Is he done talking yet?
Tonight I am speaking to the San Bernardino Republican Assembly.
I forced myself out of patriotic duty to listen to President Obama last night.
To paraphrase Winston Churchill, never has a man said so much, and said and done so little.
He doesn’t get it. He won’t get it. Explaining it to him is pointless.
He started out as his typical academic professorial Dr. Spock self, giving us a history lesson when human emotion would have been more appropriate.
He talked about coming together while bashing his predecessor repeatedly.
He is open to hearing ideas from other people. Then he completely discounts them if they do not conform with his predetermined opinion.
He knows everything, we know nothing.
He did a lousy job of explaining his program. That is his excuse.
How many speeches does a guy have to give before realizing that the issue was not in the delivery, but the content?
He is still going to go through the budget line by line to eliminate programs that don’t work.
He has not found one in a year, nor will he find one next year.
He concedes that everybody hated the bank bailout, but refuses to say it was wrong.
He kept taking credit for saving us from the brink of disaster. That was Hank Paulson.
He claimed that he saved 2 million jobs, despite no metrics available to verify this ludicrous claim.
He claimed that he cut taxes. No, he didn’t. He keeps making stuff up.
He claimed that China and India are investing in clean energy.
The Chinese will pollute the entire world if it gives them a competitive advantage. They have categorically rejected the green agenda unless green means money.
He offered plenty of platitudes, because he is a walking platitude.
“It’s time to get serious about the problems that are hampering our growth.”
It’s time he got serious and killed his healthcare and cap and trade plans and for once focused on jobs.
Saying and doing are two different things.
“We need to export more goods.”
The man is a genius.
He also pretended to care about nuclear power, clean coal, and offshore drilling. Is this guy kidding?
He really believes what he says.
He claimed that we needed to remain globally competitive through trade deals. It would help if he was not a protectionist in the pocket of big labor unions.
“By the time I am done speaking, more Americans will have lost their health insurance.”
Is he done talking yet?
More importantly, will this show horse ever actually do any real work?
Nothing will come out of this speech except dead trees. I can live with that.
I would cover his final remarks, but for that, he would have to stop talking.
He will not do that because then he would have to start doing.
When arrogance meets irrelevance, that is narcissism we can believe in.
The left has nothing to say until one single policy becomes law because of him.
For the rebuttal to the speech, just listen to Sir Charles of Krauthammer from now on.
I am off to get some rest. Somebody wake me when the president’s batteries run out.
eric
January 28th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Following up, Spock’s favorite phrase, Fascinating, well no not really.
President Addresses Nation “There’s Seventy Minutes I Can Never Get Back”
Yeah, I’m Just Not Feeling It.
What does the President need to do for a bump in the polls hint this isn’t it.
Did The Phrase the President used “I Won’t Give Up, Don’t You Give
Up” Sound familiar to anyone else? Train “Calling All You Angels.
Well since there has been an Earth – there has been a climate, and it has been changing. How does one Fight mother nature, and make her stop changing the climate?
The progressives won’t use Global Warming anymore because of the hoax so they changed it to Climate Change. This is just dumb. Of course there is climate change and water is wet.
http://youhavetobethistalltogoonthisride.blogspot.com/2010/01/president-addresses-nation-theres.html
January 28th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
Our good host should check his facts, lest he make himself look foolish…
“He claimed that he cut taxes. No, he didn’t. He keeps making stuff up.”
This is either a lie or a blatant display of willful ignorance. Almost 300 billion of the Recovery Acy was actually tax cuts for the vast majority of Americans.
“He claimed that China and India are investing in clean energy.”
And it’s true… http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-12/13/content_12640365.htm
– Within the last six years, China jumped to become the world’s largest producer of solar energy panels, or solar photovoltaic (PV). Last year, China manufactured over 2,000 megawatts of solar PVs, accounting for more than 30 percent of global production. But in 2003, China’s share was merely one percent.
— At the end of last year, China also had more than 130 million square meters of solar water heaters, accounting for 76 percent of the world’s total.
— Within the last six years, China’s installed wind power capacity jumped to 12,170 MWs at the end of 2008, from 470 MWs at the end of 2002. Its annual wind turbine manufacturing capacity soared to 10,000 MWs from less than 100 MWs in 2003.
— Within the last six years, China’s once-unknown automaker BYD emerged from global electric car map. It is the world’s second-biggest producer of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, backed by U.S. billionaire investor Warren Buffett.
