Obama State of Union pandering and Campaign Speech

Please see the original post on www.DeskofBrian.com

http://sites.google.com/site/thedeskofbrian/state-of-the-nation/obamasstateofunionfullofpanderingcampaignpromises

The sixth longest State of the Union address in our history was 71 minutes of muddled promises, political rhetoric and campaign speak. President Obama attempted to appease his leftist base with more promises to bring the troops home from Iraq and end "Don't Ask Don't Tell" -- haven't we heard that before?


Meanwhile, tax cuts, offshore oil drilling and support for small business were all part of the pandering to the right, or atleast, the moderates. The President is floundering in the middle of one problem after another and appears to not have any solutions, just another speech.

While having filibuster proof majorities in the House and the Senate, the President's lack of leadership couldn't unite the Democrats on health care as some leftists feel abandoned.

The State of the Union address continued the partisan "Blame Bush First" divide that Obama has used time and time again. There is nothing unifying about labelling opposing view points, opinions or proposals as "obstructionist" and part of the problem.

As a climax to a week long build-up, the President proclaims nearly $500 billion in cuts/frozen spending over three years, but of course, he negates to mention the Congressional expansion of spending by $1.9 trillion.

Stop treating Americans like we're stupid: save $200 billion so you can spend $1.9 trillion ?!?!

While many Americans question the direction of our foreign policy and the handling of terrorists, the President focused on gays in the military.

There's a huge divide in this country between the two parties, between the people and their leaders and between the President's words and his actions.

Let's hope that this is what is CHANGED in 2010.



Obama Pic: NY Times

Read full transcript of speech: http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/27/sotu.transcript/index.html?eref=rss_us&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_us+%28RSS%3A+U.S.%29

Wasteful spending: Bees, Crabs oh boy

Read "State of the Nation" at www.DeskofBrian.com:
http://deskofbrian.com/2010/09/stimulus-wasteful-spending-bees-crabs-and-hillary-oh-my/

Previously on "Wasteful Spending" we examined nearly $1 million for research on ants to save 3.5 jobs.

The University of Hawaii collected $210,000 to study the learning patterns of honeybees (no mention of jobs) and $700,000 went to help crab fishermen in Oregon recover lost crab pots. See the press release below:

Recovering Crab Pots Lost At Sea ($700,000)

A $700,000 grant will pay for 48 people to help Oregon crabbers recover crab pots they have lost at sea. The two-year project expects to yield 2,000 lost pots a year. Oregon crabbers reportedly lose an estimated 15,000 crab pots a year. The effort will use 10 boats, planes, and a telephone hotline for people to phone in crab pot sightings. If all 4,000 pots are recovered as expected, the grantees will spend an average of $175 per crab pot, though John‘s Sporting Goods in nearby Everett, Washington sells new crab pots online for as little as $19.95. At that price, crabbers could purchase nearly ten times as many crab pots as this program is expected to reclaim.¹

Let's repeat that last line:

"At that price, crabbers could purchase nearly ten times as many crab pots as this program is expected to reclaim"

AND that money would go to a business which could hire more people and that would have required ZERO tax payer dollars. There is no mention of jobs created or saved by the crab pot recovery program.

950,000 ant research
210,000 honeybee research
700,000 crab pot recovery
5.97 million to Mark Penn (repayment of Hillary Clinton's campaign debts)

TOTAL = 7.83 million (only 3.5 jobs confirmed to be saved/created)

Isn't this fun class?



1. http://oregonbusinessreport.com/2009/12/senators-blast-oregon-for-stimulus-waste-projects/

Wasteful Spending - $950,000 to Study Ants

 
 Read "State of the Nation" at www.DeskofBrian.com: this article is here -
http://deskofbrian.com/2009/12/stimulus-wasteful-spending-ants-puppet-show-bobber-the-safety-dog/

Remember the first 1,000 page bill that no one in Washington read? The one that Congress didn't even author as it was later revealed that Apollo Alliance drew up.

Here's a little nugget to make your brain hurt: nearly $1 million is to be spent on Ant Research.

From the article below:

"In exchange for the $950,000, Arizona gets two jobs at ASU and 1.46 at the UA, according to a database of stimulus spending released at the end of October by the federal government.

The ant studies have the ignominious distinction of joining a $25,000 grant for socially conscious puppet shows, an $88,000 Georgia paving project for a street already recently repaved, and a $21,000 grant for "Bobber the Safety Dog" costumes to help kids understand the importance of wearing life vests."

It's so easy to get sidetracked, so let's stay focused: almost $1 million for 3.5 jobs.

Do you feel like you've just bought hundreds of $300 hammers and a few dozen over priced toilet seats?











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