The state of the speech is awful

The state of the speech is awful

I often disagree with George F. Will, except when he is writing about the beauty and the history of baseball. But his column about the State of the Union Address that appeared on your editorial page on March 15 was as accurate as a well-thrown fastball in Mr. Will’s beloved Wrigley Field.

This address has degenerated over several decades into an awkward and sometimes embarrassing opportunity for members of Congress to hoot and holler, to generate standing ovations at the end of almost every sentence, and to allow a president to use this theater to his supposed advantage. This degeneration is not tied to any political party, because both parties are equally guilty.

Maybe it’s time to do what Thomas Jefferson did: Mail it in. There is no constitutional requirement to make such reports in person.

And if it isn’t mailed in, then I think the Supreme Court and members of the military services should simply decline to attend this combination of theater and political posturing. Their roles are supposed to transcend politics, and they should not be expected to sit awkwardly through such a blatant political event.

Robert A. Hogue, Youngstown