I understand politics at least a little bit having won both partisan and non-partisan elections. I have run for election to the US Congress and although I did not win, I did win my home county by a large percentage.
As a Secret Service agent, I observed, from a close vantage point, presidents, vice presidents, former presidents and their staffs from both parties.
I enjoy observing and studying the American Presidency. I think it is a very important institution for our nation and I like watching the State of the Union message every year.
I am a big fan and supporter of the Presidency, regardless of which party may temporarily hold it. It is a great place to accomplish big things for the nation and world. I want the president to succeed for the good of the nation, regardless of party affiliation.
I thought the president gave a good speech last night. The facts do show our national economy is significantly improving; more people are working and more insured. Two long-expensive wars are successfully over and we are generally successful in fighting terrorism. I support the president in his efforts and desire to implement programs and policies that help, support and sustain the American middle-class. Economists will generally agree that trickle-down economics doesn’t really work for most Americans. Something more needs to be done to help a struggling middle-class that works hard to make ends meet and raise a family.
The president is not afraid to use government to promote fairness and opportunity for the middle-class and strengthen our nation. Republican presidents Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower and even Ronald Reagan, when examining his actions over his rhetoric, weren’t either.
We do need equal pay for equal work. We do need to raise the minimum wage. We do need to give American workers a stronger voice in corporate affairs. We do need to expand Medicaid for the poor and preserve Social Security and Medicare for others. We do need to work toward a system where more average Americans can go to college and earn a degree without a crushing debt load that hinders their participation in the American dream and our overall economy.
We do need to protect an open and free internet and expand it. We do need to invest in and rebuild our national roads, bridges, dams, power plants and other infrastructure. We do need to continue scientific research and space exploration. We do need to support small business and entrepreneurship.
We do need to close tax loopholes and prevent big corporations from hiding profits offshore to avoid paying taxes and outsourcing good jobs overseas in unfair, lop-sided trade agreements.
We do need a strong military combined with strong engagement and diplomacy.
We do need to reduce corporate money that flows unchecked into our national election process and wildly tilts the political playing field in favor of the ultra-wealthy few and big massive corporations over individual people and families.
We do need to try something new in Cuba after 50 years of no change and move it more toward democracy by opening a market of 11 million people just 90 miles off our shore.
We do need to be concerned about preserving and protecting our environment and reducing greenhouse gases and preserving public lands for future generations.
We do need to continue to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and we do need to be proud that we are now the largest oil producing nation in the world.
We do need to be glad gas prices are the lowest in many years and work to keep them low.
We do need politicians that are civil and respectful toward others and don't yell out "you lie" or disrespectfully applaud when the president remarks he has completed his last election in a State of the Union message.
We do need to reduce our military spending a few percentage points because we now roughly spend more on the Military Industrial Complex that Republican President Eisenhower warned about than the next nine or ten largest military budgets in the world combined.
We do need to hold the line on taxes for the middle class and increase taxes a few percentage points on the ultra-wealthy that control so much of the nation’s wealth and can most afford to pay a little more because they have prospered much more. The ever widening income gap is an area of concern. We have never seen this level of income gap exist in our country before. It is not “class-warfare” to address it and provide a better opportunity for a struggling middle-class. A strong middle-class, able to make a living wage, is one big thing that made this country great and kept it strong through the years.
So, the president is hitting the right overall themes and tone as we progress in our new American century. My political party would do well to take heed of the broad overall tone and themes. We don't always have to agree with the president, but we don’t always have to oppose him either. We need to work together more to accomplish great things for our nation.
My Republican Party needs to join the president in his optimism and positive attitude for the future. We don't need to continue to be the party of "no" all the time or the party of anti-government obstructionism in a continual government shut-down mode. We don’t need to be the party of the big lobbyist and well-healed. We don’t need to be the party throwing juvenile insults toward the president during his speeches either. We are better than that.
When the national debt is analyzed as a percentage of the GDP, it's not good, but it’s not impossible to deal with. We’ve had these levels before in our history. We don’t need to use the national debt as a reason why we can't still use government to do good things for people and move the nation forward. We can reduce the overall national debt over time by making some smart policy decisions now. By cutting the defense budget a few percentage points since the two longest wars in our history are over, by closing corporate tax loopholes and raising taxes a little on the ultra-wealthy because they have prospered more in our economy and by further working to reduce the cost of healthcare, we can succeed. We didn’t build up the debt overnight and we won’t get out of it overnight. But we can get out of it. It may take a half century, but we need to get started.
America is about doing the possible and making what some say is impossible, possible. We can do what we put our minds to do. Congress should be working in a more bi-partisan fashion with this president and any future president to get the job done.
We need less partisan flame-throwers and more statesmen in Congress.
We are more than a collection of bickering red states and blue states.
We are the United States of America and our elected president gave a good speech.
Tim Gobble
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Mr. Gobble,
Yes, it was a good speech. Just as he has for the past six years, President Obama set forth an entirely rational and reasonable set of policy prescriptions designed to meet the challenges we face as a nation.
Unfortunately, along with the Wackadoodle Caucus in Congress - Ted Cruz, Louis Gohmert, Joni Ernst, Scott DesJarlais, Marsha Blackburn, and a few others - I'm sure you'll receive plenty of blowback here, from gullible and credulous Tea Party types, who will spout off some nonsense about the deficit. Folks who mindlessly idolize the man who did more to institutionalize and routinize deficit spending than any President in history, Ronald Reagan, and who never so much as heard of the federal deficit until America decided it was okay to elect a black man.
Lonnie Hatmaker
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Mr. Gobble and Mr. Hatmaker,
Once again, keep drinking the kool-aid.
Donnie Covey
* * *
Lonnie Hatmaker referenced "nonsense about the deficit" and asserts that the people he mentioned "never so much as heard of the federal deficit until America decided it was okay to elect a black man."
From the latter remark, I deduce that you were A.) Born after Obama took office in early '09, or B.) Didn't pay attention, at all, until early '09.
We've been hearing about the deficit for a long time now, since before must of us even heard of Barack Obama. During Bush's presidency, liberals spoke of the deficit often, and noted how the debt had risen under him more so than any other president. And they were right to do so, just as those speaking of it today are right to do so. As bad as Bush was with increasing out total debt, Obama has proven to be far worse.
But that's all nonsense, right? Well then, you certainly won't have any problems with taking out a credit card under your name, and adding me as an authorized user, will you? Going by your own logic, you should be fine with that. After all, complaining about spending money we don't have is nonsense, right? Or is that only when the one in charge is a black man?
Your form of racism is no better than any other.
Sam Horn
Chattanooga