Comments on: Bullet Point Reactions to the State of the Whatever Address http://davidernst.net/blog/2009/02/25/bullet-point-reactions-to-the-state-of-the-whatever-address/ Things I'll talk about with anyone Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:32:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Sue http://davidernst.net/blog/2009/02/25/bullet-point-reactions-to-the-state-of-the-whatever-address/comment-page-1/#comment-24216 Sue Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:19:34 +0000 http://davidernst.net/blog/?p=149#comment-24216 When Obama says he will "cut the deficit in half" he is talking about cutting in half the 1T dollar deficit of reality that will be in place at the end of this year. And yes, that means he will still be a president with the largest deficit ever but it also means that he will have cut more deficit than any other president at the end of his term (if he's successful). And I wasn't very impressed by Bobby Jindal's speech. Oh I think he's a very intelligent politician and I think his future is very bright with the GOP but it really felt like he was talking to the people of this country like we were in 3rd grade or something. It felt very condescending to Michael, Jenny and me. When Obama says he will “cut the deficit in half” he is talking about cutting in half the 1T dollar deficit of reality that will be in place at the end of this year. And yes, that means he will still be a president with the largest deficit ever but it also means that he will have cut more deficit than any other president at the end of his term (if he’s successful).

And I wasn’t very impressed by Bobby Jindal’s speech. Oh I think he’s a very intelligent politician and I think his future is very bright with the GOP but it really felt like he was talking to the people of this country like we were in 3rd grade or something. It felt very condescending to Michael, Jenny and me.

]]> By: Michael Patrick Burton http://davidernst.net/blog/2009/02/25/bullet-point-reactions-to-the-state-of-the-whatever-address/comment-page-1/#comment-24213 Michael Patrick Burton Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:23:05 +0000 http://davidernst.net/blog/?p=149#comment-24213 * Take, for instance, the war on drugs. Can anyone say that it’s working? And it certainly costs a lot of money. Well, depends on how you define "working." Are there less people using drugs? No. Are there significant amounts of funds going to "stimulate" local and regional police resources? Yes! Are secondary "Don't Use Drugs" programs being funded? Yes! Are there funds going to support prisons to hold citizens caught up in petty drug charges? Yes! Ahhh, stimulus is working... * I also like his focus on accountability and responsibility outside of government. Republicans have got to love that too… except that they might think that he is stealing their lines… except I think that this is a very calculated long-term play from the dems to own "personal responsibility," taking advantage of the pub's weakness - just like the pubs his dems on "patriotism." I also think this is a "core value" of Obama personally, so it works out wonderfully well for dems. * I really don’t think it’s fair to say that the United States is the nation that invented the automobile. CNN covered this directly after, saying the gas powered motor engine was invented by a guy named Benz - as in Mercedes Benz, making it a German claim. In my opinion, what Ford did though was innovate the invention. Invention is a cool thing done in a lab, innovation is what millions of people buy. I think the part Obama could have added to his sentence would have been "... as a mass market product which has had significant and long lasting impact on how Americans view their freedom through the memes of being able to drive anywhere they so choose." But that doesn't sound as cool... (smile) * “we will restore a sense of fairness and balance to our tax code by finally ending the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas.” Ya, I would love how many of these tax breaks are fed and how many are local/state. Intel in Oregon, for example, pays precious few taxes in Oregon and Hillsboro (the incorporated city our Oregon factories reside in). Those tax breaks were given by Hillsboro and Oregon to entice Intel to do business (and keep business) here. And right - Intel's workforce becomes more and more international every day. Overall, I thought it was a very good speech - targeted at the American People to say "Your parents are back in charge - we'll take care of making the house payments but you need to do better with your allowance. Your room is a mess - we'll help you pick up some stuff but it's your responsibility to clean it and keep it clean. And stay in school!" And right, with the right balance of humor, positiveness, and "you knew better" discipline, I think it's the exact message Americans want to hear. * Take, for instance, the war on drugs. Can anyone say that it’s working? And it certainly costs a lot of money.

Well, depends on how you define “working.” Are there less people using drugs? No. Are there significant amounts of funds going to “stimulate” local and regional police resources? Yes! Are secondary “Don’t Use Drugs” programs being funded? Yes! Are there funds going to support prisons to hold citizens caught up in petty drug charges? Yes! Ahhh, stimulus is working…

* I also like his focus on accountability and responsibility outside of government. Republicans have got to love that too… except that they might think that he is stealing their lines… except

I think that this is a very calculated long-term play from the dems to own “personal responsibility,” taking advantage of the pub’s weakness – just like the pubs his dems on “patriotism.” I also think this is a “core value” of Obama personally, so it works out wonderfully well for dems.

* I really don’t think it’s fair to say that the United States is the nation that invented the automobile.

CNN covered this directly after, saying the gas powered motor engine was invented by a guy named Benz – as in Mercedes Benz, making it a German claim. In my opinion, what Ford did though was innovate the invention. Invention is a cool thing done in a lab, innovation is what millions of people buy. I think the part Obama could have added to his sentence would have been “… as a mass market product which has had significant and long lasting impact on how Americans view their freedom through the memes of being able to drive anywhere they so choose.” But that doesn’t sound as cool… (smile)

* “we will restore a sense of fairness and balance to our tax code by finally ending the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas.”

Ya, I would love how many of these tax breaks are fed and how many are local/state. Intel in Oregon, for example, pays precious few taxes in Oregon and Hillsboro (the incorporated city our Oregon factories reside in). Those tax breaks were given by Hillsboro and Oregon to entice Intel to do business (and keep business) here. And right – Intel’s workforce becomes more and more international every day.

Overall, I thought it was a very good speech – targeted at the American People to say “Your parents are back in charge – we’ll take care of making the house payments but you need to do better with your allowance. Your room is a mess – we’ll help you pick up some stuff but it’s your responsibility to clean it and keep it clean. And stay in school!” And right, with the right balance of humor, positiveness, and “you knew better” discipline, I think it’s the exact message Americans want to hear.

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