Searching for a Glimmer of Hope in the State of the Union

As noted above, a recent study by a psychologist here at Emory University has shown that 80 percent of people judge hot political issues not by the facts, but by their own biases, preconceptions, and party affiliations.

Let me attempt to avoid that pitfall by saying what was good about Bush’s State of the Union address (which I watched while drinking beer and eating deer burgers). I will criticize Bush again soon enough. But a few things I liked:

1) Immigration reform. While I think there should be an amnesty for undocumented workers, that’s not politically likely. An expanded guest worker program is a step in the right direction. More importantly, it’s important for the nation to hear the president – a man conservatives listen to – say that our current laws "punish hardworking people who want only to provide for their families." Conservatives point out that undocumented immigrants break the law. Think of it this way: If your choice is to watch your family starve or illegally cross a border to support them, what is the morally responsible decision? I guess it depends on what your "family values" are. Bush’s stance, limited though it may be, may help change perceptions. Still, I’ll take a wait and see attitude with Bush’s specific immigration reforms. Like his "Clear Skies Initiative," it could be a smokescreen.

2) Increased use of DNA evidence and training for defense counsel in death penalty cases. I have friends who have worked in death row defense non-profits, and they say the number of wrongful convictions is staggering. Defense attorneys are often non-criminal lawyers who are forced to take death penalty cases only because the courts appoint them. Some spend little or no time on the defense. Others have actually dozed off during cases. Again, this proposal may be smoke and mirrors to divert attention from other problems, like racism in the judicial system. Also, poor people defended by lawyers with government workshops under their belts are still not given the same shot at justice as rich folks defended by a high-priced criminal specialists. Still, it could be a step in the right direction.

3) OK, I still think the Iraq war was, on balance, a horrible idea. We’re still in a horrible morass, and terrorists have a recruiting video on TV every night. But if you really think that it was bad for that Iraqi woman to have a chance to vote – or if your primary reaction to the surprisingly large Iraqi voter turnout was fear that Bush might look good politically – you need to accept the fact that your political allegiances have totally consumed your other values.

Bush said a number of other things that sound good, but that are simply contrary to reality. If you listened to him talk about the environment, you’d think he consulted with Ralph Nader on energy policy. In fact, he talked with Enron. His administration has rolled back, or attempted to roll back, virtually every environmental regulation on the books. After all, this is a man who doesn’t think global warming is happening. How are those ice caps looking again?

Iraq, social security, marriage amendments? God help us. And I mean that as a prayer.