Obama's Address to Congress Open Thread
OK, I sorta teared when Obama walked out. I am such a sap, but isn't it nice to see some Democrats in power?
Have at it in comments. What do you think of this "not state of the union?"
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Obama's Address to Congress Open Thread.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.feministing.com/cgi-bin/movabletype/mt-tb.fcgi/12135
i liked his address. I'm still stoked on his nixing of the global gag rule!!!!!
This speech was wayyyyy better than the inaugural. More optimistic, more "Obama-esque". I'm glad he addressed a more open, honest government.
Am I still skeptical? Of course; actions speak louder than words (pardon the cliche).
Also, what's up with his 28 helicopters costing like 2 million dollars?
Apparently the helicopters were ordered before Obama took office and somehow they seemed to have been overlooked.
Yeah, those helicopters were contracted by Bush. They were supposed to cost like $5 million, and somehow "magically" Lockheed Martin ended up wanting $11 million. Like magic. You know, how most corporate business deals work.
Those helicopters were supposed to be made at a Lockheed plant outside my hometown. They made a whole new building for it, hired a bunch of people....and then we were told the contract got pulled when the economy buckled. Is this not the case? Because they weren't made/aren't being made here, where they were scheduled...?
Think they're going to put that little girl who wrote the letter back on the bus to her project school after this is over? Ugh...
But really, I enjoyed most of it. I did a little hop when he said Gitmo's getting the axe.
My Twitter friends talk about how "BHO" is irresponsible & says nothing specific...I'm watching Bobby Jindahl & thinking the same thing. How am I going to get lower taxes, affordable health care, private school and everything else, because "I can do anything" as an American? The first trillion dollar bill was passed by the Republicans!!!
Aside everything else, it is very exciting to have a president who is such an amazing and moving speaker.
I'm having trouble absorbing Jindal's 'Republican Response' though (which is is on now). I think he's a robot, maybe. (at least, tonight.)
I said it before (on Feministe) and I'll say it again: Bobby Jindal spoke as if he were addressing a Romper Room class.
No I didn't. I said it on Shakesville. :embarrassed:
That's what I thought too.
My friend sent me this link where it compares him to Kenneth from 30 Rock.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/24/bobby-jindal-or-kenneth-f_n_169693.html
Yeah, the first minute or two I was like "Well he doesn't seem so bad, he doesn't even sound much like a Republican." Then he started in with the small government and tax breaks talk. Not that all tax breaks are bad, it's just a typical soundbite of theirs.
I thought it was particularly funny when he was talking about health care and he said that health care should stay out of the hands of the government and in the hands of patients and doctors. My first thought: What about the health insurance companies? Frankly I'd rather have the government having a bit of control over my health care (mainly paying for it) than the insurance companies. At least with Universal health care everyone would be covered, regardless of ability to pay and pre-existing conditions!
Jindal clearly lives in an alternate universe. I'm a bit unclear on why this is not a state of the union address?
Because the President doesn't give a SotU speech the first year after inauguration.
Thanks, you learn something new every day!
I am soooo restored by this man and the current congress. Relief. Hope. Not to mention the brightness brought in by Hilary, Nancy and Michelle! Woo hoo! Hot damn! Now, I'm off for some schoolin' and some trainin' to do my part...
I've gotta agree with everybody - Jindal's "response" was a joke.
Obama's speech, on the other hand, made my week. All of the issues I've been focused on as the Bush administration screwed with the nation's future were mentioned by the President tonight.
Health care, education, responsibilities of banks - and he alluded to the impact we as individuals and as a nation of individuals have on the rest of the world. I nearly cried out of sheer happiness at least as many times as he was interrupted by applause.
Speaking of which, anybody else cry when President Obama talked about that girl from the rundown school in (I think it was) North Carolina?
It was Dillon, SC.
Unfortunately having grown up in the rural south, her school didn't sound unfamiliar to me. Pretty much every school has major problems from funding issues.
I was clapping and fist pumping in my house all alone. The way that Obama articulated the relationship between health care reform and the current economic crisis was just SO right on target. And: end the war in Iraq, cut the deficit, energy and education and science initiatives. It's like Christmas!
I live in Louisiana, and I'm used to hearing Jindal speak. He spoke at my fiance's graduation, and he usually talks SOOOO fast. Someone must have gotten with him about slowing down. However, he just dragged his words out making it seem like we were little kids. He was SO vague, and every time I hear him talk I just feel awkward.
I loved Obama's speech. I loved his inaugural, and loved that this speech was more specific as far as what he wants to do. I also admit that his speeches make me tear up...out of happiness of course. What I love the most about his speech tonight was his blurb on how parents and individuals need to step up and take responsibility. In my opinion, the only way we can have a bright future is if the people take do their part.
My social/political opinion aside, this country definitely made a great choice of president.
I loved Obama's speech. I loved his inaugural, and loved that this speech was more specific as far as what he wants to do. I also admit that his speeches make me tear up...out of happiness of course. What I love the most about his speech tonight was his blurb on how parents and individuals need to step up and take responsibility. In my opinion, the only way we can have a bright future is if the people do their part.
