This blog is for students in Ms. Aby-Keirstead's AP US Government class in Bloomington, MN. It is for students to post their thoughts on current events and governmental affairs. Students should be respectful & think of this forum as an extension of their classroom. The instructor has the same expectations for classroom discussion & blog posts. These posts will be graded for both their academic merit & for their appropriateness.
Celebrate Valentine's Day by picking a classmate to respond to!
posted by Ms. Aby @ 8:22 AM
This blog is for students in Ms. Aby-Keirstead's AP US Government class in Bloomington, MN. It is for students to post their thoughts on current events and governmental affairs. Students should be respectful & think of this forum as an extension of their classroom. The instructor has the same expectations for classroom discussion & blog posts. These posts will be graded for both their academic merit & for their appropriateness.
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39 Comments:
I agree with what Geenie said about the President’s speech being encouraging. As Susan Page reports in her USA TODAY article, Obama’s State of the Union Address this year was more about acknowledging things that Obama did well in 2013 than talking about what he planned on doing this year -- “downsized dreams...from the aspirational to the achievable” (1). Likewise, I also agree with what Geenie says about the Obama’s acknowledgement of the economic achievements the US has made in the past year. I also think that Obama’s statement about his use of executive agreements will, like Geenie writes, “weaken his relationship with Congress, but...help his relationship with the American people.” This is something that I didn’t really think about when I was writing my SOTU blog post and I feel like it’s definitely very true -- in the eyes of the American people, he will be a hero and a leader, whereas Congress will think of him as a power-stealing executive. In her article, Page also writes that this statement, and others like it, are indicative of Obama trying to draw attention more to the future, after his presidency is over (1). Geenie also wrote that the Affordable Care Act is not a health care decision forced upon the people by the government. However, I disagree; according to Kelly Kennedy’s article in USA TODAY, if those who are uninsured in 2014 do not get health insurance somehow, regardless of whether they access insurance through the Affordable Care Act or other means, they will have to pay a tax (2). Currently the tax is 1% of household income, and it will increase every year. This does give people a choice, but it’s a choice between health care they don’t necessarily want and a tax payment. I’m not saying that I disagree with universal health care, but I think that more people should be aware of this. Going back to what Geenie said though, I agree with her disagreement with Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ statement about Obama making peoples’ lives harder. Obamacare is, in many ways, making life for people in the middle and lower classes a lot easier -- I read an article in TIME Magazine about a family whose father had cancer, and how Obamacare cut their health insurance plan almost 80%.
(1) http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/01/28/speech-wise-what-a-difference-year-makes/4980795
(2) http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/10/aca-no-longer-applies-to-50-employees-and-under-in-2015/5370055/
p.s. a haiku for valentine's day:
roses are prickly...
violets are really purple.
time to eat candy.
In response to Patrick, I agree that Obama’s approval will likely fall among Republicans and rise among Democrats. This will likely happen because Obama addressed the issues his party has been frustrated with, which is his administration’s inability to further its agenda. In this speech, Obama reiterated his intentions to circumvent Congress to get his agenda passed, which will likely anger Republicans who rely on Congress to slow Obama’s agenda. I feel that it is good that he emphasized this, because it shows that he still has power and Congress and the Republicans should take him seriously. It also will hopefully help to end the policy gridlock which has occurred in Congress this past year. This is not an idle threat, as Obama proved when he allocated federal money to energy research in North Carolina to help create more jobs in the state (1). Obama has been given the reputation of taking about change but not doing it, in this case he has gone beyond just talking. I disagree with Patrick on the nature of the address. Patrick said that Obama tried to make the address bipartisan, but I think he was intentionally leaning towards his party with the speech. His emphasis on the Republican Party’s failures to solve problems and pass legislation could only have been interpreted favorably by his own party. This can be seen by the Republican Party’s response, which essentially criticized Obama for being all talk and no action. Hopefully the parties will rise above fighting like children and work to solve our country’s problems
1. http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/21257-obama-says-hell-bypass-congress-to-boost-economy
This comment has been removed by the author.
I agree with Patrick about how Obama's speech made it seem like he is trying to find his way around Washington rather than engaging with it. Obama's SOTU address made it very clear that he was not pleased with Congress' gridlock and their failure to get things done this past year. Obama has already been bypassing Congress by signing executive orders, such as the one he signed today that will raise the pay for employees of federal contract workers (1). This, along with an executive order concerning immigration have been big moves by Obama that some may feel over steps his boundaries. I also agree with Patrick that the high points of Obama's speech will increase his approval ratings within his own party. Obama said a lot of persuasive things that sounds good to democrats and his constituency. In the end, we both agree that Obama gave an effective speech, but that the Republicans will use any excuse they can find to turn the tide against Obama. Side stepping Congress and passing executive orders to pursue his own agenda just might be one of those
excuses. PS. I totally replied to Patrick because I'm secretly in love with him. Just kidding! Cuz it's totally not a secret. Just kidding again. Happy Valentines day everyone!
