SOTU: Anything Substantially Change Your Mind About The Future?

[MannyGoldstein]

Did you hear anything that was new and different that made you change your opinion of the path we're on? On Obama's will and ability to support the working class?

[Justice]

1. Obama's willingness to be frank

[Windy]

2. They're back...the Obama haters.... nt

[spoony]

12. I don't see a single thing in this thread resembling "hate"

so maybe you could retire that empty phrase.

[babylonsister]

3. Why no, Manny, other than the reinforcement that OUR President is

a guy with thick skin who can take the barbs from people who constantly like to try and attack him.

I like that. :D

[Lifelong Protester]

4. I think he said some things that needed to be said

we didn't ask for these crises to solve, they were here when we got here.

[aSpeckofDust]

5. When things happen, I'll be optimistic. N/T

[cloudbase]

6. I'm one of those cynics the president referred to.

I'm with my sig line "acta non verba." It's the motto of my alma mater and means deeds, not words. I'll lose some of that cynicism when things begin to happen.

[bitchkitty]

7. I only caught the last half.

But what I saw was very encouraging.

Would suggest that some people realize that critical feedback is not treachery or hating...

[yourout]

8. Going with wait and see......tinkering around the edges wont cut it right now.

#1. Ram through Medicare4all in reconcilliation and dare the Pukes to kill it if/when they regain power.
#2. NAFTA, CAFTA, GAT and and trade agreement are now being renegotiated and truely turned into a level playing field.
#3. Raise the Corporate tax rate to 80% with dollar for dollar tax credits up to 30K per job for every new job they create in
the USA. Not China, Not Mexico....the USA.
#4. Raise the tax rate on anything over 1 Mill to 70% with the same dollar for dollar tax breaks that Corporations would get for new
jobs.

[Bitwit1234]

9. We know Obama can give a good speech and is basiclly a good man

but I want to see him put some action behind his good words. First by changing the guard around him.

[old mark]

10. Didn't watch it - I will watch it tomorrow - I recorded it. nt

[doc03]

11. No, the Republicans will still just say no they don't

care for anything but winning in November.

[quakerboy]

13. I do not know.

I found the speech somewhat unfocused. I heard a few things I liked, but I am skeptical of the likeliness of having them passed into law. I heard a few things that made me mad. What I did not hear were any "eureka, he really gets it" statements.

I did not see any clear lines in the sand on issues I really care about, which to my jaded eye means that no republican or blue dog has anything to worry about when they oppose his generally worded ideas. The carrots were relatively weak, relying on the common decency of his opposition, which I think is a bad tactic. I didn't hear the stick. There were two mentions of a veto, but they were generic and vague enough that I would guess they didn't scare anyone right of Howard Dean.

I see some hope in what he said about Iraq, but I did not find it to have the necessary clarity for my peace of mind. Out in August, good. Not soon enough for my taste, but worth supporting. But if its only "Combat troops" out, not good. Are we getting out or not? This is not a place for half measures and partials. I want us really, legitimately fully out of there. And what about our hired merc's? Nary a mention, much less a promise to end their stay

I also expected more on DADT. Actually, I didn't. I was skeptical that it would really get a mention. But whats the point of it, when there was nothing concrete? I feel it was a waste to make a somewhat familiar sounding promise to work with the legislature. I wanted "we will repeal this wrongful law" or "I will fight as hard as I have to to repeal this". I know he wasn't inclined to "I will not be enforcing this inhumane law", but he is the president of the country. He is the public face of the party that controls majorities in both legislative bodies, and in 2 of three of our branches of government. Give me something I can sink my teeth into, carry around, rattle about, and proudly show off to my Canadian wife as proof that we really are becoming a civilized country.

I liked his take on doing things for small business, but I wanted some definition on small business. I have a feeling that a lot of whatever resources are put to that will not end up where most of us would want them to. I would have loved some addressing of the fact that there are crooked US attorneys currently serving and that they will be replaced. The good with the bad. That's a normal presidential thing to do, and this would have been a great time for it. It would have won him some leeway from the left, and is, I believe a costless thing to do for the general popular opinion.

