More of the same in Obama’s SOTU; Rubio hits the right notes in GOP response
Toward the beginning of his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Obama said we need a “smarter government,” not a “bigger government.” He then proceeded to request a long wish list of new government programs that make clear that, in his mind, the only smarter government is a bigger one.
So, we would have the federal government providing everything from universal pre-K to a network of manufacturing hubs to rebuilt bridges to refinanced homes — none of which is a bad thing, but also none of which require the involvement of a federal government already well beyond its ability to pay for the things it already tries to do. His assertion that this wish list would not add “a single dime” to the deficit didn’t pass the laugh test, particularly when administration officials after the speech declined to provide cost estimates for the new programs.
One can only guess his proposals won’t add “a single dime” to the deficit because they would, instead, add many billions if not trillions of dollars to it.
But if you missed the speech, fear not. You have heard every thought in it before; it was a pastiche of speeches he’s given over the past four years. I wouldn’t even say last night’s rendition was better than all the other times he’s given it. The only unifying theme was that Washington needs to do more. The only memorable moment came toward the end, when the president employed his familiar cadence of repeating a particular phrase time and again — this time, it was to say the various victims of gun violence he mentioned by name “deserve a vote” on his gun-control proposals. It will have zero effect on policy making. It was campaign-rally, rah-rah stuff.
If you expected anything different, you haven’t been paying attention. If tax dollars are still paying for a White House speechwriter to recycle the same ideas and phrases, then what Americans “deserve” is a refund.
The GOP response from Sen. Marco Rubio was the party’s strongest counter-argument yet during the Obama presidency. If you missed it, you might not see much about it in the news beyond the (admittedly awkward) moment during the middle of it when a clearly parched Rubio reached quickly for a bottle of water. As someone said on Twitter at the time — I lost track of exactly who it was — that’s largely a function of how a speech given to a camera is inherently inferior to one given to a live audience, during which the speaker can pause during applause to take a quick swig. Rubio’s Water(bottle)gate was but the latest reminder of that fact, which has dogged SOTU respondents from both parties for years now.
Those who can look past that moment will find the reasons Republicans are so excited about Rubio as a future presidential candidate. He makes the case for conservative principles with illustrations, and from angles, that are necessary to cast them in their proper light: as principles that can boost Americans of all backgrounds and income levels. This was a case Mitt Romney did not, and perhaps could not, make effectively. Rubio is obviously fluent in conservative ideals and language in a way that neither Romney not John McCain was. His ethnicity is icing on the cake.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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403 comments Add your comment
Aquagirl
February 13th, 2013
6:00 pm
al-gore’s Y2K
Al Gore and Y2K? Never heard that one before. You must be getting some extra-special forwarded e-mails.
md
February 13th, 2013
6:10 pm
“One does not call a program broken because it has a shortfall. The real issue with Medicare is future funding, not current funding.”
Oh Ok, so the program is short of money now and has an issue with future funding. Yep, I can see how that equals to being in great shape…..
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 13th, 2013
6:15 pm
Then, Gore grew serious and tried to convince people that Y2K was even more important to him than global warming and saving the whales.
“I joined the Cabinet meeting when the president laid down the law and went to each Cabinet department and set in motion efforts to make sure that every Cabinet member understands that this (Y2K) is priority No. 1,” Gore said. – Roger Simon, 2008
indigo
February 13th, 2013
6:18 pm
MarkV – 5:16
Its obvious that Bruno and Aesop will never admit they are dead wrong on global warming.
When global warming and its man-made causes are proved beyond doubt, we may be able to bring up their current(as of now) posts. If so they will, no doubt, say they were “taken out of contex” and “were not given all the facts”.
But, will they ever just admit they were absolutely wrong?
Not now, now ever, never.
They simply lack the class to show that kind of honesty.
