Keeps ’em waiting. Good stuff.

Jumping with JFK. OK. Melting pot 2.2 American pie. OK.

“It is our generation’s task, then, to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth – a rising, thriving middle class.”

Thank you for not putting the obvious need to strengthen the middle class on a shelf after the election.

“our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country,”

Are you going Bill Clinton on me BHO?

From the American Dream right into the economy, there is Big Dog style proficiency all over this!

“The American people don’t expect government to solve every problem,”

Setting a tone of there is no mooching 47%. OK

“They do expect us to put the nation’s interests before party.” Nice, OK.

Blah, blah, putting a bipartisan spin on accomplishments, well-framed, blah, blah.

Nonsense invented  economic conditions only accommodate the infantile way Congress works together in present times. A concise, non-professorial explanation of the situation and moving on. Hmmmm, boring subject matter but well done, Team Barack. I approve.

Deft introuction of retirement issues. Nice pivot to 1% paying taxes.

“Most Americans – Democrats, Republicans, and Independents – understand that we can’t just cut our way to prosperity. They know that broad-based economic growth requires a balanced approach to deficit reduction, with spending cuts and revenue, and with everybody doing their fair share. And that’s the approach I offer tonight.”

Nicely framed. Right down the middle of the aisle. Framing the oft termed tax and spend point of view productively and positively. (Not proactive message framing from a D?! I thought they only re-acted on that side of the aisle. Gasp…)

Simpson-Bowles name drop. Nice.

Obamacare rocked and you all can suck it, blah, blah. Does make it sound like a pretty picture, I’ll give him that.

I like the idea of reforming healthcare but not impressed with your record of making things simpler and more effecient in that arena bub.

Oooh, simplifying taxes for small business, nice.

Nice case for tax reform.

“Manufactured crisis.”

Yep, you said it. Is there anyone with a working TV set who doesn’t yawn yet at each new doomsday scenario? Both sides stood for that.

“Deficit reduction alone is not an economic plan.”

Can they please make T-shirts with that? Can every member of congress with a D next to their name say that 300 times a day, most of them on TV? Pretty please?

A growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs – that must be the North Star that guides our efforts.”

North Star even. Evocative.

“How do we attract more jobs to our shores? How do we equip our people with the skills needed to do those jobs? And how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living?”

Another T-shirt. The answer should be, in huge block letters, should be the name of a jobs program.

Joe laughs out in good natured support. Gotta love Veep Joe Biden.

“It’s not a bigger government we need, but a smarter government that sets priorities and invests in broad-based growth.”

I want to see that sound bite everywhere, that phrasing repeated ad naseum.

His hub thing… Clutzy name for …Hey! I asked for those kinds of partnerships to encourage innovation and create jobs. Thanks big ears, that’s very solid of you. I wonder if they will materialize. Jobs and increased manufacturing is how you have to sell it. Speaking of selling it. Numbers. Dollars. That’s the way to sell liberal stuff is to highlight the savings.

“Every dollar we invested to map the human genome returned $140 to our economy.”

Exactly like that. Do more of that.

“Poised to control our own energy future,”

Manipulative and going for the gut of Middle America, I like it.

I shouldn’t have to thank you for this because it is so long overdue but thank you again for admitting climate change is happening and the actions of business and consumers are in fact contributing to the extremes our climate is swinging between.
“I urge this Congress to pursue a bipartisan, market-based solution to climate change, like the one John McCain and Joe Lieberman worked on together a few years ago.”

Nice turn of phrase, nice conservative name-dropping Team BHO.

“If Congress won’t act soon to protect future generations, I will. I will direct my Cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy.” 

Well, gawddamn. If I didn’t know better I’d think you were taking my advice. Go around ’em if they insist on blocking you. Now just follow through with that and we might even be straight on these subjects someday.

“other countries dominated the clean energy market and the jobs that came with it. We’ve begun to change that. Last year, wind energy added nearly half of all new power capacity in America. …As long as countries like China keep going all-in on clean energy, so must we.”

Tying support for tapping passive energy sources into jobs and keeping with China? Un-bleedingheart a liberal cause and making a persuasive conservative arguement? Masterful. I hope there is much, much more where that came from.

