"We Are Not Quitters"

[filkertom]

Damn.

Damn.

It's gonna be long and ugly and painful... but I really am hopeful we're gonna get through this, together, and be a stronger nation because of it.

(You might like reading this piece about Ty'Sheoma Bethea, the teenager who Obama invited to the speech.

(On the other hand, you may not be able to stomach Gov. Bobby Jindal's response [transcript here]. Jayzus god, he sounds like he's auditioning for a Mr. Rogers-style kids' show. Even the Villagers hated it.)

Thoughts?

Comments

[nimitzbrood.livejournal.com]

He promised an awful lot and I'm willing to stick with him but I hope like hell he can deliver what he promised. The mention of dealing with corruption in agribusiness took me by surprise.

One minor nit - America didn't invent the automobile. Germany did. That was a failed fact check on his speechwriter's part.

As for the response by Bobby Jindal...I think I cringed every time he said "Americans can do anything!" when he didn't really mean it. I'm sorry but his tone came across as completely false.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

A number of people noticed that. Usually when that point is brought up, what's meant is the invention of the automobile assembly line, which I also don't think we did, although Henry Ford refined and perfected it.

ETA: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile) says the first modern auto was designed by Karl Benz in 1878, and he got a patent in 1879. American George Selden had something in 1877, but he never built a working model, finally getting a patent for a two-stroke engine in 1895.

The first assembly line was created by Random Olds in 1902, and greatly expanded by Henry Ford in 1914.

[twfarlan.livejournal.com]

"Reagan-esque" applies, I think, quite well in describing the President's oratorical skill.

He's right, of course. It is going to be a lot of work, repairing the damage to this country. It's almost scary, the idea that his administration has so far found US$2 trillion (with a T!) in savings over the next decade that can be saved from the Federal budget. I wonder how much of that is pork fat and how much is going to really pinch to lose.

Still, it was a good speech. I'm hopeful that he can accomplish what he's set out to do.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I suspect there's going to be a fair amount from the military budget, and that's gonna send the Republicans screaming about not being able to defend us.

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

Obama's finessed this one nicely, I think, by emphasizing that he wants to increase military pay and improve health care for veterans, and make his cuts in overpriced, outmoded weapons systems. The lobbyists will be livid, of course, and it'll be one hell of a battle with the Pentagon. I hope he's up to the fight.

[zibblsnrt.livejournal.com]

Actually, shortly after the election I remember reading something out of the Pentagon where it was pressuring Obama to cut the defense budget and transfer some of the savings from some of the new weapons systems to barracks, boots and butter. I kind of have the feeling that the Pentagon itself would be alright with it depending on how it's done. Of course, the Republicans and lobbyists will spontaneously combust.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

Eh...they already spontaneously combusted because the scary gays are going to steal their marriages.

And before that, when they had to press one for English.

And before that, when they dropped Faith Based Sciencey Educationish Product from Junior's school curriculum.

They won't stop combusting, and people are used to it now. Just give 'em a padded room to throw fits in until they've chewed their own tongues off and can't make mouth noises any more.

[ladystarblade.livejournal.com]

Pretty nice balance there, being realistic but optimistic at the same time. This is what I've always loved about Obama...I've always gotten the sense that he honestly believes what he's saying, and knowing that the guy in charge believes in me, believes in us, is awfully damn comforting.

I also got a warm fuzzy feeling from another of Obama's guests, the banker who distributed his bonuses amongst his workers (http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/24/obama.guests/index.html?iref=mpstoryview). If we had more guys like that kicking around, the financial world wouldn't be in such a shambles.

Jindal's your basic political opportunist. The big machine takes them, polishes them up, parades them around, then gobbles 'em up and spits them out. Bleh.

Oh, and as someone in another blog somewhere said, wasn't it awesome to see Biden sitting there in Cheney's old seat? :-)

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Agreement on all points. Especially the part where I don't have the Imperial March playing in my head (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuKUqhS9Zxo).

[gypsylady.livejournal.com]

I was listening to the speech on my way home and had the biggest grin on my face from the moment it started. The person in the seat beside me asked why I was grinning and I popped out an earbud long enough to tell her. She asked to borrow an earbud. Then SHE got a big grin. It ended just as I got to my stop. Whew!

Jindahl's speech seemed to have been written before anyone in his team saw Obama's speech because the points he was arguing weren't the major points of the plan. It was weird. It was a disconnect the likes of which I haven't seen since...wow, since Cheney kept insisting the WMD were in Iraq (just a year or year and a half ago...)

