“My presidency is entering the fourth quarter. Interesting stuff happens in the fourth quarter.”
- President Barack Obama
Tonight we will hear the 7th State of Union Address from our President. And for the alst few weeks, he has been traveling around some of those 57 states trying to sell his 7th year agenda which interestingly does not seem to involve the new Republican-led Congress much. Let's see, from the Whitehouse.gov site "teasers", we can expect some of the following:
1. The overwhelming success of Obamacare;
2. The success of the economic recovery (the website touts the biggest recovery since the 1990's with a chart and all!);
3. Something about free Community College for all;
4. Raising taxes on the rich and giving tax breaks to the middle class;
5. Something about "Wall Street";
6. Introducing all the guests of First Lady Michelle, most of whom will be Obamacare success stories;
7. Something about "he hopes he has the opportunity to work with the new Congress...yada, yada, yada";
8. And all of the executive actions he will sign when he can't work with Congress;
9. Univeral high speed internet and Net Neutrality (which I still don't understand);
10. More free stuff he wants to give to the American people;
11. How the world is a much safer place since 2009;
12. Ending the War in Afghanistan (you know that happened, right?);
13. How hard he will work to work with Congress to pass comprehensive Immigration legislation (or if not, by more executive orders);
14. Easing relations with Cuba;
Stuff he probably won't mention -
1. Global terrorism, though I expect he will say something about the recent "workplace violence" in Paris;
2. Ebola;
3. The $18 trillion debt which has grown from $10.5 trillion in 7 years;
4. How much he is looking forward to working with the new leadership in Congress.
So until the fun starts at 9:00pm ET, please feel free to add to either list or to expound on anything that might interest you...like cricket or the latest episode of "Downton Abbey" (really, what is Lady Mary up to?)...
My grandfather was a Marine sniper in WWII, so to assuage any guilt associated with his not being able to save Michael Moore's uncle, I plan on seeing American Sniper for the third time instead of watching the SOTU.
ReplyDeleteI'm not gonna watch it, but I'm sure he'll work in global warming.
ReplyDeleteGypsyTyger
EricP - I would love to see American Sniper, but I don't think I have the spine to sit through it. Since I would just be crying the whole time anyway. Just as I don't think I could ever sit through "Unbroken" as my uncle was a prisoner of the Japanese for 4 years...I know his stories (which he edited for us small children). God bless them for having the spine to survive what they went through...
ReplyDeleteMichael Moore is an spineless hater who lives behind a giant secure wall in his multi-million dollar mansion and has the audacity to lecture or comment about "cowardly" behavior". And add Seth Rogen to the mix as he is no better...we should just send him to North Korea...
GypsyTyger - Oh, yeah, thanks! I left out "Global Warming" and how the seas have receded and the Earth has begun to heal because we aren't gonna build a few miles of pipeline and we've put thousands of coalminers and coal industry workers out of work. Yay!!.
ReplyDeleteBut fortunately, we can still use tankers, trains or trucks which are so much more efficient to move that Canadian oil and there is absolutely no chance of causing any further damage to our environment. Well, except for massive oil spills and crashes and the amount of toxins to be spewed from the energy it will take to transpo....oh, never mind...it doesn't matter.
Oh, this just in...there has been a coup in Yemen. I can't wait to hear who has taken over. It appears the Iran-backed Houthis are bombing the Hezbollah backed Hadi's and the palace...and THANK GOD, the UN has called a special meeting of the Super Special Counsel. I wonder if they've activated the "bat signal". Phew, I was afraid they wouldn't call another meeting, but boy, was I wrong! Maybe Obama will make a speech and send John Kerry with another cadre of '60's anti-war folk singers to sing "Kumbaya" and a cover of the Beatles "Give Peace A Chance"!
ReplyDeleteOH, and our old friends Al Qaeda of recent "on the run" fame have been bombing both sides... just like in Syria - get both sides fighting each other and then move in while no one is looking...
Okay, we just have to go to this guy's live-blog, if you dare want to watch the SOTU tonight...I just realize that I no longer get C-Span...eek!
ReplyDeleteLINK
Yeah, I'll skip the SOTU... I'll be busy washing my hair. :-)
ReplyDeleteAs for Sniper, I mentioned this on the film blog - it's heartbreaking to read some of the reactions. Both the left and right are claiming it as one of their "own" and, Michael Moore's idiotic comments notwithstanding, it seems some folks are taking any criticisms of the film a tad, uh, personally.
Political pundits should just stay the f--- away from film criticism. Present company excluded, of course!
Funny thing about those growth graphs claiming the best figures since the 1990s: they don't actually show the 1990s.
ReplyDeleteI expect Keystone XL to go unmentioned, but if it does come up, I expect Obama to emphasize the need for further study and investigation. Because, you know, ten years ain't nearly enough.
"My presidency is entering the fourth quarter..."
ReplyDeleteAbout freakin' time!
You know, if memory serves me right, most of the interesting stuff that happens in this phase of a presidency often doesn't involve the sitting president. Based on what I observed with Billy and Dubya, the last two years of a second term often see the POTUS gradually fading away. And unlike most second terms, this one is truly special in that BOTH parties will likely be glad to see this one come to an end.
As for the speech, Let's see...
'Framework' on SpikeTV... (not a perfect substitute for 'Inkmaster,' but I'll take it)...
Pens vs. Flyers... ('nuf said)...