MarkV
February 13th, 2013
6:18 pm
md @6:10 pm
“Oh Ok, so the program is short of money now and has an issue with future funding. Yep, I can see how that equals to being in great shape…..”
Only in md talk “not broken” equals “in great shape.”
Politico
February 13th, 2013
6:23 pm
MarkV
md has made a choice to think that way and stay on his program……..
Don’t attempt to divert him.
md
February 13th, 2013
6:24 pm
“Lots of opinions and NO solutions.”
It’s an opinion blog Don, solutions don’t come from blogs, solutions come from action…..the only action here is wasting time…..
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 13th, 2013
6:26 pm
Yep, indie, and some of us know that the Bering Strait used to be a land bridge between Alaska and Russia, some 1000 years ago, before the sea rose up and covered it.
You pagan liberals need to stop it with the human sacrifices, seriously.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 13th, 2013
6:28 pm
Excuse me, 10,000 years ago.
Bruno
February 13th, 2013
6:28 pm
There is a difference between questioning and belittling……. First, we can all attempt to convince ourselves that because our information may in fact be wrong we do nothing or second, we can act in the most prudent manner possible based on the best information available. I choose option B.
It is basic logic …there are only four basic courses of action. You should choose the one that prevents disaster.
Now that you’ve admitted that maybe climatology isn’t the slam dunk you seemed to portray it as a few days ago, maybe we can talk more sensibly. For starters, both you and MarkV went out of your way to insult md, HD and others here who questioned AGW and Evolution the other day. You put both of those “theories” on par with our understanding of gravity, implying that’s there’s no room for doubt.
As far as choosing a sensible course of action, I don’t see much value in acting based upon faulty doomsday predictions. The bottom line is that our concern for the environment must be balanced against other interests, such as the economic well-being of the people already alive. If we had followed the Kyoto Protocol, there’s no doubt that we would have been placed at a disadvantage to places like India or China.
Most likely, we won’t be burning fossil fuel in a hundred years from now, so the (apparent) overabundance of CO2 may not be an issue in the relatively near future. Right now, it’s the cheapest way to go, so I can’t blame folks for wanting to save money.
Irishmafia
February 13th, 2013
6:29 pm
Here’s a stat that really counts from the US Dept of Labor –percent of workforce actually working –for the past six months it has hovered around 63.6% THE ONLY time it has been lower in the past 33 years was in June 1979 -when –OOPS Carter was president.The unemplyment numbers present a incomplete picture since it doesnt count people who used up all their benefits. “Focus like a laser on the economy” Yup.
Bruno
February 13th, 2013
6:30 pm
The idea thousands of climatologists overlooked something you found on a crazy website is not a sound thought process.
Since when did NASA and the EPA become “crazy websites”??
Sailfish
February 13th, 2013
6:30 pm
Hey all my conned friends….avoiding hypocrisy is my intent…I absolutely understand why you would take a pass on the SOTU, as much as I tried to watch bush, nausea is never pleasant so I totally get it, but at least I tried. Obama gave a great american union speech, one that 47% seem to reject out right without a listen.
In a democracy majority rules and you should let this man have his due. You don’t have to like it, just sit back and watch because if he really is the disaster that all of you portend here day in and day out, then the democrats will be cooked for the next decade. So, c’mon people, let the good times roll.
Whether you hate obama or not, it was a really cool strategy he laid out, quite fair and balanced.
Nanny state? Hogwash.
We the people choose our course and not too many people have 40 acres and a mule to tend to. It’s a 24/7 global, high tech world out there. No, I don’t think in terms of nanny, more like a kind uncle clearing some openings. Once through to the right path, I’m on my own. With a progressive civil society health care for all and social security solid. That’s all we ask.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 13th, 2013
6:31 pm
Approximately 14,000 years ago, mainland Australia was linked to both New Guinea and Tasmania; the British Isles formed an extension of continental Europe via the dry beds of the English Channel and North Sea; and the dry basin of the South China Sea linked Sumatra, Java and Borneo to the Asian mainland.
