I thought that President Obama hit a home run tonight.  He was relaxed and spoke of what we do well.

He reminded us that America is the strongest nation in the world.  He reminded us that our economy is good and that gasoline is the cheapest its been in years.

Tell us what else is good.  It’s too easy to be negative.

49 Thoughts to “The State of the Union: What’s good about America”

  1. Wolve

    Only one more year to go.

    1. And will you hate the next one as much? Did you hate George Bush? Would you hate his brother? <-----seems like the only R fit to hold office to me.

  2. Jackson Bills

    Only 300 days left…

    1. That’s OK. You might get Bill back.

      I figure in 2 years all of you all be be longing for the good old days when Obama was in there to kick around.

  3. Scout

    and then what. . .? Anyone see any nominatable/electable (alas, it has to be both) successor who inspires confidence?

    1. I know who I feel is at least the most qualified to fill the bill. Just the charisma is lacking.

  4. nateX

    It’s downright scary to think that there is even a chance that this time next year we could have President Trump. It’s too bad Obama can’t run for a third term. He’d win by an even bigger margin than last time.

    1. I agree the thought of President Trump is scary. There is something wrong when I start thinking that Ted Cruz might be a little better.

      I would vote for Obama for a third term and so would most of the people I know. I was also thinking how lovely Michelle Obama looked. She has been a wonderful first lady.

      I didn’t like many Bush policies but I sure didn’t exude the hate towards him I feel coming out of people about Obama.

  5. Cargosquid

    I just read the transcript.

    If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

    (crickets)

    Oh….wait.

    I just saw some pics.

    Nice tie.

  6. blue

    I really did not know what to expect. I admit to low expectations as applied to any SOTU address, but I did not expect the clown act either. Obama clearly wanted to spin his legacy. I think he did and it may well be remembered not for the seriousness of it as much as for the head in the sand, why don’t they eat cake, Whaaa its their fault aspects of it. That said, for someone who had never before held a serious job with accountable responsibility, he has not done all that bad. Its his politics that suck.

    1. Won’t it be fun when you have Trump to beat up on after the SOTU?

  7. Cargosquid

    So…what’s good about America……

    “Meanwhile, we’ve cut our imports of foreign oil by nearly sixty percent, and cut carbon pollution more than any other country on Earth.
    Gas under two bucks a gallon ain’t bad, either.”
    Recession and stagnation are a good way to cut down on CO2 production. Nat’l gas for electrical production helps tremendously. Good thing we’ve been fracking our heads off on private lands.
    Private development despite gov’t crack down on fossil fuels has resulted in cheap natural gas and we’ve become the world’s largest producer of fossil fuels. Gasoline prices have fallen due to Saudi over production to cause a price war. While bad for the producers, its good for consumers. See…competition is good.

    Our military still serves honorably, regardless of the social experimentation forced upon them.
    Too bad about the 10 hostages the Iranians have. Perhaps former President Carter has some advice.

    ” What was true then can be true now. Our unique strengths as a nation – our optimism and work ethic, our spirit of discovery and innovation, our diversity and commitment to the rule of law – these things give us everything we need to ensure prosperity and security for generations to come.
    In fact, it’s that spirit that made the progress of these past seven years possible. ”

    This is so true. We made progress on those things despite gov’t malfeasance, corruption, and idiocy. So far, our system of checks and balances mostly works. Mostly. Kinda.

    We still have allies in the world, according to him. Well, that’s good. We were wondering.

    The FBI seems to be staying independent from the DOJ on certain investigations. That’s a good sign.

    Gun ownership and carry and training are up. The exercise of civil liberties is always good. Obama’s leadership had a direct hand in that success.

    No more “Big Three” auto companies have failed. That’s always a good sign.

    The Supreme Court seems ready to support the rights of public workers from mandatory support of unions. Excellent. But not guaranteed.

    Bernie Sanders received the endorsement of MOVEON.org….which is freaking hilarious. I like laughter.

    The OCCUPY Wilderness movement in Oregon is getting back to nature with upcoming rain and snow storms. Builds character.

    Millions of people not in the labor force are still on a vacation. That’s always fun.

