Last night President Obama delivered his 2014 State of the Union address promising “a year of action,” and declaring that the United States is better-positioned for the 21st century than any other nation on Earth, because we have:
- the lowest unemployment rate in over five years
- a rebounding housing market
- a manufacturing sector that’s adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s
- more oil produced, more oil produced at home than we buy from the rest of the world, the first time that’s happened in nearly twenty years
- our deficits cut by more than half;
- and for the first time, business leaders around the world have declared that China is no longer the world’s number one place to invest; America is.
Going forward, the President called for:
- Equal pay for women, saying “It is time to do away with workplace policies that belong in a “Mad Men” episode.”
- Lifting the minimum wage to $10.10.
- Reworking the corporate tax code, urging Congress to work with him to close “wasteful, complicated loopholes that punish businesses investing here.”
- Congress to lift restrictions on transferring detainees from Guantanamo Bay so the prison can be closed in 2014.
- Congress to help states make high-quality pre-K available to every 4-year-old.
Republican response
The official Republican response given by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington complained that Obama’s policies “are making people’s lives harder.”
“We hope the President will join us in a year of real action — by empowering people — not by making their lives harder with unprecedented spending, higher taxes, and fewer jobs,” she said.
Super Bowl
Despite last night’s snow and the frigid temps we’re having, AccuWeather predicts a high of 38° for Super Bowl Sunday with a small chance for a rain or snow shower in the morning and mainly cloudy during game time at MetLife Stadium.
As for the halftime show, news is that the collaboration between Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers will contain a version of Led Zeppelin‘s ‘Dazed and Confused.’
Talk the State of the Union, make your Super Bowl predictions….It’s your open thread. Let it unravel.
Please separate these two topics!
The President’s equal pay comment (while presiding over a White House that the NYTimes found pays women less) is a bit of a canard. Once you norm for major, occupation and sector within that occupation, it’s more like a 7% difference.
This is a good start on the subject: https://www.aauw.org/files/2013/02/graduating-to-a-pay-gap-the-earnings-of-women-and-men-one-year-after-college-graduation.pdf
Sativa over indica in the Chronic Super Bowl.
I firmly believe in equal pay for all eligible participants, therefore the players on the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks should all get the same amount. Unless they’re women, in which case they should also get hazardous duty pay.
It’s time for a Super Bowl Name That Drink!!!!
“President calls for Congress to help states make high-quality pre-K available to every 4-year-old.”
The official Republican response: Obama’s policies “are making people’s lives harder.”
I suppose they’re right, if the 4 year olds will start getting homework.
Spiro, you are SO CUTE. After all this time, you still think Obama can give a speech and magically make things happen, huh? And as more Dems in Congress and Senate admit to him never being around, never talking to them or playing the part, they realize one thing: they are on their own. Did you notice Schumer & NJ’s Menendez immediately go against Obama re: Iran?
So sure, blame the Repubs. Or Bush.
But sadly, the truth is, as anyone who read Remnick’s New Yorker piece can see, Obama looks and sounds like a lame duck (aka, a babysitter): just making sure nothing bad happens till it’s time to go.
Surely, you Dear Spiro must hurt a bit. No big plans, re-hash of old policies…. I hear he’s gonna close Guantanamo….. Just like the NSA will be reformed…. I also hear that Income inequality is ON THE RISE faster in the last few years (odd, he failed to mention exactly who was President during that time).
Best part was his bit about the daughter of a auto worker/son of a barkeep/son of a single mom. When he’s good he’s VERY good. (At giving a speech.)
That said, I always enjoy the State of the Union. Even when I disagree with the President.
Jeez, prof, I’d say that was a rather extended and blustery response to a relatively benign comment. Perhaps you should take a breather after your third Red Bull. But I’d agree, the President isn’t all he was hoped to be. (Unfortunately,neither is Christie, I might add ) . Nonetheless, many including myself have no regrets voting for Obama twice. I’m glad to have done my share in keeping Sarah Palin and those of her ilk far away from the White House all these years. I also like that the President made history, too. Twice. Paves the way for a better America down the road, wouldn’t you agree?
Your like a cuddly little puppy, Sipro. I just want to rub your cute little belly.
But you almost make me want to cry, being satisfied with, well, he “made history!” YaY!!! A Black guy was elected!! Forgive me if I find this line of reasoning a bit reductive.
And bringing up Christie is like a cry for help (I guess after 6 years, using Bush even for you, is dumb). But, your “no regrets” comment is most telling. You went from HOPE & CHANGE to he’s still better than Palin.
Oh, how far Obama has fallen if this is all Spiro can muster….
(“you’re” X2)
Good grief, Spiro, but you’re sounding especially pitiful tonight. I really hope that you don’t honestly imagine that the “better America” Obama is supposedly paving the way for entails Hillary Clinton as President.