India is doing much the same: http://mnes.nic.in/
And to make you conservatives look even more wrong than usual… http://moneymorning.com/2009/08/03/china-economy-2/
It just goes to show that stimulus works - especially when it’s actaully put to work!
“He also pretended to care about nuclear power, clean coal, and offshore drilling. Is this guy kidding?”
Yes. He’s kidding people like you. This is a platitude for the right, who are famously dumb when it comes to energy.
Yes, Obama’s speech was full of the usual BS and platitudes. All SOTU speeches are. He also made some good points. I loved the crack about “I thought I’d hear more applause” from the Republicans when he brought up the FACT that he cut taxes (in fact, he cut more taxes last year than Bush EVER did in one year). But Republicans are hypocritical phonies who really do want America to fail just for the sake of blaming it on the Dems so they can regain power.
JMJ
January 28th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Look, I’m not very happy with Obama and the Dems. This administration is starting to look like Carter Redux (or should I say “Reflux?”). The biggest problem is that Obama is just not much of a parliamentarian, and his administration just doesn’t have any. Yeah, there’s Rahm, but he’s one of those “love ‘im or hate ‘im” kind of guys, and besides, the House is not the problem. Obama just doesn’t have anyone who can work the Senate. Biden has the same problem in the Senate that Emmanuel has in the House - they either love him or hate him. You need someone that everyone likes and respects, or at least fears. This is how great parliamentarian presidents work their magic (Johnson, the Roosevelts, Kennedy).
Unfortunately, great parliamentarians just can’t get elected president anymore - it’s just too easy to parlay their long and complex congressional histories into simplistic blunt weapons to hit them with (ie: “I voted for it before I voted against it”). The public is for the most part completely ignorant of the complexities of how the government really works, and so it’s just too easy to use comlpex voting histories on the Hill against opponents. So, Obama is yet another president who can’t get anything difficult done on the Hill. Sure, it’s easy to cut taxes, play the law ‘n order card, rally the people to war against poor dark-skinned people, etc. But to make truly deep changes - ending or starting major programs, making progressive changes to the tax code or trade or education and health sectors, etc - it takes someone with a lot of parliamentary muscle. Obama just doesn’t have it. If I were him, I’d shake up his cabinet. Recruit some of these old heavy-hitter retiring lawmakers, even some of the GOP ones. He’d better do something soon, or he’s heading straight for the ignominity of Carter-dom.
JMJ
January 28th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
JMJ:
“This administration is starting to look like Carter Redux ”
” He’d better do something soon, or he’s heading straight for the ignominity of Carter-dom.”
Gee, if I remember correctly poindexter here once told me that Carter was one the finest men to grace the halls of the white house.
“The public is for the most part completely ignorant of the complexities of how the government really works,”
Even the politicians and the ivy league liberal profesors are ignorant to how it works and you think you’ve got it down ?
Obama:
“i dont want to go litigating the past:
yeah ? Then leave our soldiers and the CIA the hell alone !
January 28th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
“He did a lousy job of explaining his program. That is his excuse.”
Prompter was probably acting up
Then again, I’m not so sure he had a clue what that program was except to destroy anything that works which really takes no explaining at all.
I mean really, do you think he has a clue when he proposes a spending freeze after running the country as broke as its ever been ?
What ? No money ? Okay, how bout a spending freeze, but better yet, before that, lets raise the debt ceiling.
Stupid, like cutting the top off your blanket and sewing it to the bottom because its too short
January 28th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Carter most certainly was one of the finest human beings to ever set foot in the White House. He also happened to be one of the least effective presidents. I think I’ve mad both those opinions very clear here before.
I wouldn’t say that I “have it down,” Micky, but I would say that I am far more informed as to the workings of our government than your average American. I actually pay attention to this sort of stuff. It’s one of my favorite passtimes. Most Americans simply don’t pay much attention to the workings of their government. That’s why they fall for stupid BS like “tort reform” and “allowing insurance companies to sell out of state.” Most Americans don’t even know where states end and the nation begins, legally. That’s why most Americans are too stupid to see that the recent SCOTUS ruling on campaign laws is the worst thing to happen to this country since the Free Trade. That’s why people like you are Republicans in the first place!
As for our soldiers and the CIA, they are the responsibility of our president. For him to “leave them alone,” would be a flagrant dereliction of his duties. I know you cons hate our constitutional civilian republic think we should live in a Martial State, but we have civilian controlled military and intelligence. Too bad for you.
JMJ
January 28th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
Perception in what you do with knowledge is far more important than the basic know.ledge itself.
