Stop blaming Bush

The voters of America let themselves be dazzled by political correctness and proceeded to elect a president with no experience. Now we’re stuck.

President Obama opined, “I’d rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president.” He’ll actually end up being a really mediocre one-term president, rivaling Carter for sheer incompetence.

Used to be that the Republicans held the record for fiscal irresponsibility and high budgets. In just one year, under Obama’s “guidance,” the Democrats have stolen the prize.

In his State of the Union address, Obama either blamed directly, or alluded, that the bad economy was all Bush’s fault ... at least 28 times (Yes, I counted them!). Perhaps, but what has Obama’s administration done to improve business conditions? Absolutely nothing but waste money and suggest more taxes; and send jobs overseas.

Obama claims he will freeze budgets at their current level. What he doesn’t tell you is that the budgets were already increased by approximately 20 percent in the past year ... more of his “transparency” behind closed doors?

We need to stop this runaway train by treating Congress to a full turnover in November. How about we start with showing the door to Obama-lackey Harry Mitchell?

Jim Thompson

 

Click http://www.ahwatukee.com/articles/release-8737-address-secretary.html"> here to read the full speech.  

Renews call for bipartisan action

President Obama left very few agenda items untouched in his State of the Union speech. I’m an independent and didn’t vote for Obama (disclosure). That said, the man is one of our more eloquent presidents since Reagan and JFK, especially considering his predecessor. The tone of the speech was surprisingly casual, nuts-and-bolts, but was not one for the history books.

Obama’s recurring message was the attitude of America toward government. Specifically, the deep and corrosive doubts on how Washington works. As far as I can tell, this may be the only real bipartisan attitude: widespread cynicism and disappointment. Many people feel DC is unwilling or unable to solve problems. The political system is in gridlock. After a political upset, it’s obvious that Congress becomes unable to determine the safest road for their careers, rather than the best action for the nation. The prevailing mentality, especially in the Senate, is “You lose, I win.” And this is on both sides, not just the so-called Failure Coalition. After making most of these points, Obama renewed his request for bipartisan help, acknowledging that political change can be noisy, messy and certainly not easy.

Tim Lank

 

No change, just the same old political patronage

I wish I could be optimistic, but nothing I heard gave me reason.

Obama is an idealogue, which means he doesn’t care whether his concepts work or fail. An ideologue is a surgeon who claims a successful operation even if the patient dies. An idealogue is a cabinet official who claims “the system worked” when a terrorist easily boarded a plane with the means and intent to blow it up.

Nothing wrong with idealogues providing they team up with experienced people to design and implement their concepts. Otherwise, the “ideas” will flop due to inadequate planning and poor design. In 33 years of computer systems design and maintenance, I saw it happen far too often.

With the Obama programs so far, the programs were never even intended to be effective but only to repay political favors, like Cash for Clunkers and the stimulus with money spent in non-existent locations.

Obama’s cabinet members and czars are tax cheats and those with blatant conflicts of interest, clearly chosen not for their demonstrated expertise but to repay political debts. Obama’s implied revisions to programs or people will continue to be based on political patronage and be just as ineffective and fraudulent as we’ve seen since January 2009.

The more Obama promises “change,” the more things remain the same.

Sandy Miller

 

Speech showed true leadership

On Wednesday the president gave us a dose of common sense. I was most impressed by his directness. He didn’t mince words, even chastising the Supreme Court for what had to be one of the most irresponsible decisions (allowing lobbyists, even those from foreign countries, to financially influence political campaigns) in history. He set solid goals and ways to achieve them. As he pointed out, he promised he wouldn’t do just what was popular, but would do what was necessary. That is true leadership. Obama was at his finest last night.

Judy Wade

 

Politically pragmatic

As a registered independent, I realize that party posturing and rhetoric has never, ever solved problems in the United States.

I am glad he addressed the need for political pragmatism. The name calling, the stubbornness, and the planned lack of cooperation have not gained any solutions. The State of the Union message provided by Obama gave direction and working concepts. I liked the speech.

I support a message that asks for action instead of demeaning labels and self-righteous judgment.

Mike Durham

 

His bipartisan approach could work in Arizona

The president’s State of the Union speech was energizing for our country during tough times, when we see job losses and a lack of funding for education right here in Arizona. The president’s outlook on education was incredibly hopeful, highlighting a national competition to improve our K-12 schools and make college more affordable for families so their sons and daughters are prepared for the worldwide economy. To get our nation’s economy back on the right track, President Obama wants a comprehensive solution and bipartisanship, and I think that can directly apply to creating a better future right here in Arizona. Our state is on the wrong track, and we can’t solve the massive budget deficit from one side of the aisle. We need to work in a bipartisan way on a comprehensive solution that values job creation and education for a stronger and brighter future for Arizona.”

Rep. Rae Waters (D-Ahwatukee Foothills)

 

He forgot to mention end of abstinence only

President Obama’s State of the Union impressed me with the hopeful sign that he has gained something of FDR’s combative spirit. Unlike FDR, Obama still does not welcome his opponents’ opposition, but he is, at long last, at least willing to challenge them (as he did with his demand for Republican health-reform ideas instead of perpetual bleating about tax cuts). I was even more impressed with his denunciation of the reactionary U.S. Supreme Court justices’ arrogant activism in opening the legal gates to unlimited corporate-financed legislative bribery.

I wish Obama had noted his administration’s reversal of the Bush administration policy of abstinence-only sex exhortation instead of sex education. This idiotic policy, which differentiates us from other industrialized nations with teenage-pregnancy rates 10 to 20 percent of ours, reversed a previous downward trend until the Bush administration instituted abstinence-only. It’s a little-noted, but important, Obama achievement to end abstinence-only.

C.W. Griffin