Jindahl seems a good guy. It's too bad he made such a blunder so early in his national career.

BTW, I heard a part of an interview with McCain. Did I hear right, that he's agreeing with Obama?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Dunno, it depends on what part of the day. Seriously. Did you hear about Obama's jiu-jitsu of McCain's riff on the presidential helicopters (http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2009/02/23/obama-beats-mccain-again.aspx)?

[palenoue.livejournal.com]

I agree with McCain: Obama shouldn't have a helicopter because it's expensive and takes up far too much room for safe landings and everything.

Obama should use a jetpack!

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

And he will, too!

[old-fortissimo.livejournal.com]

Jindal is outclassed and out of his league so far.

His rhetoric was to construct straw men and attack arguments that Obama never made.

He spent his first three minutes intoducing himself to the American public, giving them his story...you know, sort of like a candidate aspiring for higher office....
("Sort of like" is meant to be ironic.)

I'll be interested to find out if Chuck Schumer is correct in his interpretation of the stimulus legislation that Louisiana must choose either to accept or reject the entire package rather than pick and choose - in Jindal's case, accept over 98% of the money but reject the extended unemployment benefits so as not to make Louisiana business eventually actually pay for extended unemployment benefits. I hear echoes of "Thanks, but no thanks" for the Bridge To Nowhere idea (and no thanks for it but we'll take the money).

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

I was very, very pleased. He held my attention from beginning to end, and pretty much said all the things I wanted him to say. (Well, I do wish he hadn't left the door open for Social Security "reform".) It's an incredibly ambitious agenda, and he won't get all of it, but whatever he does get will be worth having.

[ladysmith.livejournal.com]

So, did you hear that Jindahl is an exorcist?

http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/547231.aspx

[ashnistrike.livejournal.com]

Obama's speech: very good. No imperial march. Etc.

Bobby Jindahl is a complete douchebag. Unless I missed something, he just blamed the failed response to Katrina on too much government intervention. And then complained about "unnecessary spending" on 1) greening the government's car fleet, 2) improving public transportation, and 3) protecting other people from natural disasters. It makes Sarah Palin's complaint about funding genetic research on endangered species sound downright sensible. And also,

Jayzus god, he sounds like he's auditioning for a Mr. Rogers-style kids' show.

And he wouldn't have been called back for a second reading, either.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

And he wouldn't have been called back for a second reading, either.

Heartily laughing agreement!

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

Inspiring, tough-minded, and strongly reminding us to pull together for a damn change. At the point where he was saying (nearer the end) that it was going to be a challenge and it was an honor to be there at a tough time, he was *enjoying* himself, excited. How often do you see that in a national political figure?
*Happy* to be there to take it on.
God, I don't think I've *ever* seen that one.
And besides, the man's just such an impressive speaker.
OTOH, last week I saw an interview special (I thinkon HBO?) where the person was going round gas stations in the South and inteviewing random folks, and getting bizarre hivemind propaganda responses that make him out to be 666 and so on, right out of evol talk radio. One of them told the interviewer in a perfectly kind polite way that he didn't even want *her* to have a vote, because she's a woman. *boggle*

[peachtales.livejournal.com]

I have a friend who likes to collect guns and go target shooting and occasionally hunting. Ever since November, and also a few months before, this guy has gotten so incredibly wrapped up in all of the "He's gonna take your guns" propaganda emanating from the wingnuts that it's hard for me to even talk to him anymore. Is is scary.

[renquestor.livejournal.com]

You know, I like guns, and I like target shooting. Now, historically the Democrats have put in legislation against firearms, which is a long and drawn out convoluted tale that I don't have the space to go into. However, in my personal opinion, firearms are low on Obama's list. He's got so much shit to clean up from the previous 8 years that messing with guns is gonna be damned low on the list.

[peachtales.livejournal.com]

That's kinda what I thought too.
In the interest of full disclosure, even though a recurve bow is my favorite implement for target shooting, and I have no desire to hunt in any fashion, I also like to target shoot with guns occasionally.

[renquestor.livejournal.com]

I'm enjoy target shooting also. Furthermore, I'd like to do some rabbit and squirrel hunting. Funny thing, most of my guns are long guns. I don't really care for pistols. I'm rubbish with them anyways.

[bryanp.livejournal.com]

Actually the current thought amongst many of us "gun nuts" is that rather than ban firearms he's going to do his best to make ammunition incredibly expensive through measures such as banning the importation of "cheap foreign ammunition" and the entirely ridiculous idea of serialization of individual rounds. Either or both of those would make shooting as a hobby ridiculously expensive instead of only somewhat pricey.

