This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
The Less 'Hoping & Dreaming', More 'Believing' State Of The Union Post-Mortem
President Obama unveiled 12 key executive actions in his 6,778 word tome this evening at a reading level that was lower than the average of George W. Bush's SOTUs and the same as Clinton's (Flesch-Kincaid 9.8). From 'raising the minimum wage' to 'myRA' savings plans ("a guaranteed return with no risk"?) and from redesigned high schools to teach real-world skills (like EBT-card-usage?) to increasing college opportunities (blowing that bubble even bigger), it was a corporate-bashing, hopeful-job-creating manifesto that had less "hopes" and "dreams" than MLK's speech, but more "believing."
Joe Biden loved it...
The speech summarized...in words...
for a quick comparison -
- MLK's "I have a dream" speech had 3 "believes", 4 "hopes", and 11 "dreams"...
- Tonight's SOTU had 10 "believes", only 1 "hope", and a disappointing 9 "dreams"
- Priorities for the Fed - Jobs 39 - 2 Stocks
- So much for inequality - Rich 1 - 1 Poor
in pictures...
and in headlines...
- *OBAMA URGES CONGRESS TO RAISE NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE TO $10.10
- *OBAMA SEEKS TO LIMIT RETIREMENT TAX BREAKS FOR WEALTHIEST
- *OBAMA TO START 4 NEW MANUFACTURING INSTITUTES IN 2014
- *OBAMA TO MEET CEOS THIS WEEK ON HIRING LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED
- *OBAMA REITERATES CALL TO END FANNIE, FREDDIE `AS WE KNOW THEM'
- *OBAMA ANNOUNCES 12 EXECUTIVE ACTIONS IN STATE OF UNION SPEECH
- *OBAMA TO RAISE FEDERAL CONTRACTOR MINIMUM WAGE TO $10.10/HR
- *OBAMA PROPOSES NEW INCENTIVES FOR ALTERNATIVE-FUEL TRUCKS
- *OBAMA SEEKS TO REVIVE EXPIRED TAX CREDIT FOR BIOFUELS
- *OBAMA SAYS IN STATE OF UNION `GIVE AMERICA A RAISE'
- *OBAMA PLANS INFRASTRUCTURE TAX CREDIT FOR ALTERNATIVE FUELS
- *OBAMA SEEKS TO CREATE BUSINESS ZONES AROUND FRACKING
- *OBAMA SAYS 2014 CAN BE `BREAKTHROUGH YEAR' FOR U.S.
- *OBAMA REITERATES VETO THREAT ON POSSIBLE NEW IRAN SANCTIONS
The 12 Key Executive actions...
The President’s top priority remains ensuring middle class Americans feel secure in their jobs, homes and budgets. To build real, lasting economic security the President will work with Congress and act on his own to expand opportunity for all so that every American can get ahead and have a shot at creating a better life for their kids.
Middle Class Security & Opportunity at Work
Raising the Minimum Wage through Executive Order to $10.10 for Federal Contract Workers. The President will also continue to urge Congress to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 across the nation because no one who works full-time should have to raise their family in poverty.
Creating “myRA” – A New Starter Savings Account to Help Millions Save for Retirement. The President will take executive action to create a simple, safe and affordable “starter” retirement savings account available through employers to help millions of Americans save for retirement. This savings account would be offered through a familiar Roth IRA account and, like savings bonds, would be backed by the U.S. government.
Building a 21st Century Workplace for America’s Working Families. The President will host a summit on Working Families to highlight the policies that will ensure America’s global economic competitiveness by supporting working families; showcase companies doing exemplary work in this space; and highlight model laws and policies from cities and states across the country in areas such as discrimination, flexibility and paid leave.
Jobs & Economic Opportunity
Launching Four New Manufacturing Institutes in 2014. American manufacturers are adding jobs for the first time in over a decade. To build on this progress, the President will launch four new institutes through executive action this year. These institutes will build on the four the President has already announced.
Government-wide Review of Federal Training Programs to Help Americans Get Skills in Demand for Good Jobs. The President is directing the Vice President to conduct a full review of our federal job-training system to make sure programs are higher performing and driven by the needs of employers which are hiring so that they lead to well-paying jobs. In the coming months, we will help community colleges build partnerships with businesses so that as industries’ skills needs change community colleges can quickly adapt.
