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SOTU: My perspective

Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 9 years, 2 months ago to Government
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SOTU: My perspective

It was difficult to sit through over an hour of self righteous, arrogant, contradictions, non sequiturs, and sophistry.
I cursed more in that hour than I have all year. I will need at least three bars of soap in my mouth now just to overpower the bad taste…

He promised bi-partisan cooperation, implying a willingness to compromise (not that that is necessarily a good thing), but threatened at least four preemptive vetoes… that’s bi-partisan cooperation?!?!?

All in all it was an address filled with more grandiose Utopian pipe dreams and platitudes, with more of the same tax and spend policies which are/have driven our nation to financial and moral bankruptcy. Thanks to him and other statists our Nation is as bankrupt as our President's policies.

Promising two years of “free’ community college as if the money would just magically fall from the sky like manna from heaven.

He took credit for the lower gas prices and near energy independence, though it actually occurred in spite of his policies not because of them.
http://freedomforce.com/1097/obama-decei...

He also raised alarms again about global warming/climate change citing the NOAA which has been shown to play loose with the truth and NASA claiming they found 2014 to be one of the hottest years on record despite the fact that we recently received a revised report suggesting that assessment was not accurate.
http://dailycaller.com/2015/01/12/satell...

http://currmudgeon-patriot.blogspot.com/...

http://www.climatedepot.com/2015/01/18/b...

The list could go on and on, but the memory is too painful to recount.

SOTU Fact Check: Obama claims credit for an incomplete recovery
By Associated Press January 21, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/01/21/fact-check-...

The Joni Ernst GOP reply was more promising and brief, but lacked specific strategy.

I call B.S. on the whole lot of it.

The Joni Ernst GOP reply was better, but the best speech of the evening was delivered by John Stossel.
Stossel’s take and SOTU- http://reason.com/archives/2015/01/21/re...


Respectfully,
O.A.


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  • Posted by Ben_C 9 years, 2 months ago
    Listening to him speak is worse than water boarding but not as bad as public flogging. I was amazed at the fact check by USA Today - pretty much slammed him. He makes Jimmy Carter look like patron saint. 720 days left and counting of his administration. Will we survive?
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    • Posted by 9 years, 2 months ago
      Hello Ben_C,
      Always good to hear from you.
      "Will we survive?" I suspect we will. "We" are likely to be far better off than those that have their heads in the sand.
      What the nation will look like, is up in the air...
      Regards,
      O.A.
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  • Posted by dbhalling 9 years, 2 months ago
    Wow, there is no way I could watch it. The last state of the Union Address that was any good was Ronald Reagan's one on Federalism.
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    • Posted by 9 years, 2 months ago
      Hello dbhalling,
      Yes, the good old days... Strange how many speak of "the good old days" and suggest that they were "really no different ... that it is just nostalgia." B.S. We have been lucky to have lived in a nation that did have more freedom and liberty.
      One day, if I live long enough, I hope to see it again, but alas it will probably never be the same. It may however be better...
      There is hope. They cannot take that away.
      Regards,
      O.A.
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  • Posted by Aliona 9 years, 2 months ago
    We will survive but it will take a generation to correct the ship. There are too many variables to know for sure we can go in the right direction. Our future is riding on what the republican controlled congress Will do between now and the 2016 elections.
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    • Posted by 9 years, 2 months ago
      As long as there are not enough in the Senate to override a veto it will still be largely a stalemate and if the Republicans blow it and continue to act like progressive lights they may remove any chance of getting a president of any value in 2016. The establishment types will fight hard to keep any true small government, Constitutionalists out.
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  • Posted by norman1 9 years, 2 months ago
    i tried reading stossel's article and when i got to his SOTU part i stopped reading. he is living in a "i wish world" just like 0. the economony of the usa is not rebounding and unemployment is probably 20 percent. the only reason the price of oil has decreased is because there is less being sold; ever hear of supply and demand; well the demand is down and the supply is way way way up. the longer it stays low and i expect it to go lower yet the more violence we can expect from the arab world. who is the finacier of the violence the suadis. they are losing the most at this time.
    O.A."I" think you could have done something much more enjoyable than subject yourself to an hour and one half of stupidity.
    IF things get better in the next 2 years because the congress is republican I will be very surprised.
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    • Posted by 9 years, 2 months ago
      Hello norman1,
      Understood. Praemonitus, praemunitus. (To be forewarned, is to be forearmed.)
      It is my way of being informed and empowered so I might speak authoritatively when trying to correct the record and help direct those still willing to open their minds... those still drinking the koolaid for lack of exposure to other input. I definitely have more enjoyable things to do. I would much rather get back to my reading. Have you read any of my book reviews?
      I agree with your assessment regarding the next 2 years.
      Respectfully,
      O.A.
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      • Posted by norman1 9 years, 2 months ago
        O.A.,
        I do read much of what you write and it is informative and interesting, thank you.
        Outside of the gutch and probably a few other web sites that support Objectivism I think what we say here would not be understood by 90 percent of the country. I read an essay years ago by Peter Schwartz in 'THE OBJECTIVIST" TITLED "WHY JOHNNY CAN'T READ" and being written in the 80's that should tell you that if our youth couldn't read then is is certainly worse to day I give you 0 as my proof. so if he can't read those coming behind him can't either.
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        • Posted by 9 years, 2 months ago
          norman1,
          Thank's for staying tuned.
          You are so right regarding our present state and direction regarding education. Knowing the system is corrupt, I take it upon myself to try and help educate my great nieces and nephews (I read to them and encourage them) as I did their parents, as well as anyone else willing to listen. I know far too many young people who do not read anything more than facebook or twitter... Such a shame.
          "I cannot live without books..." Thomas Jefferson
          Regards,
          O.A.



