The Obama Speech

[annarborgator]

Anybody watch the show House? Ever seen the episode about the girl who can't feel pain? And how hellish her life is in its own way?

I feel like America is trying to be like that girl--no pain whatsoever--despite the fact that pain is a necessary and positive thing in the long term. I just find it awesome (without the positive connotation) that the American people ran out of the ability to get more money from the usual places and so decided to get the government to give us our future money now--it's like we're taking a payday loan out with ourselves.

You ever weasel an advance in your allowance out of your parents? When they have that money over your head they love to harass you about it constantly. I feel like we're taking an advance from ourselves and asking the government to be in charge of how we spend the advance we're giving ourselves and paying them a fee to be the middle man between us and us. They will be telling us when to pay ourselves back and how much at a time.

I just don't get it. I really didn't ask for this. And no--I can't leave. I think they should add "government" and make it the Trio of Certainties (death, taxes, government).

Anyway, just rambling. Carry on.

[Tipmoose]

Actually, no, I didn't watch it. I went out for a steak dinner at the Angus Barn with some friends. The press will just tell me how awesome it was and how he struck just the right notes and sounded so presidential. Thats good enough for me. We're all ok. You're ok. Im ok. Even the poor bums in the shelter are all ok. Da big O has spoken. It must be true. He will save us all.

Reminds me of The Critic when Duke was running for president: "All hail Duke. Duke is life....All hail Duke..."

[annarborgator]

How was the steak? Ribeye, sirloin or t-bone?

[IHateUGAlyDawgs]

I tried, but I couldn't stomach that smug piece of shit Pelosi sitting behind him...not mention the sound of his nauseating voice. I quickly changed the channel back to the slightly less nauseating UF basketball game.

[Tipmoose]

T-Bone: 24 oz. Loaded baked potato and a Caesar salad. Tried a six wine sampler.

For those who are interested in wines, here are the reds we had. The arboleda was outstanding. Best Ive had in a long long while.

Acacia Vineyards, 2006 - Pinot Noir
Carneros, Napa, California

Domaine des Senechaux, 2005 - Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Rhone Valley, France

Helix, 2004 - Merlot
Walla Walla, Washington

Arboleda, 2006 - Carmenére
Colchagua, Chile

[radbag]

i've had the helix once before...i don't remember what it tasted like to be honest...i do remember though that it was drinkable...was at a restaurant and we had a couple of em.

how were the rest?

[Tipmoose]

Wow. I am stunned. Shocked even. Seriously. The AP this morning put out the following Fact Check article on Da Big O's speech last night...Im stunned. Im willing to bet these writers will be fired and mysteriously disappear, never to be heard from again.


FACT CHECK: Obama's words on home aid ring hollow

By CALVIN WOODWARD and JIM KUHNHENN


WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama knows Americans are unhappy that the government could rescue people who bought mansions beyond their means.

But his assurance Tuesday night that only the deserving will get help rang hollow.

Even officials in his administration, many supporters of the plan in Congress and the Federal Reserve chairman expect some of that money will go to people who used lousy judgment.

The president skipped over several complex economic circumstances in his speech to Congress - and may have started an international debate among trivia lovers and auto buffs over what country invented the car.


http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090225/D96IFSC80.html

[efbart]

There's no way in hell that I'm giving up precious free time with my wife to sit and listen to the president give a speech...I'm not sure I've made a point of listening to one since right after the attacks in 2001.

[DocZaius]

Yeah, I went to bed because he took away my precious TV.

Fucker.

[slideman67]

Excellent speech - and a classic example of the use of the Bully Pulpit. First of all, let me say that it is a definite breath of fresh air from the last 8 years to have an intelligent President who can speak in complete sentences. More importantly, Obama stuck the right tone of seriousness and hope in a positive vision of tomorrow. We are not a nation of quitters -great line! Obama is clearly using the political capital he has to get programs through Congress that need to get done. For too long things like health care reform have languished in Congress with both parties blaming the other for lack of progress. The time for that bullshit is over. Health care, renewable energy, and education - the three most important priorities that must and will be addressed.

