Little More State Of The Union

I enjoy the tilt-shift technique. Still, I’m wondering about the dynamics here, in this State of the Union photo by Brooks Kraft for the TIME White House photo site.

What are the implications of turning Obama, Biden, Pelosi, the Cabinet, the Joint Chiefs, the Supreme Court, and members of Congress into what Ana Marie Cox might call “miniature midgets?” And what’s with that little Old Glory, that little “In God We Trust,” that little clock?

Th country is floundering. The problems are too complex for most people to even get their heads around. Major structures of government and industry have failed us in fundamental ways. The people in that Congressional chamber represent the center of power. I have to think Kraft was tapping into one of the lesser known defense mechanisms. It’s called minimization.

It makes me nervous, by the way, that that guy in good focus, second row center, doesn’t seem to be paying attention.

(image: Brooks Kraft / Corbis for TIME. Joint session of Congress. February. 24, 2009)