(1) http://www.politico.com/story/2014/02/miniumum-wage-executive-order-barack-obama-103450.html#ixzz2tAAUs6Yq
Given that this is our Valentine’s Day post I decided to respond to my better half (in terms of presidency), Ruby. I agree with Ruby’s criticisms of the overdone emotional appeal of the President’s speech. At the heart of the President’s speech was criticism of Congress’ inability to act, yet members of Congress were the ones applauding. This was because any message of disapproval was washed out by popular American ideas like “teachers” and “entrepreneurs.” (those being so unique to America) I think it is important for Presidents to know that it is acceptable to give a speech that states that America is in a bad position. The important thing is moving forward from that position in an effective manner, not hiding that position behind a story of how an American accomplished something today - with 300 million people in the country its not exactly a surprise that something was accomplished today. Another accurate criticism Ruby had was the skewed statistics Obama cited. On first listen, with the job statistics Obama stated, it sounds like America has fully recovered. However, he fails to mention, for obvious reasons, that America is far from recovery (1). Many statistics can be skewed, in fact Obama himself pointed it out during a debate with Mitt Romney. When Romney criticized that the Navy had fewer ships than in 1916 Obama responded with, “well Governor we also have fewer horses and bayonets.” I don’t blame him for skewing statistics because politics is all about how things are presented. I just wish he would have used statistics that point out what little work Congress has done over the past year. Overall, it was a fairly good political speech. In terms of State of the Union it unfortunately can be rated as normal, which is far from what the country needs at this point.
1) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/01/28/fact-checking-the-2014-state-of-the-union-address/
In response to Ruby DeBellis
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I agree with your blog post, really, I do!
Your thoughts are clear
And very precise
Thank you for being neat and concise
I also liked Obama's themes
Especially "getting back to work"
Getting America active would be a great perk
His tone with Congress
Was firm indeed
I hope it'll get them up to speed
Our nation isn't at its peak
And I think Obama knows it
At least his speech began to show it
I agree that his stories
Were a lil cheesy
But giving a speech like that can't be easy
Thank you for pointing out
His discussion of foreign affairs
Although he didn't mention it as much as Obamacare
I wish I could think of
A funny rhyme about Boehner's expressions
But I'll try not to cause too many tensions
There was some controversy about his speech
But I think we agree on his main thoughts
I'm happy you don't think he has a secret plot
I'm glad you liked his speech
And I hope you liked my rhyme
Yes, this is what I do in my free time
xoxo
Ellen
P.S. Be my valentine?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/full-text-of-obamas-2014-state-of-the-union-address/2014/01/28/e0c93358-887f-11e3-a5bd-844629433ba3_story.html?wpmk=MK0000200
I agree with Maddy S when she says that President Obama has been repeating the same things over and over. It seems to me that Obama is willing to talk the talk but not walk the walk. I like how she made the point that Obama always talks about what he is going to do but rarely spells out HOW he is going to accomplish what he states. Maddy makes the point that President Obama has been saying the same things for years without accomplishing anything. In an analysis of President Obamas 2013 State of the Union Address we see that much of the same things have been repeated over the years. Of the Presidents 25 proposals only 5 have been attempted. I like to see a President that sticks to his or her word and does the actions they say they will do, even if I don't agree with them. I think it shows that Obama is all talk when it comes to what he wants to accomplish. In the 2013 speech Obama promised reforms on Medicare, minimum wage, income inequality, and energy. Not a single one occurred. He truly is saying the same rhetoric year after year and the shocking thing is that people are buying it. It is time for the American people to not stand for any politician to outright lie about what they are going to do. President Obama could have at least attempted some of his proposals but I am assuming the 2014 State of the Union will yield the same results as 2013's.
[1] http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/01/28/obamas-2013-state-of-the-union-proposals-what-flopped-and-what-succeeded/
In response to Emma E.:
I agree with Emma that all the themes that needed attention in the United States were addressed in the State of Union address by President Obama. I think that the themes that Emma highlighted in her response to President Obama were very also very important themes that need focus on in the United States. President Obama wants to this upcoming year to be a year of change in many of the areas that Emma brought up (1). Many of the points that American are most focused on are stated on this speech. Things like unemployment, education, minimum wage, and equality in employment. I also agree with Emma that these issues are also issues that people that her and I really care about. I believe that many people would also agree with Emma and I that these are issues that many people care about.
1. http://www.umassmedia.com/news/president-obama-delivers-his-fifth-state-of-the-union-address/article_21c4a370-907c-11e3-8cbd-001a4bcf6878.html
I disagree with a few of Maddy S.’s views on the weaknesses of President Obama’s 2014 State of the Union Address. While it is very true that there are certain topics Obama touches on every year but has little progress to boast about, much of what Obama has promised and not accomplished is because of a stubborn, uncooperative Congress. Immigration is something that Obama addressed in 2013’s SOTU address and remains one of his priorities, and it is true that there has been essentially no headway in immigration reform; however, President Obama has been extremely clear in outlining his goals and pushing for Congress to take action, but legislation on the subject that passed with bipartisan support in the Senate was met with strong resistance by Republican leadership in the House, which is something Obama has no control over (1).
As for exactly how Obama plans on working to “expand opportunity for more American families,” I think his call for a raise in the minimum wage is a good example of attempting to make progress towards this lofty goal. A few senators worked together to write a bill to do so, but again, it went nowhere in Congress (1). In response, Obama announced in the 2014 SOTU address that he planned on signing an executive order raising the minimum wage for federal contract workers, which is an excellent example of Obama trying to make progress on his own, with or without Congress.
I completely agree that the labor participation rate has declined, a point made by McMorris Rodgers that Maddy brought up, but this decline is also because of factors that Obama cannot control (2). The overall labor participation rate has declined about 3% since Obama took office in 2009, but it has been steadily dropping since it hit a peak during Clinton’s presidency (2). The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago found in 2012 that the retirement of the baby boomers accounts for more than 50% of the decline and that 66% of the participation rate decline will be caused by retirements by 2020, so regardless of how well the economy is doing the problem will continue to get worse (2). Other experts have concluded that only 15% of the decline is due to people of ages 25-54, which are prime working years, who drop out of the employment search altogether (2).
