My Problem with the State of the Union
I love State of the Unions. I love the pomp and circumstance and the news that comes out of it and the need of President's to set tones for entire years and to explain to the world what the United States is up to. I like it. It's like a Super Bowl.
President Obama tried to come off as positive, and I know many people who believe his policies are right are probably encouraged. Myself ... I'm dismayed. This is hardly news to any of you.
My biggest problem with the speech is this line [paraphrasing cause I can't find a transcript]: We can not leave our children with this mountain of debt, recession and housing crisis that we inherited.
Achem ... excuse me, Mr. President? Over here! Yes, me, over here. Um, Mr. President, Congress has been in Democrat control since 2006. And most of the people that you were addressing last night, well see they all voted for those big bills that put us in this mess. And several of them - and I think you know who they are - passed the legislation that forced banks to offer loans to bad risks. So, what I mean is, well everyone in that room created this problem, they didn't really inherit anything.
Now I know that George W. Bush was President then, and I know the buck stops with him and believe you me, sir, I'm mad at him too about the mountains of debt and the money spent that lead to nowhere. But, you - and every sitting Senator for the last 4 years - is complicit in our budget mess because ... and this may come as a surprise to you ... but the Senate's only real, daily job is to pass and approve the budget. I know, shocking. You thought you were also supposed to kiss babies and give eloquent speeches and pass overbearing legislation to limit the freedoms of your constituents, but really, main job ... pass and approve the budget. Everything else is kind of odd jobs that the Senate takes on to keep itself busy. And keep the House and President in check. Checks and balances you know.
Anyway, the point is, I understand what you were doing. You're putting yourself on the right side of public perception. And the perception is that everything that's happening right now is the prior administrations fault. And I can appreciate that and I know that your advisors are probably even right for telling you to do that.
But I am not stupid. And I know that every pet project and every spending bill and every bailout over the last 18 months is what's lead to (increased really) this mountain of debt and what's put my children's future at risk. And I know that while President Bush foolishly threw aside fiscal conservatism (and truly, was never really fiscally conservative) and signed those bailouts and approved them executivelly, I know that you and your colleagues in Congress also voted and approved them.
So while you're standing and clapping and smiling at your friends and party leaders, and feeling so smug in the knowledge that you are untouchable by the votes you made in the past ... know that I know. Know that others know.
And know that the bailout last September didn't do anything to stop the loss of millions of jobs, and it didn't stop a downward slide in the stock market that's continued since you won the election. You can stand high on your loose morale ground in your knowledge that American's won't hold you or your Congressional leaders accountable for what's been done ... for now. Because if this bailout fails, and we tumble even further ... actually, not even if it fails. If it fails to make things better in the next 6-9 months, you will fall victim to the very fickle nature that you are benefiting from at this moment.
They will turn on you, Mr. President. And they will turn on you quickly. And it may already be beginning ("hollow", wall street).
PS - tell Nancy Pelosi to sit in her chair. She looked silly dancing around up there. Even you seemed to get irritated with her.
PPS - tell Joe to not look so aggravated with Nancy. He literally glared at her every time she stood up! Maybe his knees were bothering him.
PPPS - I liked what you said about people going back to school or "committing" to one year of additional education. That was good. People should always try and improve themselves so that they can improve their lives ... without the help of the government.
President Obama tried to come off as positive, and I know many people who believe his policies are right are probably encouraged. Myself ... I'm dismayed. This is hardly news to any of you.
My biggest problem with the speech is this line [paraphrasing cause I can't find a transcript]: We can not leave our children with this mountain of debt, recession and housing crisis that we inherited.
Achem ... excuse me, Mr. President? Over here! Yes, me, over here. Um, Mr. President, Congress has been in Democrat control since 2006. And most of the people that you were addressing last night, well see they all voted for those big bills that put us in this mess. And several of them - and I think you know who they are - passed the legislation that forced banks to offer loans to bad risks. So, what I mean is, well everyone in that room created this problem, they didn't really inherit anything.
Now I know that George W. Bush was President then, and I know the buck stops with him and believe you me, sir, I'm mad at him too about the mountains of debt and the money spent that lead to nowhere. But, you - and every sitting Senator for the last 4 years - is complicit in our budget mess because ... and this may come as a surprise to you ... but the Senate's only real, daily job is to pass and approve the budget. I know, shocking. You thought you were also supposed to kiss babies and give eloquent speeches and pass overbearing legislation to limit the freedoms of your constituents, but really, main job ... pass and approve the budget. Everything else is kind of odd jobs that the Senate takes on to keep itself busy. And keep the House and President in check. Checks and balances you know.
Anyway, the point is, I understand what you were doing. You're putting yourself on the right side of public perception. And the perception is that everything that's happening right now is the prior administrations fault. And I can appreciate that and I know that your advisors are probably even right for telling you to do that.
But I am not stupid. And I know that every pet project and every spending bill and every bailout over the last 18 months is what's lead to (increased really) this mountain of debt and what's put my children's future at risk. And I know that while President Bush foolishly threw aside fiscal conservatism (and truly, was never really fiscally conservative) and signed those bailouts and approved them executivelly, I know that you and your colleagues in Congress also voted and approved them.
So while you're standing and clapping and smiling at your friends and party leaders, and feeling so smug in the knowledge that you are untouchable by the votes you made in the past ... know that I know. Know that others know.
And know that the bailout last September didn't do anything to stop the loss of millions of jobs, and it didn't stop a downward slide in the stock market that's continued since you won the election. You can stand high on your loose morale ground in your knowledge that American's won't hold you or your Congressional leaders accountable for what's been done ... for now. Because if this bailout fails, and we tumble even further ... actually, not even if it fails. If it fails to make things better in the next 6-9 months, you will fall victim to the very fickle nature that you are benefiting from at this moment.
They will turn on you, Mr. President. And they will turn on you quickly. And it may already be beginning ("hollow", wall street).
PS - tell Nancy Pelosi to sit in her chair. She looked silly dancing around up there. Even you seemed to get irritated with her.
PPS - tell Joe to not look so aggravated with Nancy. He literally glared at her every time she stood up! Maybe his knees were bothering him.
PPPS - I liked what you said about people going back to school or "committing" to one year of additional education. That was good. People should always try and improve themselves so that they can improve their lives ... without the help of the government.
Comments
I was watching on CBS so while I waited for Bobby Jindal's rebuttal I got to hear Couric and Bob Schieffer talk about the speech some. And Shaffer said something strange as Obama was leaving and signing all the congressmen's programs; he said "In all my years I've never seen a president sign autographs after a State of the Union..." When he was informed this is common practice and that even lowly Bush and his 20% (ish) approval rating was signing autographs, Schieffer responded with some comment like "Not like this President" intimating that Obama is some sort of a celebrity (more than a usual president) and the tone made it sound like that was a good thing. Anyways, I didn't think he worked the room any longer or harder than the last prez. Just seemed like a little bias from CBS. Especially since Schieffer has watched dozens of SotU addresses and I've seen about 5 and have noticed Bush signing autographs like a madman at the end.
Anyway ... I didn't watch Jindal I had already heard what he was going to say. I adore Jindal. I wish I were Jindal. If I had his education and his drive ... oh if only! I'm anxious to see in the years to come how LA is improved / different / unchanged under his leadership.
Like I said I didn't hear the speech. He may have bombed it. But I'm with you ... if LA improves ... that would be the most impressive thing.