OBAMA AND THE STATE OF THE UNION
TONIGHT, WE WILL SEE if the President has learned anything from the last three elections ( Mass, NJ and Virginia ) or if he is truly an idealogue who is self-delusional. We will see if he changes course toward the middle, like Bill Clinton did after a series of reversals, or if he is convniced that his mission to shift American left must continue, come hell or high waters, damn the voters and reality, full speed ahead.
We will see if he gives us a speech like his Ohio town meeting last Friday, where he mentioned taxpayers twice, tax cuts twice, small business eight times, and himself 132 times. We will see if he can, with a straight face, call for a spending freeze that has so many exemptions and conditions, that’s there’s no ice, not even slush in it. We will see how many times he blames Bush, or talks about the last decade, or mentions that what propelled Scott Brown into office propelled him. We will see how many jobs he claims his spending has saved or created – after all, his spokesmen gave three widely different numbers on Sunday. We will see.
SALES OF NEW HOMES fell unexpectedly in December, according to reports today. There’s that word again. Unexpectedly to whom? And, what will the President tell us unexpectedly tonight?
THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION took a second look at the CBO’s projections of our budget deficits for the next ten years, a report released earlier this week. The CBO was bad enough, but what Heritage found was 1.) without significant change in our Federal spending habits, there will not be a Federal budget deficit under $1 trillion dollars in the next ten years and 2.) our national debt will be $22 trillion in 2019, or 98% of GDP. This is not unexpected, but it is unsustainable. Check out www.heritage.org for more details. The report is by Brian Riedl.
PRESIDENT OBAMA CALLED the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team last night prior to their game. He talked to the coach and the players. Kentucky was #1 and undefeated this year, and favored last night, but they they went out post-call and lost. Did they not learn from Corzine, Deeds and Coakley? To the Colts and Saints, if he calls you before the Super Bowl, don’t take it.
CONGRESSMAN PAUL RYAN, Republican from Wisconsin, is releasing the Republican alternative to Obamacare today. Again. We’ll see if the press notices or reports. Ryan is one of the outstanding Republican members, keep an eye on him in the future. And, more on health care, National Review Institute commissioned a poll of 1,000 likely voters nationwide. A modest bill which limits liability lawsuits, allows purchase of insurance across state lines, creates a pool for those with pre-existing conditions wins hands-down 61%-21%. You’ll find those options in Ryan’s proposal. And, 62% believe that Obamacare will raise their insurance costs. The recently released CNN poll on Obamacare found opposition 20% higher than support. And, NPR released a poll yesterday that showed, for the first time in years, the Republicans up by 5% in the generic Congressional ballot. We’ll see if any of this impacts the President’s speech tonight.
ONE LAST NOTE: the Bellevue police chief showed up at the Senate hearing on the assault weapons ban bill in Olympia yesterday in uniform, but said she was there as an individual, not representing the city. If you live in Bellevue, heck, even if you don’t, a call to the mayor, suggesting the inappropriateness of it all might be appropriate.
7 Responses to “OBAMA AND THE STATE OF THE UNION”
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Anonymous says:
Why exactly would this be inappropriate? Police Officers do not really have the luxury of being “Off the Clock” like most people in many other professions. They are technically “On-Duty” 24/7/365 when they are in the state that they are currently certified and working. Their responsibilities to protect and serve do not end when they leave the office, if a situation occurs that they are present for that requires the assistance of a Peace Officer, they are expected to provide that assistance.
If Chief Pillo was at the hearing in her uniform, SO WHAT? Perhaps she went to the hearing straight from work, or has an engagement directly after the hearing that is work related. There are any number or reasons why Chief Pillo might have been wearing her uniform at the hearing she attended (As herself and not as a Police Chief) But, the bottom line is, WHO CARES? Would you ask a Metro Driver still wearing his uniform from work to change? How about a Fast Food employee? DOL Worker? PSE Worker? A Doctor wearing their surgical scrubs?
The only thing inappropriate about this whole thing is YOU! Get over yourself!
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JD says:
I am watching the SOTU pontification. This guy needs a shrink.
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Cathy Kalish says:
I live in Mississippi and truly enjoy your commentary. I truly appreciate the logical ideas that you purport in language that is easy for everyone to understand. Thank you so very much for doing what you do.
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Ken Mortland says:
Thought this part of Peggy Noonan’s recent column would be appropriate here. It refers to the Massachusetts win, as well as two others, in perspective and describes winning candidates as moderates, not reactionary, Republicans.
But the Republican candidates in Virginia and New Jersey, and now Scott Brown in Massachusetts, did something amazing. They played the part of the Creep very badly! They put themselves forward as serious about spending, as independent, not narrowly partisan. Mr. Brown rarely mentioned he was a Republican, and didn’t even mention the party in his victory speech. Importantly, their concerns were on the same page as the voters’. They focused on the relationship between spending and taxing, worried about debt and deficits, were moderate in their approach to social issues. They didn’t have wedge issues, they had issues.
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Macabe says:
My only comment is this. What did the Bellevue Police Chief say to make the whole thing inappropriate?
Kirby,
Have you heard that David Plouffe has been hired again? Do you think that will make a difference in everyone believing the president again because Plouffe knows how to spin things?