    The insurance companies are getting record fees from healthy patients. Good for them. Those people had horrible insurance before, what with reasonable rates, low deductibles, and better doctor access. Who needs that? Perhaps we will see how the insurance companies get bailed out this year. They can be just like the banks and auto companies.
    And look! We can now fine all those people that can’t afford to get insurance. That’ll teach those deadbeats!

    Obama is against crony capitalism!
    “I believe a thriving private sector is the lifeblood of our economy. I think there are outdated regulations that need to be changed, and there’s red tape that needs to be cut. But after years of record corporate profits, working families won’t get more opportunity or bigger paychecks by letting big banks or big oil or hedge funds make their own rules at the expense of everyone else;”

    So…apparently, he’s all for getting rid of the Dodd-Frank bill, the TTP, Export-Import bank, gov’t loans to connected industries, bail outs, subsidies for business, overreaching regulations that restricts competition from small companies and benefits large corporate donors……
    Good for him!

    Joe Biden is going to cure cancer!

    We’ll be meeting tens of thousands of new immigrants this next year. They have such quaint customs! I’m sure we’ll learn all about those customs as the years roll by. I’m sure that our quaint custom of going armed will be a surprise to them. Because our citizens, unlike Europe’s, learned from Cologne.

    We’ve learned that BOTH parties are so supportive of schools and teachers when they passed the successor to NCLB….because THAT worked SO well. Yay.

    We are going to learn about the maxim, “You get what you pay for.” Oh look! Free college!!

    “If this Congress is serious about winning this war, and wants to send a message to our troops and the world, you should finally authorize the use of military force against ISIL.”
    It is so nice that he’s actually asking. Unlike the other times. Or this time. Or ever. So…that’s good.

    “Our foreign policy must be focused on the threat from ISIL and al Qaeda, but it can’t stop there. For even without ISIL, instability will continue for decades in many parts of the world – in the Middle East, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, in parts of Central America, Africa and Asia. Some of these places may become safe havens for new terrorist networks;”
    Its good to see that the President read his intel briefing. That always helps. Our system of gov’t allowing for a strong CINC is excellent. We know who is in charge and who is making the actual decisions for actions.

    And our foreign policy is in the very BEST of hands. Top men!!

    You wanted to know what is good about America.

    The State of the Union Address is not the place to look. The SOTU is a circus for a president to make a campaign speech with no basis in reality. Its the rare president that has the courage to address actual problems and state the condition of the US accurately. The SOTU is not a statement anymore on the state of the union, but on the perception of reality that a president wants to present.

  8. Jackson Bills

    I have to agree with Cargo on this… much of the SOTU is not based in reality (no matter who is giving it). It’s like watching a movie ‘based’ on a true story.

  9. Cargosquid

    @Moon-howler
    And if Trump wins, I’m sure I will, wholeheartedly.

    Because I expect to see very “progressive” policies coming from him.
    He LOVES him some gov’t control.

  10. Cargosquid

    I just watched some clips of the SOTU.

    I’m really glad that I didn’t watch it.

    Moon, I don’t understand how we can see the same thing and think 180 degrees on it.

    To me, it was alecture that said, “See, I’m great and all of you were wrong. Just ask me.”
    His tone of voice and mannerisms are horrible. Shrill.

    1. I certainly didn’t see that. Perhaps its because I like him. Perhaps its because you do not like him.

      I also thought Bush sounded like an ignorant hick much of the time. If I had really liked him, I probably could have overlooked it.

      For the record, I don’t blame him for saying many are wrong on some issues.

  11. blue

    Moon-howler :
    Won’t it be fun when you have Trump to beat up on after the SOTU?

    Yes indeed, but it may be a bit more difficult to go after a straight shooter as compared to our current happy fantasy dancer. I do look forward to being a member of the geater American offended class. And as soon as Trump is elected I will begin my campaign demanding Irish-American reparations.

  12. Starryflights

    I liked Nikki Haley’s response too. She did very well taking on Trump.

  13. punchak

    @Moon-howler
    I think I know, of whom you speak. But he slouches and does not
    show the energy needed to stir people.

