Category: Obama

Live Tweeting President Obama’s State of the Union Speech

Well the last time I live tweeted an Obama speech people really seemed to enjoy it so I figured, why not, I’ll take on the State of the Union too. So here you go… all my tweets from last nights speech and from the Republican response given by Bob McDonnell. My point in bla bla translating the two speeches wasn’t necessarily that they were poorly delivered (and actually I think McDonnell did a pretty amazing job in his speech) but, rather, that, like nearly all modern political speeches, they are nearly meaningless rehashing of already known, and even decades old, talking points surrounded by overwhelming heaps of tired rhetorical tricks and lots of bla bla.

Anyway, enjoy:

Obama: bla bla bla bla bla hey guys bla bla bla the constitution says I gotta bore you to death tonight

Obama: bla bla bla bla I inherited a mess just like the world wars bla bla *Biden head shake* bla bla bla

Obama: bla bla bla bla random small town reference bla bla bla wall street hates children bla bla

Obama: bla bla bla bla this is the hardest presidency EVAH bla bla bla *fox letting teleprompter screens in the frame* bla bla Continue reading Live Tweeting President Obama’s State of the Union Speech

Live Tweeting President Obama’s Speech to the UN

Since I was recently randomly granted press credentials by the white house I figured I’d give covering the President a shot. So I now present, in chronological order, my live tweeting of President Obama’s speech to the United Nations as I heard it:

Obama: “bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla *head swivel* bla bla bla *head swivel* bla bla bla bla”

Obama: “bla bla bla bla cleavage bla bla bla in this body bla bla bla” Continue reading Live Tweeting President Obama’s Speech to the UN

Stop Obamacare!

With the August recess for Congress underway, President Obama has failed in getting health care reform completed before members of Congress left Capital Hill for the respective districts. With the President’s approval rating dropping rapidly, support for his massive overhaul on the best health care system in the world has also decreased.Obamacare

The reason Obama wanted health care finished before the recess can be explained in one quote: “I plan to have a lot of town hall meetings.” This was said by Rep. Allen Boyd Jr. (D-FL), a leader of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of fiscal conservative Democrats. When Congress hears from members of their respective districts, and their problems and questions about this legislation, Congressional backing for this type of health care change will decrease to match their voters’ support.

If you listen to Congressional Democrats and President Obama, you would think our health care system is broken and ineffective. However, groups around the world think differently. Recently, the World Health Organization, an agency of the United Nations, ranked our health care system number 1 out of 191 counties for being responsive to patients’ needs. Also, in an ABC News poll, 89% of Americans are happy with their health care coverage. Continue reading Stop Obamacare!

Obama’s Broken Promises

Back before the election, President Obama made promises about what he would do as President. Since his obamaInauguration, the President has broken many of these pledges. Who could have seen this coming? Remember the promise of no lobbyists in the Obama Administration? He broke that, as seen in the list of lobbyists in top jobs.

Then there was the promise of no earmarks. When he addressed Congress in February after the “Stimulus Bill”, President Obama said that “we passed the recovery plan free of earmarks”. However, even Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was popping up behind the President with thunderous applause, received $30M for her district to protect a mouse. Then there was the budget to fund the government for the rest of the year. In it there were an estimated 9,000 earmarks, totaling more than $5B. Another promise broken.

Finally, there was the no tax increases for “families making less than $250,000”. Well, Mr. President. How do you explain supporting a tax on energy, health care benefits, and all items? If the White House supported American Clean Energy and Security Act passes the Senate (which will be difficult), President Obama will place an outrageous tax on all those who drive a car or flip on a light switch, which is to say, nearly every single American. Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) estimates that this legislation would amount to be a $2 trillion tax increase to businesses and consumers. Continue reading Obama’s Broken Promises

Biden Makes Fun of Obama for Teleprompter Use; UPDATE: Video Added

Biden

In a classically Biden moment our Vice President ripped on our President for his famous reliance on teleprompters. Biden delivered his joke while speaking to new Air Force graduates. From Top of the Ticket:

not content to leave without a jaunty ad lib, Biden noted that heavy winds were gusting through the ceremonies. One of his two teleprompters had toppled over. Alluding to the jokes of Obama’s reliance on the speech-facilitators, Biden added, “What I am going to tell the president when I tell him his teleprompter is broken. What will he do then.”

