In the State of the Union (SotU), Barry stated “Corporate profits have rocketed to all-time highs – but for more than a decade, wages and incomes have barely budged.” Corporate profits may be higher for some companies, but this is artificial. The Federal Reserve is monetizing the debt ($85B/month) while subsidizing banks by buying their toxic mortgage loans. This stimulates the economy and the stock market temporarily like putting $50K of profligate spending on a credit card makes you feel better until the bill has to be paid.
The country has been in recession since 2008. Wages do not normally rise in recessions. If productivity declines, then wages should decline also. If productivity increases due to increases in automation, then wages should not increase. Wages should only increase if workers' own productivity increased separate from capital investment.
“Over the last few years, both parties have worked together to reduce the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion – mostly through spending cuts, but also by raising tax rates on the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans.” The Federal government spends more than it takes in. It is not possible to reduce debt unless there is a surplus. Even if Obama reduces the deficit from $1T each year to $800B each year, the debt will continue to grow. The rating of U.S. Debt has already been downgraded, and it should be again. We have no budget, and it would not be balanced anyway. There is certainly no surplus!
The agreement in August 2011 gave Obama an immediate increase in the debt limit. The promise of spending cuts is still only a promise. Sequestration – delayed by a CR - should take place 1 March, but the cuts will somehow be avoided. Obama will try to blame others for an agreement which he signed. He states “In 2011, Congress passed a law saying that if both parties couldn’t agree on a plan to reach our deficit goal, about a trillion dollars’ worth of budget cuts would automatically go into effect this year. These sudden, harsh, arbitrary cuts would jeopardize our military readiness. They’d devastate priorities like education, energy, and medical research. They would certainly slow our recovery, and cost us hundreds of thousands of jobs. That’s why Democrats, Republicans, business leaders, and economists have already said that these cuts, known here in Washington as “the sequester,” are a really bad idea.” But Mr President, it was YOUR idea. Are you sure about “this year”, or is it a decade?
“On Medicare, I’m prepared to enact reforms that will achieve the same amount of health care savings by the beginning of the next decade as the reforms proposed by the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles commission. Already, the Affordable Care Act is helping to slow the growth of health care costs.” Simpson-Bowles was issued in December 2010. Obama and Democrats have basically ignored it! PPACA has put health care costs on afterburner!
“Our government shouldn’t make promises we cannot keep – but we must keep the promises we’ve already made.” Social Security and Medicare are bankrupt. They cannot continue as is. Government schools put out students with inferior performance compared to peers in other nations. Immigration laws and DOMA are not enforced. Multiple Jobs plans have been passed, but unemployment went up last month and the GDP decreased 0.1% in the fourth quarter. Barry, you are not keeping promises! You talk about tax reform and entitlement reform, but legislation you have signed and regulations you have imposed make these worse.
“The American people have worked too hard, for too long, rebuilding from one crisis to see their elected officials cause another.” Some Americans have worked; many are parasites on the others. I include myself in the parasites since I get a monthly Social Security check, and I am not working. I did pay into the system for about 40 years, but I have been receiving much larger checks since September 2007. My mother will 96 this year. She has received more than my Dad paid in. Note that Barry lays blame for these crises on Congress, not the greedy capitalists who follow their laws.
“Now, most of us agree that a plan to reduce the deficit must be part of our agenda.” Note that he only says reduce the deficit – not the debt. If you overspend your income by $1000 each month, then try overspending your income by $900 each month. I worked each summer to pay for my next year of college. I lived at home. I graduated with no debt. It was 1967, and I went into the USAF that year. Today's college graduates average over $25,000 of debt. Many cannot find a job. Taxpayers now have a monopoly on student loans. Almost 14% are never repaid. To reduce the debt you must not only balance the budget; you must take in more than you spend.
“manufacturing hubs, where businesses will partner with the Departments of Defense and Energy to turn regions left behind by globalization into global centers of high-tech jobs.” There are currently 17 National Labs within the Department of Energy. These are supposed to be “hubs” of research and development. Why not use them?
