Presidential SONA: Bravo or Boo?

Every year, we listen to a presidential State of the Nation Address (SONA).  And every time, reviews run toward two opposite directions: Excellent or Mediocre. 

Photo credit: Presidential Commission Office 

For me, it is a combination of both.

Pro: it is the president’s constitutional duty to report on the country. He/she uses real economic data, employment figures, and completed infrastructure counts from government agencies. The SONA outlines actual bills, laws, and national budget priorities for the coming year. Journalists and groups use the speech to track government promises against actual performance.

Con: it is a political performance designed to highlight successes, gloss over failures, and polish the administration's image. The president spotlight favorable statistics while ignoring deep crises, persistent poverty, or controversial scandals. The speech frames minor progress as massive victories and recycle old unfulfilled promises to sound impressive.

In advertising, we called this objective and execution. The objective may be excellent, but the execution can miserably fail because of various reasons: greed, laziness, corruption, status-seeking, and indifference to what is good for others. That’s why the polished numbers do not match the daily economic struggles of ordinary citizens.

I am not a political scientist so I am not qualified to comment on the details of the political landscape on earth. 

But this reminds me of that SONA-like event in the Bible where the leader, Moses (Book of Deuteronomy) makes a speech before the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab just before they enter the Promised Land. Moses delivers God’s “SONA.” 

Through Moses, God . . .

    • reviews past performance. He looks back on the nation's journey, reminding them of His faithfulness, their parents' failures in the wilderness, and how they arrived at this moment.

    • restates the ten commandments and outlines the social, economic, and religious laws that will govern their daily lives.

    • lists the national blessings for obedience (prosperity, safety, good health) and the severe national curses for disobedience (famine, defeat, exile).

    • concludes with a call to action for the nation to choose life. 

    • renews His covenant with them—that even if they fail and get scattered, He will bring them back if they return to Him.

The Biblical SONA is beyond bravo or boo. It is the unchanging truth. No ifs, ands, buts, ors, maybes.