1 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/did-obama-keep-last-years-state-of-the-union-promises/
2 http://www.mankatofreepress.com/statenews/x651201960/Fact-Checker-The-2014-State-of- the-Union-address
Dear Spencer,
You state that most of Obama's speech was "straight rhetoric." I would like to point you in the direction of a dictionary and if you look under "rhetoric" you will find the definition, "the art or skill of speaking or writing formally and effectively especially as a way to persuade or influence people." Next I would like to explain to you that the State of the Union is exactly that, a formal speech that is suppose to inspire and persuade Congress, the American people, and the rest of the world. Also, when you state that you do not like that Obama is, "using the executive order so extensively as I feel like that is an overreach of power." I would like to ask you how else Obama is suppose to accomplish anything with his current relationship with Congress. Also just for my own understanding, did you also think George Bush's use of executive orders was an overreach of power? Executive Orders are a tactic president's (and not just Obama) use to bypass a gridlocked Congress (1).
And for valentine's day:
roses are grey
violets are grey
I hate valentine's day.
Sincerely,
Caroline
(1) http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/executive-overreach/_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
No haiku today…
Can't think of anything good….
Maybe tomorrow.
In response to Maddy's post, I agree that Obama had yet another State of the Union making the same points. Obama's speeches have turned into what seems like empty promises. Maddy mentioned that almost all of what the President made promises of in 2013 was left untouched. Maddy brought up the question of what Obama's State of the Union will be in 2015, and it got me thinking. Since 2015 will be his final State of the Union before he hits the campaign trail to support the next democratic candidate, 2015 may be his most honest and extreme State of the Union. There is a high chance that not much will change in America between this year and next, Obama may be able to put together all his wants and needs and follow through with his actions in 2015. I think Maddie made a great point when she talked about how Obama talked about speeding up the economy's growth, but failed to mention how he will do this. Obama also failed to mention what his goals in Israel are. This is a major factor that has been overlooked by the President, and the Congress. Obama needed to produce a plan for solving the problems in Israel, and he failed to do so. (1)
http://mondoweiss.net/2014/02/obama-announcements-israel.html
In response to Peter O,
I agree that Obama’s speech was designed to hit the highlights of his presidency and make the most light of the nation in its current situation. However, as you also explain, the Republicans have some dissent and are not favoring his plan to evade congress. In another article, they also point to the statistics in Obama’s speech that were not completely factual, or were skewed in a way that put a positive light on a situation that was actually bad (1). But to the average America, as Peter alluded to, the speech “hit all the right public notes.” However, I would like to emphasize that this speech did not help Obama’s relationship with Congress. Throughout the speech, the Republican seats are viewed and absolutely no one is clapping. Because Obama spoke more than once about bypassing Congress, it will be interesting to see if the Republicans are aggravated more and refuse to even discuss Obama’s plans, or if they will have to compromise with him to get any of their ideas passed. Overall, I agree with Peter that it was a good speech designed to make us feel good about this year and boost Obama’s approval rating, but I think that it was not wise of Obama to use skewed statistics, because now, like in the article I found, many Republicans are ripping holes in his speech and making everything Obama said seem like a lie (1).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/01/28/fact-checking-the-2014-state-of-the-union-address/
In response to Elizabeth’s blog post, I agree with her points on why she believed the President’s state of the union was strong. Admitting that you made a mistake, while humbling to the president, may help him to regrow his popularity. Most of the points he made were reasonable promises, however I don’t think all of the president’s promises are as easy to accomplish as you mentioned. One point you mentioned is how Obama’s current plans can be carried out with a lot of executive agreements. An example of this may be how Obama has promised to try and create jobs for the unemployed and “cut red tape” holding back the development of factories for natural energy (1). While he can use executive orders to create job openings, the budget of our country is in the hands of Congress. If congress does not agree with him, they do not need to give him and funds whatsoever. One thing I think Obama did to combat this, and you mentioned, is basically calling out Congress for being inefficient this last year. While this was a bit of a risky move, I agree that he had every right to say it. If Congress is his biggest problem, then he can say that it might be what is holding him back. Plenty of Americans agree with him. I agree with Elizabeth that the only way we are going to see any progress in our federal legal system is if Obama starts to operate on his own. Obama’s other point of possibly raising minimum wage seems like a good idea, but he can not do that without some sort of congressional involvement (1). I really hope that he is able to accomplish all he promised and I believe that you are correct when you said he needs to focus on moving ahead. Getting our country moving again will help to restore us.
another valentines poem:
roses are red
violets are red
oh god the garden is on fire call the fire department
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/multiple-gop-responses-to-state-of-the-union-are-they-a-sign-of-party-division/2014/01/28/0d1c68c0-883b-11e3-916e-e01534b1e132_story.html
I agree with Emily M, while Obama’s speech was very well written and focused on relevant issues it did try too much to appeal to emotion and will probably fail to motivate Congress and the general public. Obama is unable to motivate Congress because on the major issues there is no willingness on either side to compromise. The public cannot be swayed by Obama’s speech mostly because it doesn’t interest them. While Obama remained optimistic about the economy in his speech, the public has failed to match his mood, “It’s been years since there’s been any real substantial improvement in people’s feelings about the economy” (1). Emily also mentions, accurately, that the speech was skillful in that it mentioned non divisive issues that needed to be addressed such as NSA change and reducing unemployment. It was certainly wise to focus on less partisan issues to reassert parts of the agenda that may still have a chance of being addressed during Obama’s presidency. In conclusion, I agree with Emily that Obama’s speech was well put together even though it probably won’t have any significant impact on Congress.