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  • Posted by Herb7734 9 years, 2 months ago
    Same old, same old, same old.
    All I need to do is make a paste up of his past speeches and comments and I would have this one. Did anyone actually believe he would say anything new or change his attitude? I'm glad I didn't waste my time by listening to his speech. I just read the pundits, and then, only one or two.
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    • Posted by 9 years, 2 months ago
      Hello herb7734,
      Yes. He is as set in his ways and as stubborn as his parties symbol (donkey)...
      We have primarily a two party system, statist and statist light. Either we need a viable third alternative or we need to change/infiltrate one of the existing parties.
      Regards,
      O.A.
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      • Posted by Herb7734 9 years, 2 months ago
        The last election reminds me of getting all new furniture for the same old house. The newbies and the "ultra" conservatives talk the talk, let's see if they run, walk or stumble.
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  • Posted by term2 9 years, 2 months ago
    How do you compromise with a thief who arrives at your house with a gun? He wants what you have and you are supposed to negotiate as to HOW MUCH of it you give him? I say the Republicans should stand firm and give Obama nothing.
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  • Posted by Aliona 9 years, 2 months ago
    It is torturous to hear the man speak. Why would I subject myself to an hour and a half of senseless torture?
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    • Posted by 9 years, 2 months ago
      Hello Aliona,
      I understand. It is difficult, but so is standing up to tyranny and speaking out.
      As long as you have trustworthy alternatives to endure it for you then you may be better off if it is too much. I completely understand.
      In the days of Reagan, I actually enjoyed it for the most part. I am unfortunately, a bit of a romantic and I keep hoping...
      Respectfully,
      O.A.
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  • Posted by Turfprint 9 years, 2 months ago
    "It was difficult to sit through over an hour of self righteous, arrogant, contradictions, non sequiturs, and sophistry." I know exactly what you mean.

    Obama your sins will find you out. And,
    Your cheatin' heart, will tell on you.
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  • Posted by scojohnson 9 years, 2 months ago
    I'm not in favor of free college... don't attack me.

    However, at like $30 / credit or whatever we charge for it here in California... and the relatively small size of the student population and small class loads of each student (1/4 time, 1/2 time, etc.)... its entirely possible that the overhead of figuring out grant awards, scholarships, student loan applications & disbursements, reporting on progress to those programs, etc... may very well cost the state/college more in net than it ever gets from actually collecting the tuition.. Especially since the vast majority of students qualify for Pell (Federal) & CalGrants (here). If you look at how much actually comes out of our pocket, and the fact that its pretty much continued learning for high school grads that want to achieve but went to a sucky high school and just can't keep up in a 4 year college yet... I'm not really opposed to the concept. I don't think it would really cost us anything, and may even save money.

    4 year college is definitely something that needs to be paid for.

    My suggestion though is that it simply not include "art", underwater basket weaving, environmental studies, non-teaching history, etc.. have it coupled with a follow-on career. The Caterpillar ThinkBIG program is an excellent example. The student pays for tuition, but its 50% in-class, and 50% paid internship @ $13.00 hour at the local Caterpillar dealership as a diesel service tech. They go to school for 8 weeks at a time, then work for 8 weeks and apply what they learned, over 2 years, and its 100% placement starting at around $70,000 a year. Obviously, the tax revenue comes back in about a year from that investment...

    If they are talking about publicly funding the non-paid part of technical programs like that to put people into jobs and get them earning... I'm completely fine with it. Unfortunately, it won't, it will include all the bullsh!t that will lead to perpetual food stamp & welfare recipients.