[renquestor.livejournal.com]

I hadn't heard about the banning of "cheap foreign ammunition." However, I'd heard something about the serialization of individual rounds with laser etching. The latter royally pisses me off on many different levels. First is the idea that the bullet can be traced back to the person who purchased the ammo. Well, in that case, all a criminal has to do is steal someone's freaking ammo. Ludicrous, I tell you. Second, and most major, is this laser etching process was developed by one company, and they have patented it. They stand to earn a bundle of money from this. That, my friends(TM), is what really pisses me off. They're legislating their business opportunities.

[bryanp.livejournal.com]

Second, and most major, is this laser etching process was developed by one company, and they have patented it. They stand to earn a bundle of money from this.

Which leads back to the idea of making it too expensive.

Anyway, you get the idea. I don't want to derail Tom's discussion of the speech too much with my pet peeves.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

'Sokay. Tell you what: Enough of you are into it that I'll make it a separate thread.

[realinterrobang.livejournal.com]

One of them told the interviewer in a perfectly kind polite way that he didn't even want *her* to have a vote, because she's a woman.

Heh. What was that Lincoln said about slavery? That its most ardent proponents never seemed eager to have it tried on themselves? (In other words, him first.)

I'm just depressed because I was listening to the radio this morning trying to catch the weather forecast (the oldies station I loved as a child is now an all-talk "we're not right wing, honest" borefest), and was dismayed to realise that the announcer was waxing rapturous over the market rebound caused ostensibly by the "positive news from south of the border that nationalisation is off the table." Would it be too much to ask the US to stop exporting GOP talking points?

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

No, it would not be too much at all for us to stop doing that.
I did notice that the Fox announcers were practically rhapsodizing over O's speech, which is quite a sea change from earlier 'tudes they were propagating on that network.
I never thought I'd see that, either!
So that may be where some of the other media outlets start trending, in order to follow the political power, not just the ownership money.

[peachtales.livejournal.com]

I hope this works out, I really do, because I don't even want to think about what could happen if it doesn't.

Jindal is clueless to the extreme.

Edited: Only to add the fact that I, too, am extremely hopeful that things will get better, and thrilled that we seem to be addressing the issues. Pain, yes it will happen (and already has been on a personal level), but we cannot fix it without going through it.

[liddle-oldman.livejournal.com]

I was encouraged and excited by quite a bit of the speech. (I practically leaped to my feet myself when he talked about eliminating tax advantages for companies exporting U.S. jobs.) Some politicking, some baby-kissing, a great deal of good will and good priorities.

I was also delighted, as I have been all along, at how well the speech was built, and how well delivered. No misunderestimating here! My wife is impressed by the way that, even when he's speaking extemporaneously, if he says that he has three points, he gets to three points.

Once again, now let's see if we can deliver on some of these goals. I did notice how the Republicans were sitting with their arms crossed and their lower lips out at the beginning of the affair.

[surakofb5.livejournal.com]

I heard someone say on the radio this morning that it was refreshing to have a speech that didn't hammer 9-11 in every other sentence. And I realized that after 8 years of a president whose only message was FEAR (the all caps are important for scaring people, you know), I love having a president who brings us hope. I feel like we actually have a future now.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Roger that. I just like having a president I can physically listen to, who isn't smirking, and who uses complete sentences.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Boy, Jindal's speech was a piece of work:

There is a lesson in this experience [Katrina]: The strength of America is not found in our government

Not after 8 years of Republican rule, no!

But Democratic leaders in Congress -- they rejected this approach. Instead of trusting us to make wise decisions with our own money,...

Translation: "Instead of trusting Republicans to make wise decisions with taxpayer money..." I wonder if that has something to do with the wisdom of Republican decisions about what to do with taxpayer money in the previous 8 years?

g. It includes $300 million to buy new cars for the government, $8 billion for high-speed rail projects, such as a "magnetic levitation" line from Las Vegas to Disneyland, and $140 million for something called "volcano monitoring."

Right, because fuel efficient cars don't do anything for the environment and building them doesn't create new jobs; better transportation infrastructure doesn't do anything for the environment and building *it* doesn't create new jobs or contribute to productivity in the future after the recession is over, and heaven forfend the government might actually be able to warn people about volcanoes that are about to explode--that would puncture the Republican propaganda that government can't do anything right.