….And he finally mentions water, protection and natural gas in the same paragraph. I understand the need to counter these greeny overtures with reaching out a hand to domestic oil interests but the usual Obama distrust sets in talk turns to oil and natural gas. Just when I was about to toss the comments from a moment earlier on the ‘Obama promises everything, hot air, and wasted ideas trash heap he finally mentions protecting water. It’s a baby step but I’ll take it over nothing.

All of that off foreign oil and lower fuel prices stuff sounds good. It was exceedingly well-charted through tricky waters. Addressing Global Climate change is beyond past needing to be done. It obviously very important but BPOil’s spill, Keystone and fracking loom large because our ability to create environmental disasters has increased exponentially in recent years.

“I propose we use some of our oil and gas revenues to fund an Energy Security Trust that will drive new research and technology to shift our cars and trucks off oil for good. If a non-partisan coalition of CEOs and retired generals and admirals can get behind this idea, then so can we. Let’s take their advice and free our families and businesses from the painful spikes in gas prices we’ve put up with for far too long.” 

Well, now. You will never get that passed but i am going to put that thought aside right now and concentrate on how I like it. It’s ballsy. A wake up call to Big Oil if not a slap in the face. I love it! Come out with an idea like that and drape corporate & military references all over it and then dip it in a sauce of pain of gas prices? Is that freaking competance I detect at 1600 Pennsylvania? Well done sir! You’ll never get it passed but it would be super cool if you did. I still haven’t forgotten that you were basically endorsing fracking though. Not a warm fuzzy.

“let’s cut in half the energy wasted by our homes and businesses over the next twenty years. The states with the best ideas to create jobs and lower energy bills by constructing more efficient buildings will receive federal support to help make it happen.”

Research, jobs, benefits to both business and consumers and empower states to individualize the programs while you’re at it. You had me at energy waste. Do go on…

“America’s energy sector is just one part of an aging infrastructure badly in need of repair.”

…And a huge potential source of jobs. No, seriously. Barack, are you that one person who actually reads my rants? Great minds think alike. Keep talking, brah.

Tying it into jobs. Nice. Jobs, jobs, jobs. You’re staying on message like Karl Rove with a conscious. Doing your job like you know how. Huh, you do listen apparently.

“I know that you want these job-creating projects in your districts. I’ve seen you all at the ribbon-cuttings.”

My gawd, someone is feeling more comfortable, aren’t they? Boldly, I’ll go all the way to brashly (is that a word? It is now.) making overt reference to a subject not-so-secretly close to every member of Congress’s heart: pork to bring home to the voters.

“Tonight, I propose a “Fix-It-First” program…” 

“Fix-It-First?” Oh Barack, you guys even went catchy. Thank you!!! Repeat it, make bumper stickers, have workers in the jobs this creates wear it on their shirts, put up big banner by the side of the highway, publicize how many job have gone to locals, shorter commute times, what-have-you. Tons of coverage of ribbon cutting ceremonies in tons of districts with big, bold, prominent lettering in every shot.

“Tonight, I propose a “Fix-It-First” program, to put people to work as soon as possible on our most urgent repairs, like the nearly 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country.”

Bridges. So obvious. Free advertising and it worked for FDR. Jobs you can credit for that people drive by everyday. My gawd man, are you stalking me? Clearly you are trying to get me to like you.

I’m also proposing a Partnership to Rebuild America that attracts private capital to upgrade what our businesses need most: modern ports to move our goods; modern pipelines to withstand a storm; modern schools worthy of our children.”

“Partnership to Rebuild America.”

Beautiful. More catchy naming. Thank you!!! Modern pipelines to withstand a storm? Interesting phrasing, are you willing to take the chance that the pipeline won’t be destroed by natural disaster, perhaps while under construction, perhaps while you are in office, perhaps after you publicly supported the pipeline? It’s an interesting avenue for an out later on and a potential set-up for a carrot and stick stricker regulation scenario. hmmmm.

“Right now, there’s a bill in this Congress that would give every responsible homeowner in America the chance to save $3,000 a year by refinancing at today’s rates. Democrats and Republicans have supported it before.”

Huh. Let’s see if it hits your desk but naming the dollars is the way to gain the attention of a huge segment of the population.

Segway from jobs to early education. OK… Seemingly benign topic with bipatisan appeal….

“Study after study shows that the sooner a child begins learning, the better he or she does down the road. But today, fewer than 3 in 10 four year-olds are enrolled in a high-quality preschool program. Most middle-class parents can’t afford a few hundred bucks a week for private preschool. And for poor kids who need help the most, this lack of access to preschool education can shadow them for the rest of their lives.”