I saw a comment somewhere else that this was a "This is some stuff I had to throw together because you Dingusi(dinguses?) didn't manage to pass HCR with super majorities" speech. That seems to have summed it up for me. It was not the best speech, and I find the immediate raves here disconcerting. It was an ok speech. I am someone who avoids promises to do things I am not fully committed to. The tone of this speech was darned familiar to me. Not a promise, not a commitment, but a positive sounding, ultimately non substantial answer. Which is both positive and negative. I read into that that Obama still has his honor. He doesn't want to make a promise that he may not keep. But it is un fulfilling, because I want that fighting spirit that will engage, make that promise, and fight to keep it.

So I have hope. But its pretty battered. I am ready to move past hope to action. We did the electing, now its time for the governing.

[MannyGoldstein]

14. +1

Thanks

[quakerboy]

16. I was just reading one of your threads.

It sucks that we get so much negativity for being skeptical, for not being afraid to want the best rather than accepting "maybe good enough".

I don't Hate Obama. I used to really like Obama, when I took him for a populist. I want to really like Obama again. He just has to give me something I can work with. The prisons aren't closed. The wars aren't ended. I still don't have health care, or any real likelihood of having it within the next 4 years. The criminals aren't prosecuted. The economy still looks pretty thrashed, and I see as much chance of a collapse as a recovery. The antigay laws are still in effect and fully enforced. To the best of my knowledge, civil liberties and privacy have not been restored to the level of a free country. Obama may not be using all the illicit tools at the moment, but the next R sure as hell will if they are not locked down and destroyed. Those were the top of my list, and not a one has seen significant progress or even a stirring fight.

And to be honest, the Lilly Ledbetter act aside, I still do not know a single woman who is paid as much as their male counterparts in any non-governmental job. So the one posative act that I could be happy about has not, to my knowledge, made a difference. I suppose that will need more time to really be put to the test. But in the mean time, the only thing that I "won" on in voting Obama over McPalin was that we did not launch the invasion of Iran. And that, to be honest, is enough to justify my vote, and in all likelihood, to ensure my next vote, though I fear it will not be nearly enough to keep this country from being demolished. I think we, I think he can do better than just not starting world war III yet. So I wait, and I watch. Short of being the next "gatecrasher" to get some face time, I have done what I can in line with the famous "make me" quote. Now its up to him to follow through with his part.

Show me the money. Show and tell. Actions speak louder than words. Trust but verify. How many more ways can I say this to everyone here on this board who makes it plain that they despise me just because I don't fervently fall in line to praise, regardless of what I see on the ground around me?

[MannyGoldstein]

17. Right On

Thanks for your post! Well said!

You'd think by now that people would have figured out the whole "show me, don't tell me" thing - but they never seem to.

I'm in agreement that the Ledbetter Act is the only thing that Obama's done that was truly positive and that probably wouldn't have been done if McCain had been elected.

[mikekohr]

15. He hilighted the Republican record

and reminded the Democratic Caucus' that they have majorities and the American People want them to use those majorities.

mike kohr

[jefferson_dem]

18. He nailed it.

Everyone but Hannity knows that.

Sorry, Manny.

[MannyGoldstein]

19. Given That 43% Of This Poll's Respondants See No Reason For Optimism

after the speech, you might want to re-examine your contention.

[BklnDem75]

20. Not that they would know...

Most of them didn't see the SOTU, so it's just easier to assume they're only agreeing with you to show their non-support.

[MannyGoldstein]

21. If The Data Are Uncomfortable, They Must Be Invalid

Got it.

[BklnDem75]

22. LOL! Data?

Yeah, ok. :rofl:

[MannyGoldstein]

24. Q.E.D. nt

[JoePhilly]

23. Only 43% see no reason for optimisim, that's a huge improvement on DU ...