Partnering With Many of America’s Leading CEOs to Help the Long-Term Unemployed. Later this week, as part of an ongoing effort that the Administration began several months ago, the President will convene a group of CEOs and other leaders around supporting best practices for hiring the long-term unemployed.
Expanding Apprenticeships by Mobilizing Business, Community Colleges and Labor. This year the President will mobilize business leaders, community colleges, Mayors and Governors, and labor leaders to increase the number of innovative apprenticeships in America.
Increasing Fuel Efficiency for Trucks. The President will propose new incentives for medium- and heavy-duty trucks that run on alternative fuels like natural gas and the infrastructure needed to deploy them, and the Administration will set new fuel efficiency standards for heavy duty vehicles.
Partnering with States, Cities and Tribes to Move to Energy Efficiency and Cleaner Power. The President has directed his Administration to work to cut carbon pollution through clean energy and energy efficiency.
Schools & Education Opportunity
Connecting 20 Million Students in 15,000 Schools to the Best Technology to Enrich K-12 Education. The FCC is making a major down-payment on the President’s ConnectED goal of connecting 99% of students to next-generation broadband and wireless technology within five years. In the coming weeks the President will announce new philanthropic partnerships – including by companies like Apple, Microsoft, Sprint and Verizon.
Redesigning High Schools to Teach the Real-World Skills That Kids Need. This year, the Administration will announce the winners of a $100 million competition supporting redesigned high schools that give high school students access to real-world education and skills.
Increasing College Opportunity and Graduation. Building on the success of the President and First Lady’s College Opportunity Summit, in the coming months the President is asking colleges and universities, nonprofits and businesses to work with him on ways to improve students’ access to and completion of higher education.
And a key paragraph for all (even Tom Perkins?)...
Today, after four years of economic growth, corporate profits and stock prices have rarely been higher, and those at the top have never done better. But average wages have barely budged. Inequality has deepened. Upward mobility has stalled. The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by – let alone get ahead. And too many still aren’t working at all.
Our job is to reverse these tides. It won’t happen right away, and we won’t agree on everything. But what I offer tonight is a set of concrete, practical proposals to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class, and build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class. Some require Congressional action, and I’m eager to work with all of you. But America does not stand still – and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that’s what I’m going to do.
Ron Paul sums it up...
Well, I certainly didn't learn anything new from this sp
Full speech below:
»
- 22562 reads
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
- advertisements -
Apparently Mike Lee and Rand Paul are both giving one but I haven't seen them anywhere yet.
"THAT WAS IT? THAT WAS THE OPPOSITION REBUTTAL?"
What were you expecting, and honest candor speeech like: "My < strikethru>fellow</strikethru> enslaved americans, you are all f*cked. Nothing the gov't can do will fix your problems or the economy. We are all a bunch of two faced liers who will sweet talk you so you will vote for us so we don't have to share your hardships. Its all downhil from here. Start smok'n crack and assume the crash position. Oh we are going to take away all of your liberties away since your too stupid to retain them."
How's that?
THIRD PARTY REBUTTAL: "We will tell you the truth but is so goomly and dreadful that you rather listen to the other parties that sweet talk you into believing of a ridiculous lovely future, filled with Unicorns that poop skittles. Because our message is so realistic and gloomy, you don't want to hear what we have to say, and you quickly tune into listen the other candidates."
Hows that?
/humor
AGuy,
That's exactly what should have been said. Good one.
As some HSBC customers found out, we are now entering the Cashless Society phase of the New World Order (NWO). If you are a peasant and try to have too much cash in the form of paper currency, you are a threat to the NWO. Obama left unsaid in his speech who his organ grinder is. Maybe that information is in the unreleased Snowden papers. My guess is the Carlyle Group is Obama's organ grinder. And the Carlyle Group probably gets its marching orders from a secretive "bank" in Switzerland.
Cool GIF. Does anyone have the ability to capture the brief cutaway to McCain after Obama reiterated that "we have to" try negotiations with Iran?
Fuckin pricelessssss, Precious.
Now I'm ascurrrd.
Gold, Bitcoin, and a way out! See ya!
MyRA! Hey, lets get suckers to buy our crappy US bonds.
Up until tonight he was just toying around, just inserting the tip up in our collective ass.
Now he's gonna go ballz deep.
Hoo RAHHHHHHHHHH!
If a little bit of govdick is good, mo' guvdick must be betta! Take your wallet, put it between your teeth and bite down hard, Mac-Daddy's a comin' in!
