Politics Plus

I missed Obama’s State of the Union address, because I was doing volunteer work in prison at the time and did not get to see it until yesterday morning, so please color this better late than never.  I have the full enhanced video of the speech, followed by my own notes in raw format.  I did not like everything I heard, but I did like far more than I disliked.

Here is the video:

And here are my raw notes.  Boo indicates that I heard Republicans booing the President at that point.

He opened with the end of the Iraq war, the death of Osama bin Laden, the disruption of Al Qaeda, and the ability to cut forces in Afghanistan.  He used the teamwork of our military as an example of the teamwork that there should be in Congress.

 

He stressed that everyone must get a fair shot, do their fair share, and play by the same set of the years.

 

He describes the onset of the financial crisis.  Businesses have created more than 3 million Jobs since Obama’s policies took effect.

 

He accurately described the State of the Union as "getting stronger".

 

He said he will work with anyone, but will fight obstruction and oppose policies that would return us to the conditions that  brought on the recession.

 

He praised the auto industry for their success since we saved it.  He stressed insourcing to bring manufacturing jobs home.

 

He called for ending the tax deduction for outsourcing and creating one for insourcing.  He proposed  a Basic Minimum Tax on companies who move jobs and profits overseas and use the revenues generated to give tax cuts for companies that create jobs. (Boo)

 

He has created a Trade Enforcement group to combat unfair trade practices by foreign nations.  He proposed a bold jobs training program, and called on Congress to support community colleges and reemployment programs. (Boo)

 

He called for support for teachers giving schools the resources to retain good teachers, pay the best ones more, and discharge those who are ineffective.  Proposed that all students to be requires to stay in high school.  Congress must stop the interest on student loans from doubling in July [as Republicans scheduled it to do].  Funding for colleges must be contingent on their ability to hold tuition costs down.

 

Obama said he has increased border security, and now we need comprehensive immigration reform, and called for a dream act in the interim. (Boo)

 

He said women must earn equal pay for equal work.

 

He said to give tax relief to small businesses, to fund research,  and to open more oil and gas resources.  He said gas companies must disclose the chemicals they use and those must be regulated for human and environmental safety.  We need an all of the above strategy, so we also need to develop green energy.  End the tax subsidies for fossil fuels and give them to green energy.  We need to help manufactures use less energy through conservation.

 

We need to repair and upgrade America’s infrastructure.  Invest 50% of war savings on infrastructure. (Boo)

 

Allow American homeowners to refinance at lower interest rates.

 

We need to both remove outdated regulations and add more regulations that protect Americans.  He said he has added less regulations than Bush did in his first six years.  He stressed the CFPB and Richard Cordray.  (Boo)

 

He announced a special investigation unit, made up of DOJ personnel and state Attorneys General to investigate the criminal Wall Street mortgage practices that caused the crisis.

 

He called for passage of the payroll tax cut without side issues and drama. (Boo)

 

He called for deficit reduction using the Buffet Rule where people making over $1 million must pay a minimum of 30%.  It is not class warfare to say a billionaire should pay more than his secretary.  It is common sense. (Boo)

 

Ban insider trading by members of Congress.  (BIG Boo)

 

All judicial nominations should receive an up or down vote within 90 days.

 

Allow him to consolidate the federal bureaucracy.

 

He called on Republicans to help, as we should all work together for a smarter, more effective actions.

 

He returned to the success that our troops have achieved through teamwork, and listed other foreign policy successes.  He said that the renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe.  "America is back!"  "Anyone who tells you America is in decline does not know what they are talking about."  He praised the troops.  He said he has increased VA spending every year [over Republican opposition].

 

He said we all need to learn from out troops.  We all need to do our jobs and get each others’ backs.

Next here is a complete detailed analysis of the Republican Response

In my opinion his outreach to Republicans is futile, as I woke up this morning to the sound of Republicans ranting and raving about class warfare on MSNBC.  However, he displayed authentic patriotism, so different that the phony flag-wrapping Republicans do.

Considering the available choices there is a virtually infinite gulf between Obama and either of his Republican opponents. (Santorum has frothed out.  Paul never mattered and never will.)  He did an excellent job in making that gulf apparent.

91% of Americans polled said they approved of what Obama proposed.  9% opposed it.  I count myself in the 91%.