The constitution requires that each year the president report on the state of our union to congress. It doesn't have to be a speech, it just has to be an annual report on the condition of our republic. Here's a thumbnail of my evaluation.

Finance: We are doing slightly better than 2016. While certain small and some moderate tax code changes have been implemented, in the larger sense there has been NO movement to reigning in deficit spending. If I have a decent grasp of what I've seen on revenue and spending in 2017 there have been zero gains in reducing debt, lowering the out of control spending, and only slight improvement in gen ledger revenue. This isn't exciting to talk about, and it isn't earth shattering media event, but the debt and interest payments are destroying much of our kids future. My parents, and now my generation willingness to saddle our kids with trillions of dollars in debt is indefensible. This goes for both major parties, it is not person, or party specific. Sadly - it must be fixed, and at some point we will no longer control our own financial destiny, our creditors will control us through economic pressure.

Economics: We are going gang-busters. Nearly all segments of the US and most global economies are in high gear, and the outlook for economic gains is at an all time high. From the staid markets of the commodities, to the wild west markets of intl bonds(junk and otherwise), money is flowing, investments are up, repatriation of assets is taking place, spending is climbing, stocks are posting records each month. If one can't make a decent living in this economy, then one is out of all proportion just waiting for Godot.

Health, welfare and the human condition: US citizens are for the most part living full, and moderately long and productive lives. Collectively we aren't the top in lifespan, but taken with our contributions to the benefit of our society, and culture we are still at or near the top in living a quality life. Anyone can look at specific cases, and specific people who will evidence the left side of the bell curve, but speaking as a nation - we are in very good shape WRT our general health, general welfare, prosperity and socio-cultural contribution. This is evidenced by the number of people who want to come here, and live the TRUE American dream(and I don't mean the mis-cast and mis-identified class that have broken our laws, and taken what is not theirs). This past year has shown that not only are we living full productive lives, but we are also making the lives of many non-citizens around the globe somewhat better. We are exporting wealth, medicines, fitness, and prosperity to nations around the globe where they are not as gainful as the US.

Rights, liberty: The train of abuses to the citizens which started not long after 9/11/2001 continues. This is supported in most part by bureaucrats and administrative hangers-on in the federal and state govts which use the fear of terrorism to control, and oppress ALL citizens, regardless of race, gender, religion or national origin. The decline and destruction of civil liberty has increased in all cases in the past year, and there is no indication of correction on the horizon. Once again, this can be attributed across political boundaries, and is much more a function of the desire for power and control by those who have been originally give LIMITED power in the administration of internal justice. The federal founding documents make no mention of, and authorize no direct or indirect police powers by the state, and all those enforcement directives, processes and control have risen from administrative expansion. Abuses continue in the shadow courts(FISA), internal law enforcement and investigation(DHS), civil asset forfeiture, limitations and exclusions of responsibilities by sworn officers, and the weaponization of once common administrative functions(IRS, DOJ, HHS, etc). Along with the federal budget, this descent into totalitarianism will affect every citizen to some extend, and provides a dangerous path for those who seek to determine and regulate the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of our common people.

Environment: In the past year, perhaps there has been no greater change in our nation than in the realm of environmental policy. We have accomplished a major course change in how we understand, react, and plan for environmental condition improvements. Reversal of several important key policies allowed the US to become stronger economically, at some possible cost to the environment - which cannot be quantified on an annual basis, but must be viewed over a rolling multi-year period. Regulation based on direct and measurable threats to the environment are new changes from a previous policy of guesswork, and economically costly policies which were the basis for some losses, and global financial expense, and showed no measurable gains in environmental quality. 

Defense: Another area where the US has made significant policy changes which have proven to be better for all citizens of the US. Drastic immigration controls in place where needed, and limitations on the US accepting dumping of undesirable aliens on our shores will make life better for us as a nation. Some significant gains have been made in controlling and defeating foreign terror organizations, and our defense posture and international ties and cooperation continue without decline. Our strong intl partners remain committed to supporting global peace and protection of the US, and our allies. We have had some setbacks in our Naval forces, which require a strong hand, and firm management. Those changes are being implemented, and the Navy will get back to being the global masters of the seas. The US conventional and nuclear forces are secure, and in some cases improving their readiness after years of neglect and decline. It takes some time to get back what years of stagnation have wrought but we are on the right path, and will continue to secure the US from all enemies foreign and domestic.