OC Sure:
"THAT WAS IT? THAT WAS THE OPPOSITION REBUTTAL?
TOOTHPICKS IN MY TEMPLE, PLEASE!!
THIRD PARTY REBUTTAL???????????????????? ANYONE?"
In order to have a third party rebuttal, we'd need a second party. We don't have one. We have a King with his ballwashers.
This speech doesn't really matter..as much as the CNN focus group. Now those opinions matter.
Who wrote this shit! Tom Perkins?
Vomit.
The only thing worse was the Republicrat and Tea Party Faker rebuttal speeches.
Hey so I checked out some comments on daily kos (a kind of ideological tourism).
Have you guys heard of this "Tea Party"? Apparently they are all very racist and dislike everything Mr. Obama said because he's black.
I think someone wrote "war is over" but I'm finding it hard to discern the writer's sarcasm.
Obama sounded very African tonite. Kinda like a young Robert Mugabe.
As a non-US citizen, I was wondering whether your President was generally considered as "half-white" or "half-black".
Enquiring minds want to know...
The history of the economics of slavery justified racism, and that process drove the view of miscegenation to become that any mixture of "black" with the "white" resulted in that still being "black." Indeed, the overall genetics of the so-called "black people" in America is at least one quarter "white" genes. However, the history of the language has certainly resulted in people who are half "white" being referred to as "black." Indeed, even one quarter or more, such as one sixteenth "black," still get labelled "black," even though, from a genetic point of view, they are way more "white" than "black." Therefore, spdrdr, assuming your question was not a joke, the answer, I believe, is that Obama is regarded as "black," not "half-white."
Rad Mari - Good answer, but if you look at who qualifies as Indian in order to run the casinos in CT for example, one has to be 1/32nd Indoian to qualify. Black people got that mixture ratio diluted by law from 1/8 to 1/32nd and promptly stole the casino and its lands from the real American Indians.
So sometie the history of language would call them "black" however if there is a casino invilved they want to be considered 1/2 Amwerican Indian. Oh yeh... Senator Elizabeth Warren is 100% white anglo, she was just lying at Harvard Univ. wabout being 1/8 Indian. where some how she taught law or something. Unbelievable ....She is about as dumb as a stump.
Seriously, no joke. BHO has been lauded as "America's first black President" in the international press since 2008. However, upon any rational examination of the facts, he's not. Definitions, however, obviously deliniate the ambit of the discussion...
Query to the first poster on this part of the thread, comparing him to a young Mugabe.
Half-baked describes this president more accurately.
Fuck the SOTU and the Volt it rode in on.
Oh shits! I was hoping more slave labor in the US. Guess I'll have to put my dimes somwhere else...
Don't worry the $10.10 minimum wage line was a pipe dream and Democrats/GOP both will try to push immigration hard before the midterm. Only thing that will get pushed hard this year. Democrats want to curry favor and grab the Mexican vote and the GOP wants to make their US Chamber Commerce masters happy especially with a huge expansion in visa quotas.
Problem is that that even as wages have fallen in the US along with the unit costs of production the 'reshoring' of US jobs that was supposed to reoccur in large numbers hasn't occurred especially in manufacturing. In fact, I just got the latest McKinsey report today from an old school colleague. Instead of 'reshoring' the new consultant buzzword is 'nearshoring' meaning the multinationals will locate workers in factories & production where growth rates are high & other countries have several stipulations on foreign companies entering their market.
I emailed her and gave her a hard time because the report didn't have any numbers/predictions on what 'nearshoring' meant for US-based employment thorugh '20. Basically said I guess McKinsey got burnt so bad on their laughable 'reshoring' job prediciton numbers from '09-'10 that weren't even making any public predictions this time. Got back a tursely-worded email but my initial thoughts were correct were correct.
As several comments on Zero Hedge mentioned, there were virtually no good public rebuttals, since the entire system has been too successfully sown up, as an integrated machinery of legalized lies, backed by legalized violence, wherein progress in science and technology is driving towards computers with increasing artificial intelligence, BUT, all of that gets applied through social pyramid systems which depend upon backing up lies with violence in order to operate, which means that those social pyramid systems are based upon deliberate ignorance, or artificial stupidity, made and maintained because the entire system was built on the foundation of backing up frauds with force, which process is the source of artificial stupidity, which only gets amplified to more astronomical sizes by the increasing achievements of artificial intelligence.