1.www.opb.org/news/article/npr-obamas-state-of-the-union-and-your-economic-reality/
I am honored to respond to our very own Wendy’s sponsored Tim Larson (follow him @wendysbui) and his swag post in response to President Obama’s state of the union. While Tim brought up the idea that the President is becoming a lame duck, I believe that the lack of progress in the US government has been due to an unwilling and polarized Congress. This is why I was impressed with Obama’s speech as a call “for the government to work on behalf of all Americans in 2014, and his pledge to do so even if Congress refused to join him in an election year” (1). While the President spoke of acting with or without Congress in order to make this a “year of action,” he also acknowledged that true progress requires Congress cooperation and compromise. I agree with Tim that Obama’s acknowledgement of past mistakes paired with a hopeful attitude of looking forward was motivating for such compromise. Hopefully, immigration reform will prove a promising area for progress. Obama called for House Republicans to pass a reform plan with bipartisan support. In the Republican response, Represenative Cathy McMorris Rodgers spoke on the issue and a proposed reform plan supported by some Republicans (1). However, compromise in various other policy areas does not seem likely. Obama used his speech as a way to criticize Congressional gridlock which was not received well by Republicans. Speaker of the House John Boehner did not make cooperation seem likely saying that Republicans are "just not going to sit here and let the President trample all over us,” (1). As Tim said, Obama has recycled his point of the United States’ lowest unemployment rating in five years. This idea gives an unrealistic image of America as completely recovered. Hopefully Congress and President Obama will be able to work together, but if not it will be interesting to see if and how the President uses executive orders to bypass Congress.
1) http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/28/politics/2014-state-of-the-union/index.html
I agree with Carolyn J.: President Obama is moving in the right direction with his agenda, though it will be hard to achieve these goals. Carolyn hopes that the two groups can work out their differences, but I judge by last year’s track record that this will not happen. In a CBS news article, it was mentioned that tea party advocates disliked the government interaction cited in President Obama’s speech (1). This means that the most extreme members of the Republican party, who caused all the trouble and roadblocks last year, were actually happy that nothing was getting done. Many people think that government is failing its job when it is not passing legislature, but these guys do not. This means that not only did they stop legislature they did not like from passing last year, they also stopped the government from working which they seem to be aiming for in the first place. It is with these ideas in mind that I think that should be much less hope for change than Carolyn implies. President Obama’s proactive agenda is a great idea, but I just do not see it actually panning out.
1. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gop-state-of-the-union-response-blames-obama-for-inequality/
This post is in reply to Caroline H. Just a heads-up before we go once more into the breach.
I’m not sure if I can agree with Caroline, mainly because what she gave was a summary over a reaction. Yes, I do agree that the speech was tailored remarkably well, but as far as I can see, that’s the only part that is opinion, and thus worthy of being agreed or disagreed with. But Obama did crack a few jokes about the Republicans, and I don’t think they took them that well. The Republicans had a lot of responses, and not a whole lot agreed with each other (1). The other party, gentlefolks. Anywho, I now feel like a fool, because I have not much to reply to. Oh well, my loss.
(1) http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/multiple-gop-responses-to-state-of-the-union-are-they-a-sign-of-party-division/2014/01/28/0d1c68c0-883b-11e3-916e-e01534b1e132_story.html
I basically agree with Caroline’s analysis of the President’s address. Definitely missing this year was the push for bipartisanship and friendliness across party lines that we have seen Obama try to evoke in the past (1). In previous years, Obama had changed the seating chart at the State of the Union so the parties were mingled instead of segregated, and has had cute little bipartisan Super Bowl Parties. Obviously this past year has made him a little more cynical and a lot more fed up with Republicans in Congress. While a lot of his speech was fairly modest and noncontroversial, Obama was very clear about his frustration with the other party, and that was really the biggest change I saw from his previous State of the Union addresses. While it wasn’t necessarily anything new or groundbreaking, I do agree that the speech was well done and very fitting for the current political atmosphere and in light of all the mishaps in 2013. In conclusion, I shall now serenade you, Caroline, with the words of the great Whitney Houston (in honor of Valentine’s day): “And Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeiiiiii, will always looove yooooooooouuuuoooouuu, andyourshort blog pooooooooooooossstsss!”
1) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-echochambers-25936618
In response to Spencer, I agree with the majority of what he is saying. We both agree that we liked the topics he addressed, but disagree with how is attempting to fix them. I'm also upset with how the federal government is using the federal bureaucracy secretly to spy, steal, and abuse private information from citizens. I wish Obama addressed the economy more. While it may be recovering, it is recovering very slowly and the statistics that go along with it are alarming. 'About 63 percent of Americans are either employed or looking for work – a little higher than last month’s numbers but still near a low point the US hasn’t seen in more than three decades" (1). The point I agree with most with Spencer is how Obama is all talk. It's the same hyped-up speeches we have been hearing for years. Nothing is really happening for the better, and it's all talk. If I just listen to what he says he is going to do, I would love the guy. But I look at who he is and what he has done and they two just don't add up. I like that he is trying to be strong, but he would be stronger if he did what was right for the country.
1)http://rt.com/usa/us-economy-falls-below-expectations-098/
I completely agree with Mara's post regarding Obama's State of the Union address. Overall, I most appreciated the fact that he addressed the problems that the U.S. still faces under his administration. I was most impressed by his substantial recognition of the prevalent shortcomings of our national government because it shows that he realizes the things that we as a nation still need to accomplish. As Mara said, it's nice to see him assuming responsibility and pushing Congress to be more willing to compromise in order to achieve these goals. Following this, Obama expounded on his various plans regarding economic inequality, equal opportunity and pay for women, immigration, and healthcare reform. I see most of his plans as being quite effective, and I especially agree with his desire to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour in an effort to close the growing income gap. Mara brought up the fact that some Americans criticize him for using recycled ideas from his previous speeches. I, like Mara, find nothing wrong with this. Illustrated by our recent government shutdown, Congress is caught up in gridlock and has refused to compromise on many things. Therefore, it isn't surprising to me that Obama would choose to bring up issues that the United States still has not solved; the fact being that unsolved issues are still relevent to the nation today. Mara and I were both happy to hear Obama mention that the idea that women make 77 cents to every dollar a man makes "is wrong, and in 2014, it's an embarrassment" (1). As women, it makes us appreciate having a president that recognizes the full potential of women that much more. All in all, I agree with Mara that Obama's State of the Union address was not only appropriate for the current state of the nation but also inspiring in the sense that Obama evidently believes that he can still make positive changes to the U.S.