“over the last four years, our emissions of the dangerous carbon pollution that threatens our planet have actually fallen.” This may be because of a depressed economy in the U.S. and elsewhere, but Barry still wants a carbon tax under Cap and Trade. North and South Dakota have low unemployment rates because of oil. A carbon tax would force them to join the higher unemployment club!
“overwhelming judgment of science” In 2005, record storms were blamed on global warming. All of the letters of the alphabet were used for names and then the Greek alphabet was used. Check the next couple of years. Note the 1975 Newsweek cover: The Coming Ice Age. This is yet another crisis created by government for government. I worked for 8 years with a 50-year database of calibrated weather 15-minute data. As a mathematician I can prove any scenario that you want by cherry-picking the data. Scientists are humans, and they have integrity issues just like we do. I would love a $1M grant to study global climate change! I have already predicted a temperature rise in the Northern Hemisphere during the next 6 months. From 35 in February to 95 in July; a 60 degree increase! Sounds like a crisis to me! Note that under the Copenhagen agreement China – the second largest economy – does not have to clean up their act. It suggests that they – and other “developing” nations should clean up their act – if the “developed” nations pay the bill. Jobs have gone to China because their environmental costs are nominal. The United States should unilaterally spend huge sums to clean up our act and then spend more to clean up China's? That sounds crazy to me! That would help jobs that went to China and other “developing” nations stay there! Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) would endorse it!
“Last year, wind energy added nearly half of all new power capacity in America.” The Federal Government has been blocking coal and gas-fired power plants and gasoline refineries and pipelines while granting heavy subsidies to wind plants. Wind plants require coal or gas-fired power plants for backup.
“Solar energy gets cheaper by the year“ Only with massive subsidies by taxpayers. Hopefully there have been some technological advances also.
“my Administration will keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and gas permits.” This is a new policy now that the election has been bought with bribes – like transfer payments and free cell phones!
“I propose we use some of our oil and gas revenues to fund an Energy Security Trust that will drive new research and technology to shift our cars and trucks off oil for good.” Do you want another Trust that Congress can raid to “balance” the budget, or could the 17 existing National Labs use the money? Our oil and gas revenues is a tax which makes carbon-based energy more expensive and wind and solar more competitive. Barry's solution is to make carbon-based energy dramatically more expensive so that wind and solar will be competitive! I am retired and on a fixed income. Forgive me if I think his plans are stupid!
“free our families and businesses from the painful spikes in gas prices we’ve put up with for far too long.” This is done by banning internal combustion engines.
“put people to work as soon as possible on our most urgent repairs, like the nearly 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country.” We could call it CCC! Aren't gas taxes supposed to pay for “infrastructure” likes roads and bridges? Has mismanagement been that bad?
“Partnership to Rebuild America” The government is more efficient than private enterprise isn't it? Let's get corporations and the wealthy to willingly contribute money over and above their taxes! Sounds like a tax to me! Why not make all taxes voluntary? Progressives got the 16th Amendment ratified – there is evidence of fraud on SoS Philander Knox's part – by promising that only the top 5% of incomes would be taxed.
“Let’s streamline the process” of buying a home. Don't require proof of income, down payment, good credit score, etc. Rather than raising the minimum wage to $9/hour, why not $100/hr, or $1000/hr? Forgive their student debt – to pay for those pizzas and an overpriced education - then young people could afford a new home. Of course no employer could afford to hire them without subsidies!
“I propose working with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America. Every dollar we invest in high-quality early education can save more than seven dollars later on – by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing violent crime.“ Barry cannot be talking about a government school. Parents are responsible for their children's education. They need to be in charge. The government has spent trillions of dollars and has a dismal track record of failure. Head Start has been a disaster except as a babysitting service.
“reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers, and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math – the skills today’s employers are looking for to fill jobs right now and in the future.” This admits the failure of the Department of Education since 1979 while creating an elitist empire for controlling monies. See above on parents!