Who among us would ask our children for a loan, so we could spend money we do not have, on things we do not need?

Right, who spent money we did not have on expensive tax cuts that heavily favored the richest 2%? Who spent money we did not have on a war with a country that hadn't attacked us and wasn't going to, over weapons of mass destruction that didn't exist and ties to Al Quaeda that didn't exist either? Who spent money we did not have on a second war that wouldn't have been necessary in the first place if the Republican administration had kept their minds on their *jobs* when they were warned about terrorists instead of saying "yeah, whatever; what can you tell me about Iraq."? Am I supposed to believe we *needed* those things?

Oh, good grief; if *this* is the best the Republicans have to offer, they'd better keep looking.

[stevemb.livejournal.com]

Fox Panel's Verdict On Jindal’s Speech: 'Childish,' 'Amateurish,' 'Not Exactly Terrific' (http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/24/jindal-fox-ncot/)

Lousiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s (R) response to President Obama's speech tonight received a universal thumbs down from the Fox News panelists, who are traditionally conservatives’ most gentle critics....

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Wow :-)

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

"The way to lead is not to raise taxes and put more money and power in hands of Washington politicians," Jindal said. "Who among us would ask our children for a loan, so we could spend money we do not have, on things we do not need?"



It's not asking your children for a loan, it's asking your employers for an advance!

[james-the-evil1.livejournal.com]

WTF with the condescension in Jindal's speech?

Did he SERIOUSLY think it was funny to joke about his mother's pregnancy being a "pre existing condition" and somehow noble that his father had to put the family in debt to pay for Bobby's birth and then to joke about how he was "glad he never missed a payment"?

I guess the Dickensian idea of poorhouses full of repossessed kids sounds like a good or at least amusing concept?

Gah. Seriously.

[bosswriter.livejournal.com]

I was glad to hear Obama say the things that few have the courage to say, especially on going after agribusiness, fraud and waste. It won't be easy going against a system so ingrained with this but if anyone can, Obama can.

I also think the Republicans had better get on board with Obama because if they continue to stonewall while things get worse, they will further erode the support they are losing.

It's one thing to disagree or work for the things you want but in the end you have to go for what is best fro the country - a weird concept I know.

[saganth.livejournal.com]

I am sure that, like in depictions in the tv series "The West Wing" there are Republicans out there who really do want what is best for every citizen in this nation, to guard everyone's rights and freedoms without attacking anyone judged to be different, Republicans who do not fit the stereotype (however valid or in-valid it might be) of the people consumed with hate-and-war-mongering greed for power, like those who ran this country into the ground for 8 years, tried to do so decades beforehand and are still trying to regain that power. I am sure there are good Republicans out there who can simply agree to disagree without malice to any other person, and maybe some of them read this journal. So to those Republicans, I apologise in advance for my next statement:

After 8 years of shit, dirty tricks, thievery, hate, fear and lies, I hope that as Obama's administration grows and helps to bring this nation and its people back to productivity and some measure of prosperity for all, I hope the GOP implodes, eats itself alive, and forever falls apart as an example of political natural selection. It is a dinosaur, and dinosaurs are extinct. What works best and for all survives best, and the ways of Nixon, Dubya, Cheney and their ilk rae, in the long run, doomed to fail. It may take a while for this to happen, for the understanding of this truth to sink in, but it is truth nonetheless.

In the film Ghandi, it is alleged that the Mahatma once said, When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS."

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

I for one would really like to hear from the Republicans who've been unhappy with where the thieves, lairs, torturers, and murderers have taken this country and how they totally hijacked their party off into Loonyland extremes. I'd like to have good strong opposition to the majority with folks who have good ideas that are different.
I don't like one-sided systems!

[jannyblue.livejournal.com]

Thoughts?

Of course it's gonna be a long and rather unpleasant slog before things get better.

My only other thought is that Jindal is looking to be Palin's running mate in 2012.

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

Jindal is looking just right to be her running mate, too. Blearggh!!

[connor-campbell.livejournal.com]

what the frak? Palin's coming back? oy! someone tie that woman up! gag her, while you're at it...

[dornbeast.livejournal.com]

Thoughts on Jindal:

I feel like I'm listening to an infomercial, or an instructional film in high school.

"Who amongst us would ask our children for a loan?" Um. Pot, kettle.

"Americans can do anything." (Repeat ad nauseam.)

"We, the Republicans, promise to live up to our promises." Yeah. Chatter's cheap, smiley. Let's see what you do.