WASHINGTON — Pleading for unity in a newly divided government, President Barack Obama implored Democratic and Republican lawmakers to rally behind his vision of economic revival for an anxious nation, declaring in his State of the Union address Tuesday night: "We will move forward together or not at all."
The president unveiled an agenda of carefully balanced political goals: a burst of spending on education, research, technology and transportation to make the nation more competitive, alongside pledges, in the strongest terms of his presidency, to cut the deficit and smack down spending deemed wasteful to America. Yet he never explained how he'd pull that off or what specifically would be cut.
Obama spoke to a television audience in the millions and a Congress sobered by the assassination attempt against one if its own members, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Her seat sat empty, and many lawmakers of competing parties sat together in a show of support and civility. Yet differences were still evident, as when Democrats stood to applaud his comments on health care and tax cuts while Republicans next to them sat mute.
In his best chance of the year to connect with the country, Obama devoted most of his hour-long prime-time address to the economy, the issue that dominates concern in a nation still reeling from a monster recession — and the one that will shape his own political fortunes in the 2012 election.
Eager to show some budget toughness, Obama pledged to veto any bill with earmarks, the term used for lawmakers' pet projects. House Speaker John Boehner and other Republicans applauded. But Obama's promise drew a rebuke from his own party even before he spoke, as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the president had enough power and that plans to ban earmarks were "a lot of pretty talk."
Obama's proposals Tuesday night ranged across the scope of government: cutting the corporate tax, providing wireless services for almost the whole nation, consolidating government agencies and freezing most discretionary federal spending for the next five years. In the overarching theme of his speech, the president told the lawmakers: "The future is ours to win."
In essence, Obama reset his agenda as he heads toward a re-election bid with less clout and limited time before the campaign consumes more attention.
Yet Republicans have dismissed his "investment" proposals as merely new spending. Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, giving the GOP's response, said the nation was at "a tipping point" leading to a dire future if federal deficits aren't trimmed. The Senate's Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said the president had gotten the message from the November midterm elections and "changed the tone and the rhetoric from the first two years."
Obama entered the House chamber to prolonged applause and to the unusual sight of Republicans and Democrats seated next to one another rather than on different sides of the center aisle. And he began with a political grace note, taking a moment to congratulate Boehner, the new Republican speaker of the House.
Calling for a new day of cooperation, Obama said: "What comes of this moment will be determined not by whether we can sit together tonight but whether we can work together tomorrow."
On a night typically known for its political theater, the lawmakers sometimes seemed subdued, as if still in the shadow of the Arizona shootings.
Many in both parties wore black-and-white lapel ribbons, signifying the deaths in Tucson and the hopes of the survivors. Giffords' husband was watching the speech from her bedside, as he held her hand. At times, Obama delivered lighter comments, seeming to surprise his audience with the way he lampooned what he suggested was the government's illogical regulation of salmon.
Halfway through his term, Obama stepped into this moment on the upswing, with a series of recent legislative wins in his pocket and praise from all corners for the way he responded to the shooting rampage in Arizona. But he confronts the political reality is that he must to lead a divided government for the first time, with more than half of all Americans disapproving of the way he is handling the economy.
Over his shoulder a reminder of the shift in power on Capitol Hill: Boehner, in the seat that had been held by Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Obama conceded that everything he asked for would prompt more partisan disputes. "It will take time," he said. "And it will be harder because we will argue about everything. The cost. The details. The letter of every law."
Obama used the stories of some of the guests sitting with his wife, Michelle, to illustrate his points, including a small business owner who, in the tradition of American ingenuity, designed a drilling technology that helped rescue the Chilean miners.
Flanking Mrs. Obama in the gallery: Brianna Mast, the wife of a soldier seriously injured in Afghanistan, and Roxanna Green, mother of the nine-year girl killed in the Tucson shooting.
The president cast the challenges facing the United States as bigger than either party. He said the nation was facing a new "Sputnik" moment, and he urged efforts to create a wave of innovation to create jobs and a vibrant economic future, just as the nation vigorously responded to the Soviets beating the U.S. into space a half century ago.
There was less of the see-saw applause typical of State of the Union speeches in years past, where Democrats stood to applaud certain lines and Republicans embraced others. Members of the two parties found plenty of lines worthy of bipartisan applause.
Yet as reaction flowed in, there was immediate blowback from all corners of the Democratic base. Environmentalists, trial lawyers, gay rights activists, labor leaders and Latino-rights groups all released statements, ranging from tepid to angry, complaining about everything from Obama's proposed spending freeze to his definition of clean energy.