1) http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/full-text-of-obamas-2014-state-of-the-union-address/2014/01/28/e0c93358-887f-11e3-a5bd-844629433ba3_story.html?wpmk=MK0000200
I agree with Alyssa that President Obama had put an emphasis about how he will go out on his own to enact policies. After the past year Obama has learned that Congress will be uncooperative. Alyssa stated that it was curious to note about the way he talks about he is going to work as the president and will give Congress a small job where they can help him by passing legislation in his favor. The theme of President Obama’s speech was opportunity and he had put on a great emphasis that he will make changes to ensure that Americans will have the chance to “climb the ladder of opportunity” (1). Obama stated that like America, he does not stand still. He says that he will do whatever he can to “take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families” (1). At another point of his speech he said that, "I will act on my own to slash bureaucracy and streamline the permitting process for key projects, so we can get more construction workers on the job as fast as possible" (1). From this point, it is obvious that Obama will as much as he can without Congress to put his policies into action. I also agree with Alyssa that he cannot expect that the gridlocks will disappear, but it seems like the president is prepared for it. From the address he shows that he is not afraid of using executive action to break the deadlock (1). Alyssa made a point that it would be almost impossible for him to accomplish anything, and I agree since there is only so much he can do without Congress (1). With the address I do think that most of it was trying to gain support as Alyssa said. During his speech he began by asking for unity, but making it clear that he did not expect it to happen and that he is prepared for what is to come anyways (1). This helps put an optimistic view of the future and what can happen which helps show the public that there will be action to get policies enacted and running.
Sources 1:http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/29/opinion/state-of-the-union-opinion-roundup/index.html?iref=allsearch
In response to Mara Smith!
Roses are red
So is your hair
The points you made
Were very fair.
Well I tried. That was the best that I could think of. But on a serious note a agree with many of the points you made. As you mentioned, Obama emphasized such issues as economic inequality, equal opportunity and pay for women, immigration, and healthcare reform. All of these are important, as well as strengthening the middle class. Mostly recycled topics, but at the same time they are important topics that still need to be addressed, so it is hard not to restate them. You mentioned how the tone of the speech was positive but recognized some points that called for response that were a little sympathetic. I would agree with that, but he needed to to try and regain some lost support. One of my favorite lines from the address was one you cited when Obama said, “our success should depend not on accident of birth but the strength of our work ethic and the scope of our dreams,” (1). I like that he emphasized the idea that though we might not be where we want to be as a country and have recently been in a political gridlock, if we work hard we can still get ahead. The idea just feels American and gets me pumped. You also mentioned Obamas key points involving economic issues and poverty including raising minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. The president stated, “Our opportunity agenda won't be complete -- and too many young people entering the workforce today will see the American Dream as an empty promise -- unless we do more to make sure our economy honors the dignity of work, and hard work pays off for every single American.” (2).
P.S. No I do not want a cookie
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/full-text-of-obamas-2014-state-of-the-union-address/2014/01/28/e0c93358-887f-11e3-a5bd-844629433ba3_story.html?wpmk=MK0000200
http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/28/news/economy/obama-income-inequality/
I personally agree with pretty much everything Luke had to say in his blog post. I agree especially when Luke pointed out that not all were impressed by his speech. For example, he mentioned that Senator Graham stated, “I cannot stress to you enough how disappointed I was to hear the president's explanation of the state of affairs when it comes to the Mid-East and our national security threats” (1). I could not agree more. While I was watching the State of the Union Address, I couldn’t help but think the exact same thing. Obama talked a lot about what the people wanted to hear instead of the issues that actually needed to be dealt with, like Syria or Iran’s nuclear program. I also agree with Luke when he said that many of the things Obama touched on are the same as what he preaches every other day. I feel like Obama is a broken record and needs to address the real issues at hand. Luke and I also thought that while Obama is a great orator, this speech doesn’t stand out and will soon be forgotten. To sum up Luke and I’s opinions in a quote by Bill Whalen: “The speech was well delivered, but it was like a Jennifer Anniston movie — you’ve seen it before, and you won’t remember much about it a week from now” (2).Overall, it was a well delivered speech, but it will be interesting to see if Obama actually carries out what he said he would this coming year.
(1) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/28/state-of-the-union-speech
reaction_n_4551238.html#117_sen-lindsey-graham-world-is-literally-about-to-blow-up
(2) http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2014/01/28/reaction-to-state-of-the-union-mixed-in-ca-hopeful-disappointing/
I disagree with Peter O in that the speech will motivate the american people. While I do think that it is a well crafted speech, it is very similar to his previous State of the Union speeches. He has always had an upbeat attitude about his speeches and the “yes we can” attitude from the start of his presidential campaign. The speech is supposed to be motivational and try to reset the political clock for the new year. Most of what President Obama says is to bring emotion, he did not say that many facts in his speech. What makes our country suddenly the best one set up for the 21st century after almost a decade of recession? While the speeches about emissions, diplomacy, education, growing economy, decreasing wars, and many others were true. There were some points that were either not true or overstated, including energy independence, the minimum wage, health care, and small business loans.(1) But this speech has always been about the motivational factor since Obama became president. And he has done a great job motivating the american people at least temporarily. But his speech is not dramatically different from his other speeches in the past where he talks about the positives in every area and tells some story relating to the subject. I do agree with you in that Steven King is only saying that it is unconstitutional to change the minimum wage because he is Republican. No where in the constitution does it say anything about not having minimum wage. And it has been a law for sometime, but increasing the wage goes against the free market policy of the Republicans.
1. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/01/state-of-the-union-fact-check-obamas-rhetoric-vs-reality/#FC1
I agree with Elizabeth A. that Obama chose policies that are reasonable and are likely to be passed through Congress. I thought that this was a smart move on Obama's part, to limit the number of times that he and the Democrats will clash with the Republicans. These past few years Obama has had trouble getting his agenda passed through Congress, so especially now in his last term in office, it is wise to only fight the battles you can win. I also agree with Elizabeth that in the State of the Union address, Obama did not make many friends in Congress. Brendan Buck, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, said," [Obama] can work with us to create opportunity and prosperity… or he can issue press releases" (1) Many Republicans are upset with the President's plan to use Executive Orders to get parts of his agenda passed without having to go through Congress. John Feehery, a former House Republican aide said, " The more [Obama] tries to do it alone and do confrontation, the less he's going to be able to get cooperation," (1). All of this adds up to the conclusion that although there are more favorable parts to Obama's agenda, nothing is going to come out of Congress easily.
(1) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/28/state-of-the-union-speech-2014_n_4590441.html
I completely agree with what Maddy had to say About Obama’s state of the union speech. It was another repeat of promises and goals that the President has made in the past. Like Maddy said I would like to see Obama make some head way on these goals and accomplish them the American people have been waiting and I think it’s about time we start seeing some results. Another point Maddy made was on Obamacare. She stated that healthcare options should be our own to make which I think is completely accurate, if we don’t want healthcare there shouldn’t be a law that forces us to get it. Maddy and I both thought it was good that Obama did point out the US is at its lowest unemployment rate in the last five years because it was a reassuring fact the American people needed to hear. President Obama noted that there is still a very large gap in income equality that needs to be mended. However Rep. Cathy McMorris thought different, she said, “-the real gap we face today is one of opportunity inequality… And with this administration’s policies, that gap has become far too wide.” (1). I completely agree with this President Obama’s policies are making the American peoples’ lives harder. To sum mine and Maddy’s main point up Obama needs to start putting his words to action. We’ve heard enough promises now we want to see them, and the US is in need of some positive change.
1) http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gop-state-of-the-union-response-blames-obama-for-inequality/
In response to Alyssa’s post I agree that the speech was the best Obama could hope for in his current situation. She pointed out that he made it clear he is not going to wait for Congress to support him and is just going to out on his own. “America does not stand still – and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that’s what I’m going to do,” he said. He then went on to outline over twenty executive orders he is implementing (2). He obviously is showing his intent to take action with or without Congress (1). If they do not agree with him he will just bypass them. Alyssa also mentions that a lot of the speech was just anecdotal fillers because he could not just say he wanted to completely change the government. I agree with this. He did have a lot of personal stories to better connect and get people excited and motivated by his speech. I think it was a good tactic to hit people’s emotions because often people prefer to hear that over big, new changes. Overall, Obama’s speech seemed successful in accomplishing what he set out to do in his speech.
(1) http://www.umassmedia.com/news/president-obama-delivers-his-fifth-state-of-the-union-address/article_21c4a370-907c-11e3-8cbd-001a4bcf6878.html
(2) http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/fixgov/posts/2014/01/28-state-of-the-union-galston
I disagree with Peter Knutsons Point that the president is a good speaker but not a good doer I also disagree with the fact that the president talks but doesn't try to achieve. I understand its frustrating when minimal work gets done but the president by himself can only get so much done. I also think that even though he talks about the same issues every year if there not fixed then there still issues that need to be addressed. As for criticizing the president for trying to use diplomacy as a way to get what he wants, its genius. In an article form the White House blog it quotes the president saying “Resolving this issue, obviously, could also serve as a major step forward in a new relationship between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran -- one based on mutual interests and mutual respect,” President Obama said. “It would also help facilitate a better relationship between Iran and the international community,”(1). He's trying to better relations between the Muslim countries. and America: throwing sanctions on them is only going to make the relationship even more strained than it already is. Diplomacy is not a sign that your countries weak its a smart strategy to PEACEFULLY come to an agreement that both countries can feel good about. Yes Iran may get away with stuff but thats why we are continuing talks with them. I agree the presidents speech was good i don’t agree that the content in it hasn’t been worked on and things aren’t in the works to make change in America. Guess we’ll have to wait and find out.
