The Speech
A lot of fuss was made about the columns in the right wing blogs and they were making fun of it with Greek references and togas.
When I saw it last night, it looked like the windows in the oval office, and it worked.
I didn't watch the whole thing, I had too much to do. But I caught the end of the masterfully worked intro video, and the start of his speech. And I have to say ... if I didn't know what I know, if I didn't believe what I believe, I would vote for him.
He's good. He looks good, he sounds good, he says the right things. He speaks to those among us who are working hard, who just want things a little bit easier, and he's rocking their world.
Doesn't matter that I think it's as empty as "no new taxes," right now it speaks to them. And they will move to vote for him.
But here's what I know ...
More out of work ... then when? Because the labor department said that folks signing up for unemployment is declining. We're still hovering around 5% unemployment, but that's still lower then the early 90s, and lower than 2003.
And more people have not lost their homes. 2.43% of homeowners were in foreclosure in 2007. The number that I've heard ... is that that's less than 1% of the total American population.
And the last line ... oh brother. They bought that car they can't afford, they racked up that creidt card debt ... that's why they can't afford tuition. There's a causality there that should be examined.
But the era of personal responsibility is over. I think I just need to accept that.
I'm not going to get into his attacks about McCains policies ... mostly because if what he says is true than I'm even further without candidate than I thought. I have to investigate some of those specifics ... like, did McCain say middle class was below $5M? And what did that mean? What was the context? Either way it sounds insane. So that's probably an accurate blow.
I'm not opposed to tax breaks for corporations because the money they save creates a job and that puts money into someones bank account rather than the governments pockets. But that's a difference -- Dems want the money in the government so they can disperse it to their welfare recipients. Reps want the money to put in the form of jobs and pay checks to people that work. At least ... that's what I want.
Obama says its the "on your own" philosophy. Well ... yes sort of. Let's not forget that the greatest expansion of socialized medicine in this country came from Bill Frist and the Senate Republicans in 2004. So it's not like we don't create safety nets for those that hit tough times. No one wants to leave a single mother who's lost her job bereft of child care. We all want to reach out and help.
We just also want her to get back on her feet and leave the welfare behind.
Oi. Businesses responsibility is to stay in business. They don't have a responsibility to keep American's employed. That's a wonderful side bonus.
They ship jobs overseas because of the laws here. And, in line with being my brother / sister's keeper, this is helping to bring a lot of otherwise 3rd world countries into the industrial age.
I want my sons to have the same opportunities as your daughters. Are you going to ensure that? How are you going to ensure that boys aren't being left behind in school? That they graduate? That they get advanced degrees?
Something I like. Please go through it, line by line! Close loop holes! But my question to you is this ... when he's been in the Senate (McCain, Biden -- answer this too please) WHERE WERE YOU WITH THIS LINE BY LINE APPROACH WHEN YOU WERE CREATING THE FEDERAL BUDGET IN THE FIRST PLACE.
These last few paragraphs make my stomach hurt. Not because he's wrong ... he's right ... but because I'm realizing something painfully, painfully clear.
They are not that different.
And what I mean by that ... is they say all the right things about helping others and have slightly different wants of getting there. But can either of them really do anything? And who is Obama going to be beholden to? Will Pelosi, Soros, MoveOn.Org be holding the strings? Who will he have to thank for his position? No man is an island, after all.
And the other thing ... I think the only reason he's saying we can't attack patriotism, is because he can't attack McCain's patriotism. Patriotism, for the office of the President, should be on the table. Always. Questions McCain's, question the VPs, question everyones. It should be a required question. I don't want someone serving this country, that does not love it.
But in the end ... I hope Obama wins. Because then the doom and gloom of the past 4 years will finally, finally end.
But ... if McCain picks a female VP running mate ... :) Especially if said female is Alaska Governor Pallin (Yeah!) well than I might actually have a reason to not instantly fill in the write in portion of my ballot.
But I just wonder ... all those that were upset that Hillary came so close and didn't get the whole enchilada ... will feminism be advanced by a republican vice president? Or will it "set us back?"
When I saw it last night, it looked like the windows in the oval office, and it worked.
I didn't watch the whole thing, I had too much to do. But I caught the end of the masterfully worked intro video, and the start of his speech. And I have to say ... if I didn't know what I know, if I didn't believe what I believe, I would vote for him.