“I ask Congress to change the Higher Education Act, so that affordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid.” Where in the Constitution is this enumerated right? Fascism does not seek to own everything, just to control it! This is government of the elitists, by the elitists and for the elitists.
“a responsible pathway to earned citizenship – a path that includes passing a background check, paying taxes and a meaningful penalty, learning English, and going to the back of the line behind the folks trying to come here legally.” Barry wants amnesty – just like Democrats in the 1980s. He has not enforced immigration laws and has sued states who tried!
“Even with the tax relief we’ve put in place, a family with two kids that earns the minimum wage still lives below the poverty line. That’s wrong.” This family will pay no taxes, will receive welfare, food stamps, free medical and dental, energy assistance, etc. and a free cell phone from the FCC. The minimum wage prevents first-time workers from getting their first job and developing a work ethic. Youth unemployment is typically 20% or higher. Unions are against a training wage for first-time workers.
“Let’s put people back to work rebuilding vacant homes in run-down neighborhoods.” I know that is not in the Constitution! That is illegal in America Barry! The Law is such a nuisance! “my Administration will begin to partner with 20 of the hardest-hit towns in America to get these communities back on their feet.” No doubt they will all be Democrat or minority-run towns as thanks for their votes - bought with taxpayer money. Surely Cleveland, OH is one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpAOwJvTOio
“we’ll work to strengthen families by removing the financial deterrents to marriage for low-income couples, and doing more to encourage fatherhood – because what makes you a man isn’t the ability to conceive a child; it’s having the courage to raise one.” You won Barry. Now you want DOMA?
“in our democracy, no one should just take my word that we’re doing things the right way.” The United States is a republic Barry, you're right, we shouldn't take your word for anything.
“prosecution of terrorists remains consistent with our laws and system of checks and balances” Terrorists should be prosecuted as prisoners of war not as American citizens!
“The regime in North Korea must know that they will only achieve security and prosperity by meeting their international obligations.” Who determines that? The United Nations should be a debate society, and should never infringe on any nation's sovereignty.
“the United States will join with our allies to eradicate such extreme poverty in the next two decades” How is that “War on Poverty” that the Federal government has been waging since the 1960s? It is elitist and hypocritical of us “to help eradicate poverty in the world!” Maggie Thatcher said that socialism fails when you run out of other peoples' money!
“giving our young and brightest minds new opportunities to serve and helping communities to feed, power, and educate themselves; by saving the world’s children from preventable deaths; and by realizing the promise of an AIDS-free generation.” Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for another country! Those countries have AIDS epidemics because there is no rule of law and rape is rampant.
“we will stand steadfast with Israel in pursuit of security and a lasting peace.” So you favor recognition of the state of Israel and its 1967 borders by all nations? Do you also support their right to defend themselves against all attackers – including Arab refugees in Palistine?
“we will do whatever we must to protect those who serve their country abroad, and we will maintain the best military in the world.” Even if they disagree with you? What about Libya?
“they deserve a simple vote.” The House of Representatives has produced a budget bill every year. The Senate has tabled them all. Let's vote on a budget before we vote on gun legislation which would not have prevented Newtown!
“We are citizens. It’s a word that doesn’t just describe our nationality or legal status. It describes the way we’re made. It describes what we believe. It captures the enduring idea that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations;” America has been described as a “melting pot”. That means assimilation. That means one language – English. That means Christians, Jews, Muslims, Mormons and others live side-by-side, not in religious or ethnic enclaves. We are a nation of laws, and our laws must be respected. We must believe that the men who framed the Constitution got it right, and changing the Law should be done with great care and restraint. The courts must understand that point-in-time political compromises like the “three-fifths” clause and the slavery amendments are exactly that: point-in-time rhetoric. They should not legalize abortion or anchor babies or make states rights subject to Federal judicial review. We learned the futility of legislating the morality of factions with prohibition and its necessary repeal.
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