There are two ways to attack the problem, helping high schoolers who are behind catch up or getting in there with basic skills earlier.  I’d wager that former option would cost more and not have as high a success rate. Better to make a bigger deal out of passing pre-school than remedial reading. It is an easier sell with more quantifiable results.

“Tonight, I propose working with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America.”

Nice way to frame it given the politics of that issue. Got almost a full standing O on that one. Right into dollars saved. masterful! god bless, new improved, smarter Obama!

“Every dollar we invest in high-quality early education can save more than seven dollars later on – by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing violent crime.”

Yeeeah, man! Boil it down to tax savings. It’s what working-class and middle-class conservative voters speak. More well to do conservative voter don’t like any talk of taxes at all. Like the shout-out to the connection between improved access to education and diminishing crime rates.

“In states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children, like Georgia or Oklahoma,”

I don’t even care if that is true it is such good politics to mention a heartland and a southern state in the context of education.

“ ..studies show students grow up more likely to read and do math at grade level, graduate high school, hold a job, and form more stable families of their own.”

That is the narrative that you have to sell. That is the crux of the matter. Investing in early education saves us money by reducing the amount of people costing the tax payers in prison and at the same time creates more self-sufficient tax payers to share the smaller burden with. It is a first step in confronting one of the biggest civil right issues in this country and righting the wrongs written in the numbers of our correctional systems. Not that I expect you to mention any of that. Or even acknowledge it. But still….

“Let’s also make sure that a high school diploma puts our kids on a path to a good job. “

Flexible collaborative high school educations that actually train people for actual jobs? I’m listening. Will I see anything? For instance, until just now I totally forgot what Race to the Top was. Forgive me, I don’t watch GMA or where-ever they air the puff pieces.

“Four years ago, we started Race to the Top – a competition that convinced almost every state to develop smarter curricula and higher standards, for about 1 percent of what we spend on education each year. Tonight, I’m announcing a new challenge to redesign America’s high schools so they better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy. We’ll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers, and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math – the skills today’s employers are looking for to fill jobs right now and in the future.”

I’m listening though and it does sound good.

“It’s a simple fact: the more education you have, the more likely you are to have a job and work your way into the middle class. But today, skyrocketing costs price way too many young people out of a higher education, or saddle them with unsustainable debt.”

Yes. True. Fix it. It wouldn’t suck if at some point you made the connection between investing in education is cheaper than payer for jail and created more tax payers to spread the cost out over. Just saying.

“Tonight, I ask Congress to change the Higher Education Act, so that affordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid. And tomorrow, my Administration will release a new “College Scorecard” that parents and students can use to compare schools based on a simple criteria: where you can get the most bang for your educational buck.”  Hmmm, proactive even. Get it done.

Yep, yep, comprehensive immigration reform. Just continue to enact to the DREAM act. That is all I’m really asking of you. Actual, sensible, comprehensive reform seems a little out of Congress’s infantile reach. It’s on the high-shelf.

Uh-huh, border control. Whatever. It’s not all about me and other camps must be appeased but that issue is a snorefest for me. I understand people want it on the southern border or something but knock it off with the making it a pain in the ass to go to Canada. Seriously. It shouldn’t be that much of a pain in the ass. Enough with the fences too. What are we, Nazi Germany? Back to the sanctioned narrow field of discussion for the issue…

“Cut waiting periods, reduce bureaucracy, and attract the highly-skilled entrepreneurs and engineers that will help create jobs and grow our economy.” I really do prefer the sensible and pragmatic over the Nazi approach.

Clumbsy segway from economy to the Violence Against Women and Paycheck Fairness Acts.

Right into minimum wage. Everything you say is true but is this just meat for your supporters? what chance does that have? Honestly though, my opinion on the subject is that if you cannot afford to pay a living wage you don’t viable business model and should close up shop and go home. Folks on both sides of the chamber stood up for $9.00/hr. Huh… Joe was giving Boner a wry, ‘sucks to be you. I’m being gracious but I’m enjoying how much you’re not enjoying how many of yours stood up for that,’ look as he sat down. Love Joe.