Must have been them coal fired power plants the neanderthals used to power their IPads that did it.
Can I get a duh?
Bruno
February 13th, 2013
6:33 pm
indigo @ 6:18. Great answer. When you can’t debate someone, start throwing insults.
Bruno
February 13th, 2013
6:36 pm
Gotta run, but thanks for playing, Libs. Each and every one of you has proved once again that you have no idea what you’re talking about, and can’t begin to debate someone like me who is able to think for themselves. Just keep parroting the politically correct things you’re told, and insulting anyone who doesn’t toe the party line. Good job.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 13th, 2013
6:37 pm
The only reason the UN even exists is because a couple of their leaders chose to appease Hitler and their countries got over run with Nazis.
Hell of a solid organization they are.
Matz
February 13th, 2013
6:37 pm
IRONY:
I mentioned to a co-worker I was headed to my chiropractor. He said, “I don’t believe in chiropractors.” I assured him that they do, in fact, exist, and that I’m certain I benefit from the service.
Later, after a good adjustment, when we were discussing the weather, my chiropractor said to me, “I don’t believe this global warming stuff. It’s a hoax.” I marinated in the irony for a moment, then went on with my life.
Aquagirl
February 13th, 2013
6:39 pm
For starters, both you and MarkV went out of your way to insult md, HD and others here who questioned AGW and Evolution the other day.
Because, as he pointed out, it’s extreme arrogance to think you’re that smart. If you have an incomplete grasp of a complex subject you end up in the basket with loons popping shark cartilage pills.
Hillbilly D
February 13th, 2013
6:41 pm
the British Isles formed an extension of continental Europe via the dry beds of the English Channel and North Sea
A while back I saw an interesting article, I think it was in National Geographic, about the system of river beds in the ocean floor, in the English Channel and North Sea. Interesting stuff.
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/media/doggerland/?ar_a=1
md
February 13th, 2013
6:44 pm
“When global warming and its man-made causes are proved beyond doubt”
You are aware that is an impossibility….right?
The earth is over 4 billion years old (so think the scientists), and has been going through natural cycles the entire time.
Now, along comes man and his arrogance and he thinks he can take a very small fraction of that time and come up with what he thinks is the natural cycle vs the man made contribution to that natural cycle, after all we had a few hundred or thousand years to make the comparison…..right?
There will always be doubt indigo….always.
md
February 13th, 2013
6:46 pm
Only in md talk “not broken” equals “in great shape.”
Then explain that to me…..a program that currently doesn’t have the money to cover it’s costs will also have the same problem in the future and it doesn’t need fixing?
Politico
February 13th, 2013
6:46 pm
So Bruno insults others as he tells them they insult others
How righteous of him.
Aquagirl
February 13th, 2013
6:48 pm
Interesting stuff.
Worth a read just so you can talk about “Doggerlanders.” There really has to be a way I can work that into a random conversation.
CC
February 13th, 2013
6:50 pm
“They simply lack the class to show that kind of honesty.”
Your statement is your opinion and not a fact. You, on the other hand, are apparently educated far beyond your intelligence and have NO class.
Walter Kerr’s statement should have directed at you when he said, “”He had delusions of adequacy.”
Sailfish
February 13th, 2013
6:51 pm
People are trying to grill marco rubio on drinking some water, it was a very human moment. I can’t begin to imagine how my adrenaline would be pumping doing that for the first time! It will either make him better for it…or worse.
The tough part is that it’s kind of like those athletes that do the balance beam, even if you do the most perfect routine and should fall before its over, it’s a scratch.
That third strike was always the hardest to take, especially a fastball down the middle – damn pitchers!
md
February 13th, 2013
6:53 pm
“Because, as he pointed out, it’s extreme arrogance to think you’re that smart.”
Actually, just the opposite.
