I did listen to the President’s speech last night and, unlike 90% of “people surveyed,” I did not think it was wonderful. That’s because I listened to what he actually said rather than merely to the tone of voice. In between all of the rah-rah sounds about how much “sets us apart” and how good this country has always been at rising to challenges was…
There was the usual plethora of his inconsistencies. Half of the jobs in the future will require an education beyond high school, but every child should get a college degree. That means that half of our jobs will be filled with people who have degrees which they do not need and which cost them tens of thousands to get. Apparently we will not need truck drivers, ditch diggers, landscape operators, etc. Enough with this idea that every child should spend $100,000 or so to get a college degree.
Again he’s going with this nonsense that we are “denying safe haven to those who attacked us.” Dude, they have safe haven elsewhere already.
We’re going to pay to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure by taking away the subsidies we give to oil companies. We’re going to balance the budget by raising taxes on the richest 2% of Americans. I’m going to buy a private 747 by saving pennies in a big jar.
The big issue that I took with his speech was what was missing from it; what to do about today’s problem. His theme was that of a farmer who cannot afford to buy seed corn to plant this year and who is ignoring that issue to focus on the problem of soil erosion.
We’re going to do education, innovation, research and infrastructure so that we can leave a better world to our kids, but no mention of what we are going to do about our kids’ parents who cannot get a job today. He made that lack all the more glaring by saying that, “the stock market has come roaring back," that "corporate profits are up," that “the worst of the recession is over" and that “we have broken the back of the recession."
Tell that, Mr. President, to the millions of people who used to work in to "the shuttered windows of once booming factories, and the vacant storefronts of once busy Main Streets," to which you also referred in your speech, and for which you offered no solution.
Everyone ought to be educated enough to handle what needs to be done in a modern society, communicate clearly in written form (txtng dsnt cnt). Is everyone going to be a stockbroker, doctor, lawyer, whatever? No. Having the opportunity to do that, sure.
ReplyDeletePart of that however is the realization by society that meaningful work can be found almost anywhere. It might mean swallowing some pride and doing it. All the illegal immigrants are willing to do whatever they have to to survive. Is that spirit ther in todays Americans? Honestly, no, I don't want to go pick garlic in a field or scrub shit for a living, but these jobs do exist.
Denying safe haven? Gimmee a break. They are there, they just haven't been found yet. And you can be sure they are recruiting more. In modern society, terrorists can be anywhere. And it's not just Al-Quieda [sic] we (and anyone else) need to be concerned about. In the meantime, we're dropping bombs hoping to get as many as we can with as little 'collateral damage' as possible. You think it's working? More rah-rah...
Balance the budget... take a way subsidies... rasie taxes on the rich... it's been said so freaking many times, it has more gray hair than Santa Claus. Does anyone actually believe this anymore? I don't. Show it to me happening, I'll probably fall over in shock. The Rubs (and Tea Partiers) are deluded thinking they can cut enough to balance the budget, plus cut taxes.
Besides. I don't think they are saving pennies in a jar, they are borrowing dollars from elsewhere. None of what they are talking about is going to come a whit close the balancing the budget. Right off the bat they took away the biggest money sucking thing, the Defense budget. More rah-rah...
Corporate profits (and hence the stock markets) are up because they are hoarding cash, increasing productivity with existing people &/or shedding people they don't need. What does that do to increase employment? They may have broken the back of the recession, but is still in a wheelchair and throwing up chunks. More rah-rah...
The CEO's basically told Mr. Obama to take a hike when he asked them to hire people with those profits. What do they know that Mr. Obama doesn't? selling products & services = more business = hiring people. It's certainly possible it's more a complicated than that, but still.
And again.... where was this talk 2 years ago when he was first elected? what has happened to do any of these things? All talk, no action. What action he (or Congress) could have done might be debatable. I'm not saying that he & Congress has accomplished nothing over the last few years (and yes, that INCLUDES the years the Dems had majorities in Bush's term). But improving the jobs situation doesn't look like ot took a priority before.
Mostly a rah-rah political speech, not a "State of the Union".