You’re like the nuclear scientist thats not gonna use that knowledge to make life better for anyone
January 28th, 2010 at 6:46 pm
As for our soldiers and the CIA, they are the responsibility of our president. For him to “leave them alone,” would be a flagrant dereliction of his duties.”
You’re a hypocrite like the man you elected.
He said he didnt want to litigate the past.
then he should stand by his word (but as we all know now thats never gonna happen) stop going after everyone pre Obama era, specially the ones protecting your rump
January 28th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Jersey, from one man to another.
Knock off the “I’m so smart and the countrys full of idiots crap” just because ideals differ.
It makes you look the dumbest of all.
You elected thiis shmuck being so freeking smart so aint it about time you change your tune and stop blaming everyone else for your idiocy ?
January 28th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Oh please, Micky, you you darn well that most Americans - and poll after poll and study after study prove it - just don’t pay much attention to politics, law, economics, history and such. Take a look at the Nielsen TV ratings at any time. The only “news” shows that even show up are that Fox garbage for morons. Meanwhile, the vast majority of viewers are watching sports and entertainment shows.
Look at Arbitron. Again, the vast majority of radio listeners are listening to sports and entertainment. The few “news” outlets they listen to are “news/talk” formats that are really just idiotic, angry ranting of no substantial value.
Look at the decline in newspaper readership.
Look at the polls that ask people what they know about their country, the world, history.
Look at our rankings in education compared to the rest of the world.
It’s not that I’m so smart, Micky, or that I think I’m so smart. It’s that most Americans are simply not interested in these things. I know plenty of very smart people who have no interest in politics or history. We can’t all be interested in everything. I know how to play the guitar, but don;t ask me to fix a car. I know how to cook, but don’t ask me who is on the Top 40 this week. I know politics, but don’t ask me how to calculate the line torque needed to support a bridge span. We all can’t be “smart” about everything.
JMJ
January 28th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
The people dont want to nor should they have to be smart about the intricasies of government.
We want it small and easy enough to digest so that we dont have to jump thru philosophical and ideological hoops in order to select a government that supposed to really only do a couple things for us.
you could study history and political science till you find that parallel universe and you, i and everyone else would not be that much wiser as the players in government have tweaked fckd things up so bad no one could ever make sense of it anyway.
So when some bloated self absorbed snotty moron claims hes got a better grip on it than someone/anyone else I fall of my chair laughing my a$$off at the level of stupidity it takes to believe that.
Obama is the beginning of what it took for the great awakening to begin.
My line is unfortunately scratched into the hard, parched, and desolate ground that once was the hope and strength of the American Spirit, having been trampled on for so many years.
However, I see storm clouds on the horizon, and they look to be full of Freedom’s rain. I intend to drink deeply, plant seeds, and work until I see the fruits of my labors.
Playtime is over. Recess has been canceled. America is waking up, and we have a lot to do!
Poetry lessons over too
January 28th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
“It’s not that I’m so smart, Micky, or that I think I’m so smart. ”
then stop telling eveyone that you are.
two trains , one is leaving NY at 50 mph , the other is leaving SF at 100 mph 2 hours ahead of the NY train.
when they meet which one will be closest to SF ?
January 28th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
JMJ and Micky 2,
Do you guys have to get into a pissing fit every time eric posts? This should be a place where calm, intelligent and logical discussion takes place. Not were you argue about who’s the smarter blogger. You should both just pull them out and measure on the table if you’re both going to act like idiots.
Regarding the actual topic, last night my roommate asked me if I was going to listen to the State of the Union address. I said that if I wanted to listen to a bunch of crap, I’d turn on some Britney Spears. But I did go read a bit on some sites. Regarding the win by Scott Brown, he was just covering his cowardly behind. The Republicans could block any bill that comes there way. I don’t think they should say no because they want to. That is quite immature. But Obama doesn’t seem to understand they disagree with his ideas, rather than his own wonderful being.
January 28th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
Saunter.
i dont tolerate having idiotic crap spewed thats a detrement to the future of our country.
At every opportunity I find to confront this crap and do so as most
Americans should.
Theres entirely too much mis/disinformation being spread around that weve all grown complacent to and just bent over and accepted…
look what it got us !!!
No my friend, I’ve offered the olive branch of civil discourse and productive conversation to Jersey that could lead to a solution many times only to be subjected to condescending and more lies and unfounded ridiculous claims that hes never been able to prove. As a matter of fact I’ve lost count of all the lies and unsubstantiated claims hes made to which I’ve debunked, refuted, and proved are out right lies.