Oh boy. Please let the man speak more often. Dream Scenario: Obama replaces Gibbs with Biden for Press Secretary… if only.

UPDATE: For your viewing pleasure

Shocker: Chrysler Won’t Repay Bailout Money

chrysler

There goes that cash… straight down the money pit.

But, hey, what’s $7 Billion among friends. Especially nowadays:

Chrysler LLC will not repay U.S. taxpayers more than $7 billion in bailout money it received earlier this year and as part of its bankruptcy filing.

This revelation was buried within Chrysler’s bankruptcy filings last week and confirmed by the Obama administration Tuesday. The filings included a list of business assumptions from one of the company’s key financial advisors in the bankruptcy case.

Now, a pessimist might say that the bailout money has gone down the black hole that these failing companies are and we will never see any of it repaid (even if the companies want to repay it).  Unfortunately I am a pessimist. After all the government would much rather own or control these companies than get money back from them:

An Obama administration official confirmed Tuesday that Chrysler won’t be repaying the loans, though a portion of the bridge loan may be recovered by Treasury from the assets of Chrysler Financial, the former credit arm of the automaker which is essentially going out of business as part of the reorganization.

“The reality now is that the face value [of the $4 billion bridge loan] will be written off in the bankruptcy process,” said the official, who added that the 8% equity stake that Treasury will be receiving as part of the company’s reorganization is meant to compensate taxpayers for the lost money.

Like I said… shocking.

Obama: About That Assault Rifle Ban…

obama

Yea. Not gonna happen:

President Obama, after meeting Thursday with Mexico’s president, signaled he is backing away from his pledge to renew the U.S. ban on assault weapons but still wishes to stop the cross-border flow of guns that wind up in the arsenals of drug cartels.

[…]

Obama said Thursday he preferred to focus on enforcing existing laws to keep assault weapons out of Mexico, rather than trying to renew the U.S. ban on the weapons.

“We are absolutely committed to working in partnership with Mexico to make sure we are dealing with this scourge on both sides of the border,” Obama said at a news conference with Calderon outlining their strategy.

Probably a smart move. I mean even Mexico’s President realizes that Americans don’t like when politicians try to screw with their God given rights:

“We know that it is a politically delicate topic because Americans truly cherish their constitutional rights,” Calderon said.

Regardless of the realities though, I highly doubt this signals an Obama administration shift into the pro second amendment camp. I think it’s obvious that this is merely an abandonment of an enviable policy point in favor of pursuing less controversial but perhaps equally gun grabbing initiatives.

This is certainly a victory for bitter clingers everywhere but it is by no means a signal to relax in the fight to preserve what is rightfully ours.

North Korea Kicks Out Inspectors, Vows to Restart Nuke Program

north korea nuclear

In a major challenge to the US and UN North Korea has kicked out IAEA inspectors, left the six party talks, and declared it would restart its nuclear program. IAEA Spokesperson Marc Vidricaire just released this statement:

“The Democratic People´s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has today informed IAEA inspectors in the Yongbyon facility that it is immediately ceasing all cooperation with the IAEA. It has requested the removal of all containment and surveillance equipment, following which, IAEA inspectors will no longer be provided access to the facility. The inspectors have also been asked to leave the DPRK at the earliest possible time.

The DPRK also informed the IAEA that it has decided to reactivate all facilities and go ahead with the reprocessing of spent fuel.”

Well… I am just completely shocked that North Korea would do something as “provacative” as this after we were oh so strong in our condemnation of their last “provacative” act. Gee wilikers who would’ve thought?

Stay tuned… there is more to come on this.