Sorry, Bev. I'm going to make like Justice Clarence Thomas and skip it. (I don't think my brain or stomach could handle the agony.)
Okay...I just can't do this. I just can't listen. I will stab myself in both my eyes out with dull pencils and that is just not worth it. But if anyone wants to talk about "Downton Abbey" or cute puppies (kittens would do to, if you must), the floor is open...
ReplyDeleteHow is this possible? Now, I understand that they edit these things, but seriously...how is this possible???
ReplyDeleteLINK
Folks, I've been hospitalized, probably for at least a week. Arg. Someday I'll have good health again!!
ReplyDeleteOMG! Andrew, what the heck! Please don't worry. We will keep the home fire burning. Your health is THE most important thing. Prayers for you...pink bubbles of healing light coming your way...
ReplyDeleteThat should be "blog fires"...;-D
ReplyDeleteI skipped it. I was busy but I wouldn't have watched it if I wasn't.
ReplyDeleteIt's wild that Romney (aka Hillary's Hope) wants to run again in 2016.
Anthony - I am assuming no one watched the SOTU tonight. I know that I just couldn't and it's the first time in years. And from what i have been following no one is the least bit thrilled that Romney is considering running again.
ReplyDeletemissed it. It's just another campaign speech full of b.s.
ReplyDeleteGood grief! Andrew, you're just getting the worst luck these days. I'll hold back on any possible NSA-Obamacare conspiracy theories, (though the timing of this hospitalization and the SOTU is interesting...)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, take all the time you need.to get better, big guy.
My thoughts and prayers are with you!
TEST
ReplyDeleteI did not catch the speech (night classes). Any of you watch it?
ReplyDeleteIts a forgone conclusion that each side is going to praise their guys and attack the other guys, but one can read between the lines. Judging by the way attack and praise were distributed (liberals/Democrats praised Obama and ridiculed conservatives/Republicans, conservatives/Republicans mostly ridiculed Obama) last night Obama surprised no one and no one on the Republican side distinguished themselves.
ReplyDeleteDifferent day, same ****.
When will people understand that the "deficit" is not the same as the "debt"? I know plenty of people, who like the US, can make their payments every month and keep going but their total debt is rising because they won't quit spending. That's where this country is folks. This president has added something like 9 trillion dollars to the national debt since he took over, almost double..and it probably will be by the time he leaves office. He has no clue about how to fight extremism..here's a hint. We stayed in Germany and Japan for a reason, to guide them into democracy and free enterprise...We still need to be in Iraq and Afghanistan to help; them, in the long run we win. Yemen not that big a country and is surrounded by our allies, a concerted effort there will probably finish those clowns off once and for all. And let me make a suggestion, no prisoners, they're too much trouble. Turn them back over to the governments we are trying to protect, they know how to deal with them.
ReplyDeleteSo… Yemen is no longer a country.
ReplyDeleteIraq continues to have about a third of it's territory occupied by ISIS.
Syria is still embroiled in a civil war.
Kit - That about covers it...But just so we are all clear, this has nothing, NOTHING to do with radical Islamic terrorist groups. I expect Jordan and Lebanon to fall shortly. Oh, yeah, and Iran is still building those nukular plants.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone. Here's an update. I've managed to score congestive heart failure. Because of this, my system is retaining water. In the first night alone at the hospital, I lost almost 25 pounds of water... seriously. Today is running about the same and my doctor thinks there might be 75 pounds to drain out.That's why I couldn't breathe or walk or anything. Hopefully, this all leads to a cure. :-)
ReplyDeletePs. Obama is an idiot and he struck me as someone trying to let you know how tough he's going to be, unlike the every other time he's been called to act.
DeleteAndrew, geez! You sent a chill down my spine. First, because I couldn't imagine you'd have that at your age. And second, my experience with that condition- via family members- hasn't been the best.
ReplyDeleteI hope your doctor is a good one. (Since you're okay to comment now, I'm taking that as a good sign!)
I'll keep you in my prayers, my friend.
Rustbelt, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is what killed my secretary, so I know this is very bad stuff. But I absolutely feel like the doctor is great and has it under control. I am breathing again in ways right now I simply couldn't over the last month and I don't feel like I'm going to collapse. It also explains the bizarre weight gain around my waist.
In truth, I feel happy because I feel like I'm actually getting better rather than just not getting worse. In that way, this had been a blessed month. :-)
In any event, thanks for your prayers my friend! They are much appreciated.
And thanks to all of you for your well wishes and your patience! :-)
Andrew! Holy mother of pearl! Well, I hope you're at least feeling a little better. This doesn't have anything to do with the SOTU...you didn't watch it, did you? Because that could have sent you right over the edge!
ReplyDeleteBev, I actually feel amazingly better. Being able to breathe will do that! :D
ReplyDeleteI saw parts of the speech in the background... boring, paranoid, pointless.
...boring, paranoid, pointless.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that sounds about right. It is rumored that Justice Ginsberg fell asleep.
Yeah, breathing is good thing. We don't really appreciate it until it's hard to do. Glad to read that you are feeling better!!
Andrew, get to feeling better.....Don't take it lightly, I'm glad you have a good doctor..
ReplyDeleteAndrew, that's good to hear. Sounds like all you need to do is rest, listen to the doctor, and limit your Obama intake. We want you to be- and stay- healthy and happy!
ReplyDeleteThere was a state of the union speech this week??!
ReplyDeleteSacré bleu!
;-)