling of the past that emphasizes shared experience in order to create a collective “fiction”—a sort national ethos or character for the nation as whole. So, and again, it’s all about offering a certain kind of national identity. • Most of that process, though, is all about unifying the country—so the identity needs to be, in part, a call to unity. • Furthermore, since our country always faces challenges, part of this element is show that we’ve solved problems in the past, and so we can do it again. We’re all about creating that “more perfect union” and advancing notions of hard work and individualism. • Part of that process is often defining exemplary attitudes and conduct for the citizenry—this is how folks ought to behave—and Reagan actually brought in real people to showcase as example—a genius rhetorical stroke. • Part of this process, then, is instructing the populace on how to act, how to respond to their government, etc… It’s sort of like a big lecture or sermon. • Presidents also try to explore the meaning of our system of government generally, reflecting on the past and thinking about the future. This showcases that particular policy recommendations grow out of mediation on our past. • Finally, president’s almost always try to offer messages of bipartisanship, though some do it better than others and the TV often makes that impossible since certain sides of the house clap only at certain points, etc… Element 2, Assessments of Information and Issues • Usually presidents concern themselves with what they see as enduring national issues (like foreign affairs, commerce, civil rights, immigration, etc… linking current, past, and future addresses and linking their own concerns with previous presidents’ concerns. So, in part, this is all about presidents showcases how we should deal with persistent issues. • This process thus gives the president an opportunity to show prudential thoughtfulness in deliberations with Congress by comparing current issues to similar issues in our history. • Thus, in a way, this is all about continuity and change. It is all about indicating how much change (or not) there ought to be in the system. There are a couple of good examples of this on page 145, paragraphs 16 and 17. All this take of the past and linking it to the future, and considering what changes we ought to make leads to the next section, specific recommendations. Element 3, Recommendation of Legislative Initiatives and their Justifications • Often, there is a stated link between constitutional promises (or process of the constitution and the Declaration of Independence) and the present situation. What’s the gap? • Thus, in recommending this or that specific legislation, the president in a way re-makes the country to try to meet that “more perfect union” ideal. • So, sometimes presidents indict the country for not living up to its promise for all people. • A lot of times that indictment is based in terms of equality and often equality in economic terms. See page 147 for some examples. • Often times we are faced with “new circumstances” and so presidents have to help the audience(s) face up to whatever those new situations are. So, if any legislative proposals seem major innovations, presidents justify it in the name of evolution. • This idea of “evolution” and innovative proposals is important and paragraphs 26 and 27 are important there so let’s read them… Super Element, Preserving and Strengthening the Presidency • C & J are a bit redundant here, but their main thesis is re-affirmed in this section. They say that taking the previous elements together constitutes an “opening move in a struggle for political power between the executive and legislative branches of government.” Thus, the State of the Union always sustains and maintains the presidency. • Part of that is showcasing the president authorizing his own power through appropriate channels, even if the constitution says that Congress makes the laws… So, it is a way to humbly try to gain more power. • Moreover, if what they purpose doesn’t seem constitutional, they point to the changing views of the constitution. • In such cases, too, presidents argue that such policies are necessitated because of drastic current situations. • And, when proposed policies seem an over-stretch for the president and the consequences will be significant, the president reveals those significant consequences (Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase for instance…). • All this is saying that when presidents try to assume “extraconstitutional power” and justify that by indicating the current “state of the union” is in a crises or emergency, but this always increases the power of the president. Paragraph 9 in this section is important, on page 154. In short, presidents want power, but also cooperation with Congress. That creation of cooperation is one of the reasons Wilson decided to delivery the address in person in 1913. Of course, not all presidents have “milked” that spirit of cooperation and C & J give some examples. • Also, presidents try to mobilize the public to support their proposals, so Congress will be pressured to go along as well. So there are obviously public appeals in these speeches as well. Washingtons First State of the Union Address Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution requires the President of the United States to ... ...from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient;... While the Constitution specifies no time, date, place, or frequency for the Address, Presidents have typically delivered the State of the Union in late January, soon after Congress has re-convened. This timing allows the President to spell out the Administrations agenda for the coming year and to ... recommend to their consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient;... before Congress has taken up any major legislation. On January 8, 1790, President George Washington complied with Article II, Section 3. (Spellings appear as in the original draft.) State of the