Foreign policy: The US is once again in ascendancy in foreign policy. The long years of bowing, scraping, buying, and begging for respect from our intl brethren is OVER. Along with defense, the US has taken the posture on the global stage that we are not to be trifled with. Stronger ties with Israel, South Korea, Japan, and strategic partners in the middle east, and Western Europe will pay dividends in the coming years. Our alliances with China and Russia continue to improve, and show no indication that either of these middle powers will become a military threat to the US. There are challenges occurring in central Asia, as well as the seas bordering China in the southeast. Each of these challenges have been and will continue to be met with US and allies defense of the peoples and open seas to protect nations and the seas for all time. We will not waver on our domination of the seas, and respecting the sovereignty of the central European nations.

Goals for the coming year:
A)  Begin discussion between the executive office, and congress on a balanced budge amendment. Serious future quality of life issues, and damage to the US leadership around the world require very serious solutions. It has been shown for the past 10 years that the congress of the US, and the executive office is incapable of self-control, and the only option remains to balance the budget by force annually. As a nation we must begin to control our deficit, or our creditors will do it for us, at much greater expense, and sacrifice.

B) Reduce spending in all facets of the US govt. Some departments can be eliminated entirely. Some departments can be merged with other federal segments. Some departments can be restructured with the ultimate goal of significant cost savings across the entire federal system. No department is left untouched by reductions, including defense, homeland security, and federal employee retirement, pensions, and health care.

C) Reduce or eliminate barriers to intl investment. Encourage large investors that the US is the most productive, and best financial place to start, expand, or increase capacity in manufacturing, services, and employment.

D) Hold ALL federal departments to solid and measurable standards of conduct, and neutral political operation at all times. Demand serious and significant penalties for using any federal office for personal, political, or economic gain by the workers and administrative managers. Alter the current union sponsored safety nets for those federal employees who exploit their control or fail to live up to new standards so that they can be dismissed or punished for political activities.

E) Reduce and/or eliminate costly foreign aid to those nations who do not respect the US, and do not share the cultural benefits of a constitutional republic(see A).

F) Eliminate those courts, and those police/LEO powers which fly in the face of the 1st, 4th, 5th, 10th, and 14th amendments. The founders concluded that the ultimate power be retained by the people. Restrictions on ownership, property rights, self fulfillment, expression, privacy, and respect for human rights MUST come before all bureaucratic and law enforcement expansion. Return to the original founders decision to eliminate general warrants, and enforce the protections of the rights of the people by reducing and eliminating many restrictive laws, regulations, and policies which result in the control of our daily lives.

G) Reduce our overall involvement in the UN. Support those nations which support the US, and stop investing in the UN where it seeks to expand the powers of nations which use it as a cudgel to improve and increase their own influence. Specifically, the middle east nations which vote and act as a religious block to the detriment of their neighbor, and the peoples of those nations.

H) Preen the federal register of outdated, unused, restrictive, and in many cases ridiculous laws and regulations. Begin the process of limiting administrative powers outside the elected officials, and put the limited powers of governments back into the hands of those who were elected, or appointed by the people.

J) Repeal the 17th amendment. Go back to appointment of Senators by the states,  have the governor with advise and consent of the state legislators appoint Senators, and have the governor of the state retain the power to remove a Senator from office for cause.

QED, shouldn't take much effort. hehehe,,,,

Well then. Not completely sure what to say about all that, but I'm glad the post was quoted and saved for posterity. I guess - I disagree with just about ever statement made is a summary(in response to post 55).

I've always heard from the cheap seats that the skin color difference in humans was a vanishingly small part of our overall makeup. Maybe that was wrong, I don't know. Culturally, in the US anyway there is certainly a mega-difference between the two races it would seem. I've never been to either a white or black activist rally, meeting or otherwise, and not inclined to start. Again from the cheap seats, seems to me like black activism is more about finding differences in the two races, and using that to exploit some gain. White activism is sometimes about those differences, and there are certainly small groups which are divisive, but there are also groups which are actively engaged in supporting, or advancing racial harmony.