He's good. He looks good, he sounds good, he says the right things. He speaks to those among us who are working hard, who just want things a little bit easier, and he's rocking their world.
Doesn't matter that I think it's as empty as "no new taxes," right now it speaks to them. And they will move to vote for him.
But here's what I know ...
Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can’t afford to drive, credit card bills you can’t afford to pay, and tuition that’s beyond your reach.
More out of work ... then when? Because the labor department said that folks signing up for unemployment is declining. We're still hovering around 5% unemployment, but that's still lower then the early 90s, and lower than 2003.
And more people have not lost their homes. 2.43% of homeowners were in foreclosure in 2007. The number that I've heard ... is that that's less than 1% of the total American population.
And the last line ... oh brother. They bought that car they can't afford, they racked up that creidt card debt ... that's why they can't afford tuition. There's a causality there that should be examined.
We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.Oh the melodrama. Please spare me. An entire city that rests below sea level was flooded, and levees that were not repaired / enhanced because corrupt officials did something else with that money ... broke.
But the era of personal responsibility is over. I think I just need to accept that.
I'm not going to get into his attacks about McCains policies ... mostly because if what he says is true than I'm even further without candidate than I thought. I have to investigate some of those specifics ... like, did McCain say middle class was below $5M? And what did that mean? What was the context? Either way it sounds insane. So that's probably an accurate blow.
I'm not opposed to tax breaks for corporations because the money they save creates a job and that puts money into someones bank account rather than the governments pockets. But that's a difference -- Dems want the money in the government so they can disperse it to their welfare recipients. Reps want the money to put in the form of jobs and pay checks to people that work. At least ... that's what I want.
Obama says its the "on your own" philosophy. Well ... yes sort of. Let's not forget that the greatest expansion of socialized medicine in this country came from Bill Frist and the Senate Republicans in 2004. So it's not like we don't create safety nets for those that hit tough times. No one wants to leave a single mother who's lost her job bereft of child care. We all want to reach out and help.
We just also want her to get back on her feet and leave the welfare behind.
It’s a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.
Oi. Businesses responsibility is to stay in business. They don't have a responsibility to keep American's employed. That's a wonderful side bonus.
Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.
They ship jobs overseas because of the laws here. And, in line with being my brother / sister's keeper, this is helping to bring a lot of otherwise 3rd world countries into the industrial age.
And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as President: in ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.Yes, yes, and Biden was there FOR ALL OF THEM.
Washington’s been talking about our oil addiction for the last thirty years, and John McCain has been there for twenty-six of them. In that time, he’s said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office.
And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day’s work, because I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities as your sons.
I want my sons to have the same opportunities as your daughters. Are you going to ensure that? How are you going to ensure that boys aren't being left behind in school? That they graduate? That they get advanced degrees?
Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I’ve laid out how I’ll pay for every dime – by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don’t help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less – because we cannot meet twenty-first century challenges with a twentieth century bureaucracy.
Something I like. Please go through it, line by line! Close loop holes! But my question to you is this ... when he's been in the Senate (McCain, Biden -- answer this too please) WHERE WERE YOU WITH THIS LINE BY LINE APPROACH WHEN YOU WERE CREATING THE FEDERAL BUDGET IN THE FIRST PLACE.
These last few paragraphs make my stomach hurt. Not because he's wrong ... he's right ... but because I'm realizing something painfully, painfully clear.
They are not that different.
And what I mean by that ... is they say all the right things about helping others and have slightly different wants of getting there. But can either of them really do anything? And who is Obama going to be beholden to? Will Pelosi, Soros, MoveOn.Org be holding the strings? Who will he have to thank for his position? No man is an island, after all.
And the other thing ... I think the only reason he's saying we can't attack patriotism, is because he can't attack McCain's patriotism. Patriotism, for the office of the President, should be on the table. Always. Questions McCain's, question the VPs, question everyones. It should be a required question. I don't want someone serving this country, that does not love it.
But in the end ... I hope Obama wins. Because then the doom and gloom of the past 4 years will finally, finally end.
But ... if McCain picks a female VP running mate ... :) Especially if said female is Alaska Governor Pallin (Yeah!) well than I might actually have a reason to not instantly fill in the write in portion of my ballot.
But I just wonder ... all those that were upset that Hillary came so close and didn't get the whole enchilada ... will feminism be advanced by a republican vice president? Or will it "set us back?"
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