(1.)http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/09/27/president-obama-announces-new-diplomatic-efforts-iran
I agree with Rilyn on a variety of points. Obama really hit a lot of the points that have currently been a sticking point for him and his presidency. Obama has, since the beginning, been in the business of claiming he will move America forward. What word does everyone think when Obama's name is said? Change. From his first ads that has been his mantra.Whether or not you believe he has lived up to that maxim is another story, but he spends a good portion of the speech describing ways in which he has seen change. I question her statement that Obama helped his relationship with congress with this speech. Yes, he applied pressure to them, but that doesn't not necessarily imply that they are going to respond to it positively. In addition, while not directly placing the blame on Republicans, he heavily implied it was the reason behind recent issues, by nearly scolding them for it. That will not benefit him in the long run. Humans are petty. I agree that the Race to the Top program bragging was highly unnecessary. That program is in its infancy, and its effects have been highly limited. Race to the Top deserves more criticisms in every way. Renaming a system to avoid the bad press associated with it doesn't change the problem. It especially reminded me of a recent tweet from the office of Obama, quoting him saying "The entire economy will be lifted if more of our young people are doing better" It really rang out to me alongside the Race to the Top agenda. In the end, the plan is still to slough the debt onto the next generation. They are just trying to rebrand it by saying they have hope for the next generation, and are going to increase spending to require their children work harder. I like a lot of Obama's ideas. Just there are a lot of times like this when my natural skepticism makes me unable to swallow his statements.(1)
1 http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/full-text-of-obamas-2014-state-of-the-union-address/2014/01/28/e0c93358-887f-11e3-a5bd-844629433ba3_story.html?wpmk=MK0000200
In response to Patrick B.’s post, I find that I largely agree with it. Obama’s speech definitely gave of the feeling that it was not so much designed to state what his actually plans were, but rather to regain the support of his party, through useful rhetoric. By showing what his administration has gotten right over the past couple of years, he is trying to convince people that his policies have made and impact. I also agree that, by stating that he will try and avoid all interaction with congress, he was working to persuade democrats who have defected to regain faith in is presidency, as a large portion of democrats are just as fed up with Congress as he is. In fact, a large portion of every in the population is fed up with congress, so by saying that he is no longer going to be working with them, he is more stating “hey, congress is the one really to blame, let’s all go hate them and forget about this president thing.” So while Patrick’s post didn’t out right state his opinion on the topic, I certainly believe a large portion of his speech was just him pointing the finger to congress as a scapegoat. In his speech he stated that he plans on implementing things such as a higher minimum wage for federal employees (1) by using executive orders and agreements, but I think that a technique ignoring congress is only going to make them angry, and try harder to stop his policies. Congress doesn’t like being ignored.
1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-prepared-to-avoid-congress-go-it-alone-on-carrying-out-modest-initiatives/2014/01/28/61b68280-8845-11e3-a5bd-844629433ba3_story.html
I chose to respond to Vincent’s post about the State of the Union. While I agree that most of it is meant to increase approval ratings and the praise for the President and progress made was overzealous (as it is every year), I think that the State of the Union also included a lot of calls to action. Now the question is whether the President will follow through in the coming years. For example, he claimed that “in the coming weeks” he would issue an executive order to raise the minimum wage for employees of federal contractors to $10.10. Also, just because the President did not take a strong stance on an issue or didn’t issue a plan to take on an issue, it may be for a reason. For example, in the case of immigration, Obama didn’t exactly take a strong stance on what he thought Congress should accomplish. NPR says, “he did not call for the House to pass the path to citizenship that the Senate bill made available to the millions of immigrants currently in the country without authorization. He didn't ask for a comprehensive bill, nor did he endorse the step-by-step approach House Republicans advocate.” This may have been done strategically, knowing that outlining any path to immigration reform in his State of the Union would have immediately been met with disapproval from Republicans, and because Obama and his administration know that the GOP is in a sticky spot; they must complete immigration reform in order to have even a sliver of hope winning Latino voters over. So, in conclusion, while I acknowledge that the State of the Union is a self-serving speech meant to boost approval ratings, I can’t reprimand Obama like Vincent did. He is just doing what any other President would have done in his position, and there may even be a strategy behind his words that we aren’t aware of.
All facts in this blog post are from http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2014/01/28/267939585/inside-the-state-of-the-union-what-the-president-proposed
In response to Peter K.'s post, I agree with him. Obama gave a very good speech and he talked about important issues that this country is facing and needs to be addressed. Issues such as health care, creating equal opportunity for all, and job creation are areas in which Obama said that he wanted to improve on. However, as Peter said, Obama has been saying the same thing over and over again when compared to his previous State of the Union address. In Obama's speech, he mentioned how he intends to cut through Congresses "red tape" and make executive agreements to try to get more done. I appreciate Obama's enthusiasm to get things done especially with a stubborn Congress, but I do not think that he should be issuing so many executive agreements because in one of his 2008 campaign speeches, Obama said that “The biggest problems that we’re facing right now have to do with George Bush trying to bring more and more power into the executive branch and not go through Congress at all... And that is what I intend to reverse when I become president of the United States” (1). I believe that it is very important that politicians stick to their word and promises to the American people because it is because of those promises that the people voted for them. Obama may had to use executive agreements as a final resort since Congress isn't cooperating with him, but it is still frustrating that Obama didn't stay true to his word. This discrepancy between his words and actions makes me see Obama as a weak leader. He is unable to persuade Congress to work together and pass legislation. Also in areas such as foreign policy, as Peter mentioned, the United States looks weak to the world right now because of the tactic that Obama is implementing towards Iran. Obama needs to stand firm and rally Congressmen along his side to regain the trust of the American people. All in all, I hope that our politicians can come together and find common ground to fix the many issues that our nation faces today.
(1) http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/02/obamas-long-lost-campaign-promise/
I agree with Tim L.’s post that Obama’s State of the Union address hit on many important points, and I also agree that even though Obama touched on the right issues, it doesn’t mean actions will be taken. One thing I disagree with Tim on is that the State of the Union address will lead to the President and Congress working together in the future. There needs to be concrete concessions on both sides on issues for them to start working together, not vague hints at bipartisanship in a speech. I liked Tim’s quote, “Given the audience, it should come as no surprise that the first 45 minutes were devoted mainly to domestic issues with some tie-ins to international affairs.” (1) I like that Obama dealt mostly with domestic issues, mainly because of my own political views that international involvement should be kept to a minimum, but also because I believe that the State of the Union is meant to address domestic issues for the most part unless we are involved in a war.
1.http://www.washingtonpost.com//state-of-the-union-addres_3_b_4690768.html
(In honor of Valentine’s Day, a Shakespearean sonnet)
In full agreement with Elizabeth:
Admission of mistakes was a good move.
