Today is the day after the biggest speech any US President gives in any given year: The State of the Union address.  Some years, Presidents have had the benefit of delivering a State of the Union at times of great economic or social achievement: Kennedy promising to go to the moon or Clinton during the roaring 90s. In other years, Presidents are saddled with the responsibility of speaking to the hearts of Americans during times of great hardship: World War II and September 11th, 2001 are examples.

This year, President Obama has a different challenge. Americans, as a whole, are in a tough situation. The American people need a reason to pick their heads up. Our schools are failing our children, we can’t close our borders, and elected officials and innocent bystanders are the targets of crazed shooters. There is both a confidence and trust gap in America and President Obama and the Congress need to begin closing it.

Americans are being told the economy is recovering; yet a vast majority can’t make ends meet. Americans continue to hear that we are the strongest nation on earth; yet they watch as China, Iran, and Russia flex their ever growing military muscles. They are told by the politicians of both parties that the problems will be fixed; only to have those same problems renamed two years later and the promises regurgitated. They’re told the markets are coming back; yet every day thousands of families get a foreclosure notice.

Meanwhile, on Main Street the average American household is trying to achieve the American Dream, raise wholesome children, and stretch their income to the max. It used to be, and I’d like to believe that it still is, the mission of middle-aged Americans and elected leaders to bestow an improved society to the next generation. Americans can still remember when we elected statesmen who could put aside partisan differences to fix a critical problem facing our nation. Now, critical problems are used as political footballs by mere politicians.

Let’s start at a problem all Americans should be able to agree upon: our nation security. Why haven’t we closed the borders yet? Why are we increasing our reliance on foreign oil? Why aren’t we creating fiscal security by balancing our budget? Do we really think uneducated Americans, taught by a failed education system, will be able to compete globally? All of the above relate to OUR national security, so let’s look at those problems from the national security perspective and begin fixing them…now.

I hope President Obama brought the nation closer together last night. A house divided cannot stand and neither will the American house if we don’t unite behind a common purpose: a stronger, more vibrant America.

The last bite…

What? Gulf shrimp and grits topped with an andouille and tasso cream sauce. Where? Herbsaint on St. Charles Ave in New Orleans. One word…PHENOMENAL! I give it 5 crumbs! (out of 5)

Buddy Boe, a resident of LaPlace, is a former parish administrator and is well known on the local political (and food) scenes. His column appears every Wednesday in L’Observateur.