In a speech with little focus on national security, Obama appeared to close the door on keeping any significant U.S. military presence in Iraq beyond the end of the year. "This year, our civilians will forge a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people while we finish the job of bringing our troops out of Iraq," the president said.
The president reiterated his call for a comprehensive immigration bill, although there appears little appetite for it Congress. Another big Obama priority that stalled and died in the last Congress, a broad effort to address global climate change, did not get a mention in the State of the Union. Nor did gun control or the struggling effort to secure peace in the Middle East.
Obama worked in a bipartisan shout-out to Vice President Joe Biden and Boehner as two achievers emblematic of the American dream, the former a working-class guy from Scranton, Pa., the latter once a kid who swept floors in his father's Cincinnati bar. Biden and Boehner shook hands over that, and Boehner, clearly moved, flashed a thumbs-up.
After dispensing with all the policy, the president ended in a sweeping fashion.
"We do big things," the president said. "The idea of America endures."
Slabside posted at 8:19 pm on Tue, Jan 25, 2011.
Mr. President, you've had 2 years to do something about the fragile economy yet all you've done is spend us into oblivion. Typical politician lip service from an empty suit.[thumbdown]
Rich posted at 8:39 pm on Tue, Jan 25, 2011.
Okay fine, sounds good, that's what we've wanted to do since about 2008. Sort of why you got elected in 2010, on platitudes like this, not solid performance or experience. I've been listening to how we're in recovery since your Inaugural. We aren't, the housing market is going into a double dip drop. Your platitudes didn't help. Your bail-outs laid an egg. Now fella, we need some pretty solid decisive positive action out of you. In sort Barack baby, you've been entertaining, but now we'd kind of like to know WHERE"S THE BEEF?
Cerulean posted at 10:22 pm on Tue, Jan 25, 2011.
I was impressed with the invitation by Mark Udall Dem.Colorado to mix. It was good to see both parties mingle a bit.
I was also impressed with the ideals or goals, the direction in education, energy and infrastructure that Obama was able to clearly articulate.
I like the idea that we are a nation of big thinkers, that we can do big things with little means. [smile]
k33j88 posted at 6:06 am on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
Hmmm---Let's see, where do I begin? Our first action as president is to have a discourse in a muslim nation, on an arabic tv station. #2---Apology tour, #3---Bow to the king of saudi arabia, premier of china, #4---Accept a socialists manifesto from that venezuelean dictator, hugo chavez, #5---pander to union bosses and bypass the bondholders of general motors, #6---Giving enemy combantants citizen rights in the courts, #7---Snubbing the prime minister of Israel---shall I go on?
CaballoPene posted at 7:03 am on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
Would this socialistic, illegal alien, liar just resign already?!,
Dale Whiting posted at 8:05 am on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
Slabside, Rich, CaballoPene, k33j88,
Not a single fact stated between you four! Not a single comment on any point raised in the speach. No wonder you all belong to the Party of NOPY, the NeOcon PartY.
I was disappointed to hear President Obama overstate our "progress" in Iraq and Afghanistan. But having read his books, I understand that not unlike lawyers, politicians are torn between telling their electorate [their clients] what needs to be said, and what their electorate [their clients] want to hear. The truth is higly unpopular!
This morning's comments by T Boone Pickens on our dire need for a more progressive eneregy policy and our waste of human assets and national treasure in these two senseless wars were on the mark. Boone was joined in his opinion by Bob Woodward. One can dismiss Woodward as being liberal. But T Boone liberal? I think not!
Last night, Paul Ryan was at a considerable handicap. He had no time to digest President Obama's speach before having to give the Conservative response. And althought Ryan has voiced some highly controversial ideas before, he kept away from them last night. Yet Ryan, too, avoided stating the obvious. We have far harder times ahead of us than behind us. We all, rich man, poor man, begger and theif, will be sacrificing. But we need some focus on what our sacrifices will bring, i.e. more money in the pockets of those who need it the least and trickle down to China, or investments at home on a technology driven future. All in all, Ryan's response was conservative, not NeoCon. I'l like to believe that had Ryan had time to digest the President's remarks, he would have done more to complement those more conservative ideas the President presented.
This is a substantive comment. Can't any of you above be substantive? Or does that require you to think too much?
Obama scored modestly last night. Ryan was left on base. Bachmann struck out. Dem's 1, Neocons 0. The double header starts tomorrow.
