The president usually announces major policy initiatives in the State of the Union Address in January. Those initiatives are often not formulated with all the details worked out. In fact, the proposals are often very sketchy concepts with no substantive form whatsoever.
a. Explain why this may be the case, given the timing of the State of the Union Address and the remaining process of budget formulation.
b. Explain why this may be the case, given the institutional process of budget development.
c. Explain why the State of the Union Address is a highly political statement, given your answers in parts a and b.