President Obama - Out of Ideas, Out of Time, Out of Step

To put some perspective around President Obama's State of the Union Address to Congress and the American people last night -- it was third on most US national newscasts, after the icestorm and Super Bowl week. It was not reported on most European newscasts, but the Federal Reserve elmination of another $10 billion in QE III pump priming was. What should be clear is that, six years into his presidency, the shine is off the star. What did Mr. Obama propose last night? A rehash of already largely rejected ideas. **Obama announced that he had issued an executive order to raise the minimum wage paid by federal contractors to $10.10 - it will kick in in 2015 for new contracts only and can be seen as just another Obama unpaid-for expenditure. He also called on Congress to increase the federal minimum wage for all workers to $10.10. But Obama asked Congress to raise the rate to $9 last year, and Congress has not taken that step. What makes the President think he can do better in a congressional election year? **The President, aggressively asserting that climate change is a fact, went on by his proposals to indicate his position that it is a reversible manmade fact. He announced that he will administratively promulgate a set of first-of-its-kind limits on power plants (destined to cripple the US coal industry), work with states and communities on climate change resiliency and cutting pollution, cut red tape to help states build factories that use natural gas, and propose new incentives for trucks that use alternative fuels like natural gas. But the crunch came when he urged Congress to end tax benefits for the oil industry and use revenues to invest in advanced vehicles that use cleaner fuels, not an idea that will be accepted by a Congress still smarting from Obama's costly and murky expenditures for solar panel technology that collapsed into bankruptcy, alleged misdoings and lost taxpayer dollars in a miniscule US solar panel market. And he uttered not a word about the Canadian-US oil pipeline the GOP and most Americans want. **Obama touted his decision to wind down the war in Afghanistan by removing most troops and completing the US mission by the end of this year. He mentioned his work to negotiate a security agreement with Afghanistan so a small force can remain to train Afghan forces and pursue al-Qaida, without mentioning that Afghan President Karzai is stonewalling the negotiation while the Taliban use Obama's loudly signaled withdrawal to retake the countryside, burying the sacrifices of American troops and taxpayer dollars. As for Iraq and Syria, Obama merely restated his platitude that he will work with all groups seeking democracy, while Senator John McCain, Congress's military guru, showed his contempt with a been-there-heard-that smile. **In a similar vein, Obama announced an overhaul of US NSA-led surveillance programs to restore public confidence, but with not so much as a nod to congressional resistance to tearing apart the post-9/11 security protections put in place to make Americans safer at home. **The President's renewed call for Congress to lift transfer restrictions so Guantanamo Bay prison can be closed were applauded by Democrats and stonefaced by Republicans, who are still waiting for a detailed Obama plan for what would replace Guantanamo. **In his best shot at cooperation, Obama asked Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration overhaul this year, but he included asking for a path to citizenship for about 11 million immigrants in the US illegally. Such legislation has passed the Democratic Senate, but the GOP House prefers a multi-law approach that addresses each area of immigration reform separately. House Republicans are meeting this week to outline their principles for such an overhaul. Again, Mr. Obama confronted the GOP House instead of offering to work with the entire Congress. **The Obamacare debacle was once more the occasion for bad jokes about its failed website and lies about its enrollment success and cost. **And not one word from Obama about the nation's $17 trillion national debt and the need to raise the ceiling yet again. ~~~~~ Dear readers, GOP House Speaker John Boehner summed up Obama's effort : "The authority he has doesn't add up to much for those without opportunity in this economy," adding that the President should refocus his priorities and "work with us on the things that we can achieve together to create jobs and promote greater opportunity." In this midterm election year, with control of Congress at stake, any Obama hope to gain the political initiative will be extremely difficult. So, in an unspoken acknowledgement that he will not and prefers not to work with the GOP House and Speaker Boehner, while Obama summoned lawmakers to create jobs, overhaul immigration laws, combat climate change and more, he threatened them by saying he would act unilaterally where possible if they won't compromise. Compromise? To Mr. Obama that means do it his way or not at all. Here are Obama's aggressive words : "America does not stand still, and neither will I. So whatever and wherever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that's what I'm going to do." From Boehner down, there was little evidence the GOP will roll over and play dead for the President : "The president's policies are making people's lives harder," Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, head of the GOP House Caucus, said in the Republicans' official response. And, while many may disagree with me on this, I was uncomfortable that there was only one sustained and spontaneous round of applause - for Army Sgt. 1st Class Cory Remsburg, grievously injured by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. He acknowledged the cheers from his seat next to first lady Michelle Obama. My family has offered distinguished military service right down to my generation. And the one thing all military families share is quiet but profound patriotism and a sense of suppression of self for the good of all. My heart aches for Sergeant Remsburg and his family. All America knows it owes him and every soldier a debt that can never be repaid except by respect, a real effort to keep America on track, and a serious commitment to go to war only as a last resort. Last night's use of Sergeant Remsburg's terrible ordeal as an effort to validate Obama's own agenda was for me disrespectful, not only to Sergeant Remsburg but to all soldiers everywhere. ~~~~ Barack Obama - a President out of ideas, out of time and out of step.