Another wise decision was the breath
On which he promised to achievement prove.
Obama’s current plans have reason, true;
However, they are not so simply done.
The budget is for Congress to renew
And therefore job creation won’t be fun.
The calling-out of Congress, though, was apt:
The president must work, now, on his own
Since members of our Parliament have trapped
Him in between a hard place and a stone.
This may not make Obama many friends,
But Mr. President can make amends.
(Okay, a sonnet is too short for a response comment, so I’ll do some haikus too)
Many Congressmen
Shun executive orders.
Frankly, it’s their fault.
Less confrontation
With the members of Congress
Will be productive.
Reasonable goals,
Easily-passed policy,
And such are all good.
1. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/01/28/speech-wise-what-a-difference-year-makes/4980795
2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/multiple-gop-responses-to-state-of-the-union-are-they-a-sign-of-party-division/2014/01/28/0d1c68c0-883b-11e3-916e-e01534b1e132_story.html
3. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/28/state-of-the-union-speech-2014_n_4590441.html
(Well, this didn't post and then I was gone for a week, so now it's super late...)
I agree with Alyssa and her analysis of the President’s State of the Union Speech. As she said, there was nothing extraordinary to expect out of this speech. It was not going to change everyone’s views of the President and his administration, etc. He did make a point of going out and trying to move policy forward without the help of Congress, which Alyssa used as her quote. I agree with his stepping out. Congress does not want to help Obama and nothing is going to make it through them without large public support or an absolute need. Even with an absolute need Congress slacked off on a budget for two years. Obama needed a speech that would not cause a stir against him in Congress. Through all the gridlocks and mess-ups of this year, he was definitely not going to please everyone. His speech was mostly filler trying to go back to, “vintage Obama, blending hopeful calls for a unified approach with declarations of presidential independence through executive orders,” as CNN reporter, Tom Cohen. I also really like the term ‘vintage Obama.’ Though the speech did not deliver a strong direction for the country to move in or a new and bright future but as Alyssa said, “What did you expect him to say?”
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/28/politics/2014-state-of-the-union/index.html
In response to Elizabeth A’s post:
I don’t believe that the president really acknowledged his failures, but rather sort of justified how he’s been making up for them. You pointed out that he said the administration is in the process of fixing the problems with the healthcare roll out, but that doesn’t really seem like a strong “moving forward,” kind of statement. I agree with you that he did a good job of nitpicking his domestic success, while at the same time avoiding his foreign policy mishaps and controversies. I also agree with you that the president should use all of his powers to avoid working with Congress wherever possible. I think Michael Waldman’s statement that, “he needs to very sharply pivot toward an approach and an agenda that doesn't rely on Congress acting to be the judge of success (1),” is very true. Working with the “least productive [Congress] in history (2),” is not something that should be done very often.
Work Cited:
1.http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/01/28/speech-wise-what-a-difference-year-makes/4980795/
2.http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/12/23/congress-ends-least-productive-year-in-recent-history/
I completely agree with Caroline H. in that Obama talked about the major issues in America. I also agree with her that the State of the Union Address this year was better than the one last year. His relationship towards congress will most likely remain the same because we have a divided congress, but I liked how Obama plans on going through with his plans for America with or without help from congress (1). Overall I believe Caroline was right when she said Obama’s speech was very effective.
1. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/01/28/us/politics/what-the-state-of-the-union-means-for-2014.html?_r=0
Blog Post #3 Response
Personally, I agree with almost all of Patrick’s views on the State of the Union address. It is no secret that Obama has switched from attempting to navigate through Washington to trying to navigate around it. For example, President Obama recently signed an executive order raising the minimum wage of employees of federal contract workers from $7.25 to $10.10 and hour (1). It was very apparent that the president is sick of the gridlock in Congress and is determined to get things done. It should be interesting to see the repsonse of this approach by Washington in the coming weeks. Whenever Congress is sidestepped by the president, they tend to want to block the effectiveness of those executive orders in any way possible to try and gain back some of their lost influence. From Obama’s standpoint, I can see why he chose to go in this particular direction. It is very unrealistic he will ever gain the support in Congress to ease the gridlock in Washington. Additionally, he is a second term president who, as long as his actions are found Constitutional, does not have much to fear in the way of negative ramifications. I can see where Patrick is coming from when he addressed slight changes in partisan support due to the State of the Union, however I disagree. Simply put, I just don’t believe that the speech was compelling enough to sway a significant amount of people one way or the other. Of the people who actually bother to watch the State of the Union, most of them are already very set in their political views on way or another regardless of what the president says. When it comes down to it, I believe that the actions and results we see in the coming weeks will be the ultimate factor on the magnitude or even if we see any chance in partisan support for the president.
(1) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/12/executive-order-minimum-wage-contractors
I agree with Elizabeth when she says that Obama acknowledged his failures, but focused on moving ahead. Obama has acknowledged that he has failed in the past but that does not mean he is going to stop trying. Obama is still taking on the issue of health care and is not giving up. On top of that Obama talks about how he wants to raise minimum wage and also remove forces from Afghanistan. 1) “As President, I’m committed to making Washington work better, and rebuilding the trust of the people who sent us here. I believe most of you are, too. Last month, thanks to the work of Democrats and Republicans, this Congress finally produced a budget that undoes some of last year’s severe cuts to priorities like education. Nobody got everything they wanted, and we can still do more to invest in this country’s future while bringing down our deficit in a balanced way. But the budget compromise should leave us freer to focus on creating new jobs, not creating new crises.” They have worked to better our country and are continuing to do so.
1) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/01/28/president-barack-obamas-state-union-address
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