Cerulean,
How is your reading of Russell Kirk coming? I got sidetracked and am still wading through the John Adams chapter. Kirk develops some interesting analogies there. Adams was the true conservative while Jefferson was the liberal, modeling what he wanted for our future on France. Thank goodness Adams kept us focused on our past values, yet thank goodness for Jefferson, too. His Louisiana Purchase was clearly unconstitutional, yet without it, we would be speaking Spanish today!
Dale Whiting posted at 8:06 am on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
And yes, I know how to spell "energy."
Poorman posted at 8:54 am on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
Yep!,right he is supposed to fix in two(2) yrs. when the Repubs.spent eight(8)yrs.messing it up.He should get the same amount of time to try and fix it.
rrjenn posted at 8:58 am on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
You people actually wasted your time listening to this Marxist illegal alien? Well I read this article and a few others about the obamanation and even that was a waste of time. Don't we all know what this jackal is by now? He implores us all to rally behind his vision of socialism? What a laugh. Says he wants to cut spending? Even his own party boss, Reid, said that was a lot of pretty talk, aka lie. The big spending party isn't going to stop unless the repubs hold to their promise to stop it. Will see how that goes. He said "We do big things," and "The idea of America endures.", but he did everything possible to destroy free enterprise and capitalism in his first two years. The one thing he said that strikes true to me was, "Move forward together or not at all". Sounds like a threat to me. As in, either accept my vision of a worker's paradise, aka socialism, or I'll plug up the bung hole of government and we go nowhere. Perhaps the repubs dominating the house can teach the communist a thing or two about how a free enterprise system works.
rrjenn posted at 9:25 am on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
Repubs need to pass a law requiring all presidential candidates to produce a birth certificate proving they are in fact US citizens, and they need to do it before the next presidential election. There is a reason why this illegal president refused to allow the hospital where he says he was born to release a birth certificate of this obamanation that currently occupies the white house. The reason is because no birth certificate exists. The governor of Hawaii privately stated as much recently. Obama is a bad joke on America. A communist illegal alien who should never have been allowed to run in the first place.
snipes posted at 9:31 am on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
Man, I am so hung-over.
I was involved in one of those drinking games where you have to take a shot of whiskey every time John Boehner tears-up or gets all weepy and cries.
Slabside posted at 11:25 am on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
Snipes, if you would have taken a shot whenever Obummer said “Let me be clear" you wouldn't be hungover, you'd be dead of alcohol poisoning.
Accuracy posted at 11:50 am on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
Obama’s State of the Economy Address : Spending . . But a five-year speeding freeze.
“The move is almost identical to the freeze Obama called for in his address to the nation last year at this time — his current proposal would cover five years, not three years — and ultimately it may have little effect,” Ben Feller, Associated Press White House Correspondent wrote/published in todays papers.
----------------------------------------
Obama said it last year and now again. "Obama-speak for spending” . . . Yet, Republicans want to do more. Some lawmakers have proposed as much as $100 billion in spending cuts.
In addition to the official response to President Obama's address, Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., gave her own speech that was broadcast live on CNN, taped by Fox News and telecast by the Tea Party Express.
"After the $700 billion bailout, the trillion-dollar stimulus, and the massive budget bill with over 9,000 earmarks, many of you implored Washington to please stop spending money we don't have," Bachmann said. "But, instead of cutting, we saw an unprecedented explosion of government spending and debt, unlike anything we have seen in the history of our country."
Michele Bachmann showed how the unemployment rate had spiked after Barack Obama took office. She was unapologetic about getting rid of Mr. Obama’s health-care reform initiatives, as the House of Representatives has already voted to do.
EmperorSmith posted at 12:28 pm on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
I wasted my time but I did so because I vote and in order to make a choice hear all sides. I did hear much political rhetoric, On energy we need to really start changing are ways but we can not force any other nation can we? American invention, how about a home solar powered electrolysis hydrogen then with some small modifications cars could run on it. Might be a bit to much for a apartment dweller. Perfect for where we all live and the beauty is once a initial cost it is free energy from the sun.
I think the days of massive companies is over in the US. It is the smaller tech firms.
Afghanistan, I only have one thing to say and that is look at history.
CSalafia posted at 3:01 pm on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
rrjenn said: "Repubs need to pass a law requiring all presidential candidates to produce a birth certificate proving they are in fact US citizens, and they need to do it before the next presidential election."
Wow... just wow.
So are you suggesting that the requirements listed in the Constitution aren't good enough for you?
