Thoughts on the State of the Union Address

President Obama delivered his first State of the Union address tonight in front of Congress and millions of Americans. His points delivered are outlined below, along with my thoughts and analysis of them -

• After his introduction and rather long winded talk about feeling American's pain through the letters he "reads every night", he jumped in to job creation. He began by mentioning that he has saved 2 million jobs over the last year, but then skipped right to his goal for this upcoming year - what he called a "Job Creations Bill". This bill would consist of tax incentives and cuts for small businesses, which is all fine and good (and got the right side of the room clapping), BUT it would also include taking $30 BILLION from big banks, and transferring it to community banks. Can we just say - Robin Hood?
  


• To the analysts great surprise, President Obama next talked about an issue that has seemed relatively dead for the past 6 months - climate change. This was lumped in with another surprise - offshore drilling! The President urged Congress to pass a "Comprehensive Energy and Climate Bill" - the title itself sounds a bit fishy. However, in the GOP Response, Bob McDonnell expressed his delight at bi-partisan solutions that this new energy bill will support.
  


• Third on the list of new bills to write up is the "National Export Initiative", which would ensure that U.S. exports double over the next 5 years. He expressed his concern at the fact that the United States is becoming "second place" in the world's trade markets and assured that he would not settle for second best.
  


• Education was next up and this was something that everyone was expecting him to hit hard on. He proposed, yes another bill - a bill that would "revitalize community colleges" and give $10,000 credits to American families for 4 years of college. He also said that debt accumulated while in college would be "forgiven" after 20 years, and 10 if you choose a career in public service. Can I just ask, where are we getting all these handouts?
  


• What used to be President Obama's hottest topic, was not mentioned until nearly his 5th bullet point - Health Insurance (yes he changed the name) Reform. His plea to Congress was simple: "Don't walk away. We are so close." After spending a few minutes bragging on the Congressional Budget Office's predictions of this reform saving us $1 trillion (over the next 20 years [that's a long time]) he moved on.
  


• Next up was a bashing session, although the proper title should be Deficit, which explains the bashing. Again it was all blamed on the past administration - "we took office amid a depression" he said. His plan to save us? A government freeze, effective in 2011, that would last for 3 years. He called on Congress to create a "Fiscal Commission", saying that he "refuses to pass this problem on to another generation of Americans." He also mentioned that he was here to "do our government openly... that's what I came to Washington to do." Um, what happened to those health care talks being broadcast on C-SPAN again?
  


• Here in the middle he merely commented on numerous issues including Lobbyists, Earmark Reform, and Partisanship (where he instructed the Democrats not to "run to the hills" because, you know what?, we have the largest majority we've had in decades, so let's take advantage of that! And to the Republicans, Leadership does not mean blocking every bill that tries to get through. Thanks.)
  


• The last portion of his speech focused on foreign relations. In respect to National Security, he emphasised that he will do whatever it takes to defend our nation. Then went on to say that all the troops will be out of Iraq by August. "This war is ending," he said, "and our troops are coming home." Really? Terrorism has been defeated?
  


• Nuclear Weapons. He likened himself to Ronald Reagan here, saying that they both wanted a world free of them. Hate to tell him, but that is unrealistic considering the world we live in. The President then made a promise - now mark this - PROMISE: IRAN WILL FACE GROWING CONSEQUENCES. Let's hold him to his word.
  


• He touched on human rights, and then announced that he was actively working to repeal the law that prohibits gays and lesbians to serve in the military. Gag.

Few side notes:

- He was interrupted 86 times at first count.

- I think it was completely inappropriate for him to have bashed the Supreme Court's ruling overturning McCain/Feingold - inducing the standing applause of the entire left side while all the judges could do was sit there and stare. This was an intimidation of another branch of government that was absolutely improper.

- The tone of the whole speech was very strained.

- See the full transcript HERE.

UPDATE: Obama used the words I, I'll, or I'm 152 times during the speech.

UPDATE 2: "Gaff" of the night? Supreme Court Judge Samuel Alito mouthed the words "Simply not true" during the President's bashing of the Supreme Court ruling discussed above. I'm glad they were as disgusted as I was.

Tim Kaine for DNC Chair

As we prepare for today's debate between the Republican candidates for party chair, the media is buzzing with the news that Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has been nominated by Barack Obama to be the new Democratic Party Chair.  This should be very interesting.  

When you think of Governor Tim Kaine, what do you think of as his accomplishments?  Honestly it seems to be the national media attention he has received.  It began with the Democratic rebuttal to the State of the Union Address in 2006, and then this year has been round the clock media coverage with Kaine's support for Obama.  

It appears this is simply a pay back by Obama for political support during the presidential race.  Governor Kaine has accomplished very little as governor.  One of the biggest issues of his campaign was solving the transportation issue.  Governor Kaine has failed on that front, and spent this year campaigning instead of solving that issues, and now he faces a multi million budget shortfall and will be only a part time governor now.  

Even on the political front Kaine has failed.  He has failed to defeat some of his top targets in the general assembly: Ken Cuccinelli, and Jeff Frederick.  He has failed to unite his party heading into this year's executive elections in Virginia, and even with the nationwide destruction of the Republican brand he was only able to take a slim lead in the senate, and failed to take control in the house.  Honestly most of the Democrats recent success in Virginia is due to Mark Warner and not Tim Kaine.  If Kaine brings that kind of success to the DNC, the Republicans might really have a chance in 2010.