He definitely hit a home run, and the polling show that. CNN showed that 82% of those who watched the speech were more optimistic about Obama's proposals. He clearly has a great deal of support from the American Public.

And as far as Jindal goes, if he is the hope of the Republican Party, I am going to declare Obama the vicor in 2012. Did he not get that Heck of a Job Brownie was in charge when Katrina hit? For Jindal to use that as an example of the failure of the Federal Government is strange, considering he is criticizing his own party. And for any Republican to lecture us about fiscal responsibility would be like Blago talking about honest - there is no credibility there. From his creepy delivery, to his recitation of recycled talking points, Jindal is clearly not ready for prime time. Even members of his own party gave him a bad review. Doesn't matter though because Palin will be the nominee.

I realize that I am biased, but I have heard a great many political speeches in my day. This speech that Obama gave was one of the best I have ever heard. And I am proud to say that I helped to elect him.

[IHateUGAlyDawgs]

I just threw up in my mouth a little

[slideman67]

Wow, that didn't take long. Some people can't handle the truth. You didn't even watch the damn thing - how can you criticize what you know nothing about?

You are going to be bitching for 8 years - and I will be laughing at you. I look forward to a brighter 8 years.

[IHateUGAlyDawgs]

I was vomiting over your verbal fellating of him.

[annarborgator]

Excellent speech - and a classic example of the use of the Bully Pulpit. First of all, let me say that it is a definite breath of fresh air from the last 8 years to have an intelligent President who can speak in complete sentences. More importantly, Obama stuck the right tone of seriousness and hope in a positive vision of tomorrow. We are not a nation of quitters -great line! Obama is clearly using the political capital he has to get programs through Congress that need to get done. For too long things like health care reform have languished in Congress with both parties blaming the other for lack of progress. The time for that bullshit is over. Health care, renewable energy, and education - the three most important priorities that must and will be addressed.

He definitely hit a home run, and the polling show that. CNN showed that 82% of those who watched the speech were more optimistic about Obama's proposals. He clearly has a great deal of support from the American Public.

And as far as Jindal goes, if he is the hope of the Republican Party, I am going to declare Obama the vicor in 2012. Did he not get that Heck of a Job Brownie was in charge when Katrina hit? For Jindal to use that as an example of the failure of the Federal Government is strange, considering he is criticizing his own party. And for any Republican to lecture us about fiscal responsibility would be like Blago talking about honest - there is no credibility there. From his creepy delivery, to his recitation of recycled talking points, Jindal is clearly not ready for prime time. Even members of his own party gave him a bad review. Doesn't matter though because Palin will be the nominee.

I realize that I am biased, but I have heard a great many political speeches in my day. This speech that Obama gave was one of the best I have ever heard. And I am proud to say that I helped to elect him.

1. I can understand you liking Obama's speech and his initiatives.
2. There's one major priority that has so far been entirely absent in all of Obama's policy initiatives: White collar criminals must be brought to justice--they have existed at every level of our economy and government for far too long. Adult drug use (non-violent drug offenders) and adult contracts for sex should be legal and lying, stealing and cheating should get people thrown in jail. Maybe we can't go that far--but I can tell you that the economy won't recover until private capital holders feel safe enough putting their money at risk--they won't be cheated again.
3. I love how ridiculously biased you are (yes I recognize you admitted it, but in a different context). You rail against the things Republicans fucked up over the last 8 years, and when they stand up and say, hey, this was fucked up...then you say they have no credibility to be able to say it was a bad deal because it was their deal. WHAT THE FUCK EVER HAPPENED TO LEARNING FROM YOUR GODDDDDDDAAAAAMMMMMNNEED MISTAKES, SLIDER?

For fuck's sake, man.

[pre-emptively redacted]

[pre-emptively redacted]

[slideman67]

I was vomiting over your verbal fellating of him.