Rich posted at 3:50 pm on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
"...a substantive comment"
Obama said nothing of substance, which is rather what I pointed out. Of course now that you have figured out that you can, at least in your own mind, insult people by calling them a 'neocon' you've sort of descended to rrjen's level. It was a State of the Union Address and about all I could draw from the pie in the sky generalities and sappy platitudes was the State is currently a pretty sorry one.
Accuracy posted at 5:27 pm on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
rrjenn posted: “Repubs need to pass a law requiring all presidential candidates to produce a birth certificate proving they are in fact US citizens, and they need to do it before the next presidential election.”
---------------------------------------------------
Why does Congress need to handle this?
The U.S. Constitution stipulates that only “a natural-born citizen,” or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of the President.
U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter stating the case (Barack Obama to produce his original birth certificate) needs to be filed Quo Warranto in a District of Columbia Court, where "Obama/Soetoro" resides and where Congress is to handle it.
Judge David O. Carter dismissed the Captain Pamela Barnett,et al. v. Obama, et al., in the Central District, Southern Division Court in Santa Ana, California, to order US President Barack Obama to produce his original birth certificate. In a written statement, Carter said that the court cannot "sweep away the votes of over 68 million Americans with the stroke of a pen, " and "that the U.S. Constitution does not give the court jurisdiction to decide the matter."
EmperorSmith posted at 5:29 pm on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
lighter note anyone notice the secret service agents? I wonder what they where packing, have an idea it is subcompact machine gun similar to a uzzy, like when Reagen got shot.
rrjenn posted at 6:50 pm on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
CSalafia and Accuracy, at this time nobody is required to show their proof of US birth in order to run for president. As it is now, those records are private and can only be disclosed by the individual whose US birth it would either prove or disprove. If there were a law requiring a candidate for president to produce the document, this obamanation would never have happened. Get it done now and he wont be allowed to run for a second term. You understand now? The constitution may say he can't run, but until we see the hospital document showing where he was born we cannot stop it from happening. The obamanation and his socialist comrades pulled a good one over we the people, and a judge says, "too bad" So to be sure CSalafia understands again I say, just because the requirement to be born here is listed in the constitution, there is no law that says a candidate has to prove where he or she were actually born, and as long as those document is private the hospital cannot release them. Go ask the governor of Hawaii, he now knows this and further knows they don't even exist.
rrjenn posted at 7:56 pm on Wed, Jan 26, 2011.
Another point you may not see in what I wrote is that the judge was in error because if this obamanation wasn't born in the US then he knowingly broke the law. Obama is not only an illegal alien socialist but a criminal as well.
CSalafia posted at 7:53 am on Thu, Jan 27, 2011.
rrjenn said: "Another point you may not see in what I wrote is that the judge was in error because if this obamanation wasn't born in the US then he knowingly broke the law."
Ummm....no.
In any deluded tinfoil hat conspiracy theory fantasy you birthers can come up with, Obama is a US Citizen by birth (natural born).
Natural born does not require native born.
Your ignorance of citizenship law is showing.
rrjenn posted at 8:30 am on Thu, Jan 27, 2011.
CSalafia, perhaps you can show proof he was born in the US? No, you can't, but that doesn't stop you from running your mouth. This obamanation refuses to release it's hospital birth certificate. Why? Many people including his family have stated they were there in Kenya where he was born. Someone is lying. According to Obama's Kenyan (paternal) grandmother, as well as his half-brother and half-sister, Barack Hussein Obama was born in Kenya. His grandmother bragged that her grandson is about to be President of the United States and is so proud because she was present DURING HIS BIRTH IN KENYA, in the delivery room. A candidate for president must be born in the US in order to be president of the US. Say what you like fool, but it is an illegal alien obamanation that presently presides in the white house. A law mandating all candidates for president to release a hospital birth certificate would put this debate to rest once and for all, so I guess you would be for that since you think it would prove me wrong, right?
rrjenn posted at 8:40 am on Thu, Jan 27, 2011.
"Judge David O. Carter dismissed the Captain Pamela Barnett,et al. v. Obama, et al., in the Central District, Southern Division Court in Santa Ana, California, to order US President Barack Obama to produce his original birth certificate. In a written statement, Carter said that the court cannot "sweep away the votes of over 68 million Americans with the stroke of a pen, " and "that the U.S. Constitution does not give the court jurisdiction to decide the matter." "
The judge basically states that the constitution doesn't matter? If we vote to allow something that is clearly unconstitutional, the constitution loses? That's amazing. This is the first time I've ever heard of the courts actually siding against the constitution when the voters voted for something clearly unconstitutional. That's almost as amazing as a socialist be elected as president of the US. I mean, we spent the last 50 years fighting communism and now we voted one into the highest office in the world. That any of you fools cannot see what his politics are is also amazing. He surrounds himself with avowed socialists and communists but somehow he isn't?
rrjenn posted at 8:53 am on Thu, Jan 27, 2011.
