Posted on by Californiacontrarian

S.O.T.U.

The formal basis for the State of the Union (SOTU) Address is from the U.S. Constitution:

The President “shall from time to time give to Congress information on the State of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” Article II, Section 3, Clause 1.

So it seems that Speaker Pelosi is under no obligation to go through with the scheduled January 29 date in the House, as the Constitution says “from time to time.” Including President Donald J. Trump’s 2018 address, there have been a total of 95 in-person Annual Messages/State of the Union Addresses. Since President Woodrow Wilson’s 1913 address, there have been a total of 83 in-person addresses. In 1945, President Franklin Roosevelt did not personally give the address, but rather his address was read to a Joint Session of the House and the Senate. So it seems that Speaker Pelosi is not totally wrong when she told President Trump that he could send a written State of the Union, and not personally appear himself . . . for security reasons! Senator Rand Paul had an interesting idea.”I think it is an affront to the president and to the office of the presidency, really, for [Pelosi] to have the gall to say, ‘No State Of The Union.’ I can’t imagine they’ll try to follow through with it, but if they do, my suggestion to Sen. McConnell would be to invite [Trump] to the Senate,” Paul said. In modern practice, the State of the Union Address is delivered in the House Chamber. Prior to the Capitol’s move to Washington, DC., the Annual Message was often delivered in the Senate Chamber. So there is precedence for the President giving the State of the Union address in the Senate Chambers. The problem with this location is that there is not enough room for all of the members of the House. 
So to those in the media it appears that Speaker Pelosi is winning this round. But . . . not so fast Ms. P.!  Be careful what you wish for, as President Trump is no ordinary opponent. In fact, I believe that Ms. Pelosi has painted herself into a corner. She has forced herself into a no-win situation. If she allows the SOTU Address to proceed on January 29, it will be perceived that she has caved. If she follows through on this breaking of precedence, she will be remembered as the female Harry Reid, when future Republican Houses cancel the SOTU Address of a Democratic President. But more importantly if the SOTU Address to the House and the Senate is cancelled, I predict that after January 29th has past, President Trump will bring the SOTU Address directly to the people, either from the Oval Office or in a huge campaign-like rally in a domed stadium. Can you imagine the SOTU Address being give in the Superdome or in AT&T stadium where the  Dallas Cowboys play. If you don’t think that the Trump people haven’t thought about this alternative, you are as naive as Speaker Pelosi. 

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