The other interesting thing with Tim Kaine as Democratic Chair is his arched left eyebrow.  Tim Kaine's arched left eyebrow has earned him such nicknames as "Tim Eyebrow Kaine" and "Unibrow."  

Seriously, how does a picture like that not make you laugh?  

On a more substantive note Governor Kaine can also be something of a loose cannon.  When he was basically campaigning for the vice presidential nod, Governor Kaine received a lot of flack over comments he made during the Georgia/Russian conflict over the summer while talking about Barack Obama's diplomatic abilities.

“It was a bad crisis for the world. It required tough words but also a smart approach to call on the international community to step in. And I’m very, very happy that the Senator's request for a ceasefire has been complied with by President Medvedev.”

The problem with this quote was that the Russians did not agree to a ceasefire at that time, McCain had called for one earlier, and it reveals a certain sense of pompous arrogance to think that just because Obama called for it, it happened.  I was going to post a You Tube video of the comment so you could see the eyebrow in action, but all the videos of it I could find said "This video has been moved due to terms of use violation."  I wonder why You Tube really removed that video...

After the election, Kaine also made another revealing statement.  It didn't receive anywhere near as much flack since it wasn't said till after the election.

“Let’s be realistic,” Kaine said, using the words “challenging times” several times in his remarks to VSU officials, faculty and students. “You don’t run for governor to make budget cuts.”

If only this statement was made before the election it might have been interesting.

I have also noticed a general inability for Kaine to accurately use historical references in major speeches including his inaugural address, the Tech shooting speech, and his state of the commonwealth addresses.  I wonder if the national media will pick up on that as Governor Kaine receives more national attention.

It should be very interesting and a lot of fun having Governor Kaine as Democratic Party Chair, hopefully we can win big in Virginia in 2009, and then in the midterms.  Meanwhile, for the good of the commonwealth, I hope we can fix the financial state of the commonwealth and the transportation issue in the upcoming session.

Gut Reactions to the President's State of the Union Address

1. Nancy Pelosi: I'm sorry if I offend any women who may read this blog, but I got real tired real fast of the number of times Tim Russert and Brian Williams brought up the fact that the house was being presided over by the first female speaker. During Condoleeza Rice's confirmation hearings for Secretary of State did everyone drool over the fact that she could be the first Female African American Secretary of State? No! They went after her tooth and claw. Just as an aside, when Democrats propose minority candidates for important positions they are given all teh attention in the world, Obama and Clinton. When Republicans do the same thing they are reviled, Blackwell, Swann, Steele, Rice, Powell, Estrada, Owens, Janice Rogers Brown...

2. Healthcare and Education: Even though I doubt much of what the president said concerning these subjects will be heeded, I loved watching the Democrats grimace when the president said the word "privatization"

3. Energy: The president's proposals on the subject were nice, but all demanded more government intervention, regulation on fuel types and standards, and increasing SPR. I was waiting for the president to say, "...and as we actively pursue the development of alternative fuels we need a steady supply of non-mideast oil. That's why I'm once more reccomending that you open up ANWR and the OCS to drilling."

4. Judges: The president once again called for the speedy confirmation of judges. It's definitely an important thing. The lack of judges is holding up the courts. The fourth circuit is missing one third of its members. However, its a little to late. Thanks to eh incompetence of Frist and antics of McCain and co. the constitutional option was never exercised. with Leahy in charge of the judiciary committee things will go at a murderously slow pace. Also... Can anyone explain why the issues of judges wasn't campaigned on in the midterms as it was in the president's reelection? Might it have done more to galvanize the base?

5. Protection of Marriage: You may see this and think, "Did the president even mention marriage in the speech? If you are that's my point. It seems to me like the FMA was a political ploy campaigned hard on in the president's reelection campaign to galvanize the base, but practically ignored in the last two years. Sorry... It was voted on in the summer by congress in an attempt to show conservatives that teh Republicans are conservative to. Why couldn't the president throw in two lines about the FMA?

6. Immigration: I'm sorry. I have totally had it with the president on immigration. Instead of cozying up to your non-base, can you just keep this country safe Mr. President?

7. Iraq: It's really simple. We need to win. Sadly the Democrats and the RINO's are invested in our defeat. If you don't believe me go back and watch the video of the speech. Every time teh president mentioned victory in Iraq, the Democrats sat on their hands. How can people who don't even want us to win help create a constructive proposal on the subject? Ironically even though the D's oppose victory in Iraq, they cheered wildly whenever teh president encouraged us to support the troops. Explain that one please.

8. Senator Webb's Response: I won't say to much. However... I didn't realize until last night how captivating an orator this state elected. Before I proceed I would like to thank Sen. Webb and his family for their service in America's military. Everyone who serves in that capacity deserves our gratitude for those actions, including Sen. Kerry. However... Being a foot soldier qualifies no one to be an arm chair general, to assume that they always no better than the presiden and his advisors and can run this war. I am sick of people like Sens. Webb, McCain, Kerry, and Grahm who say, "I was a foot soldier thirty years ago. I'm an expert on all things military." In much the same way that I as a grocery clerk am not an expert on how to run a grocery store, Sen. Webb is not an expert on how to run a war. As a Democrat who opposes victory this is also a war he doesn't want us to win.

These sure are tough times. Keep working hard for God and country.