Here starts the commentary. If you didn't have a chance to watch the speech, I recommend you watch it; I was literally riveted for the almost full hour and a half. If speech watching isn't your thing, read on anyway, this will give you an idea. My initial comments on the speech as I watched are in bold. Comments on the comments continue afterward.
1. “I do not accept 2nd place for America” He says. Of course he's going to get applause. Honestly I'm tired of the 'we're number one!' rhetoric; why do we need to be in competition with other countries, why can't we have cooperation, what, seriously is the big deal with being 'number 2' or worse in some aspects. We certainly are not #1 in education, health care, employment, per capita GDP, taxes (too much or little), exports, gay rights, civil rights (in general), religious toleration, environmental cooperation, population... do I need to go on? It seems that the only thing we're #1 at is military spending and nukes. That's a good track record. Let's drop the rhetoric... America is kinda becoming second rate, that is WHY we must DO something about it. We'll get there one day. The day we realize true patriotism is seeing where/how your country is messed up, and trying to fix it.
2. “the country that leads the clean energy economy is the country that leads the global economy” Thank goodness. Ive been waiting for a real stand to be taken here. This says something progressives can get behind. Now what happened in Copenhagen, again?
3. “double exports over the next 5 years” creating 2 million jobs I really like this issue, we need to make more things in America and give 'em to other people. This is how our economy doesn't collapse. Like every other major empire.
4. Talk about nuclear weapons! (I had a sudden need. He does later, quite nicely)
5. “In the 21st century the best anti-poverty program around is a world class education” YES YES YES. We need more money for schools particularly colleges. This is a key issue for him to rally around because it is hugely popular.
6. Colleges nice. Right, like I said.
7. Talk about Afghanistan, talk about health care. (be patient!)
8. 10,000 dollar tax credit for 4 years of college, very nice Now let's do more than propose, let's pass!
9. Debt 10 years 20 years "no one should go broke just because they chose to go to college" Reminiscing on our own college debt, are we? He's referring to banks giving out college loans, and pushing for legislation which would erase college debt after 10 years or 20 years depending on the situation, and require only a 10% payment of debt per year? Something like that... but how will he cause banks to do that? With the erasure of the tax breaks on college loans for banks? I would like to see more of what Congress does with this.
10. Very centrist/populist sounding
11. Health insurance reform, why come only Dems stand up? Repubs don’t want reform? He finally mentioned it! My pet issue! But yes this is interesting, a contingent of the Republicans definetely kept their butts parked when Obama said the status quo isn't enough, we need to change something. Is this because they really don't want anything to happen, or because they think all Obama reform is just Obamacare (i still don't know what that means exactly, or why it's an insult to Obama's health care)
12. ”by now it should be clear that I didn’t take on health care because it was good politics” Damn straight. Nice line.
13. CBO: bring down defict by 1 trillion dollars in two decades He's talking about the current Senate health care bill which the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says will lower the deficit (very slowly). Still Dems should use this talking point more, even though Americans aren't likely to believe them.
14. I’m so excited by how happy Nancy seems to be with our president, some of her dreamy looks suggest she might have a crush on somebody… Seriously, watching her during the speech is almost more fun than the President
15. “Don’t walk away from reform, not now when it’s so close… let’s get it done” He's talking directly to me, I can feel it.
16. Made some several clear references to the 8 years of the XXX administration; 'don’t blame me yet!' Not porn. This is the smartest move I've seen him make in months. The Bush Presidency is still really fresh in the minds of Americans and if Obama can continue to frame the issues here as his predecessor's problems, he will be able to capitalize on a little more good will for, well... maybe he can squeeze it out for another 6 months or so.
17. “deep and corrosive doubts about how Washington works” yet when he speaks i go into a trance-like state and I just feel like mindlessly OBEYing, doubting NOTHING. NO it's the liberal education mind control they've been warning me about!
18. Sounds like a campaign speech, well done Obama back in the game : ) doesn't take much to hit his stride
19. What about the SC? Yeah there it is… corporations can now spend without limit in our elections… pass a bill that corrects this In other words, Obama really seemed not to like the SC decision (about which I will have a post soon enough, hang on) and recommends Congress pass a bill to re-regulate campaign finance. It will be very interesting to see if there is the political will to really do this...
20. Earmark reform ..bleah It's a BS issue honestly. No Senator is willing to get rid of earmarks; it's what helps them get re-elected.
21. Everyone seemed to like the idea of earmark reform… outwardly But every senator has to outwardly support it and pretend that it's not THEM but everyone else who's earmarking. You assholes.
22. “perpetual campaign” neither party should delay every bill just because they can yeah hot shot, poke them Republicans, they don't even have 42 votes! Again the question, he didn't call for a bill to reform filibuster rules, but will there be the political will to remove the filibuster?
23. : ) how can this guy not win re-election? He’s just such a good speaker… this is what we need. America's image abroad and at home matters a lot. Regardless of whether or not Obama delivers, it's wonderful to have an intelligent, pragmatic, practical person at the head.
24. Democrats have the largest majority in decades, so don’t run for the hills he points out. The confidence in the room is building. They really liked the republican jabs.
25. If republicans will insist that a supermajority …. “Just saying no… is not leadership” ...that’s what the left wants to hear, Obama
26. It just occured to me (and made me feel a little safer): God no matter what happens in 2010, at least Obama will be around for 3 more years
27. “all of us are committed to [America’s] defense” “All of our combat troops out of Iraq by the end of this office” key word: combat troops “this war is ending and all of our troops are coming home” bullshit I really don't believe it. We'll have bases in the region for precision strikes. That means NOT all troops are coming home, sir. I'm tired of this semi-hawkishness in your foreign policy. At the least tell us the truth!
28. “greatest danger to the American people” is the threat of nuclear weapons I been waiting. It's true.
29. “farthest reaching arms control treaty in nearly 3 decades” He means with Russia. I certainly hope so.
30. “America must always stand on the side of freedom and human dignity, always” but do we really draw upon that ideal by engaging with wars in two countries? oh the quintessential American hypocrisy, but don'tcha love it?
31. Repeal don’t ask don’t tell! YES!!! “it’s the right thing to do”
32. His social issues parade hurry get through it; hey, progressives, like me?! plz? he'd really like them to
33. A little too mushy here at the end, but it's the end of an Obama speech, what do you expect. Solid finish. Pretty speech. This may seem strange but whether or not he can walk the walk, at least he can talk the talk somethin' beautiful
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please keep comments civil, productive, and related.