Obama's Ordinary, Banal, Empty State of the Union Address

by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

President Obama's first State of the Union address did little to address the the state of our Union. There is nothing in this speech that has not been said over and over and over, but plenty was left out.

Three of the most concerning events inside our our own country, and on our own soil, were not mentioned: Fort Hood Islamic murderer, the Christmas Day Underpants attempted bombing under the direction of Islamic murderers, and the coming New York terrorist trials of Islamic murderers. Not a single word about the reason we are in this long war. Not a single word about the jihad that has turned our world, and the lives of many, upside-down.

He did, however, say this:

We're working with Muslim communities around the world to promote science and education and innovation.

 Our US Marines pulled out of Iraq last week. In the face of their incredible sacrifices, he didn't give a single sentence to their service.

He did not mention that he and Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geither, paved the way for a flood of monetary support to Hamas. Had this brazen step aided the West's side on the War on Terror, we would hear the administration talking about it, but, of course, it provides aid and comfort to the enemy, and it is understood that if Americans know about it, they will be outraged about it.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano slept through his mundane, inane, lackluster attention to terrorism.

After only 16 lines into the speech, the President launched into the expected Bush assault, but...

After one year, the Obama administration has done nothing to address the reason for the housing bubble - the Democrat Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Obama voted for every piece of legislation that ordered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to loan money to millions who had no credit, had no down payment. It is one thing to enforce fair housing and lending laws. It is another to recklessly design and write them, as did Rep. Chris Dodd (D-CT), and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), the muscle on the Senate Banking Committee.

After one year, the Obama administration has done nothing to address the reason for the housing bubble - the Democrat Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Obama voted for every piece of legislation that ordered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to loan money to millions who had no credit, had no down payment. It is one thing to enforce fair housing and lending laws. It is another to recklessly design and write them, as did Rep. Chris Dodd (D-CT), and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), the muscle on the Senate Banking Committee.

After one year, the Obama administration has done nothing to address the reason for the housing bubble - the Democrat Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Obama voted for every piece of legislation that ordered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to loan money to millions who had no credit, had no down payment. It is one thing to enforce fair housing and lending laws. It is another to recklessly design and write them, as did Rep. Chris Dodd (D-CT), and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), the muscle on the Senate Banking Committee.

As the frenzy for easy, senseless money diluted the housing supply, home prices soared. Nevermind that homes were outrageously priced. Homeowners moved into near-mansions. Nothing down...no need for credit. They moved in as though they actually owned the home, but the truth is, the lender owned every penny of it. When times got tough, they moved out and left the properties behind. No skin off their noses...they were really only renting from the bank. After issuing $1.5 trillion in outstanding debt, Fannie and Freddie were done, bankrupt, disgraced...and taxpayers, once again bore the burden and bailed them out.

With the announcement of the bank bailouts, the stock market plunged. Employers began their layoffs, cut their purchasing and the race to the bottom of the mountain was fast and furious.

Then Barack Obama took the Oval Office and every businessman and woman understood their taxes would soar and their energy costs would skyrocket, just as the smug candidate-Obama promised they would while still on the campaign trail. There was no chance for revival of the growth of small business. Business owners have no faith in this administration, which believes if you are not dependent on his government, you are not American.

We were told that our Treasury would gain huge profits from the repayment of the TARP funds. In this speech, we learned he will be spending those profits, rather than paying down the deficit. Thirty billion, just the first of billions to be spent elsewhere, will now go to small community banks to enable them to loan to small businesses. The mission of TARP was to get money to the people. That didn't happen. Financial institutions, without an ounce of confidence in the President, horded the government money, and businesses languished. Now we're doing it all over again.

Reminiscent of his wife's words on the campaign trail, the President said "...I have never been more hopeful about America's future than I am tonight... " Michelle infamously said "for the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country." The problem, Barack and Michelle, is that throughout America's history, Americans have continually been hopeful about our future, continuously proud of our country. It isn't new or unusual for us. But today, we see your presidency as a dark, ominous cloud on our horizon. Mr. President, American is about to disburse that cloud.

Obama promised the elimination of capital gains taxes on small-business investment and a tax incentive for business to invest in their own operation. He also offers incentives for businesses to hire or raise wages. Do we hold our breathes? How many businesses will spend capital with the fog of cap-and-tax, and health care as we know it today, looming? How many will hire or give raises with no uncertain business on the horizon?

The stock market is plummeting as I write this morning, after the President's continued stubborn determination on Cap and Trade, under the guise of "passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill," (translation: following the lead of the UN's climate change policies). "Tough decisions," are awaiting Congress on "New off-shore areas for oil and gas development," but we have no reason to believe he is entertaining any development for drilling. So what are the tough decisions? He is not willing to even discuss drilling. Empty, space-filling rhetoric.

I nearly fell on the floor when this high-minded orator said this:

Third, we need to export more of our goods.

Because the more products we make and sell to other countries, the more jobs we support right here in America. So...

That is the statement of a simpleton. No mention of how he plans to unwind his Democrat Congress on Fair Trade.Take a quick look at the percentages of the pro-Fair Trade votes from Democrats as opposed to Republicans.

We are going to put people to work on a high-speed-rail, subsidized by every American taxpayer. Not a single self-sustaining rail system exists. While I like the idea of efficient rail of any kind, if private funding cannot make the system work, then we do not need it. Most of America lives in the middle of our country. We'll never see a dime of advantage, or boost to our quality of life from high-speed-rail, IF THE GOVERNMENT IS INVOLVED. Get the government out, other than land acquisition, and let private endeavors make rail profitable, or scrub the program, including those already in use today - including subway systems and Amtrak.

And again we endured claims about his policies that cannot be verified or substantiated. What can be verified is the administration's use of smoke-and-mirrors and slight-of-hand accounting practices. Disgraceful coming from the President of the United States.

And how astonishing is it that a President of the United States would admonish 5 Supreme Court Justices over a First Amendment ruling? Did you see Justice Alito shake his head, and mouth 'Not True?'  We know what Obama thinks about the First Amendment. We know what his Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, thinks about the First Amendment. 

To end my thoughts on this platitudinous speech, we know the State of our Union. Our President does not.  We know our lives are threatened by Islam, while he coddles it in secret, ignores it in public. We know our military keeps the 'state of our union' free, although he disdains them. We know we have a President who cannot lift-up our Union, because he is committed to tearing it down...to raise up a socialist, collectivist society, that in the end, America will have none of. As critics express their dismay that there was no optimism in this speech, be reminded that he said he is "hopeful" about our future. The question is, "hopeful" of what? His hopes, and the hopes of you and I, differ greatly.


See transcript of President Obama's State of the Union Speech here.