I don't think I can bear to watch the State of the Union address tonight since it's just another excuse for Obama to head out on the road to repeat his telepromptered nonsense to adoring crowds:
The president’s speech, described by White House officials as an expansion of January’s inauguration theme of “opportunity for all,” will kick off a week of campaign-style Obama travel designed to pressure GOP lawmakers to bend to the wishes of a majority of Americans -- or risk their election-year wrath.Of course. There's little to no evidence that this approach puts any pressure on Congress, a co-equal branch of government with which this President couldn't be bothered. Tonight he'll stand before this useless rabble and repeat his tattered and tired platitudes: "fair shot" and "we can't cut our way to prosperity" and "balanced approach."
One thing I'm confident Obama won't say is anything to betray that he gives a whit about the national debt. He just doesn't care. And even though most Americans agree that spending is out of control, he'll keep pushing his "Life of Julia" dependency on government, paid for by "the rich" and future generations.
No thanks.
Extra - I'm not alone. Legal Insurrection: "Will not watch." However, I will be watching "Justified" at 10 EST.
More - The SOTU seating chart.
7 comments:
2013:
"it's just another excuse for Obama to head out on the road to repeat his telepromptered nonsense to adoring crowds... Of course. There's little to no evidence that this approach puts any pressure on Congress, a co-equal branch of government with which this President couldn't be bothered."
2005:
"From the Boston Globe: “As President Bush continued to press his case to remake Social Security, key senators from both parties yesterday urged him to delay his push to partially privatize the retirement system, in light of the considerable political stumbling blocks that have emerged.”
No, no, step on the gas. Force Congress to admit there’s a problem and then roll out the full plan and debate. I promise there’s more silent support for Social Security reform then people realize."
---
2013:
"Tonight he'll stand before this useless rabble and repeat his tattered and tired platitudes: "fair shot" and "we can't cut our way to prosperity" and "balanced approach."
2005:
"Message to Iran: “As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you” Nice.
Geez, I almost teared up when Dubya introduced that Iraqi woman in the President’s box. Same with the Marine's mom & dad, and the hug.
Good finish: [the road ahead] "leads to freedom."
I see Obama filled his quota very quickly: "Most Americans – Democrats, Republicans, and Independents – understand that we can’t just cut our way to prosperity. They know that broad-based economic growth requires a balanced approach to deficit reduction, with spending cuts and revenue, and with everybody doing their fair share."
Obama's speeches are now written by South Park manatees pushing campaign bromides around.
The premise of those two sentences would be a little more vapid and generic if it hadn't just whipped the GOP's ass in a national election.
Yes, and from the budget to sequester to gun control to immigration, the White House's is wielding the great power of office by whining: "When is Congress doing to DO something?"
Tomorrow Obama's going to answer questions on Google Hangout. It's called leadership.
Publicly lobbying Congress to act is bad. But unilateral executive orders and recess appointments are also bad! I wonder which kind of bad that bad Obama will be bad at tomorrow!
---
From the 2004 State of the Union:
"Key provisions of the PATRIOT Act are set to expire next year... You need to renew the PATRIOT Act."
"Congress has some unfinished business on the issue of taxes. The tax reductions you passed are set to expire. Unless you act, the unfair tax on marriage will go back up."
"I urge you to pass legislation to modernize our electricity system, promote conservation, and make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy."
"This will require that Congress focus on priorities, cut wasteful spending, and be wise with the people's money."
"Tonight I also ask you to reform our immigration laws so they reflect our values and benefit our economy."
"Members of Congress, we must work together to help control those costs and extend the benefits of modern medicine throughout our country. Meeting these goals requires bipartisan effort... To make insurance more affordable, Congress must act to address rapidly rising health care costs."
"By Executive order, I have opened billions of dollars in grant money to competition that includes faith-based charities. Tonight I ask you to codify this into law, so people of faith can know that the law will never discriminate against them again."
Today, multi-issue advocacy in a State of the Union speech is a whiny failure to lead (D-IL). But once upon a time, identical rhetorical advocacy inspired "Wednesdays are for W - It's important" (R-TX).
If only he could sign an executive order to compel himself to submit a budget.
But then he'd probably ignore himself and blame Paul Ryan.
Unquoted whining from Obama’s State of the Union, begging for somebody else to do his job:
”If Congress won't act, I will."
Question: If Obama is weak and ineffectual, what does that make the Republicans who are eating his dust?
Post a Comment