“Tonight, let’s also recognize that there are communities in this country where no matter how hard you work, it’s virtually impossible to get ahead. Factory towns decimated from years of plants packing up. Inescapable pockets of poverty, urban and rural, where young adults are still fighting for their first job. America is not a place where chance of birth or circumstance should decide our destiny. And that is why we need to build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class for all who are willing to climb them.” 

Damn, I wish you hadn’t channelled JRE’s populism in the primary and then tossed it all aside because I’d like to believe you now. Either way, you are talking about what I want you to talk about and i can’t complain abou that.

“Let’s offer incentives to companies that hire Americans who’ve got what it takes to fill that job opening, but have been out of work so long that no one will give them a chance. Let’s put people back to work rebuilding vacant homes in run-down neighborhoods. And this year, my Administration will begin to partner with 20 of the hardest-hit towns in America to get these communities back on their feet. We’ll work with local leaders to target resources at public safety, education, and housing. We’ll give new tax credits to businesses that hire and invest. And we’ll work to strengthen families by removing the financial deterrents to marriage for low-income couples, and doing more to encourage fatherhood – because what makes you a man isn’t the ability to conceive a child; it’s having the courage to raise one.” 

I like all that. A lot of time spent on education and jobs. The last time you were talking like this though I knew you were full of shit. You proved me right. Now you’re the newly improved re-elected Obama and apparently you are a different man. Perhaps you will even manage to make headway on these issues in meaningful ways. Time will tell. I’m suspicious of you but pulling for you.

American Dream themes. Patriotism into the military. Draw down in Afghanistan is happening. I support the troops leaving. I do. I never supporting them going in and staying in the first place. I supported the troops in their mission but I never supported the reasons their orders were given. I do wonder though, what will happen to people like the heroes at Skateistan? How long will all of those re-opened schools be there? How long will children be able to play soccer? We potentially made it worse for them, how can it not be our problem? 

Supporting the Troops. Supporting Military families and vet. Defense. Transparency. Destroying enemies, undercutting Iran, being disarmingly diplomatic with Russia, cyber security.

Protect cyber security. Your record on cyber civil rights -if I may coin a phrase- isn’t 100% stellar so I raise my eyebrow and wonder exactly what that entails.

“Earlier today, I signed a new executive order that will strengthen our cyber defenses by increasing information sharing, and developing standards to protect our national security, our jobs, and our privacy.” 

Well, at least privacy got a mention.

“Now, Congress must act as well, by passing legislation to give our government a greater capacity to secure our networks and deter attacks.”

Hmmm, what does this government securing of our networks entail? Given your support for the Patriot Act I wonder are we talking about strictly deterring attacks, or will we securely firewalled away from dangerous content? How much privacy would you like the average American to trade you for “security?” Moving on.Trans-Pacific, European Union, trade. Yep, yep. tie it back to American jobs. Staying on message, nice.

“So the United States will join with our allies to eradicate such extreme poverty in the next two decades: by connecting more people to the global economy and empowering women; by giving our young and brightest minds new opportunities to serve and helping communities to feed, power, and educate themselves; by saving the world’s children from preventable deaths; and by realizing the promise of an AIDS-free generation.”

Huh, shout out to global poverty, empowering women and fighting disease? Or perhaps an unnamed shout out to his out-going Sec of State…. In any case, nice touch.

“Aung San Suu Kyi welcomed an American President into the home where she had been imprisoned for years; …thousands of Burmese lined the streets, waving American flags, including a man who said, “ ‘There is justice and law in the United States. I want our country to be like that.’ “

America, the beacon of justice and law. Hmmm. Not freedom, justice and law. Hmmmmph. I smell more Patriot Acts.

Middle East talking points, yawn. Egypt lip-service. Yawn.  Syria lip-service with a hint of arming the opposition. “

…Stand steadfast with Israel in pursuit of security and a lasting peace.”  

We’re with you as long as you’re down with making a real effort at lasting peace guys? One can only hope.

More supporting the troops. Supporting diplomats, spend money on the military, stay up to date, support gay and straight military families, support vets. Ok, Ok, all good mentions. Military families – gay and straight – and vets are shamefully neglected and I notice you didn’t mention any specifics… Moving on.

“When any Americans – no matter where they live or what their party – are denied that right simply because they can’t wait for five, six, seven hours just to cast their ballot, we are betraying our ideals. That’s why, tonight, I’m announcing a non-partisan commission to improve the voting experience in America. And I’m asking two long-time experts in the field, who’ve recently served as the top attorneys for my campaign and for Governor Romney’s campaign, to lead it.”