Union by George Washington January 8, 1790 Federal Hall, New York City: Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives: I embrace with great satisfaction the opportunity which now presents itself of congratulating you on the present favorable prospects of our public affairs. The recent accession of the important state of north Carolina to the Constitution of the United States (of which official information has been received), the rising credit and respectability of our country, the general and increasing good will toward the government of the Union, and the concord, peace, and plenty with which we are blessed are circumstances auspicious in an eminent degree to our national prosperity. In resuming your consultations for the general good you can not but derive encouragement from the reflection that the measures of the last session have been as satisfactory to your constituents as the novelty and difficulty of the work allowed you to hope. 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. Among the many interesting objects which will engage your attention that of providing for the common defense will merit particular regard. To be prepared for war is on e of the most effectual means of preserving peace. A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined; to which end a uniform and well-digested plan is requisite; and their safety and interest require that they should promote such manufactories as tend to render them independent of others for essential, particularly military, supplies. 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. There was reason to hope that the pacific measures adopted with regard to certain hostile tribes of Indians would have relieved the inhabitants of our southern and western frontiers from their depredations, but you will perceive from the information contained in the papers which I shall direct to be laid before you (comprehending a communication from the Commonwealth of Virginia) that we ought to be prepared to afford protection to those parts of the Union, and, if necessary, to punish aggressors. The interests of the United States require that our intercourse with other nations should be facilitated by such provisions as will enable me to fulfill my duty in that respect in the manner which circumstances may render most conducive to the public good, and to this end that the compensation to be made to the persons who may be employed should, according to the nature of their appointments, be defined by law, and a competent fund designated for defraying the expenses incident to the conduct of foreign affairs. Various considerations also render it expedient that the terms on which foreigners may be admitted to the rights of citizens should be speedily ascertained by a uniform rule of naturalization. Uniformity in the currency, weights, and measures of the United States is an object of great importance, and will, I am persuaded, be duly attended to. The advancement of agriculture, commerce, and manufactures by all proper means will not, I trust, need recommendation; but I can not forbear intimating to you the expediency of giving effectual encouragement as well to the introduction of new and useful inventions from abroad as to the exertions of skill and genius in producing them at home, and of facilitating the intercourse between the distant parts of our country by a due attention to the post-office and post-roads. Nor am I less persuaded that you will agree with me in opinion that there is nothing which can better deserve your patronage than the promotion of science and literature. Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of public happiness. In one in which the measures of government receive their impressions so immediately from the sense of the community as in ours it is proportionably essential. To the security of a free constitution it contributes in various ways - by convincing those who are intrusted with the public administration that 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; to discern and provide against invasions of them; to distinguish between oppression and the necessary exercise of lawful authority; between burthens proceeding from a disregard to their convenience and those resulting from the inevitable exigencies of society; to discriminate the spirit of liberty from that of licentiousness - cherishing the first, avoiding the last - and uniting a speedy but temperate vigilance against encroachments, with an inviolable respect to the laws. Whether this desirable object will be best promoted by affording aids to seminaries of learning already established, by the institution of a national university, or by any other expedients will be well worthy of a place in the deliberations of the legislature. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: I saw with peculiar pleasure at the close of the last session the resolution entered into by you expressive of your opinion that an adequate provision for the support of the public credit is a matter of high importance to the national honor and prosperity. In this sentiment I entirely concur; and to a perfect confidence in your best endeavors to devise such a provision as will be truly with the end I add an equal reliance on the cheerful cooperation of the other branch of the legislature. It would be superfluous to specify inducements to a measure in which the character and interests of the United States are so obviously so deeply concerned, and which has received so explicit a sanction from your declaration. Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives: I have directed the proper officers to lay before you, respectively, such papers and estimates as regard the affairs particularly recommended to your consideration, and necessary to convey to you that information of the state of the Union which it is my duty to afford. 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.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 01:53:09 +0000
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