forget the presidents address to the nation. Today in the house of rep one bill was introduced that surpasses the economy iran and the fiscal debt. It was introduced by a republican and it was to allow hunters to purchase electronic duck stamps. Every citizen should write their congressman so this bill can be passed.By the way with nonsense like this bill no wonder the country is in trouble.

Just dreaming, but wouldn't it be neat if he would talk about the following:

The “Do your own thing” catch phrase of the 1960s identified the supposed leftist radicalism of the time as actually a primarily libertarian, not a communitarian, movement. The beating the commons has taken can be laid at the feet of these supposed leftists.

The establishment of a culture of personal identity, and the insistence that this identity had claims on political action, did two things: it undid the eternal belief that what was good for the group was good for the individual, and it undid any lingering belief in any value in social democratic authority; if the good of the group no longer mattered, an overseer of the commons was no longer needed or desirable.

Conservatism still contains a kernel of the old idea of authority, but achieves it through a problematic means,-religion. Man cannot work for mankind, in this view. Old writings taken entirely on faith as the word of God are read like tea leaves to tell us what to do in every aspect of our lives. Those readings have strayed from the pre-monotheistic Golden Rule of communal social good, to what seeks a ranked society of increasingly atomized individuals under strong, off-Earth and unaccountable authoritarian control, as revealed to us by elites.

Individualism was supposed to bring autonomy, but instead only atomizes society, rendering these isolated individuals more dependent on the authority for guidance, for opportunity, for crony contacts.

Morality ceases to be a general societal guide and becomes a score-keeping competition for personal advancement. More categories of activity are added to the personal advancement game: “hard” work (usually involving a $4,000 leather chair, soft manicured hands, a suit and tie, and ruthless sociopathy); “convictions” (often unworthy biases elevated to the same kind of absolute faith that religion requires); and “standards”, or an insistence on anything that was given up long ago as unworkable or inappropriate. Whatever the activity that becomes a rationale for personal, unshared benefit over others, it achieves this status through this tea-leaf reading of untouchable authority, translations done by the high priests of Wall Street and K Street for the benefit of said high priests and favored acolytes.

Leftist authority is damned and ineffective, and rightist authority is purely hierarchical cronyism, but is still given a pass because it’s supposedly (but isn’t) based on eternal verities.

No wonder government is disrespected.

In the Republican debate the moderator asked Ron Paul to define what it means to be Conservative. He said, "small government and more Liberty"

It occurred to me there are two main political views. One where we appreciate our individuality and trust enough in each other to use our God given free will and Liberty to make a difference in our lives and the lives of others in our community. The other political view is one that does not have any faith or trust in the individual to make the right choices on our own. So they look for a powerful big authority to make decisions for us instead. This creates an artificial community not one by choice and therefore not one that lasts.

So no matter our political views, it all comes down to trust. Do I trust in God? Do I trust my brothers and sisters or do I trust some central authority because we as individuals cannot be trusted. The problem with big government for me is not the idea of community but that many of those in power managing that community cannot be trusted.

In the Presidents state of the union speech all I want from the president is to tell the truth. I don't want to be sold on some special interest or lobbyists agenda. I don't want to hear empty words just to help him get re-elected. I don't want excuses as to why things are not as good as we were told they would be.I just want the honest truth. Is that even possible?

The president should lay out his progressive policy and his vision as to where he will take this nation in the next 4 years. Even before his speech the gop has said they will not follow it and has not heard what he will say. Also when they have debates for the president newt is correct on the procedure. There should be 3 hour debates each on the economy medicare foreign policy and the deficit. These gop debates are nothing but 30 second sound bites. The moderateres are at fault for not asking the right questions and only ask about abortion religious beliefs or marital or money affairs. Santorioum was asked about his policy toward Iran. Instead of giving a logical answer he gave a tirade against Obams and explained Irans bombing. By having a 3 hour debate on a particular subject the voter can make a more intelligent decision on who to vote for.

In the present gop debates they treat ron paul like he is not in the debate or waiting for a bus. I disagree with his views but he should be treated fairly and allowed to express his opinions and policies. While the othr 3 magpies are blowiing their hot air they let ron paul just stand there and view the debates. It is not fair to him or his followers

Obama hit a home run last night but there is only one little problem.

He should have did all those things when he had a Democratic House and Senate.

4 years too late.

Caspian: Agreed. I give Republicans only a 20% chance of beating him at this point. The best Reps can hope for is a Ron Paul nomination.
That would be a win/win for the entire country.Ron Paul would hold Obama's feet to the fire on those promises made last night and separate Obama from the Goldman Sachs Fed.
It seems like Geithner has already gotten the hint and is feeling the heat and is going to leave. No 2nd term for that weasel.

That would be a win/win for the entire country.Ron Paul would hold Obama's feet to the fire on those promises made last night and separate Obama from the Goldman Sachs Fed. John.

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Yes Paul would hold Obama's feet to the fire but unfortunately he will never be nominated.

It is too bad that nobody on the left is challenging Obama, like Kennedy did to Carter.

Liberals will lose again no matter who wins the White House.

I do not see Obama winning again proven by most liberals stayed home in 2010.

The country is very angry that is why Obama won in 10 Bush Republican red states in 2008.

That same anger still exists and is much worse in 2012, so the odds favor a big lost for Obama.

He does have a very slim chance of repeating just like Bush did to Kerry.

Go Figure?
lol

P.S. Your right about Geithner leaving but I'm sure Obama will pick another Wall Street fat cat to replace him.

"That same anger still exists and is much worse in 2012, so the odds favor a big lost for Obama."

For some it may be anger but for many it's simply letting go of a losing hand. How can we expect there to be any change of outcome by playing the same weak cards? If we vote him in again, then we are saying things are not so bad, the mortgage crisis is not that bad, the job situation is not that bad.
And if things get worse with four more years, as I expect they will, we cannot blame the GOP, Wall street, the 1% or even Obama. We can only blame ourselves.

For some it may be anger but for many it's simply letting go of a losing hand. MG.

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You are 100% right.

Obama won in 2008 with a mandate even beating McCain in 10 Bush Republican red states.

He had a Democratic House and Senate and all we got was corporate Republican policies, which NOT ONE Republican voted for BTW.

Obama blew it and does not deserve a Fourth Bush term.

A politician can only tell the truth when out of office and not lobbying for K-Street.

Al Gore said he could do nothing as VP for 8 years about Climate Change because not only every Republican was against it, but most Democrats also.

Another Truth Teller Senator Hollings after he left office.

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They're All Against Jobs
by Sen. Fritz Hollings / December 20, 2009 / http://tinyurl.com/ydr27ze
Who is against jobs in the United States? The big banks, Wall Street, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Business Roundtable, the United States Chamber of Commerce, the National Retail Federation, Corporate America, the President of the United States, Congress of the United States. Everyone is crying for jobs, but no one seems to understand why there aren't any. And the reason for those opposing jobs is money.
Beginning in 1973, big banks made most of their profit outside of the United States. Industries off-shoring, investing, banks financing the investments, transfer fees, fees and interest on the loans made for bigger profits. Long since, the big banks under the leadership of David Rockefeller have led the way to off-shore and make a bigger profit. Goldman Sachs, AIG, Citicorp and Wall Street, conspiring for a bailout and now using it for bonuses, make more money from the off-shored operations.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/12/20-6