I’ve decided this and mentioned it in earlier posts that no ,longer will I attempt to engage in meaningful conversation with him but rather use him as an example of what it is this country needs to beware of the most.
Hes whats wrong with America
January 28th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
“Not were you argue about who’s the smarter blogger.”
Its not me who asserts that bs day after day.
Theres much,
i dont know, but since when did a decent set of morals determine intelligdencde
January 28th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
Micky,
I’ve read your posts and find that your values and mine often coincide. As for Jersey, not so much. But to him, his values hold just as much truth as yours do to you. I don’t think Jersey is correct quite often and when push comes to shove, those who know how to earn things for themselves are going to prosper. That’s basic survival 101. The world does not hand out anything. We must earn them ourselves.
My point remains that when your “discussions” become little more than insulting and mud-slinging, your valid argument becomes void. Micky, don’t stop arguing your beliefs and morals. But do know WHEN to stop. That way, you come out still right and with dignity intact.
January 28th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Well, Saunter, you seem reasonable. Just remember; Those who know how to lie, cheat and steal can “prosper” too, and they can keep other people, who full well know how to earn their own way, from earning their own way.
Let’s put it this way…
Micky said this: “The people dont want to nor should they have to be smart about the intricasies of government.
We want it small and easy enough to digest so that we dont have to jump thru philosophical and ideological hoops in order to select a government that supposed to really only do a couple things for us.”
He’s right, to a point. People want easy answers. They don’t want to know how the sausage is made - they just want it made so they can eat it. One of the things government does - or is supposed to do - is to make sure that lying, cheating thieves aren’t selling us poison sausage. The people DO NEED to understand, if not every intricacy, at least the fundamentals of government. Americans don’t, for the most part, even know that much.
And everyone has their own opinion of the “couple of things” they think the government should do, and when you add up all those various “couple of things” you realize that it’s all told thousands of things. Comes with the territory. We are a very large and diverse nation, after all. Any so easy answers and simplistic understandings are very unhealthy for our body politic.
…
January 28th, 2010 at 11:03 pm
Hmmm… can’t post the rest for some reason…
JMJ
January 28th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
its not a matter of opinion what the government is supposed to do for us. thats where liberals bring on the confusion.
they are supposed to keep us safe from foreign and domestic enemies and make sure that thyey dont decide what we get but protect the rights we already have.
our rights are inalienable and not givin to us by the government.
healthcare is not a right the government decides we are entitle to
January 28th, 2010 at 11:37 pm
Jersey,
Hey, thanks for replying. We, as Americans, have become a nation of “I want it right now!” Sad but true. But as much as I may want to buy that new Apple iPad, I simply cannot afford it. So in our need for immediate gratification, we’ll do just about anything to get it. Look at that health bill. Do we need changes to the health care insurance system? Perhaps in a few areas. It’s not the expansion of coverage, it’s the cost we need to lower. Do we need the current health care bill? No. Why? Because it’s filled with the “I want it right now!” crap. Changes to such a big issue cannot be addressed by a massive bill that, A) Nobody understands. It’s about a 1000 pages. B) Obama has not yet had any real luck with his other “stimulus bills”. Americans should be wary of such a sweeping change that is statistically unlikely to help us. But then again, they were filled with enough pork to make a slaughter house.
There are no easy answers. But the way we go about addressing problems is perhaps our fundamental difference. My take? Stop babysitting people. Teach them, and let them make their own choices.
January 28th, 2010 at 11:47 pm
sorry bout the typos, i’m eating a steak on a water bed with pug competing for it
January 28th, 2010 at 11:53 pm
“That’s why they fall for stupid BS like “tort reform”
like this crap here.
you mean to tell me that you dont believe limiting frivilous lawsuits wont reduce costs at astronomical levels ?
and because people want this you call them stupid.
thats wshy you get such little respect from me
January 28th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Well, I don’t know about all that babysitting stuff. I also don’t particularly care for the current senate healthcare bill. It has nothing to do with “I want it now.” That’s nonsense. We all need healthcare when we need it. Period. it should be a right, but we’re too stupid to make it so. It’s not the thousand pages, but what’s in them. It’s not that the stimulus has anything to do with it, because it doesn’t. If people did really understand the issue of healthcare, for example, there wouldn’t even be a debate. We’d have universal healthcare like every other civilized - and intelligent - nation on the planet. You’re fussing over the BS politics and not looking at the bigger picture. Big Insurance thanks you.