"10 states now developing eligibility-proof demands.
107 Electoral College votes controlled by Arizona, Texas, Connecticut, and others. Arizona may have the most advanced plan, but 10 of the United States – controlling 107 Electoral College votes – are now considering some type of legislation that would plug the hole in federal election procedures that in 2008 allowed Barack Obama to be nominated, elected and inaugurated without providing proof of his qualifications under the U.S. Constitution."
"And they aren't all the simple legislation such as that adopted in New Hampshire a year ago that requires an affidavit from a candidate stating that the qualifications – age, residency and being a "natural born citizen" – have been met."
Arizona
"This is the one that could change the game. A plan in Arizona to require presidential candidates to prove their eligibility to occupy the Oval Office is approaching critical mass, even though it has just been introduced.
The proposal from state Rep. Judy Burges was brought forth with 16 members of the state Senate as co-sponsors. It needs only 16 votes in the Senate to pass.
In the House, there are 25 co-sponsors, with the need for only 31 votes for passage, and Burges told WND that there were several chamber members who confirmed they support the plan and will vote for it, but simply didn't wish to be listed as co-sponsors."
The proposal is highly specific and directly addresses the questions that have been raised by Barack Obama's occupancy of the White House. It says:
Within ten days after submittal of the names of the candidates, the national political party committee shall submit an affidavit of the presidential candidate in which the presidential candidate states the candidate's citizenship and age and shall append to the affidavit documents that prove that the candidate is a natural born citizen, prove the candidate's age and prove that the candidate meets the residency requirements for President of the United States as prescribed in article II, section 1, Constitution of the United States.
Accuracy posted at 9:58 am on Thu, Jan 27, 2011.
In fact, no long-form, hospital-generated birth certificate exist for Barack Hussein Obama Jr. in the state of Hawaii. And neither, Queens Medical Center nor Kapi’olani Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, have any record of Barack Hussein Obama Jr. having been born in their medical facilities.
And Barack Hussein Obama still refusals to make public his records, from the 'long-form' (ie, including detailed information documenting the birth, including the name of the birth hospital, attending physician, and with physician’s signature) birth certificate.
That’s why a "birther bill" requiring presidential candidates to show birth certificate is needed.
The "birther bill," by Rep. Judy Burges, that would require presidential candidates to provide their birth certificates in order to remain on the ballot in the state of Arizona, has already attracted more than 30 co-sponsors in both chambers.
The proposal comes out of a fringe movement that believes President Obama, whose father was from Kenya, did not meet the citizenship requirements to run in 2008.
Poorman posted at 10:35 am on Thu, Jan 27, 2011.
Not much to look forward to, just two years of do nothing gridlock. Lets see then our voters will put in a Repub.Pres.,and a locked up legislator,and we will have more gridlock and do nothing. On the other hand the voters could give back the whole thing to the same old Repubs.,and will have a new era of mess making like the good old Bushey era.
rrjenn posted at 11:39 am on Thu, Jan 27, 2011.
Well Poorman, maybe if the repubs just take both houses of congress we could have the better days of Clinton when we were paying as we go, and having a surplus instead of deficit spending ever since Bush took us into Iraq for no apparent reason other than trying to secure middle east oil.
EmperorSmith posted at 2:47 pm on Thu, Jan 27, 2011.
Pay as you go, a very sound principle to live by, I try to. But all to much of America is I'll pay for it tomorrow.
rrjenn posted at 1:12 pm on Fri, Jan 28, 2011.
Hawaii Bill Would Release Obama Birth Records
"HONOLULU -- Anyone would be able to get a copy of President Barack Obama's birth records for a $100 fee under a bill introduced in the state Legislature that backers hope will finally dispel claims he was born elsewhere."
"The bill would change a privacy law barring the release of birth records unless the requester is someone with a tangible interest, such as a close family member."
Really? They don't think America has a tangible interest in knowing whether or not a man named Barack Hussein Obama II (aka Barry Soetoro) was born in America and has the right to serve as president of the free world?