Saletan on the State of the Union

Seems to me that the State of the Union addresses from any US President are weird bits of self serving, insincere theatre, and it's a bit hard to understand why more commentators don't just say that instead of poring over every detail.

I suppose that with a person as dumb, changeable and narcissistic as Trump, the speech might be worth paying attention to if it gives any indication of which way the wind blows with him:  but the problem is, everyone knows any view he holds is disposable and not based on any consistent or principled belief.

It's also gobsmacking that anyone, let alone an Australian, can view Trump as giving a good speech of any kind.   His voice, his mannerisms, his mugging very reminiscent of a Mussolini at times, all override content anyway.

But in any case, here's Saletan, one of the best critics on Trump's dangerous nature, discussing the authoritarian aspects of the speech:

The Alarming Message in Trump’s State of the Union

 The president’s speech wasn’t dull. It was dangerous.