I’m just smart enough to understand that everything I believe may be wrong, and my time here is used trying to get others to understand that.
It’s how beliefs work…….
md
February 13th, 2013
6:55 pm
“People are trying to grill marco rubio on drinking some water, it was a very human moment.”
Which pretty much sums up the sad state of our media these days…..
bluecoat
February 13th, 2013
7:02 pm
Another tax maneuver.
Hillbilly D
February 13th, 2013
7:02 pm
That third strike was always the hardest to take, especially a fastball down the middle – damn pitchers!
You gotta always be looking fastball with two strikes.
Scrivener
February 13th, 2013
7:03 pm
“Scrivener–I haven’t seen you here on the blog before, and don’t know your political orientation, but I think that I’ve laid out plenty of reasons to keep an open mind regarding Climate Change, Global Warming, or whatever the nom-du-jour is.”
Lifelong republican, somewhat moderate. I tend to agree with you. I believe climate change/global warming is cyclical and not man-made. I think it’s a tool of the left to try to leverage political advantage. From my long-time reading of MarkV, it seems he will argue in circles ad nauseum even when confronted with solid facts to dispute his assertions. He never lets up on Kyle, especially if he feels Obama has been insulted in some way, but he’s oblivious to the nastiness from his side. Hypocrisy is one of my pet peeves.
MarkV
February 13th, 2013
7:06 pm
Bruno @6:33 pm
“indigo @ 6:18. Great answer. When you can’t debate someone, start throwing insults.”
Bruno @ 1:00 pm
“md–Although you well addressed MarkV’s statement, I thought it was worth highlighting one more time as a demonstration of how stupid and uninformed he is.”
Bruno @ 3:22 pm
“The bottom line, MarkV, is that you don’t know your ass from your elbow when it comes to understanding…”
clem
February 13th, 2013
7:10 pm
repubs keep trotting out the B team….jindal (now having popularity problems in la) and rubio….and the knucklehead from tx cruz is really going to do wonders for the party…as in wonder what happened to the party
Sailfish
February 13th, 2013
7:15 pm
“You gotta always be looking fastball with two strikes.”
Sometimes even when you knew – it didn’t matter, just ask springsteen.
Aquagirl
February 13th, 2013
7:20 pm
I believe climate change/global warming is cyclical and not man-made.
It’s certainly caused by nature, but that doesn’t mean the current climate change isn’t anthropogenic. Floods are a natural occurrence too, that doesn’t mean there are no floods caused by human activity.
Also, if it’s flooding, you usually deal with it, not spend a bunch of time yakking about how natural floods are and they just, y’know, happen.
Republicans had to be dragged kicking and screaming to acknowledge the uncontroversial fact it’s getting hotter. Now the same people are hemming and hawing and not showing the slightest bit of embarrassment for being denalist dumbos.
Scrivener
February 13th, 2013
7:27 pm
“Republicans had to be dragged kicking and screaming to acknowledge the uncontroversial fact it’s getting hotter. Now the same people are hemming and hawing and not showing the slightest bit of embarrassment for being denalist dumbos.”
Baloney. And dumbos? If you recall, the left said in the ’70s we were in an ice age. And I guess you’re unaware of the NASA temperature data claiming the extreme heat being debunked? Not to mention their data doesn’t go very far back. Certainly not enough to claim “hottest ever” like has been reported.
Bruno
February 13th, 2013
7:30 pm
If you have an incomplete grasp of a complex subject
The irony of that statement, AquaGirl, is that not one Lib here presented a shred of evidence to support their conclusions today, including you. In the end, you are accepting on faith what others are telling you. Which is ok, as long as you identify it as such. Which is all that md, HD, et.al. said the other day regarding their own opinions. But for some reason they were scorned. Apparently your faith is so much more valuable than their faith……..Not.
MarkV @ 7:06–The difference is that I can back my opinions up with solid reasoning and plenty of links, as I have today. Over on your side, we never got past the blind appeals to authority.
