U.S. policies have a huge impact on global development, and more successful development is crucial to U.S. goals. But development is often oddly missing in the U.S. political debate. On Tuesday, January 23rd, President Bush will deliver his seventh annual State of the Union address to Congress, the American people, and to a global audience seeking to understand America's priorities in the world.
CGD State of the Union Bingo is helping people from Washington, D.C. to Dhaka, Bangladesh track global issues on the president's mind. Will he mention HIV/AIDS, trade, poverty, the war in Iraq? How will the new Democratic-controlled Congress change the tenor of the address? Will President Bush emphasize bipartisan support for key global issues? Will there be more or less attention to global development than in his past remarks? To help you keep track we prepared these handy printable CGD State of the Union Bingo cards (pdf, 163KB).
Newly added to CGD State of the Union Bingo this year, and included in the cards, is a chart tracking mentions of select global development terms in President Bush's past addresses. Some development issues have sometimes been prominent in President Bush's State of the Union addresses--HIV/AIDS and trade, for example. But a quick analysis of past speeches suggests that none has been a recurrent theme. And some important issues--global warming, for example--have yet to make an appearance. Use CGD's word tally sheet to keep score this year and update the chart. Anything new?
Although our annual CGD State of the Union Bingo night is already full (sorry!), you can organize your own CGD State of the Union Bingo party! Take the cards to your favorite local watering hole or any other location where you can access a broadcast. (Note: We do not recommend playing while driving). Whether it's a gathering in your living room, or a breakfast party in Dhaka, Bangladesh, send us an email and tell us about it at: events@cgdev.org.
If CGD State of the Union Bingo sparks a heated discussion about why global development matters for the U.S., check out CGD's Rich World, Poor World: A Guide to Global Development to help inform your debate!