Obama’s State of the Union Address Part Two

BBC News: Reports on President Obama’s call in the State of the Union Address for taxes to go up for the rich. The speech was typical class warfare, one got the idea that Obama thought he was LBJ and he was recreating the Great Society, one thing you have to say about LBJ was that he was a better political operator, he got Republican support for his Civil Rights reform, Obama could not get one Republican to support ObamaCare. The Speech was all about BIG GOV, it was not Bill Clinton’s the Era of Big Government is over. The President even after the scandal of his green policy still wants to spend money on green jobs that cost the US taxpayer and are not worth the paper they are written. POTUS also wants to give amnesty to young immigrants who are in the US illegally. On Foreign Policy POTUS state that US troops were coming home from Afghanistan, problem he has given the Taliban a timetable when NATO is leaving, the US troops withdrawal starts at the height of the Summer fighting in Afghanistan in 2012. Through praising the troops who killed OBL he wanted to take credit for the order, slight problem he has undermined the Pakistan Government and the Government could fall at any time. On Iran Obama stated all options were all the table, the problem has to be asked does Tehran see Obama as a threat and if you were Israel would you trust Obama to support you, one has doubts. It was a Campaign speech folks, nothing less or more, also this Obama is not the same Obama as 2008, the magic has gone, the odd flourish but its not the same candidate.

Obama’s State of the Union Address

Watch the Speech in full folks, but to this political geek it was a pandering left wing speech, and it was to long!

State of the Union and Class warfare

The New York Times: Reports that President Obama has invited Debbie Bosanek the secretary of Warren Buffet to the State of the Union Speech. Thus expect folks the usual class warfare argument, why should a Secretary pay more in tax than a billionaire. In a odd way this might help Newt Gingrich, as Romney will be defined as Mr1% after he released his tax returns, while the former Speaker paid 31% in taxes. This blog will watch the State of Union just to see if Obama can surprise, thus in many respects he will recall the Occupy them that the rich don’t pay their fare share, etc the usual left wing rubbish. That he as President is there to protect the Middle Class, that odd since he has placed more Americans on foot stamps that any other President. That is the disappointment with President Obama, one can guess what he is going to say before he speaks, this is why this blog tends to read transcripts of his speech’s and remarks, get over the boring waffle. Lets hope he keeps the Speech short, hot air is bad for the planet.

Romney and this Taxes

Guardian: Reports the following on Governor Romney’s tax returns, “ ..he paid a much lower rate on his multimillion-dollar income than the average American….places him in the top 1% of earners..”. This is a problem folks, you can see the Democratic Adverts NOW, Romney is Mr 1%, while the rest of the US is 99%. Also this should help Speaker Gingrich, the article notes that he paid 31% in tax. Gingrich should ask Romney who is Accountant is, take some advice. One can see why Republican Elders are getting worried about Romney, a Republican Convention without a Candidate having a majority of the delegates might not be that bad folks. In that time after the 1st ballot a better Nominee can be found, what about Jeb Bush or Condi Rice. This election cycle could be up there with 2000 folks.

Doubling Down - Iran Crisis

Telegraph: Reports that the UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has stated that the UK could send our reinforcements to the Persian Gulf should the crisis with Iran escalate. The drum beat for WAR is going up by notches folks, it only takes a local Iran Commander to make a mistake for this to get out of hand. Thus far all bluff out of Tehran, they would be mad to take on the US, UK and France. It seems Iran is a chicken after all, some hope then that it will back down over its nuclear plans.

Greece and its DEBT

BBC News: Reports that the EU is placing pressure on the Greek Debt holders to agree to a lower interest rate on their bonds as demanded by the Greek Government. The lack of a deal causing a fall in EU stock markets, if there is not deal and Greece defaults this will cause major losses for French and German Banks. The Greeks will have to go back to their native currency, the EU will still have to bailout out Greece as they will be frozen out of the bond market more that before. Greece is the Achilles heel of the EU and the Euro, if it goes down it could take the Euro, then the bond market will be asking about Ireland, Portugal, even Italy. Thus a deal is needed, not for the benefit of the Greeks but for the EU. A deal is good for the EU but a default would be good for the Greek people. The Classic Greeks must hold their heads in shame when looking at the present Greece.

Death in Afghanistan

MOD: Reports that a UK Soldier has died in Afghanistan, the death is believed not to be from combat operations, the Soldier was from the “ 200 Signal Squadron ”. Thus since 2001 the UK has lost 396 of its Armed Forces Personnel in Afghanistan, of that total it has lost 351 in combat action and 45 due to illness, accidents or other incidents.