OK, the state of the union is mandated in the Constitution but is the date?

[ncteechur]

I believe that the Speaker of the House "invites" the president to the chamber to deliver his speech. Similar to the way Parliment invites the Queen or Prime Minister. I like what the Brits do which is to slam the door in his/her face. Nancy should set the time/date and break with the tradition of letting the president come on the traditional date.

[ncteechur]

1. A follow-up to my own post. Wikipedia says nothing about

the Constitution mandating a date. It has always been in Jan except in 1934 when it was in Feb.
Nancy should set the date.

[Peregrine]

2. There is no requirement to present it live before a joint session

I can't remember the first president to speak before Congress, but prior to that, they just sent a written report. Bush sould mail in the report and then give it live on TV from the Oval Office.

[Recursion]

5. Jefferson was the first, but it was not done after him for a while

I think the modern practice of making a big show started with Wilson.

The President could mail congress a copy of the NYT and fulfill his Constitutional duty.

[sarge43]

8. In fact, it was Washington in 1790.

He gave a report in person before the full congress on 8 January at Federal Hall in NYC. Jefferson was the first to send a written report which became the routine until 1913 when Wilson gave his report in person. From then on POTUS has addressed Congress in person. Radio (Coolidge), then TV (Truman) has made it a big show.

[Eric J in MN]

15. When did they start clapping after each statement?

I hate that. It reminds me of how legislators in a dictatorship would act.

I hated that during the Clinton years, too. It's non-partisan for me.

[sarge43]

16. Have no idea

Maybe around the same time Raygun started returning the salute crap. I hate that.

[Freddie Stubbs]

18. Probably once they started televising it

[Recursion]

17. Thanks, I had it backwards

Jefferson started the "sending it by mail" tradition.

[RobertDevereaux]

3. What Nancy ought to do...

...is admit what everyone knows, that the Lying War Criminal Who Defiles the People's House knows nothing about the state of the Union, and that a series of knowledgeable citizens will form a composite "Honest Prez" and deliver 5-10 minute summaries of the true state of affairs in many areas of interest over several days.

[Eric J in MN]

4. It says the president can convene both Houses on "exraordinary occasions"

US Constitution, Article II, Section 3.

"He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information on the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States."

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/article02/

[NMDemDist2]

7. i'm not liking the "he may adjorn until such time as he shall think proper"

part

that's actually scary as hell. how did i miss that the many times I've read the Constitution??

[Webster Green]

9. It is scary....considering the current officeholder's lust for power..

That could be a lethal weapon in the wrong hands.

[Eric J in MN]

13. I think that refers to joint-sessions of Congress,

...not normal sessions in the House and Senate.

[Solon]

19. Actually, I think that is rather limiting...

A former King of England, Charles I, dismissed Parliament because he believed in the Divine Right of Kings, unfortunately for him, he didn't have the power to levy taxes himself, only Parliament had that power. Basically he weakened the nation enough that a civil war practically tore it apart, and he lost his head.

Bush faces the same problem(the U.S. Government IS roughly based on the British Government), only the House of Representatives have power over the budget and levying taxes. So if Bush the lesser attempted what Charles the first attempted, not only would the political opposition be fierce, but he would literally be powerless, with no budget comes no money, without the money, the military collapses, and so does his little remaining power base.

[sarge43]

6. Article II, Section 3(3)

"He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the Union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; ..."

Constitutionally, POTUS could fax over a postit note.

[Jackpine Radical]

10. As in, "Nancy,

I have to go to the bathroom."

[sarge43]

12. "It's hard work." n/t

[radfringe]

20. He shall from time to time

time to time: doesn't mean POTUS HAS to give a SOTU every year, nor does it have to be in January

and yeah - he could just fax over a post-it note with a smily face on it

[sarge43]

21. No it doesn't; however,

Washington, as with many other things, established the tradition and it makes sense for the chief executive to submit an agenda and overview to the leg at the beginning of each session. It was the English model.

The Framers left a lot of things vague because they were aware this whole written detailed constitution idea was blue sky stuff - brand new and untested. There had to be rules, but couldn't micro manage either. It had to be kept somewhat loose to allow for growth and change. Further, they had 13 semi-nations to deal with; each having quite different ideas about what government should be and do. It's amazing the thing got written and works.

[onenote]

11. why?

exactly what reason would Pelosi and Reid give for selecting a different date for the SOU?

[Eric J in MN]

14. The OP may want to delay the State of the Union to help the Democrats...

...to set the agenda.