So making a comment about liking the speech is verbal fellation. I think not. I added the proud comment in there to tweak you - especially because I doubt you, or anyone else for that matter, would say they were proud for electing Bush.

[slideman67]

Excellent speech - and a classic example of the use of the Bully Pulpit. First of all, let me say that it is a definite breath of fresh air from the last 8 years to have an intelligent President who can speak in complete sentences. More importantly, Obama stuck the right tone of seriousness and hope in a positive vision of tomorrow. We are not a nation of quitters -great line! Obama is clearly using the political capital he has to get programs through Congress that need to get done. For too long things like health care reform have languished in Congress with both parties blaming the other for lack of progress. The time for that bullshit is over. Health care, renewable energy, and education - the three most important priorities that must and will be addressed.

He definitely hit a home run, and the polling show that. CNN showed that 82% of those who watched the speech were more optimistic about Obama's proposals. He clearly has a great deal of support from the American Public.

And as far as Jindal goes, if he is the hope of the Republican Party, I am going to declare Obama the vicor in 2012. Did he not get that Heck of a Job Brownie was in charge when Katrina hit? For Jindal to use that as an example of the failure of the Federal Government is strange, considering he is criticizing his own party. And for any Republican to lecture us about fiscal responsibility would be like Blago talking about honest - there is no credibility there. From his creepy delivery, to his recitation of recycled talking points, Jindal is clearly not ready for prime time. Even members of his own party gave him a bad review. Doesn't matter though because Palin will be the nominee.

I realize that I am biased, but I have heard a great many political speeches in my day. This speech that Obama gave was one of the best I have ever heard. And I am proud to say that I helped to elect him.

1. I can understand you liking Obama's speech and his initiatives.
2. There's one major priority that has so far been entirely absent in all of Obama's policy initiatives: White collar criminals must be brought to justice--they have existed at every level of our economy and government for far too long. Adult drug use (non-violent drug offenders) and adult contracts for sex should be legal and lying, stealing and cheating should get people thrown in jail. Maybe we can't go that far--but I can tell you that the economy won't recover until private capital holders feel safe enough putting their money at risk--they won't be cheated again.
3. I love how ridiculously biased you are (yes I recognize you admitted it, but in a different context). You rail against the things Republicans fucked up over the last 8 years, and when they stand up and say, hey, this was fucked up...then you say they have no credibility to be able to say it was a bad deal because it was their deal. WHAT THE FUCK EVER HAPPENED TO LEARNING FROM YOUR GODDDDDDDAAAAAMMMMMNNEED MISTAKES, SLIDER?

For fuck's sake, man.

[pre-emptively redacted]

[pre-emptively redacted]

1 - Good to know.

2 - I agree - white collar criminals should be punished and put in jail. If it were up to me, the assholes who caused things like Enron would be publically tarred and feathered, drug through the streets in a cage with crowds that have been supplied with rotten food to throw and them, and have their assets publically liquidated and given to those they ripped off.

3 - Learning from your mistakes does not involve repeating them. The Republicans claim to be the party of fiscal responsibility and that is one of their core values. Their rhetoric did not match their actions. And given the fact that nearly all of them chose to throw a temper tantrum and vote no en masse to the recovery program, for which they claim to be a big success (guess they can't read polls showing the opposite), and their stubborn insistance that tax cuts alone are the answer for every ill this country has, why should they be trusted? That is one of the major reasons McCain lost - because his policies would have been exactly the same.

The country cannot afford giving the Republicans a do over when they know that they would do the same old things. The ideas that the Republican Party is promoting are stale and tired, and until they get new ones, they will be in the political wilderness for a long time. They are dragging out the 1993 playbook and thinking that opposing everything Obama wants will bring them back to power. Yeah, good luck with that.

[annarborgator]

It ain't limited to Enron...it went on inside nearly every major national bank, rating agency, government office, mortgage lender, car dealership, EVERYthing. Obama has been silent because he's bought and paid for by those interests--which is fine, because it's impossible for someone to be elected without being under their control, IMO....but I'm just sayin, for your personal edification.