Barring Iran exploding a nuke on Israel, that is.
Let me jump in here. I am just as anti tea party as the next guy but I hold Obama responsible for their existence. He promised to unite, miserably failed to unite and on the follow opened the door for those dopes in 2010. Not cool.
Arguing over who would or who has done a better job though is pointless. Income inequality is up as a result of the Fed being long $4 trillion. Even if one assumes a dem or repub can balance the budget it is meaningless with respect to the broader economy and the elephant in the room.
We need a third party that gets it.
We need a party for everyday of the week.
And good morning to you,too cathar! Glad to see you trolling again after months in your bunker. Despite the fact that your post was remarkably low in appeal or relevant content, I will go ahead and respond by telling you that I was open to supporting Christie’s bid for the presidency. Now that he’s likely to be doing other things instead, I’ll probably back Hillary. And, good morning to you too, Professor. It may seem flimsy to you for people to support Obama merely to keep the likes of Palin away from the White House, but I like it when the executive branch isn’t populated with people offering blather about America being their bizarre version of a “Christian” nation and offering the American people garbage mantras like “drill baby drill”. That kind of stuff belongs elsewhere.
Funny Spiro, Obama offered the same “garbage mantras” when he declared: “for the first time in 20 years, domestic oil production was greater than imports.”
How does one get oil (or natural gas for that matter)? By drilling. So in essence, Obama’s been drilling’ baby, drilling’. And frackin’.
For me, I’d rather the “Executive Branch” not be filled with someone who lies, can’t work with others, goes it alone, but worse: believes that by using “his pen” he’s comporting with the Constitution. (And before you answer, just remember, some folks will use your answer to support President Ted Cruz- God forbid- when he wants to use “his pen.”)
I guess it is a good thing that Harry Truman used “his pen” to desegregate the armed forces in 1948.
Otherwise, I wonder how long it would have taken?
Of course, this president is simply following the procedures of “non-comportment” with the Constitution demonstrated by these other enemies of the Constitution:
https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/orders/ https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/reagan.html
So glad to wake you, Cro.
But perhaps you should rub your eyes a bit and see how, in context of Obama not getting along and now going “rouge” (which, btw, he won’t to any significance) is more a showing of him pretending to be relevant and working, when as I wrote above- even he seems to know he’s tired and done with being President.
So yes. Glad you know about ol’ Mr. Truman and others who used their pen. But like so many other Democrats, Obama ain’t no Truman! Because Truman made threats and followed through- he was a tough son of a bitch (“the buck stops…”).
Obama meanwhile, gives a speech, passes the buck, makes his “pen” threat and you hear a collective “yawn.”
But yea, you’re right, otherwise, he’s just like Truman.
(Forgive me if I don’t step back in here, talking about Obama and his consequence, seems so 2010.)
Its your usual strategy, prof.
First, borrow the “wake up” line from cathar.
Then, put words in others’ mouths in an effort to distract them from the fact that you’ve been caught looking foolish (again).
Who said Obama was “like” Truman?
You spoke of using “the pen” as being somehow unconstitutional. When it is pointed out that other presidents have done so, and to a greater degree than Obama, you make a rather sad effort to suggest that I equated Obama with Truman. Its typical.
As for “following through” on threats well, I’d ask Bin Laden if Obama did that but he’s in no position to respond.
I hope spring break is coming up soon for you, prof. You’re really reaching, and could clearly use the R and R.
Remarkable… the word for 5-6 years of unprecedented opposition by a vocal GOP and daily harangues by radio entertainers sniping at every effort, yet progress as he listed it, see above. Remarkable….the identical records 13-3 of both teams, but brother Payton is a favorite to succeed for the Broncos. But the rough and tumble Seattle boys will be a handful. Good vs Evil, always a dramatic matchup. Let’s hope the wings, subs, chips, desserts and drinks are plentiful enough to get thru the evening. I can’t get over the stat that 85 people have 46% of the wealth and we are not rioting in the streets.
Jon Stewart spot on in responding to those who comically (no pun intended) claim that Republicans have ever tried to work with Obama:
“Even if you discount the horrible things House Republicans were tweeting during Obama’s speech, and the fact that congressional Republicans have obstructed more legislation, filibustered more nominees, and made Congress less productive than any Congress in history…ALL YOU NEED TO SEE THROUGH THEIR ACT IS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT EVEN BEFORE OBAMA WAS SWORN IN FOR HIS FIRST TERM, REPUBLICANS HAD VOWED TO BLOCK HIM AT EVERY TURN TO HURT HIM POLITICALLY.” (CAPS added)
https://theweek.com/article/index/255772/watch-the-daily-show-demolish-the-gops-bipartisan-pretenses