That's more than I thought I would add.

I'm sick and tired of the liberal press diverting from a real problem that needs solving to a picayune contretemps over some language or supposed insult to some POS person or country.

The problem is unchecked and useless immigrants. Everyone outside the US hates us - but when they see even a tiny chance to get in this country, legal or not - they jump at it. And once here - the ones who came in illegally will use every method legal or otherwise to stay here rather than having to go back to their SHITHOLE.

NO more immigrants. Fix your own SHITHOLE, or live in it. That goes for Haiti, Mexico, all of central America, Africa, the entire ME, and most of SE Asia.

I stole this from an old tractor forum. Gave me a chuckle. Hope you enjoy.

These types of questions are ones I used to take in philosophy class from time to time. There are some strong basic understandings of how humans work that have been generally codified over the years with everyone agreeing to them, lest a society of men get into a bad state, from which there is no hope or advancement. Setting aside the legal ramifications, we have to deal with the reality of discrimination. We all discriminate, every day, every person. Judgement and experience are what lay the foundation for discrimination, and not all discrimination is bad.

On to the racial aspect of this. To discriminate based on race, or skin color, we need to reject some pretty strong fundamentals - the first is 'all men are created equal'. This does not mean that all men have the same intelligence, virility, skill, or other human attribute. We say that all men are created equal so that we do not generally set man against man for pleasure or material gain. Of course, in human history, man has been set against man millions of times, and it will continue to happen. Denigrating another human makes it easier to kill or eliminate them. When we go down that road, we get things like shoveling dead Jews into a furnace. Or, we get a power mad dictator murdering an entire tribe(Hutsi's vs Tutu), which have basically the same DNA/history, and are fighting over inconsequential differences.

There is a growing movement in some advanced philo circles that says as our planet fills up, the respect for humanity will decline such that our 'all men are created equal' will no longer be supreme thought. We will begin to gradient our various differences, and will begin forced selective reinforcement(which means among other things, forced abortion, sterilization, even endorsed/paid suicide). We aren't there yet, but some leading scholars think we are ever closer to it as the planet reaches human saturation point. It could be race, IQ, height, gender(China already is there), or any other attribute as a qualifier.

Finally, we have morality. The morality angle will eventually wind up as the 'legitimate belief' system. If a higher power(I am trying not to use 'god'), through the voice of mortal man says that it's ok to discriminate and what the rules are for such discrimination, then of course - one must obey. Voices in my head, could be some supreme being, not named, but an omnipotent being who says that race X is inferior, therefore it's suitable to legitimately discriminate against them, for the advancement of our (insert belief system here). No  one is immune. This century it is the muslims. A few centuries back it was the christians. There's a cool story about Robespierre who gathered up the ner-do-wells of some French town, set them in an old launch, and put it out on the coast and let the French navy use it for target practice. Gypsies and such I suppose.

Sometimes, rationalization becomes justification. When that starts to happen, have a lot of weapons, and a lot of bullets handy. Because today, you may be making the 'legitimate' rules, where tomorrow you may be the one that the rules are being made for, and you may find you are locked in a boat, while a navy uses you for practice. Or, you may be stripped naked and pushed into a 'shower' at gunpoint, or you may be the wrong gender, and worth more as candle wax than as a human.

Whelp, that's sort of one of those 'it depends' arguments. If the 'dear leader' can make it to - oh, lets say Philly, or a bit further south to Baltimore and deliver a few KT I think it might be worth it. Also, despite Boeing which would be a modest loss, I could do without most of Seattle.

No offence to the good folk of Philly, Baltimore or Seattle of course. I would mourn the citizens for a few hours. As long as we got NK out of the deal.

Worth a read. Most important if you have small kids, or plan to have kids in the future.

I agree with this philosophy 100%.

http://reason.com/archives/2017/10/26/the-fragile-generation

It's super sad to me that most kids since 1980 won't get to have the time, energy, and freedom we had in the 60s. I don't want to over-analyze this, but it could have global implications in the future.