"Built to last" was the message for the 2012 State of the Union speech.
The thematic core of the address was the same as it was last year: America is emerging from the recession, but to really thrive, income inequality must be reduced, commerce must be regulated, and the policies of the past that led to the mess must not be embraced anew. He said that “a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of Americans barely get by." His policies were aimed at creating a government “where everyone gets a fair shot.”
He made a pitch for smarter regulations. There will be "no bailouts, no handouts and no copouts," he said, a bit of hot rhetoric to reverse the idea that he is in favor of mindless government intervention. It was a version of Bill Clinton's 1996 pledge that "the era of big government is over."
Everything in the speech had political undertones. At the very start, he praised the troops returning from Iraq. He held up their selfless sacrifice and teamwork as a model to the nation. Political subtext: I promised to end the wars, and I have. When he mentioned cities that could be reborn, he chose "Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Raleigh," all of which are in swing states. (The swing states of our union are strong.) Even the slogan "built to last" comes from the auto industry, highlighting his efforts to help save carmakers.
The president took swipes at Republicans that were familiar but not particularly tough. For example, he characterized their opposition as an effort to "return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.”
The central policy proposal for creating jobs is a package of tax incentives to keep companies from moving jobs overseas. He also called on more investment in green technology. One of his invited guests, Bryan Ritterby, was laid off but found a new job at a wind-turbine manufacturer. "I will not walk away from workers like Bryan." The president will face a stiff set of attacks for his administration's investment in the failed solar company Solyndra. Here he was trying to put a human face on the underlying policy. Don't think of green-energy investment as picking winners or favoring political backers,; think of Bryan instead.
The speech contained a dizzying list of requests on everything from immigration reform to an "all-of-the-above strategy" for energy that even the president recognized would never pass. It often felt exhausted. The key battleground for the coming inequality will be over tax policy. Obama called on millionaires to pay their share, reiterating his support for the "Buffett rule," which he defined: If you make more than $1 million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes. Debbie Bosanek, one of Warren Buffett's secretaries, sat with the first lady as one of the president's props. Her effective tax rate is higher than her boss. (Given Mitt Romney's recent disclosure that he paid an effective rate of 13.9 percent, it's a surprise the White House didn't invite his secretary.)
In a time of total political collapse, this State of the Union speech felt more detached from reality than usual.
Doesn't matter what anyone says or what side of the fence you're on...he's a damn good speaker...the man can motivate and captivate you in a heart beat...I was cheering him on during the speech...and I went into this as I'm not voting for him again...I bounce from not voting at all this year to more then liking voting for him again...i mean look at the bozo's he's up against...I'll take my chances with the big O. If you missed the speech, go back and watch it...totally worth it.
chow.
