Entertainment Overnight -- SOTU

Best version of last evening's State of the Union speech I think there is.

On the Two "State" Speeches Last Evening

A few brief notes on the two State speeches last evening--Kansas' Governor Sam Brownback's State of the State speech and President Obama's final State of the Union speech.

What got me about Governor Brownback's speech is that he spent so much time attacking President Obama.

??

First thing---why?

Why would a governor from a state in the United States attack the leader of the nation? Why spend any time at all attacking the president?  Isn't it assumed he's on our side? Isn't it assumed he wants what's good for the nation? Isn't it assumed he wants more jobs and a stronger nation?

I don't remember another State of the State speech by any governor in the nation where that governor attacked the president in their speech.

It seems clear Governor Brownback is doing what so many Republicans in the last many years have done and are still doing and that is, putting their political party and their success and their interests ahead of the interests and success and successes of the nation when the nation should come first.

Additionally, here is this Kansas Governor, taking time in his speech to attack a President when his own policies have put his state in the very likely position of having a $200 million deficit in the coming year? How do you do that?

And then he went on to attack Planned Parenthood.  If that isn't demagoguing a topic for partisan, political purposes, nothing is. Planned Parenthood's status is surely, for most Kansans, a side issue. The main issue is the state's financial and economic status, something he can no way brag about after what he and the Republicans in Topeka have done and been doing the last several years. Not once in his speech did he mention the State's budget shortfall they've all created. There's a shock, huh?

Other details:

--The Guv said he would fight to keep President Obama's prisoners from Guantanamo out of Kansas. Again, not a terribly huge concern. There aren't that many and since when can't America handle prisoners?

--He called for more funding for schools. Seriously. Not once did he say from where the state could or would be able to find this funding, given the fiscal shape they're in, thanks to him and the Republicans over there.

I think the Star clearly had it right in today's op/ed piece on it:

Gov. Sam Brownback’s State of the State had it all: braggadocio,scare tactics and bad ideas

In sharp contrast, President Obama's speech started out with a little light humor and then pointed out his and the nation's actual successes over the last 7 years. He went on to call on Americans to pull together, work together, not operate on fear and to work for better days, never once attacking anyone else.

Media host Michael Smerconish last evening asked a great question on Facebook:

If the Dow, unemployment and gas prices were the same as today but with a President Romney, would people not be saying wow, what a success he is?

It's hard to disagree with that. 

In summary, the two speeches last evening were the dark and the light, the negative and the positive, the hopeful and the pessimistic, frankly.

Sorry, Kansans but you did bring this on yourself.

Link:  Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback proposes cuts to highways, children's programs to close budget gap

What Was Governor Brownback Thinking?

There are so many times when one could have asked, in the last several years this precise question---Just what was Kansas Governor Sam Brownback thinking?

Like what was he thinking when he cut taxes for the wealthy and corporations in Kansas and put more of the burden on the middle and lower classes in that state as just one example? The list goes on and on from there.

US President Barack Obama speaks with Kansas Governor Sam Brownback (C) alongside Topeka Mayor Larry Wolgast (L) upon arrival on Air Force One at Forbes Field Airport in Topeka, Kansas, January 21, 2015. Obama is traveling on a 2-day, 2 state trip to Idaho and Kansas following his State of... Show more

January 21, 2015| Credit: SAUL LOEB

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LICENSE

But now, with his choice of giving the Kansas State of the State speech on the same day as President Obama's State of the Union speech?

Really. What could he have possibly been thinking?

The two speeches occurring on the same day brings automatic comparisons and contrasts you wouldn't think  the Governor would  want nor would want us to make. After all, we've got a successful president, in so many ways, and a Governor that's overseeing horrible state budgets, school budgets and other state budgets slashed, debt downgrade, deep unpopularity and on and on. It just seems to make even more clearly how really awful the Kansas Governor and his Right Wing, Republican, "trickle down" economic policies are and have been for the state and people.

It should actually be a fun, rather enlightening, political day.

Just, for Governor Brownback, not a positive one.

Links:  What time is Obama's State of the Union?

Viewer's guide to Tuesday's State of the Union Address

Obama's last State of the Union will try to counter electorate's anger
Obama's State of the Union Address Seeks to Frame 2016 Race

St. Louis-area residents to attend Obama's State of the U

Microsoft CEO Scores a Front Row Seat to State of the U

Obama invites 'Humans of NY' refugee to State of the Union

Meet the Special Guests for Obama's Final State of the Union Address

On Tonight's State of the Union

I have read no other, better, brief summary of President Obama's 2 terms as President and their relative success, like it or not, than what I saw last evening on Facebook from Professor/economist Robert Reich:

Tomorrow night will be Barack Obama’s final State of the Union – the last time he addresses a joint session of Congress. So it seems like an appropriate time for a few thoughts about his presidency.

First, I think historians will judge it to be among the most successful – saving the U.S. economy from a second Great Depression, enacting the first almost-universal health insurance system (something neither FDR, nor Truman, JFK, LBJ, or Clinton could get done), finding and killing the person who engineered the worst terrorist act ever to occur on American soil, and, all the while, holding at bay the most disciplined, adamantly right-wing Republican Congress in history. The Obama administration has played the long game, and mostly won.

Second, Barack Obama as a person has exhibited extraordinary coolness under fire. No president in my lifetime has come under such relentless, scathing, disrespectful (often thinly-veiled racist) attack from political opponents and opportunistic pundits, and yet he has never wavered from the dignified tone he set for himself and his presidency at the outset.

Third, this administration has not been marred by scandal – no revelations of self-dealing by high officials, no sexual exploits, no illegal political payoffs, no secret and illicit deals. To laud a presidency for its lack of scandal may be a sad commentary on our era, but given the harshness and meanness of politics it is nonetheless a significant achievement.

It is not all roses. I won’t easily forgive the mass deportations, the early emphasis on deficit-reduction, the compromises on civil liberties, the absurd Trans Pacific Partnership, or the failure to put tough conditions on Wall Street banks that got bailed out. The Administration has been way too kind to big corporations and Wall Street. Fifty years ago we would have considered Obama a liberal Republican.

But given the times and the circumstances, he has done remarkably well. That’s a provisional verdict, of course; there’s still a year to go.

So State of the Union?

Bring it on.

Link:  Yes, He Did: Why Obama Is the Most Consequential Second-Term President Since FDR

The Things from the State of the Union Address I Think We Can All Support

Of all the things said last night in President Obama's annual State of the Union address, it seems these, at least, are things you'd think everyone and anyone, from any political affiliation, would surely support. Everyone, anyway, but the people who simply hate Barack Obama for being Barack Obama, anyway, and it certainly seems they're out there. (No worries, too. It's a short list. I don't think we Americans agree on much). 

No. 1--

"...nothing helps families make ends meet like higher wages. That’s why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work. Really. It’s 2015. It’s time. We still need to make sure employees get the overtime they’ve earned. And to everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise."

No. 2--

"...as a new generation of veterans comes home, we owe them every opportunity to live the American Dream they helped defend. Already, we’ve made strides towards ensuring that every veteran has access to the highest quality care. We’re slashing the backlog that had too many veterans waiting years to get the benefits they need, and we’re making it easier for vets to translate their training and experience into civilian jobs. Joining Forces, the national campaign launched by Michelle and Jill Biden, has helped nearly 700,000 veterans and military spouses get new jobs. So to every CEO in America, let me repeat: If you want somebody who’s going to get the job done, hire a veteran."

No. 3--

"21st century businesses need 21st century infrastructure – modern ports, stronger bridges, faster trains and the fastest internet. Democrats and Republicans used to agree on this. So let’s set our sights higher than a single oil pipeline. Let’s pass a bipartisan infrastructure plan that could create more than thirty times as many jobs per year, and make this country stronger for decades to come."

No. 4--

"I want Americans to win the race for the kinds of discoveries that unleash new jobs – converting sunlight into liquid fuel; creating revolutionary prosthetics, so that a veteran who gave his arms for his country can play catch with his kid; pushing out into the Solar System not just to visit, but to stay. "

No. 5--

""Let’s close loopholes so we stop rewarding companies that keep profits abroad, and reward those that invest in America. Let’s use those savings to rebuild our infrastructure and make it more attractive for companies to bring jobs home. Let’s simplify the system and let a small business owner file based on her actual bank statement, instead of the number of accountants she can afford. And let’s close the loopholes that lead to inequality by allowing the top one percent to avoid paying taxes on their accumulated wealth. We can use that money to help more families pay for childcare and send their kids to college. We need a tax code that truly helps working Americans trying to get a leg up in the new economy, and we can achieve that together."

No. 6--

"No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids. We are making sure our government integrates intelligence to combat cyber threats, just as we have done to combat terrorism."

No. 7--

"A better politics is one where we appeal to each other’s basic decency instead of our basest fears.

A better politics is one where we debate without demonizing each other; where we talk issues, and values, and principles, and facts, rather than “gotcha” moments, or trivial gaffes, or fake controversies that have nothing to do with people’s daily lives...

...If we’re going to have arguments, let’s have arguments – but let’s make them debates worthy of this body and worthy of this country. "

No. 8--

"I want this chamber, this city, to reflect the truth – that for all our blind spots and shortcomings, we are a people with the strength and generosity of spirit to bridge divides, to unite in common effort, and help our neighbors, whether down the street or on the other side of the world.

I want our actions to tell every child, in every neighborhood: your life matters, and we are as committed to improving your life chances as we are for our own kids."

And that's it. Eight fairly brief things out of an entire hour of speech I think we can all agree on, as a nation. There are a few spots where I think we might have come a bit closer to agreeing on a few things but not very much. When I thought there was any chance of a person or group disagreeing or having reservations, I left it out.

Here's hoping we can come back together as a nation, as a people and that we address our questions and issues and problems of the country and go forward as one.

Hey, we can hope, can't we?

Kansas City Gets Some Mention from the Oval Office

Kansas City, as I said above, gets some mention this week from the Oval Office and President Obama, largely due to Google's internet speeds:


Because here's what the big internet providers and free market Capitalism are doing to us in America. They're doing the same thing to us on internet speeds and costs as the health care companies have done and are doing to us for our health care:

Americans are paying more for slower Internet

We're just not that bright.

Quote of the day---and he's right, of course

Why we need to overturn the "Citizens United" decision.

Why we need to end campaign contributions.

Why we need to get the big, ugly, corrupting influence of the money from the wealthy and corporations out of our election system and so, our government:

5 Republican responses to the President's State of the Union message

Why am I reminded of Medusa?

On the State of the Union today

From Robert Reich, economist, professor, author:

"On Thursday, congressional Republicans will introduce a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget. They're not doing this because they think it will be enacted (it doesn't stand a chance in the Senate, and Obama would veto it anyway). They're doing it to perpetuate their biggest lie: that the federal budget deficit is responsible for the still-anemic recovery. That's the lie they'll continue to tell over the next 7 weeks as they drag the nation through another set of showdowns over sequestration (the fiscal cliff on March 1), continuing resolutions to fund the government (running out later in March), and the debt limit (end of March).


The opposite is true: Continued cutbacks in government spending, and tax increases on the middle class and working poor (such as the Social Security tax increase at the start of January, as well as sales-tax increases in 16 states), are robbing the economy of the demand it needs when... consumers are still unable to provide it.

Republicans have been telling the Big Lie that the budget deficit is to blame for our economic problems for more than two decades -- even though Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were far more responsible for running up the tab than either Bill Clinton (under whose administration the budget was finally balanced and put into surplus) or Barack Obama (who inherited a fiscal mess and has now got the deficit down to 5.3 percent of GDP).

They want the public to believe the Big Lie because it fits in with their hate-the-government ideology, and enables them to whittle it down, especially programs the middle class and working poor depend on -- including the two programs they've despised more than any others because they're so popular: Medicare and Social Security. President Obama mustn't let them. We mustn't let them."

We need to support and fight for this, instead: 

Tax Fairness Act

Before we get to that State of the Union address tonight

 

There are so many ways the Republicans are either wrong or hypocrtical or both regarding spending, it's not remotely amusing.

Let's get the money out of our politics and government

 

The fact is, as I've written here and elsewhere so many times, until we get the big, ugly, corrupting money of the wealthy and corporations out of our election system and so, our government, nothing will change. It will remain legislation and laws and so, that same government, of, by and for those same wealthy and corporations first and the rest of us, the rest of the country second, if at all.

To sign petition, go here:  http://www.wh.gov/P9j7

The US gives tax credits right now to offshore manufacturiing

One of the most obvious, simple, intelligent and helpful things our US Congress could and should do is this, from President Obama's State of the Union address last evening: Right now, companies get tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas. Meanwhile, companies that choose to stay in America get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and everyone knows it. The fact is, most Americans don't know that right now, with our current tax code, we actually reward companies for taking manufacturing offshore, nearly unbelievably. Not only that, but the Democrats proposed, last year, doing away with all these. No brainer, right? Well, not so for the Republicans---they killed it, insanely and irresponsibly enough. This should go and go immediately. Please write your Senators and Representatives in Congress today--or as soon as possible. This needs to change and change quicly. Link to the SOTU address: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/state-of-the-union-2012-obama-speech-excerpts/2012/01/24/gIQA9D3QOQ_story.html?wpisrc=al_comboNP_p

The American people on the State of the Union Address

"An overwhelming majority of Americans approved of the overall message in President Obama's State of the Union speech on Tuesday night, according to a CBS News poll of speech watchers. According to the poll, which was conducted online by Knowledge Networks immediately after the president's address, 91 percent of those who watched the speech approved of the proposals Mr. Obama put forth during his remarks. Only nine percent disapproved."

The Republican response to the State of the Union Address

The one thing I want to hear in the State of the Union address

That is, I want to hear the President push Congress for jobs programs. We have a great deal of highway and infrastructure jobs, projects and work across the country that need attention and work, as we all know. I'd like to hear him push this Congress for bills and programs that emphasize that so we can get and keep America back to work and so our highways, streets, sewage--everything--is as it should be and not 10 or 20 years behind in maintenance. Then, I would like to have this Congress and all parties in it get behind him and support it for the betterment of the entire nation. The political party division in the country is ugly, senseless and needs to stop. We need to all work together as Americans, as the country used.

On tonight's State of the Union address

"Go big, Mr. President, tonight. Go big. This is the moment when the transformation away from the old politics happens; when the baby-boom battle recedes; when the extremism of the GOP finally eats itself; and when a saner future can be born. The real moment of transformation will be the re-election of a reasonable president in an unreasonable time. But tonight is the harbinger, the marker, the rally moment. Seize it." -— Andrew Sullivan, English-American author, editor, political commentator and blogger. For what it's worth--my take on it is that the President needs to push for jobs and jobs programs from this Congress and shove it down their throats. I feel sure the American people are solidly behind him on that.

Truly, nothing is sacred and everything is for sale--or purchase

This from The Washington Post, yesterday:


Interest groups vie for a moment of Obama's time in State of the Union address

By Peter Wallsten and Anne E. Kornblut

Washington Post Staff Writers 

Sunday, January 23, 2011; 12:22 AM

It has been a frenetic few weeks for the country's leading oil industry group: Lobbyists for the American Petroleum Institute have repeatedly phoned the White House, cajoled agency higher-ups, even bought big newspaper ads touting the virtues of oil and natural gas.

The goal of all this activity isn't to win support for a crucial piece of legislation in Congress, but something much narrower - convincing President Obama to say something, anything, complimentary about Big Oil in his State of the Union address Tuesday night.

Could that be more disgusting?  Just when I think I've heard everything and that it couldn't get or be any worse, you hear something like this.

Companies, corporations, their lobbyists and money, buying "mentions" in the State of the Union address.  I don't care who the president is at the time, no matter the party, this should not be allowed.  If it takes legislation to do it, so be it.  We need to get corporate money and money of all kinds, like this, out of our government and in all forms and all areas, from the Executive Branch to the Legislative to the Judicial.

We need to get working on this.

Link to original story:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/22/AR2011012203368.html?wpisrc=nl_agenda

Missouri Senators first priority?

With all of the hoo-haw coming out of Washington right now (see link below) about Republicans and Democrats mixing up their seating chart while the president gives his State of the Union address, it occurred to me that our Senators, Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt, should absolutely be sitting next to and with each other, to show they're for Missouri and not themselves and not their own political parties, frst.

This should be a rather obvious, and not radical, idea.

Senators?

Like it or not, you'll be showing us your priorities Tuesday night, just by where--and with whom--you sit.

Link to original article:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/23/us/politics/23seats.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha24

Brief thoughts on the State of the Union Address ('scuse me while I stick this in yer eye)

Lest anyone think I'm a sycophant for this, my Democratic President:

1) The President proposed last night we should take away tax credits that took manufacturing "off shore" and give them, instead, to companies that create more manufacturing jobs here in the US.

Well, duh.

Questions that seem obvious to me: a) Why is this a big revelation? b) Why did no one propose this before? (This occured to be YEARS ago) c) How could anyone be against this? (unless they're Republican and they just don't want this guy to succeed, for fear of creating another FDR and his legacy of Democratic rule for, oh, what? another 40 years?);

2) When the President compared us-a couple of times-to France and Germany and India and China, I got the feeling that, all of a sudden, the US is not only realizing its "catch up" status, but we're acknowledging it. It's a not too subtle shift, I think, from the last 200 years, when we virtually always assumed we were the best, the "top of the heap", so to speak;

3) The President called for more nuclear power plants and "clean coal". Wow. What a disappointment. What a letdown. What a sellout. Way to give in to the Right and the corporations:

4) He proposed doubling American exports.

Really? To where? What country is ready to buy more from us? Oh, and shall we crush some other, Third World country's production, just so we can sell more? Explain this, Mr. President, please;

5) I swear, at one point, I thought he was pushing for international trade wars so we could push our products more;

6) The President called--again, as he should and had to--for health care reform. AND THE REPUBLICANS SAT ON THEIR HANDS;

7) There was one cool, new shot of the chamber, from what I assume was the peak of the celing. Very cool. And another down the aisle he had originally come down. It was very cool, too. Nice to see the camera person was being creative;

8) Here's another easy one he threw out there--doing away with "earmarks". Could we not have that, like, yesterday, please?;

9) This took guts but it'll never happen--the President proposed killing the tax cuts for oil companies (and people making $250,000.00/year). Leave aside the 2nd part--this is a terrific idea. The oil companies are making billions in profits. We shouldn't need to give them tax cuts.

And it has about as much chance of happening as me growing wings;

10) The President's idea of forming a bipartisan commission to balance our budget is a good one. You could also look at it as a way for him to get to share the blame for the budget with the Republicans but hey, you have to start somewhere. We aren't going to solve these problems with only one political party's input;

11) Bringing back the "pay-go" provision should be a no-brainer, too. The Repubs did away with it (thank you very much, you chowderheads) while they were in office. Now that they're out, I'm hoping they'd like to shackly the Dems w/ it;

12) Okay, there's no getting out of pointing out that the President REALLY stuck his thumb squarely in the Republican's eye, in a matter of speaking, with this speech and that's the biggest "takeaway" I have on it afterward. To begin, he blamed Bush and his party for the last 8 years, which is fair, since we're in such a big mess, but do you want them to work with you or not? (Note to Republicans: both demi-god Reagan and Bush did this same thing, in their SOTU speeches, at times). Then he mocked them, on this huge, public forum, for not supporting the American people and for giving tax cuts to the rich, instead. Then he pointed out that that was what got us in the mess we're in today, to paraphrase.

The President didn't make any friends this night, except warming to his own, stalwart base. The Repubs are going to come out swinging today, this week and here on. Just wait until Rush and Glenn and Bill and Sean speak out on this one;

13) Question: Were Joe Biden's shoes bothering him or something?;

14) Twittering is now, officially, clearly ingrained in our culture. You can tell it when you see so much of an audience with their heads down during this speech, punching away furiously at their little machines. It was both funny and sick, at the same time. We can't do one thing any more--we have to make 140 character (or less) notes on it, too;

15) I wish the cameras would have shown the Republican side of the chamber when the President called for the repeal of the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. I feel sure they were sitting on their hands again but they would not/did not show it to us. That really frustrated me;

16) Joe Lieberman looks like he is perpetually reacting sarcastically, even when he's not talking. Since I don't like him and his traitorous, self-serving ways, I'm good with that;

17) The side view shot of VP Biden and Ms. Pelosi, while original, was not attractive. Note to cameraman: don't do it again;

18) Side/final note: looking at the Capital, on the outside, at the end of the speech, can you imagine how strict and tight the security is in Washington when this speech is given, annually? Can you imagine how busy Andrews Air Force Base is this night? Yikes.