AMERICA SYMBOLIZES THE CONTRADICTIONS OF NEOLITHIC CIVILIZATION SIMULTANEOUSLY HEADING TOWARDS MORE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND EVEN MORE ARTIFICIAL STUPIDITY. Of course, Obama's speech demonstrates that demented dilemma, and that is underscored by the ways that there are no coherent rebuttals made within the public space, because, so far, the ARTIFICIAL STUPIDITY is controlling the uses made of the emerging ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
America achieved the abilities to create artificial intelligence inside of a society controlled by artificial stupidity, like through algos operating at the speed of electricity, trading with each other "money" made out of nothing as debt, resulting in America's awesome creative capacities being strangled to death by debt system insanity. None of the ways of thinking that made the real development of accumulating artificial intelligence possible are allowed into the political processes which are based on adamant artificial stupidity. Therefore, public speeches from President Obama are the articulations of a professional liar and immaculate hypocrite, within the social context where those kinds of public lies and hypocrisies have become so overwhelmingly dominant that there are practically no good rebuttals allowed to be presented in the public space, since that public space manifests PRIMARILY ARTIFICIAL STUPIDITY, AIDED AND ABETTED BY EMERGING SECONDARY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, WHICH IS NOT ALLOWED TO CHANGE THE WAYS THAT ARTIFICIAL STUPIDITY CONTROLS CIVILIZATION.
Sure, but what have you done today to increase the entropy in The Matrix?
The entropy of my entropy is my freedom.
"... The entropy of my entropy is my freedom."
Cute transcendental poetry, Johnny Cocknballs.
Way excellent thoughts, dude, especially with ALL the capitals and italics and bolding, and shit.
Sure you shouldn't change your name to Mr. Smoke-too-much?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz2LaJOVAiA
The only way the Obama speech looks competent by comparsion was by the two from the GOP and the 'Tea Party.' GOP response as many GOP buzzwords for GOP bingo as Obama's speech did from Democrat bingo.
At least Obama said specific stuff that wasn't going to get accomplished again. GOP speech was more generalities and at worst admonishing people because they aren't responsible. Jr. High School council presidents give more compelling speeches. Say something, anything specific as a counterpart.
Both parties with some exceptions on the ends are fine with a massive gov't surveillance and security appartus that is largely unchecked. Only thing I was glad to see tonight was Obama emphasizing negiotations with Iran. If the GOP warmongers who gave him dirty looks and mocked him, let their sons and daughters be the first to be sent over in harm's way.
Democrats are rudderless and adrift with no compelling vision or outlook, the GOP (especially the House GOP) has been increasingly craven and content to do nothing, and both parties are run by large corporate interests that are pushing immigration and a massive & free-sprawling free trade agreement in almost relative secrecy that will make NAFTA look like small potatoes.
America is going to resemble a country like Brazil with the only caveats being the US started off from a much better position. 10-15% (maybe 20%) who live well and the rest well they will largely have to just survive to varying degrees and it is comign alot sooner than most people think unless we have a major & unexpected tipping point.
It was mostly well-delivered Newspeak, but the Iran stuff, oddly neglected here, was good. Important. The look on McCain's face suggests a man who is become quite unhinged.
The neocons will not give up on significant airstrikes on Iran and I do not think they will settle for the start of Hillary's installment to get it.
Obama is at least fending off and even splitting the Likudnik 5th Column.
That makes them significantly more dangerous, of course.
Guaranteed return with no risk. That's MyRa? Make it MyRaCle and wait for the Cle-part where you can shove the guarantees up your ass and the return into NirVana.
Didn't watch it. Went to an AA meeting to stay grounded instead. My friend died of a heart attack while arguing with his brothers about how bad Obama was. Not gonna let that fucker kill me.
Amen Brother
I haven't drank in 6 years myself, and boy, if that doesn't open your eyes and soul, nothing will.
Staying grounded in the Creator in these times is essential.
A mark is coming very quickly. I pray God empowers me enough to refuse it. I beseech that God enables me, when the time comes,
that whomever is in power says that I cannot worship my Creator, and that if I do, I must die.
Off with my head with pleasure. What a wonderful time we live in!
Fortunately, since he never accomplishes his goals, they are nothing to be concerned about.
He is going to accomplish more golf vacations than he will goals this year
It gauls me to no end that the GOP wlll trot out a women with a child with Down's Syndrome tonight and then says it is about 'personal responsibility' yet refuses to issue even the most basic policy outline as a counter to Obamcare.