    My son presently goes to Butte College - (Aaron Rodgers alma mater)... and its really easier for me to just pay the bill every semester than to mess with anything else.. it's like $650 for tuition & fees and maybe $150 for books (per semester) if we leverage Kindle rentals when available. If we're talking $800... when most of his classmates are already getting $3000 (per semester) in grants.. who cares?

    If anything, this helps the "producers" because those of us that blow through the upward income limits for grant applications, the kids just kind of suffer. He has acquaintances that are welfare babies and easily rake in enough on benefits & grants to cover tuition & living expenses without having to work, get crappy grades, and will never owe a penny back to taxpayers... while his friends and roommates have to work, borrow from parents, take out student loans, etc.. In our case, at 10% for student loan private interest, versus just giving him the money... I'm happy to just pay his bill as long as he keeps himself employed somewhat and keeps his grades up.
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    • Posted by 9 years, 2 months ago
      Hello scojohnson,
      I would have less objection if the local "Community" paid for it. It is after all a "community" college. The Feds should not be involved.
      IMHO.
      Regards,
      O.A.
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      • Posted by BeenThere 9 years, 2 months ago
        Agree in principle. Way, way back when I attended a CC for a semester (to pick up some "basic" course credits before heading off to 4 year), it was "community supported" but still had a very reasonable "fee per credit taken" b/c
        "something for nothing" (after high school) was anathema to the culture of that time..........and, I believe it still should be.................
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      • Posted by scojohnson 9 years, 2 months ago
        One thing is absolutely for sure, I'm always willing to cover the nut in taxes (and I do pay a lot in taxes) to help people get an education and get off the dole, rather than keep paying the welfare tab. I just want to see measurement & results, not stupid do-nothing classes and do-nothing skills that don't result in a job.
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        • Posted by scojohnson 9 years, 2 months ago
          Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. its just not very hard to go to school either, I don't think the $30 / credit is a barrier to entry for anyone. If you can fog a mirror you can get a student loan, I don't even think being a member of the human species is necessarily required.
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          • Posted by 9 years, 2 months ago
            I believe the government inflates the necessity of higher education for many. It is just another way to make more people indebted to the government. Trade schools and apprenticeships should be more prevalent. My roofer, lawn maintenance man, snow plow guy, painter... etc., have no need for more than a high school diploma. I train people with nothing more all the time for high tech jobs through apprenticeship on the job training programs. No government required.
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            • Posted by scojohnson 9 years, 2 months ago
              Sounds like you are not from the sunbelt states... (the snowplow comment). Unfortunately, here, we have to contend with the vast illegal immigration problem, that unless people are willing to work for sub-minimum wage - while the jobs are there, the people that don't have their family stuffed in a hovel in Mexico for 500 pesos a month just can't compete in the reverse-labor auction and forces people up-market.
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              • Posted by 9 years, 2 months ago
                Yes. I am in Mi. The snow is flying...
                Supply and demand work on the labor market. If cheap labor was not being imported and exploited, the price system would naturally work and prices for those goods would have to rise in order to pay higher wages and attract American workers. I have heard estimates that the average weekly increase on your grocery bill would probably only amount to about $10, though this estimate is a few years old. The spin-off benefits to the economy and the reduced unemployment of citizens would likely outweigh the increased costs. Also if the costs were still too high, more automation would probably be brought to bear (think cotton Gin) in order to meet the demand and cost constraints.
                Also, much money would stop leaving the country since foreign nationals send much home.
                This would provide starter, unskilled labor jobs for many of the unemployed if it only paid more than welfare. I don't believe that Americans are unwilling to work these jobs unless the pay is too low and the government check is more.
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      • Posted by scojohnson 9 years, 2 months ago
        Seems like they usually are, unfortunately with ObamaCare, the feds did a complete takeover of financial aid, so any college with student loans has the feds involved as well as GI Bill & Pell grants.

        Most of the money seems to come from state level grants though in California, I can't speak to other states (but we spend $50 billion on K-12 and another $10 billion on higher ed - but that's probably 10 times what most states spend).
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      • Posted by scojohnson 9 years, 2 months ago
        These are usually vocational/technical training that while being good jobs compared to minimum wage & entry level, usually don't pay a huge salary/wage after graduation - maybe $20 / hour, $25 / hour, etc. Not worth it if you have a ton of student loans, but if keeping affordable / nearly free / free, its a good avenue to lift people out of poverty to be sure and more doable for someone with a family or something than a 4 year fulltime engagement is.
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