    No, sirree – rude, crude, and mean. Kicking out those who dare protest.
    That´s who is leading. Definite signs of a great diplomatic, international leader. NOT!

    Furthermore – Can you imagine Trump living within the confines of the White House?
    Could you imagine,what it might be like to be on Secret Service duty for him?

    1. I would be afraid they would off him.

      Can you imagine him getting our sailors back? Trump would have blustered and bellowed and gotten them killed.

  14. ed myers

    “To me, it was alecture that said, “See, I’m great and all of you were wrong. Just ask me.”
    His tone of voice and mannerisms are horrible. Shrill.”

    Sounds similar to this phrase said 50 years ago: “Damn uppity Negros just don’t know their place.”

  15. Jackson Bills

    @ed myers
    Is that a quote from Bill?

    1. Of course not. Black people adore Clinton.

  16. Wolve

    @Jackson Bills

    No, Bill thought that they should be serving coffee to the rest of us.

    1. Sorry, that’s total bullshit. Bill Clinton got along very well with the black community. He is also highly respected there.

  17. Wolve

    Moon-howler :
    And will you hate the next one as much? Did you hate George Bush? Would you hate his brother? <—–seems like the only R fit to hold office to me.

    You seem to be enamored of the word “hate.” Couldn’t it be that I just disagree very strongly with his ideological tendencies, his philosophy of government, his domestic programs, his foreign programs, his view of the separation of powers, and his tendency to lie to us? Sad how some always seem to want to define strong disagreement as “hate.”

    Let me put the shoe on the other foot. One might be inclined to believe from some of your posts that you “hate” Trump and Cruz. Fair call or no?

    1. Absolutely I hate both of them. They are repugnant to me as human beings.

      Now, do I feel that way about George Bush? Jeb Bush? Mike Huckabee? Carley Fiorino? No. I might disagree with them politically but I certainly don’t hate them.

      I wouldn’t think about moving if any of those examples were elected president.

      I am curious about your thoughts about Bush.

  18. Cargosquid

    ed myers :
    “To me, it was alecture that said, “See, I’m great and all of you were wrong. Just ask me.”
    His tone of voice and mannerisms are horrible. Shrill.”
    Sounds similar to this phrase said 50 years ago: “Damn uppity Negros just don’t know their place.”

    Awww….aren’t you just the most adorable, ignorant little POS. Your shtick is getting really old. My opinion of you has dropped to my opinion of our other bigot that likes to see racism in everything. Maybe you guys should get together.

    1. Cargo, That is unnecessary. Ed has a right to express his opinion without being called names.

      I don’t always agree with Ed either but I dont think I have called him names.

  19. Wolve

    Moon-howler :
    Cargo, That is unnecessary. Ed has a right to express his opinion without being called names.
    I don’t always agree with Ed either but I dont think I have called him names.

    You’ve got to admit that there are times when Ed lays some very unpleasant eggs. This looks to me like one of them.

    Shame on you, Ed. Go to Confession!

    1. I don’t want my blog turning into a flame war. It just isn’t going to happen. You can disagree with Ed without name calling.

  20. Starryflights

    This is the Obama we expected 7 years ago

  21. Cargosquid

    @Starryflights
    The funny part is that you are exactly right.

    He is EXACTLY what conservatives stated he was.

    1. Part of the problem with this country is that everyone goes and stands under his or her label and does group think. No one ever comes up for air and thinks for themselves.

      I find that very disturbing. I don’t think the way a label expects me to think. I am all over the board with what I think. I guess that is one reason the party line bothers me so much.

  22. Cargosquid

    @Moon-howler
    Fine.

    I’ll indirectly call him a POS just like he’s calling me a racist.

    1. I don’t think he called you specifically a racist. If I am wrong, provide me with where he did.

  23. Ed Myers

    Cargo, I suggest you talk about policy differences or other substantive disagreements with the SOTU instead of Obama’s voice and tone and mannerisms. Otherwise we might confuse your comments as being based on superficial things like race instead of a different view of the world and the role of social institutions like government.

    I didn’t call you a racist, I just pointed out the similarity of your complaints about Obama’s attitude to the comments racists made years ago about Blacks. Did the shoe fit and then pinch a little? That’s between you and your conscience. I’m not judging you.

