Why is the US State of the Union Address special?

1. Why is there a State of the Union Address?

The President is the most powerful political institution in the United States, and by extension – the most powerful in the world, so it can be said that any speech they give is worth paying attention to. So what makes the State of the Union address so special and worth paying attention to?

President Franklin D. Roosevelt addresses Congress in Washington on January 4, 1939. He speaks of the "Four Freedoms": Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from Poverty, and Freedom from Fear.

Because the State of the Union Address is a legal obligation of the US President as stipulated in Section 3, Article II of the Constitution, which literally requires the President to "from time to time inform the US Congress of the state of the alliance, and recommend to Congress for consideration the directions and solutions that the incumbent President judges necessary and appropriate".

This is a “report” that records the achievements and difficulties that the country is facing, along with the problems that need to be faced and solved. The State of the Union address may be the way the US Constitution creates interaction between the two most dynamic branches of power in the system, both as a reporting obligation of the head of the executive branch to the legislative system; but also as a demonstration of the influence of the executive branch on the legislative plan of the Congress.

President Lyndon B. Johnson announced his Great Society programs in 1968. He also called for a Voting Rights Act as well as clean water and air. The audience applauded 80 times during his speech.

2. Why does the State of the Union address take place in late January and early February every year?

The U.S. Constitution does not specifically set a date for the State of the Union address. However, because the 20th Amendment sets the official start of both a congressional term and a presidential term at the end of January, this date has become common practice.

3. What does the State of the Union address say?

Messages can often last for more than an hour, which is unusual in Western culture. But this is because there is so much content covered in the message, including:

The state of the US economy, the number of jobs created and lost, inflation, national debt, and any budget deficits;

• Social programs that support American citizens, as well as citizens, other countries around the world, and global issues; Education and the health care system; The progress, failures, and military achievements of the United States military around the world.

The message will almost certainly include new legislative ideas to address outstanding issues and the President's request to Parliament to consider these bills.

President Jimmy Carter delivers his State of the Union address to Congress in Washington on January 23, 1979.

4. Does the State of the Union address have to be a public speech?

This is also not specifically recorded in the US Constitution. Traditionally, presidents have always chosen to make public speeches before Congress. However, in 1801, after taking office, President Thomas Jefferson thought that Congress having to gather to welcome a head of state and listen to a legislative message seemed formal and empty, like what absolute monarchies love to do. Therefore, he only wrote a letter every year and sent it to Congress.

5. Who is present at the State of the Union and the “designated survivor”?

The crowd attending the State of the Union address includes almost all of the most powerful positions of the US government, including the Government, members of the House of Representatives, members of the Senate as well as 9 justices from the Supreme Court. However, this also increases the risk of “decapitation” if an attack of any kind on this speech is successful or if a natural disaster occurs at the venue.

On January 19, 1999, President Bill Clinton delivered the State of the Union address shortly after he was impeached by the House of Representatives over the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal.

Thus, it has become an official practice since the Cold War era that a cabinet member of a sitting government is protected at an undisclosed location – also known as a “Designated Survivor.”Designated Survivor). If something unfortunate happens that leads to the death of all the top leaders, the “Designated Survivor” will succeed the presidency and maintain the functioning of the state apparatus.

6. Was there any political protest immediately following the State of the Union Address?

The answer is yes. But not directly at the ceremony. In 1966, the media gave Republicans a half-hour to refute and protest President Lyndon B. Johnson's message. Senator Everett Dirksen and Representative Gerald Ford delivered the rebuttal. Since 1976, the opposition's response has been drafted during the message and released immediately afterward.

What will President Trump say in his first State of the Union address?

7. Who gave the longest and shortest State of the Union speeches in history?

According to statistics from the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives, President Harry Truman had the longest State of the Union address at over 25,000 words (compared to the average of 5,000 words). The first President of the United States – George Washington had the shortest State of the Union Address at just 833 words.