Bruno
February 13th, 2013
7:48 pm
JDW: It is basic logic …there are only four basic courses of action. You should choose the one that prevents disaster.
md–I’m not sure if you caught the irony in JDW’s statement. When it comes to avoiding certain financial ruin for our country due to the unprecedented overspending, JDW hasn’t a care in the world. But, get a group of pay-for-play doomsday “scientists” together whose predictions haven’t panned out in the least, and he’s all in.
All I can hope is that some of these Libs here follow the money trail one of these days. No one is paying researchers to prove that Global Warming isn’t man-made. If you want to get paid, you have to prove the opposite. Like Freeman Dyson, I think it’s ridiculous that anyone who dares voice a different opinion is immediately ostracized. But, the bottom line is that the truth isn’t something that can be voted upon, so it doesn’t matter what percentage of scientists believe what. In light of the history of discarded theories over time, you would think some of them might understand that.
Aquagirl
February 13th, 2013
7:53 pm
In the end, you are accepting on faith what others are telling you. Which is ok, as long as you identify it as such.
That’s oversimplifying the matter. I accept lots of things at face value, we all do. I pretty much drive without wondering if every bridge I cross is going to collapse. Sometimes civil engineers eff up and they do collapse, but that’s not common. So in that sense I do accept the word of civil engineers on faith.
What I DON’T do is decide I know more about designing bridges than the guy who spent years at Tech learning all the details.
There is no way in hell I would trust my life to what I learned on teh interwebz vs. the opinion of 6000 engineers. That would be arrogant, insane, and just plain stupid.
BTW, cherry-picking stuff and applying it like a Pollack painting is a basic fallacy. When you commit errors in very basic thinking processes, why would anyone think you’re smarter than the Climatologists?
Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
February 13th, 2013
7:57 pm
You gotta always be looking fastball with two strikes.
That assumes you think you can catch up with the express. I usually knew it was coming, but for me I was more hoping, hoping for something off speed or something outside.
Hillbilly D
February 13th, 2013
7:57 pm
My take on “Global Warming” is this, I believe the world is getting warmer and has been for at least the last 200 years, at least. How much is a cyclical change and how much is man made, I don’t know and don’t claim to. They’ve only been keeping weather records in most places since the late 19th century, so this is in its infancy, really. Regardless of that, I think we need to keep the world as clean as we can. My thinking is come up with whatever emission standards you deem necessary and fine the hell out of those who break them (or whatever action is deemed appropriate). My problem was with Cap and Trade. In my opinion, that was nothing more than a shell game. On the one hand, it would allow some to buy their way out of complying with regulations and on the other, it’s just a way for some folks to make a whole lot of money, shuffling paper. We’ve had a enough of shuffling worthless pieces of paper around to last us quite a while, in my opinion.
On compliance, if fines didn’t work, why not revoke the corporate charters of the offending companies? Corporations are registered with the states and historically they were granted charters by the state. If a charter is granted it can be revoked. Now, of course, you don’t want to revoke charters on everybody who happens to be out of compliance but it would be something to think about in a worse case scenario.
Anyhow that’s my 2¢, and it has been for a long, long time.
Hillbilly D
February 13th, 2013
8:00 pm
That assumes you think you can catch up with the express.
Looking for it and hitting it are two different things, however, if you’re looking for something else and you get a fastball, you’re toast, if you look fastball and get something else, it’s easier to adjust down than to adjust up. You still gotta hit it but you have a much better chance if you shorten your swing and look fastball. That didn’t originate with me, and I don’t really know where it originated (probably in the Dead Ball Era) but it was the philosophy of Keith Moreland, who was one of the better two strike hitters that I’ve seen.
Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
February 13th, 2013
8:03 pm
Aquagirl
There were people in Germany in the thirties and early forties that trusted the authorities to provide a good warm shower after a long train ride. You gotta always be cynical and question peoples motives.
Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
February 13th, 2013
8:06 pm
I know of what you speak, Hillbilly, but it depends on the pitcher. When Nolan Ryan/Jusin Verlander was on the mound, you knew it was coming, but you were hoping you were wrong, because no adjustments in your swing was going to allow you to catch up with a high hard one.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
February 13th, 2013
8:06 pm
I guess the libs missed the part about sea levels rising for the last 400,000 years or so, which is a lot longer than they’ve been around. But, hey, I guess if you can attempt to perpetuate your governmental power and further your pointless, parasitical existence by latching on to and scare mongering a naturally occurring phenomena, at the expense of others, like everything a liberal does, more power to ya.
Aquagirl
February 13th, 2013
8:13 pm
There were people in Germany in the thirties and early forties that trusted the authorities to provide a good warm shower after a long train ride.
Boy, 343 comments and FINALLY somebody Godwins the thread. What took you so long?
I completely agree you should always be cynical but there’s a point where cynicism turns into crazy. I’ve never subscribed to the Truther BS, even though I trust Dick Cheney as much as I’d trust Kyle to start hollering Go Jackets!
So I don’t buy the muttering that global warming is a conspiracy. And frankly people who assert “who wouldn’t lie like hell to keep their job?” are self-centered a-holes assuming everyone else is equally psycho.
md
February 13th, 2013
8:18 pm
“It’s certainly caused by nature, but that doesn’t mean the current climate change isn’t anthropogenic.”
Doesn’t mean it is either……from the head of the BEST Project on warming in response to claims that warming has not leveled off for the past 13 years:
“Yesterday Prof Muller insisted that neither his claims that there has not been a standstill, nor the graph, were misleading because the project had made its raw data available on its website, enabling others to draw their own graphs.
However, he admitted it was true that the BEST data suggested that world temperatures have not risen for about 13 years. But in his view, this might not be ‘statistically significant’, although, he added, it was equally possible that it was.”
Notice that last sentence and especially the words “might not” and “equally possible”…..does that sound like a scientific conclusion?
And for the true “believers”, I’m guessing I’ll hear yes……
Bruno
February 13th, 2013
8:20 pm
BTW, cherry-picking stuff and applying it like a Pollack painting is a basic fallacy. When you commit errors in very basic thinking processes, why would anyone think you’re smarter than the Climatologists?
Sincerely, AquaGirl, I’m not saying that I’m “smarter” than the climatologists that you refer to. I’m sure many, if not most of them are very bright people. All I’m saying is that there is significant doubt as to what is driving the changes. And, because climatology is in its infancy, I’m not expecting any solid answers real soon. One of the difficulties in a field like that is that applying mathematical modeling to certain natural phenomena is extremely difficult. E.g. we still can’t create an accurate mathematical model to predict how a raindrop behaves on its way to earth.
If you have identified any errors in my thinking, you are welcome to point them out. The job of the skeptic is easy, of course, especially in such a complex undertaking as climatology. And as I’ve shown, there is plenty of room for doubt.
My thinking is similar to HD’s above. Compared to my childhood, it’s definitely warmer overall, but I can’t say what part is natural and which isn’t. Which ultimately doesn’t matter, since I support a clean Earth, both through my vote and through my own money. However, that doesn’t mean that I’m going to accept anyone’s word on anything until they can prove it to me.
Bruno
February 13th, 2013
8:23 pm
Not looking forward to V-day this year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aKgKHmZ9WI
Hillbilly D
February 13th, 2013
8:24 pm
Rafe
Good point. Most all big leaguers are dead fastball hitters. If it comes in straight, they’re gonna kill it. Ryan was one of my favorite pitchers to watch when he was on but I have seen games where he couldn’t get his curve over for strikes and they sat on the fastball and hammered him. Of course, I’m assuming you and I aren’t MLB caliber hitters. I know for a fact one of us isn’t.