I think that Ben Franklin proposed it first actually, right after getting the national library built. Somewhere in between founding his own newspaper, writing Poor Richards Almanac, that whole revolution thing, mmm, founding the fledgling postal system, and oh yeah, the first college. Real ****ing socialist here.
For those of you who didn't bother to read he's the guy generally depicted with the kite with the key on the end. Since, if you didn't bother to learn ****, you probably haven't seen too many $100 bills.
The health care reform was shot down by pure and simple greed. That, and peoples ignorance and ability to be persuaded to vote against their own best interests. Regardless, its law that if someone ****ed up walks into an emergency room, they are treated. So instead of having a manageable system to spread cost for these "free" services out amongst the populace for those in need, you just assume the fairy godmother will come along and print the money to pay for it.
Ignorance is bliss.....for awhile.
The state of the Union is supposed to let you know what the general policies are going to be for the upcoming year, possibly give you some good news, (tax free business expansion 2011 anyone?), and just overall put some things out there. People get hung up on things like "he's a great speaker, but a bad president". Maybe you haven't noticed this, but theres a different talking head in there every few years telling you the same lies made up by the people who paid to get them elected. The limitations of their power should have become painfully evident over the last 2 years.