Just as he’s struggling to get legislators to agree with the authors of the $700 billion bailout package, President Bush had a difficult time getting his subjects and objects to agree in last night’s national address.

He began by saying, “Over the past few weeks, many Americans have felt anxiety about their finances and their future. I understand their worry and their frustration.”

In some cases, a group of people can metaphorically share something. We share a common dream. We share the same hope that our economy will improve. It’s even arguable that we share a future, as suggested in the president’s opening statement.

But more often than not, it’s advisable to use plural objects when dealing with plural subjects. We know there is not just one worry about the proposed bailout package. Nor is there just one frustration. Some Americans are bothered by the executive pay. Others are concerned about the debt it incurs. Still others are worried about the lack of taxpayer protection and transparency. Their worries and frustrations are numerous; to show he fully understands our concerns, which was one goal of last night’s speech, President Bush should have said, “I understand their worries and their frustrations.”

Later in the speech, the president talked about the plunging prices of mortgage-backed securities. “The value of many of these assets,” he said, “will likely be higher than their current price…” To have multiple assets and just one price falsely suggests that they are all at the same price - which they’re not.

Some of the president’s remarks were redundant. For example, he said, “My administration is working with Congress to address the root cause behind much of the instability in our markets.” A cause is the reason for a condition. It is basic and core; there is no need to call it a “root cause.” The president also echoed a regretful phrase that Cindy McCain uttered at the RNC, “natural instinct.” He said, “My natural instinct is to oppose government intervention.”

Our instinct is to remind him of the word’s definition: a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse or capacity. With natural embedded in the meaning, it is redundant to throw it in as an adjective.