Bush State of Union Address

[yankeeyosh]

What do you think about it? So far, I just think it's the same old Bush, and I'm personally not shedding any tears that this will be the last one. You can pretty much have recorded any of the SOU addresses and project it up a movie screen and there wouldn't have been much of a difference. And the economic talk? Very weak...doesn't seem like he has too much of a plan outside the "stimulus".

[PenforPrez]

I can't even look at Bush on TV without getting angry. So I'm avoiding it. Instead, I'm IMing with a quiz bowl associate and discussing my pets on another message board. :p

Paul

[Bman120]

It's been a great State of the Union. I like this earmark executive order, its about time he take matters into his own hands.

The economy is shaken but its not done yet. Iraq is stabilizing, we're starting to refocus on Afghanistan after NATO has so horribly botched the job. Figures we trust others to do the right thing and we get crap. And people wonder why America is the most powerful nation to grace the surface of the earth.

I'll miss Bush, can't wait to buy his memoirs, that'll be a great read. It'll be even better when history vindicates him.

[yankeeyosh]

He is AGAIN spending more time talking about foreign affairs than domestic issues...this is ridiculous.

[Bman120]

He is AGAIN spending more time talking about foreign affairs than domestic issues...this is ridiculous.

How so? The specialty of the executive branch is foreign policy. The president's power is strongest there, especially one with less than a year in office.

[yankeeyosh]

How so? The specialty of the executive branch is foreign policy. The president's power is strongest there, especially one with less than a year in office.

Because the economy is having major issues and I think the president should provide more reassurance that he is doing what he can to right the ship. The economic direction of this country has to change soon or we will be in deep shit.

[ugarachel82]

The fact that he did this last year (talk more about foreign affairs than domestic issues) made me really angry. Besides, this is his last state of the union address. He doesn't have to prove nothing to nobody. He's got his supporters, and he's got his non-supporters. I don't think this year is going to be any different than the last seven.

[Bman120]

Because the economy is having major issues and I think the president should provide more reassurance that he is doing what he can to right the ship. The economic direction of this country has to change soon or we will be in deep shit.

Well that's a matter of opinion. According to some indicators, the mortgage crisis is easing, meaning that the factors are present for an economic upturn in a matter of months. What is certain is the economy is weakened, but we don't need our hands held to get through it. We need to plow on and keep about our business.

On matters of the economy, the president has done all he can. It's up to the American people to get the economy moving.

[yankeeyosh]

Well that's a matter of opinion. According to some indicators, the mortgage crisis is easing, meaning that the factors are present for an economic upturn in a matter of months. What is certain is the economy is weakened, but we don't need our hands held to get through it. We need to plow on and keep about our business.

On matters of the economy, the president has done all he can. It's up to the American people to get the economy moving.

How is the mortgage crisis easing? Far too many people bought far too much house in the last five years, and many people simply cannot afford their homes and are thus either living hand to mouth or are foreclosing. Sales of homes have seen the largest decreases in history (although to be fair, I think too many people were buying homes to begin with...but to see a reduction like this so quickly is too fast for the economy to handle). Home manufacturing indices continue to decline.

I don't think we are going to be in a deep recession this year, simply because the American consumers will do what they can and overextend themselves further, but none of the fundamental problems seem to be undergoing fixes, and I just don't see anything that will prevent a severe downturn within the next five years.

[Bman120]

How is the mortgage crisis easing? Far too many people bought far too much house in the last five years, and many people simply cannot afford their homes and are thus either living hand to mouth or are foreclosing. Sales of homes have seen the largest decreases in history (although to be fair, I think too many people were buying homes to begin with...but to see a reduction like this so quickly is too fast for the economy to handle). Home manufacturing indices continue to decline.

I don't think we are going to be in a deep recession this year, simply because the American consumers will do what they can and overextend themselves further, but none of the fundamental problems seem to be undergoing fixes, and I just don't see anything that will prevent a severe downturn within the next five years.

In terms of the mortgage crisis, I don't have the data right in front of me but it had to do with libor data. It isn't a guarantee but it is a positive sign that the crisis may be easing. Is it actually easing? I don't know but either way, it will ease as all crisis do.

Home manufacturing/buying is a problem but we need to get the number down. As long as it doesnt stay too low in the long term, we can handle it.

As for consumers, it's our spending that keeps the world going. If Americans dont buy things, everyone suffers. People keep blabbering that America is past her prime and is increasingly irrelevent, but its all wrong. America is economically very relevant. We need people to keep spending like they do for things to keep going. I don't think our spending is that big of a problem.

[Krishna]

I can't even look at Bush on TV without getting angry. So I'm avoiding it. Instead, I'm IMing with a quiz bowl associate and discussing my pets on another message board. :p

Paul

I'm with ya on that. I threw in a DVD and pretended it wasn't happening. My tolerance for listening to him is dropping by the day.

[yankeeyosh]

As for consumers, it's our spending that keeps the world going. If Americans dont buy things, everyone suffers. People keep blabbering that America is past her prime and is increasingly irrelevent, but its all wrong. America is economically very relevant. We need people to keep spending like they do for things to keep going. I don't think our spending is that big of a problem.

Yeah, but you can only max out your credit cards so much and refi your home so much (and of course, you have to pay it all back with interest). I just don't see how the average American household can keep afloat these days with wages stagnant, house prices STILL at all time highs, debt still increasing, and inflation picking up elsewhere.

[Bman120]

Yeah, but you can only max out your credit cards so much and refi your home so much (and of course, you have to pay it all back with interest). I just don't see how the average American household can keep afloat these days with wages stagnant, house prices STILL at all time highs, debt still increasing, and inflation picking up elsewhere.

I agree it's not a certainty it can, but wages have risen over recent years and inflation hasn't set in too bad yet. If it starts to get bad or we head to stagflation, then we are in trouble.

Honestly, it could all go a number of ways. I just don't think there is a reason to worry too much yet. But for all I know, you could be right. We shall see I suppose.

[yankeeyosh]

I agree it's not a certainty it can, but wages have risen over recent years and inflation hasn't set in too bad yet. If it starts to get bad or we head to stagflation, then we are in trouble.

Honestly, it could all go a number of ways. I just don't think there is a reason to worry too much yet. But for all I know, you could be right. We shall see I suppose.

Last year, wages increased 1% and inflation increased 4.1%...the highest rate since '90. Seeing that the Fed is lowering the interest rates, it would not be surprising to see inflation going up more this year. If we have a recession or even a mediocre economy, more and more people are going to struggle, and those on the edge will fall off the cliff. Outside perhaps the rich (and maybe some groups of 20-somethings, ironically), virtually every group of people over the last eight years has seen their standard of living decrease...and it is only getting worse.

[PenforPrez]

My tolerance actually increased. After watching half of his first state of the union speech, I've only been able to stand a minute or two of the last six. Today's was alright because I was reading my newspapers with it as background and because the governor of Kansas came on after and boosted my spirits. Who else caught that post-state of the union address?

Kathleen Sebelius was on and I missed it? Oh shit! :torn: :cry: