Wednesday, January 27, 2010

A LONG INSTAPUNDIT post on the State of the Union addresses with lots of links. Go there, read it all, and follow the links. It's worth the time.
KRAUTHAMMER on the State of the Union Speeches: we are seeing the beginning of the 2010 campaign season.

My thought as well ... both of the speeches were campaign speeches.
2010 REPUBLICAN RESPONSE

10:31 McDonnell begins ... 10 minutes before ESPN Sports Center begins.

10:32 Government should not create more taxation, regulation ...

10:33 Federal debt over $100K per household.

10:34 We must restore the proper, limited role of government at every level. Excessive growth threatens liberty.

10:35 Promoted Republican ideas on healthcare.

10:36 Virginia trying to become first state to promote oil/gas exploration offshore, but Government policies are making it difficult. Government must get out of the way.

10:37 Education -- emphasis on charter schools, non-government options.

10:38 Taxpayer dollars to defeat terrorists; not to defend them ... following Sen.-elect Brown's lead.

10:40 Attacking Government control: overregulating will not create more employment. Government closest to the people governs best.
2010 STATE OF THE UNION - the President speaks:

9:07 The President arrives.

9:09 (on Fox, Sarah Palin introduced as an analyst - this should be interesting.)

9:12 It begins; Pelosi introduces the President.

9:14 One year ago, the US was a mess -- the first blame Bush moment.

9:19 The American people want us - Democrats and Republicans - to work together. I'll talk about how together we can meet that desire [first applause moment]

9:20 I supported the Bush bailout - even though we all hated it. Stabilized the financial system - in a transparent manner.

9:21 We cut taxes for almost everybody ... homebuyers, parents with kids going to college, .... millions of Americans have more to spend. Not a single dime in income taxes. Two million people employed who would otherwise be unemployed ... teachers, firemen, police.

-- taxes? surely you jest.
-- the newly employed are all government employees.

9:25 He's calling for Stimulus II, given that stimulus I was so successful.

9:27 Let's take the money the big banks paid back and spend it on more loans to the insolvent.

9:29 Let's build "green" infrastructure; high-speed rail that won't be used; insulation for homes, , clean energy, etc.

9:32 The only way to full employment is to ..., to ..., to ... not wait? No, to fix the problems that ..., that ..., lack of financial regulation caused?

9:36 Well, well, ... better batteries; advanced solar cells, nuclear power plants, clean coal, and ... wait for it ... cap 'n trade (alsl known as climate change).

9:38 We will double our exports over the next 5 years. OK, how? Make our trade partners follow our rules. Oh, yeah, that'll work.

9:40 We'll improve education by rewarding things that work -- spend more money on government schools that already don't work. More student loans for college; no repayment larger than 10% of income; no repayment at all after 20 years - 10 if you go into government work.

----- MORE ON EDUCATION IN A FUTURE POST

9:45 Back to the past (health care) once again. Kudos to Michelle for being the Government nanny and reduce child obesity.

9:48 I will not walk away from health care (3rd time is a charm, right?).

9:50 Let's turn to government spending ... Bush did it ... we were $3 trillion in the hole "before I walked in the door."

9:52 Now that we all understand it's Bush's fault, I propose that we freeze government spending - except for Social Security, Medicare, defense, etc.

9:54 It's still Bush's fault. And oh, by the way, the freeze I just declared won't take effect until next year when my charisma will cure everything.

9:56 It's still Bush's fault.

9:58 No lobbyists (except those in the White House).

9:59 Let's overrule the Supreme Court.

10:00 Publish all earmarks online before there's a vote ... uh, like the 5 day rule posting a bill before it's signed?

10:05 Ah, now it's time for defense ... prohibited torture; stopped far more attacks than in 2008 (uh, yeah, could that be because there were more attempts in 2009?)

10:07 All combat troops out of Iraq by August ... this war is ending and our troops are coming home.

10:08 Secure nuclear materials so they can't fall into the hands of terrorists .... Uh, Pakistan? North Korea?

10:14 Repeal don't ask; don't tell.

10:15 Equal pay for women ... how about equal pay for equal work? equal time served?

10:15 Let's fix immigration. OK, how? ...

10:15 Let's bash the rich again.

10:17 I campaigned; I did this; I did that. Me again.

10:21 I don't quit ... (Thank you, God bless, and Good Night)

"Obamism" count
--------------------
I am/did/will ... : 11
Let me be clear: 2
False choices: 1
I inherited this mess: 5
-------------------
2010 STATE OF THE UNION

OUR PHILOSOPHER-KING:

In Plato's ideal society, philosopher kings and elite Guardians shepherded the rabble to force them to do the "right" thing.

To prevent the unwashed from doing anything stupid, the all-powerful, all-wise Guardians often had to tell a few "noble" lies. And, of course, these caretakers themselves were exempt from most rules they made for others.

We are now seeing such thinking in the Obama administration and among its supporters.
And in 2010 we will see a dramatic repudiation of such thinking.
A VERY INTERESTING and lengthy post, well worth a full read.

Link via Instapundit.
A CULTURE OF LOSERS: In a world where victimhood is a badge of honor, nothing succeeds like failing.
STATE OF THE UNION talking points.

PowerLine has a copy here.

I tend to agree with their assessment - a good list of the Obama administration "stretchers and prevarications" from the last 12 months.
"’I'D RATHER BE a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president,’ he [Obama] told [ABC’s Diane] Sawyer in an exclusive interview.”

He will get half his wish.
FOOL ME ONCE, shame on you.

Some of the most melancholy letters and e-mails that are sent to me are from people who lament that there is nothing they can do about the bad policies that they see ruining this country.... [T]he letters they send to their Congressmen are either ignored or are answered by form letters with weasel words. They feel powerless.

Sometimes I remind them that ... if politicians can't do anything else right, they can count votes.

What matters is that you let him know what you are for or against and, when enough people do that... politicians get the message, because they know their jobs depend on it.
Fool me twice .... I don’t think that’s going to happen.
ANY DAY NOW the media will show up.

I had forgotten about 2003; the Mudville Gazette did not.
THREE CULTURES ON CLIMATE SCIENCE. theory, empirical work, and modeling.

The key question - unanswered - is "Do they agree?"
THERE'S A TAX FOR THAT. And if you could use a government bailout, there’s an app for that. (msg #2927)
BOORTZ on ObamaCare:

Why not allow people to deduct the cost of their health insurance from their taxable income the way their employers can?

Why not allow health insurance companies to sell their products across state lines like almost every other company can?

Why not get rid of some insurance mandates that drive up the cost of policies? Does it make sense that hair transplants must be covered in Connecticut?

Why not allow numbers of small businesses get together to form a consortium for the purpose of purchasing health insurance for the entire group?

Why not pass some tort reform to reign in the Democrat's most loyal constituency, the trial lawyers?
Good questions, every one. Why is this not the core of a bipartisan health insurance reform?
REPUBLICANS AND THE BLACK VOTE: Thomas Sowell comments.
THE DIFFERENCE IS ME: "the most arrogant person I've ever met."
SOMETIMES YOU DO what you gotta do. Kimberly Dozier explains why she went back to Baghdad after being badly injured in an IED explosion in 2006.

And just today a young lady from my office, recently returned from 6 months in Afghanistan, is leaving to accept an offer with another company more directly involved in supporting the troops there.

Some folks, liberals in particular, seem to have a problem understanding that there are those of us willing to accept the risks of "completing the mission."