  24. Cargosquid

    @Ed Myers
    Ed,

    I suggest you stop talking to me right now.

  25. Cargosquid

    @Moon-howler
    Ed is what is known as a concern troll. He is a coward and a liar.

    He’s implying that my position is the same as a racist, stating that my position is that I feel that Obama is being an ‘uppity black man.”

    Ed has no position of any substance and is again, revealing his delusions and bigotry.
    Ed can FOAD.

    1. Cargo, you are still name calling. Please stop. That’s his read on it. Is it worse to be called a concern troll or a racist?

      He clearly says he doesn’t know what’s in your heart. How about both of you not talking to each other.

  26. Cargosquid

    @Moon-howler
    A racist.

    Perhaps he shouldn’t be insulting people and putting out baseless charges, regardless of his backtracking.

    1. I shouldn’t have to be breaking up fights either.

      Everyone needs to back off. No more name calling–anyone!!!

  27. Wolve

    Moon-howler :
    All three.

    In a nutshell:

    B-I — I worked for him. He started strong, then lost it. Lacked an understanding in 1992 for the mood of the voters and did not seem to have the political skills to fight back against either Clinton or Perot. In my opinion, he woke up much too late to the possibility that he could lose his second term. Also badly misjudged the voter reaction to violating his “read my lips” promise on new taxes. Great war hero, though, and a real gentleman. But I won’t forgive him for ceding the country to Clinton.

    B-II — We started off by giving him a good chance to impress us, more so after 9/11. Agreed with his rapid rebuild of the counterterrorism forces which Clinton had badly damaged. Not so sure about Afghanistan or Iraq. But very pissed off at the glaring failure to plan for the next stage in Iraq after the fall of the ancien regime and at how long it took (and how many lives it cost) to get that project working better. Got really pissed with his stance on illegal immigration, especially when the demographics of my own hitherto peaceful neighborhood were changing almost flood-like and I had to go out and work with the local cops for several years to help get rid of the gang bangers and other miscreants trying to take over the place. The name of top adviser Karl Rove became anathema in our household — and ever since. And we could never understand how a guy who had been a governor and then POTUS was unable to get sufficient command of the Queen’s English to be able to function effectively in front of the nasty media. Overall grade: Not too hot but better than either Gore or Kerry (God forbid) would have been.

    B-III: Doesn’t have it, in my opinion. I think he has the same problem as B-I in not catching on to the mood of the voters. Seems perplexed by the anger out there and the subsequent support for Trump and Cruz instead of him. Also, we suspect too many big time donors who finance the Establishment Republican willingness to do their bidding no matter what the voters may say. We see more of the same crap currently provided by a lame Republican leadership in Congress. Illegal immigration (and now national security)? Shadow of Karl Rove. Thumbs down. Also, he tried last night to counter Trump in a debate discussion of trade problems with China and looked to us to be out of his element and flapping around. We are NO BUSH —- and NO CLINTON. Down with the dynasties!

    1. Bush I -was very well liked at the CIA, especially by middle management. I suppose I like him the best. I disagreed with Bush 2’s policies but he was a decent man. I think he was sincere. He had horrible people around him–just horrible.

      Jeb-I like Jeb as a human being. I couldn’t vote for him, in all likelihood. But if I had to vote R, he would be one I would consider.

      I think our world view differences are just that, and too far apart to probably reach common ground, although Steve and I have, often. It’s there but finding it takes work. If someone is your friend, you try. If they aren’t, you have to ask yourself if it is worth it.

      I can’t stand Karl Rove either and I really despise Dick Cheney.

  28. Wolve

    @Moon-howler

    Eh, very probably the twain will never meet here. But that doesn’t mean we’ll wind up on the old dueling field at Blandensburg.

  29. Wolve

    Cargosquid :
    @Moon-howler
    A racist.
    Perhaps he shouldn’t be insulting people and putting out baseless charges, regardless of his backtracking.

    Cargo, you correctly scoped out one of our homeboy’s favorite little blog tricks: insinuation; denial; and the last para of #39 as the closer. That’s an old tune.

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