Well now. I did not see that coming. Are you dancing around getting your picture taken with a civil rights issue Barack? My goodness. Goodness, goodness me. And damned if you didn’t keep race totally out of it. Good for you. Heck, if the haters want to pretend it’s not about race call their bluff. Don’t even bring it up. Smooth. Well executed and something very meaningful.

….Not to mention helpful to the modern Democratic Party. It is only helpful because it would make it fair, not because it would give the DNC an unfair advantage. The GOP should concentrate on not sucking so much instead of gaming the system. No wait, keep it up guys. Swarmy swindlers. Bunch of whiny crybabies. 

And after a nod to the past, a look to the future. The small fry. The automated human slaughter munitions.

“Overwhelming majorities of Americans – Americans who believe in the 2nd Amendment – have come together around commonsense reform – like background checks that will make it harder for criminals to get their hands on a gun. Senators of both parties are working together on tough new laws to prevent anyone from buying guns for resale to criminals. Police chiefs are asking our help to get weapons of war and massive ammunition magazines off our streets, because these police chiefs, they’re tired of seeing their guys and gals being outgunned. Each of these proposals desrves a vote in Congress.”

Nice, not too much. Put the taking guns away on the shoulders of law enforcement. Emphasizes cracking down on criminals and doesn’t demonize gun owners. Sucking up to them would disingenuous but you better practice up on your skeet shooting so you can do it proficiently in public. Have someone find you a video-game to practice with if you have to. It’s a great cway to convince gun owners that you aren’t talking about them when you talk control. You are talking about criminals.

But for now you are playing a different card, numbers, and then, heart strings.

Hadiya, Gabby, Tuscon, Newtoen, Oak Creek, Blacksburg. Leading into the concillatory, “Our actions will not prevent every senseless act of violence in this country.”

“Indeed, no laws, no initiatives, no administrative acts will perfectly solve all the challenges I’ve outlined tonight. But we were never sent here to be perfect. We were sent here to make what difference we can, to secure this nation, expand opportunity, and uphold our ideals through the hard, often frustrating, but absolutely necessary work of self-government.”

Ending up with a comment on the need for both government and citizen involvement. That’s a neat little zig-zig dance there. We includes “me” so it’s also a humble description of how he sees his own purpose. That’s an artfully crafted few sentences.

Menchu Sanchez devised a rescue plan in Hurricane Sandy for the twenty precious newborns in her care that kept them all safe. Impressive. Nice pick.

Brian Murphy leaps over the boundaries of stereotypes because that’s how he’s made. Heroic. Nice pick.

 “We should follow the example of a North Miami woman named Desiline Victor. When she arrived at her polling place, she was told the wait to vote might be six hours. And as time ticked by, her concern was not with her tired body or aching feet, but whether folks like her would get to have their say. Hour after hour, a throng of people stayed in line in support of her. Because Desiline is 102 years old. And they erupted in cheers when she finally put on a sticker that read ‘I Voted.’ ” Nice pick!

Talk about civil rights issue (OK, a larger context than what is usually referred to under the umbrella of civil rights issues but I always do that. Modern context demands reinterpretation) issues… Desiline was alive before women could vote. Crying shame that she should have to wait so long. Nothing should be allowed to obstruct a woman of her age from exercise a right that was clearly was dear to her. Perfect image for voting issues. Very nice pick. Kudos on Desiline for hanging in and keeping so many people with her. You go, girl!

“We are citizens. It’s a word that doesn’t just describe our nationality or legal status. It describes the way we’re made. It describes what we believe. It captures the enduring idea that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations;  that our rights are wrapped up in the rights of others;“

Nice. Very nice. Encapsulates immigration reform and American identity seamlessly and subtly. Touches on values like hard work and the American Dream. Asserts the reality of compromise. Nice.

“and that well into our third century as a nation, it remains the task of us all, as citizens of these United States, to be the authors of the next great chapter in our American story.”

Hmmm, very reminiscent of the Big dog’s speech at the convention. The one where he told me (and all of the other people watching) that the campaign was all about the cause of forming a more perfect union. That worked on me then and I gotta say this is working for me now.

Well done, BHO.