JMJ
January 29th, 2010 at 12:33 am
If they understood it there would be no need for debate.
i rest my case
January 29th, 2010 at 12:42 am
they want it now because they know they’re outta power, soon.
And there you go with the “stupid” crap again.
If we could just make rights with no debate because everyones too stupid to know the details you end up with Saddam.
No one cares about anyones healthcare, its about favors returned, for 2012 votes. At the cost of our great grankids financial futures.
yeah, jersey sees the big pic, were all simpleton idiots
January 29th, 2010 at 12:58 am
No, they want it now because these days if a bill hangs out too long it bloats, then shrivels, then dies. This also gets to the problem of the ignorance of our polity. We get too caught up in all the innane politics. Do you think the Patriot Act would have passed in anything like it’s form had it been bounced around the Hill for a year or two? (Too bad it didn’t… but I digress…)
“No one cares about anyones healthcare…”
Well, millions of people do. The problem is that many more millions of people, at any given moment, have good health and/or heath insurance. It’s not that people don’t care about the healthcare issue - it’s that they’re too stupidly short-sighted to care about it. Of course, you’re talking about pols. And you have a point. But again, it’s not because they all don’t care (I think most do), but they have to balance that with the legalized Big Insurance/Big Pharma/Hospital/AMA/ABA bribes they need to survive in the poitical arena. And now, thanks to the sleaziest SCOTUS in US history, they will be all the more beholden to those interests who REALLY don’t care about our healthcare.
JMJ
January 29th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
You made my point for me, they,re loosing support in every form, left and right.
And no, \not millions care about healthcare. In the beginning it was only 36 thousand. And by the way, most of usare happy with the coverage we have. we want reform, not to have the country turned on its head
January 29th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Well, I don’t see how this reform coming out of the Senate would turn anything on it’’s head. If anything, it’s sorta like Part D, except it’s Big Insurance instead of Big Pharma that’s getting most of the windfall this time. The problem is that too many people are uniformed enough to believe the misinformation coming from the interests in the status quo. In other words, if your stupid enough to believe Sean Hannity, or some other idiotic sleazy shmuck like him, when it comes to insurance reform, then you take the position than any and all reforms are bad. It’s not like the Right is offering any real reform. Tort reform is BS. Most torts are state matters. The federal gov’t can’t do bumsquat about that. Offering insurance accross state lines is fine, but only if the federal gov’t steps in to regulate it, because, again, as it stands now it’s a state matter, not a federal matter, unless the federal gov’t creates it’s own framework beyond the states. The Rightes want insurance accross state lines but without the federal gov’t involoved. It’s a non-starter and the righty pols know it. But people dumb enough to believe a liar scum like Sean Hannity don’t get that. So right there, two of the “reforms” offered by the right are BS, but the polity is too stupid to see it. These reforms sound great and seem easy (as usual), but they are smokescreens.
Yes, millions and millions of people, with and without insurance, want reform. They just aren’t informed enough to know what kind of reform we need and can accomplish.
JMJ
January 29th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
“Yes, millions and millions of people, with and without insurance, want reform. They just aren’t informed enough to know what kind of reform we need and can accomplish.”
There you go again, Mr. smarty pants who thinks he knows and is so much better aware of what kind of reform we need/want.
The people have stated what they want but you nannys think with your unfathomable wisdom that you’ll have to prescribe what were all too dumb to figure out.
We want senselesss litigation to stop, tort rform, so docs can practice without pasing ridiculous insurance rates onto us. We want cross state competition that will enable clompetitive pricing.
But mostly of all things we dont want is the fed runing our health care theway they’ve run everything else.
Of course the fed can do bum squat about state tort, ask anyone who got 30 million bucks and they’ll look at you like an idiot.
The majority of this country wants this bill scrapped and one that goes to the private sectlor encouraged.
Take your big a$$ government ideas and stick em.The country has had enough of your outrageous bigger governmrnt hold my hand crap.
Look around, wise up
January 30th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
The media / television / movies perpetuate the two hour solution to every intricate problem…and both Mickey and Jersey have good arguments, there is a reason so few democracies/republics prevail - it’s because most people want someone to take care of them…hence the ignorance at the polls and effectiveness of yellow journalism and faulty logic…and states forfeited most of their rights/power by accepting federal bribes, starting decades ago…blame that on FDR… even the Army National Guard - an entity designed to protect enemies foreign and domestic - has been federalized to the point of almost 100% federal funding and has gone from a strategic reserve to an operational one… As Jersey mentions - too much focus on what’s going on at Federal level has made us ignorant and powerless at state level - where a real republic needs to operate…