[slideman67]

Well I don't know if I would go so far to say that. But I agree with you 100% - white collar criminals shoudl be busted. And that asshole who bought $1 M worth of stuff with bailout money? He shoudl receive the treatment I mentioned above.

See now that's not so hard - we can agree on some things.

I'm going to bed now. However, I would be interested in your comments when Obama was talking about how we are not quitters and how we will emerge stronger and better. I also agree with him that we do need to be technological leaders again. And it seems that Obama and I are in the same boat when we say that are best days are ahead.

[annarborgator]

I think it is a productive message to assuage people's fears and reinvigorate their innate animal spirits to fight back against the trends we've seen over the last year or so. I agree that we should be technological leaders--but I don't believe government can make it happen on a broad scale. The resources and innovation just can't be created with the wave of a wand and some tax dollars. I believe that the best thing government can do for such advancement is to get the hell out of the way and make sure everyone is honest about what they're doing, to allow for maximum private investment.

My issue is that his message is utterly incomplete. He's missing the boat on real and true transparency and instead choosing to pay lip service to the concept, IMO. He needs to force his wall street benefactors to be honest with us--then maybe I will trust him.

[degator]

I like my Governor

[radbag]

BHO and regis philbin definitely had the same speech therapist just sayin.

[bluegrassg8r]

In defense of Slider, of course he will find the speech excellent. He has a charismatic democratic president that speaks well and delivers beautifully crafted platitudes in a natural rhythm.
Think of Obama as a highly skilled attorney who is delivering a summation with every speech.

[slideman67]

I think it is a productive message to assuage people's fears and reinvigorate their innate animal spirits to fight back against the trends we've seen over the last year or so. I agree that we should be technological leaders--but I don't believe government can make it happen on a broad scale. The resources and innovation just can't be created with the wave of a wand and some tax dollars. I believe that the best thing government can do for such advancement is to get the hell out of the way and make sure everyone is honest about what they're doing, to allow for maximum private investment.

My issue is that his message is utterly incomplete. He's missing the boat on real and true transparency and instead choosing to pay lip service to the concept, IMO. He needs to force his wall street benefactors to be honest with us--then maybe I will trust him.

I agree that is was a speech to reinvigorate the spirit of this country - and it was something we needed. However, I think we need an Apollo project style project that coordinates government, business and academic institutions in coordinating our efforts towards energy independence. First of all, the government is the only entity in this country that has the scope to make such an effort possible. Plus there is not incentive for this to be handled just solely by private industry, whereas there is an incentive for the government to run this program. By having our energy sources controlled by other countries, not only is this an economic issue but it is also a national security issue. From 1958-1969, we went from nothing to putting a man on the moon. If we did that then, we can do it now on the issue of energy independence.

[slideman67]

I like my Governor

My comments were not meant as an insult to you. I was only commenting on the buildup he has received and the hope that he will be the white knight the Republicans are looking for. That's all.

[annarborgator]

I agree that is was a speech to reinvigorate the spirit of this country - and it was something we needed. However, I think we need an Apollo project style project that coordinates government, business and academic institutions in coordinating our efforts towards energy independence. First of all, the government is the only entity in this country that has the scope to make such an effort possible. Plus there is not incentive for this to be handled just solely by private industry, whereas there is an incentive for the government to run this program. By having our energy sources controlled by other countries, not only is this an economic issue but it is also a national security issue. From 1958-1969, we went from nothing to putting a man on the moon. If we did that then, we can do it now on the issue of energy independence.

Government can't pay for it. We have more than enough to pay for already. The bond market simply wouldn't stand for it. If it had been part of Reid/Pelosi's spending bill, maybe it would have been a good idea....maybe instead of building a goddamned mag lev train into the desert to Vegas. At least the energy independence program would be economically productive if we did it right. Your boys in Congress have shot their wad, though, and there will be no money for such a program.