It has been 5 FREAKING years since the PPACA passed. What the hell are they waiting for? Romney/Ryan ducked it during their presidental run except to trot out the same old tired GOP mantras (cap punitive malpractice damages which won't do $hit to te cost of care as evidenced but what Texas has already had in place for over a decade; sell policies across state lines which would require reworking several massive pieces of legislation regarding state oversight of insurance regulations; and a vague tax credit with no specifics mentiond). The only thing that changes was magically insurers would somehow have to take all people regardless of preexisting condition and couldn't risk-adjust their premium based upon health status. Actuarial science and risk pools be damned.
I'm a healthcare economist and Obamacare is a horribly complex piece of legislation that builds upon a terrible and highly-flawed piecemeal delivery and payment system. Hatch/Wyden plan would have been the way to go all along and if we had a more moderate system we would have proceeded down that road. Instead we're stuck with turd that is Obamacare and not a single viable policy altnerative from the GOP in 5 yeas. It's pathetic.
I understand your frustration, but there is a very good reason the GOP doesn't offer an alternative to the Affordable Care Act. The ACA IS the GOP plan. It was developed in the bowels of the Heritage Foundation, and Mr. Romney made it state policy in Massachusetts. What was the idiot going to say on the campaign trail, "I was against it after I instituted it."?
I love Peter Schiffty. Was he born that stupid, or did he have to work at it?
If I saw the Obama year-of-action figure coming down the road, my car door locks would go ka-thunk.
A sad day for Americans - I really feel sorry for you lot. A once great nation crumbles in just 5 years under Obozo. 3 more years of this tosser.
Please don't worry about us. Focus instead on your ignorance and economic illiteracy. This once great nation has been on an economic decline for over forty years. And at first glance, the 2016 front runners offer much the same as the current big bank/financial services industry whore.
Had my....personal void constitutional - was more productive than listening to this puppet pant-load ...
FUCK Obama
Joe Biden disgraces the office - but so what? It's meaningless and a side show. The fuck
damn that pos is full of crap
So we've moved from "hope", a sentiment you can have while conscious, to "dream"...one for which you must be asleep and semi-conscious at best. Seems fitting, doesn't it?
Is anyone else of the opinion that we would all be better off if he and the Congress didn't do anything at all?
I don't mind what Congress does, as long as they don't do it in the streets and frighten the horses.
Victor Hugo
I don't mind what Congress does, as long as they don't do it in the streets and frighten the horses.
Victor Hugo
Wow, that's a lot of work to be done by a CONgress that comes in on Tuesday and leaves on Thursday and manages only to have lunch with lobbyists on Wednesday...
How very clever, holding off on mandating a minimum wage increase now, rather with fellow democrats saving it as a wedge issue during the run up to the 2014 elections. Isn't that sort of conspiracy covered under the RICO act?
You're a pawn Barry.
And now you are a lame duck too Barry.
Go fuck yourself Barry.
The State of The Union message in a nut shell is more of the same. Many Americans continue to tire of President Obama as his continued promises often fall short and never seem to gel or come to fruition. Promises of gun control, immigration reform, and a healthcare system that works for all of us are just a few examples of where the President and Washington have disappointed America. Cheap tricks used in the past like pointing to a special guest, "an average American" brought to Washington as a "visual prop" as proof that policies are paying off for the masses can only carry us so far. When we inspect the economy of America, huge deficits, a weak recovery, and a questionable future will cast a shadow over all new promises made. More on the SOU speech in the post below,
http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2014/01/current-state-of-union.html
So fascist corporate slave camps for work and death camps for those who disagree. Got it.
He didn't call for pot legalization. Perhaps he is afraid the GOP House would actually do it.
WTF? Didnt get to hear him rip the asshole of a Supreme Court Justice this year. He is losing his charm.
He has given so many speeches - they all blend together into a monotonous drone...nothing ever happens and in a few days he'll have another speech for us - oh and the summit on Working Families- that will be another chance to hear him talk about himself - can't hardly wait....fail...
"The President will also continue to urge Congress to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 across the nation because no one who works full-time should have to raise their family in poverty."
To bad you didn't pay attention in high school, right? Too busy rutting or watching American Idol. Now, you have no skills or knowledge worth more than minimum wage and you bitch that you can't raise a family on that. Tough.
"Just wait 'till you see what replaces it..."
"Let me be clear, a lot of folks would agree that becoming the New Argentina is something to look forward to"