My social/political opinion aside, this country definitely made a great choice of president.
Sorry for the double post.
I do have a question though. Obama said in his speech tonight that people with a yearly income over $250,000 will have higher taxes. I wonder how many people make that much a year- does anyone know where I could find it out? Thanks :)
So, I decided I was curious, and went to go see what I could find to at least try to answer your question.
A 2007 report by the US Census Bureau says that the median household income in 2007 was $50,740. That number changes greatly if you break it down by race: $55,096 for whites, $34,001 for blacks, $66,935 for Asian Americans, and $40,766 for Hispanic.
This report breaks down their report by quintiles (groups of 20%), but then also provides information for the top 5% of household incomes. Even in the top 5%, the lowest household income is still $177,000.
So, though it's not a complete answer to your question, I would venture to conclude that those making OVER $250,000 is only anywhere from 3-4% of Americans, which then fits when Obama says that 95% of Americans will not see their taxes go up.
Thanks :):)
In Freakonomics it says that 1% make that much (and a study on online found that 4% said they earned that much, hmm...). So a small percent but still would make a difference as far as taxes. That includes all the people who make millions too.
That's the 2% of the country he was talking about...
Can I just say that it's nice to see a happy, smiling (as opposed to smirking) president?
I'm a "born again" american.. I love this man.
I'm so happy about his stance on Education, I just can't wait to see the funds start trickling down the pipes.
I have to say this is an area where I don't quite understand what his stance is. Yes, he's making subtle digs at NCLB, but what is he going to do?
Teacher performance pay is great - if school districts can afford to pay teachers. I'm from a school district where there are tough choices to be made - teachers or textbooks 'cause we can't have both? Those things aren't solved by performance pay, though I'm very much in favor of it.
One of my major concerns with our educational system, and the reason my children likely will not go to public school, is that schools in general aren't equipped to deal with exceptionally bright children. My 4YO has met the criteria for passing kindergarten for about a year now. By K (18 months from now), he'll be well into the elementary curriculum. My 2YO is well into learning what the current K children know. Yet there's no systematic way that our schools deal with children like them (or my husband or me; I've lived through this sytem) because of the overall model of education we have.
While I know that's a family issue for us, I can't help but think it's indicative of the ideas at the core of our educational philosophy.
We're wasting our best talents because of the system we have in place.
And I don't see from Obama anything really specific. Yes, making college education affordable is a laudable goal, but how? What's the plan for that? Is it to bury students in more loans, or is it to provide college education for free or nearly free for qualified students? Then how do we deal with paying professors what they're worth?
He wants to "hold schools accountable." How? What does "more support for charter schools" look like, and how is that altering the picture for children left in typical public schools?
I'm not saying that I disagree with Obama's educational philosophy - just that I'm not sure what it is exactly. I don't know that anyone really wants to touch education because for starters, they'd have to admit that over-testing students has problems that really cannot be solved. I'd just like to see some really specific ideas before I can say "woo-hoo, education's a priority."
Well, there is a lot of space between what tuition is now and being nearly free. But anyway, I agree. From what I've read about who he chose to be in charge of education, I don't really like it. Is it the man who paid students to go to school the first day? Maybe this works but I'm wary of any obvious external motivation because it's not always going to be there. I know what works for somewhere else might not work for America but I don't know...I do think education in Ontario's been improving in the last many years. We don't have performance pay or charter schools. We have provincial testing simply to tell the government if education is improving. We are starting to give more non-academic options in high school and online courses. Class sizes in early grades are below 21. Schools must actively fight against bullying. I say this because I do think it's possible to improve education, sometimes in some simple ways. I just can't imagine America's federal government being in charge of education. There are so many people.
Oh my Lord, I'm in love with this man! His speech was absolutely flawlessly written. I loved all of his subtle references to ending No Child Left Behind. As a high school senior in a school that has been completely devastated by No Child Left Behind, it's incredibly uplifting to see that our President will not let education and America's schools waste away any longer.
"And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country – and this country needs and values the talents of every American." - President Barack H. Obama
i think his speech was awesome! so eloquent and moving. At one point, i got shivers in my body...now, the concern is, will congress do anything to make Obama's dream come true or will they be just a bunch of assholes and prevent anything from happening.
Oh, and Jindal's speech sucked! Oh come on, all it was was republican agenda. At first, as someone else mentioned, I though he was going to say good things, but no, I was wrong.
I don't want to comment on Obama's speech. I am thoroughly flaming pissed about the
$90-some million our *Democratic* Congress left in the budget for abstinence-only sex ed.
wtf? Seriously? And we're in a fucking *budget crisis* and STILL wasting money on this?
I'm still adjusting to the fact that I can watch a Presidential address without vomiting.
I'm still adjusting to being able to watch a Presidential address without projectile vomiting.
I love, love, LOVED it when he addressed Michelle and she blew him that little kiss. FINALLY, a public partnership based on mutual respect and friendship.