State of the Future
“He sought to sway his audience with rhetoric rather than specifics,” reports the Washington Post, trying to piece together what went on in the State of the Union address Tuesday evening.
I haven’t been drunk-blogging with the marvelous Vodkapundit (wish I had!), but I came away from from the evening’s televised exertions feeling dizzy nonetheless. This wasn’t a State of the Union address. It was a State of the Future. Whose future, I don’t know. But what a future it is! We’re way done with “Change is us” and “Yes we can.” We’ve left behind the era of shovel-ready jobs, which apparently didn’t do much for the infrastructure, because our country is now full of crumbling roads and bridges, and our infrastructure has been given a “D.” So we are going to redouble our efforts, and this time our government will “create jobs”(or save jobs?) that please the economy, and not the politicians. Because in the future, the government always does a better job of creating jobs than it did yesterday.
I’m sure the speech bears serious analysis, and will get plenty of it. But for tonight, forgive me — it’s been a long day. If I close my eyes and ask what the president outlined this evening, I get visions of 100,000 new (and unionized) engineering and science teachers criss-crossing rural America in windmill-powered, solar-paneled high-speed trains — questing after the three doctors who will still be in private practice once ObamaCare really takes hold. And then this vision all starts to merge with those giant wall frescoes that sometimes bedecked vast and gloomy Soviet industrial plants, or the dusty Intourist pamphlets one used to find still scattered around unheated Kazakh and Ukrainian guesthouses in the early 1990s — depicting legions of marching engineers and muscular peasant girls hoisting sickles and sheaves of wheat. On to the radiant future!
And I am confused about what time it is. Two years ago, this was our time, now was our moment. Now, after two years under President Obama, it is no longer our moment, but our “Sputnik moment.” A Sputnik moment is when you suddenly realize your enemy is way out ahead of you. So, when did we fall behind? Does this mean NASA can now forget the Middle East outreach business and carry on sending Americans into space? And why is our government making three-year plans to “double our exports by 2014″? I’m all for trade, but why the targets? Five-year plans, or three-year plans, are for planned economies. Shouldn’t it be the job of a capitalist government to keep the markets free and simply get out of the way and let the market — a.k.a. the choices of private individuals — determine what the volume of exports will be?
Excellent piece.
Love the imagery of windmill-powered solar panel bullet trains…that kinda says it all right there. A cartoon artist can draw a rendering of America’s future. An acid-trip might work, too.
Its sad that our voting public eats that crap up.
Obama is “Liar, liar – pants on fire. Nose as long as a telephone wire”. He is trying to remake himself into “Madonna-Bama” but lacks the authenticity of reinvention like the singer.
This 2009 video of renowned American artist Marc Rubin destroying his presidential portrait of Obama with humor and irony is called “Catharsis”. It gives you a place to put your anger and disgust.
http://www.marcrubin.com/obama.ivnu
Yes, but at last he will be “creating jobs” and spending more on education, and also infrastructure, where we can repave the already paved roads. All of them bright new ideas that nobody has ever thought of before. Hopefully he will spend trillions and increase the debt much more, how else will we be prosperous ?
Islam, what islam?
Correction, he will not be “spending,” he will be “investing” in “more on education, and also infrastructure ….”
In a nutshell: Obama goes skeet shooting.
The prez used the SOTU to throw a slew of artifical targets into the air. Six months or a year from now (aaack: I’m already dreading the next SOTU), he’ll point with pride to the one or two targets he managed to hit … and then claim they were what he was aiming for all along.
The bad news: not one of those plastic whirligigs will be labeled Jobs or Small Business or Recovery or Border Security or Energy Independence or WIN the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan or Smaller Government or …
America is drowning in debt and there’s a growing sense of despair, but he’s excited about vapor (isn’t that the end product of sunlight and water?). The chasm between Obama’s imaginary world and the real world, where the rest of us live, couldn’t be greater … or more starkly clear, after last night’s SOTU.
100,000 new, unionized science and engineering teachers who can’t spell or do basic algebra…but teach the “new” science and engineering… fify
You can bet those 100,000 teachers will meet 100,000 cynics at the local Tea Party spaghetti feed.
Gee Born Senseless sleazits, you must have achieved a new milestone – 1 post out of 1000 “getting through”.
“Cynic”? “…queasy desperation…”? “…accountability…”? “Duh!”?
Your Sensei
“If Sarah Palin’s target map was the catalyst for this tragedy wouldn’t the shooter have used a rifle? I mean her crosshairs are not found on a Glock 19.”
“Hey, if I wanted to roast Jews, wouldn’t I take them to ovens and not showers? Duh!” – Adolph Hitler
Your post is a clarion example of the queasy desperation being felt throughout the Tea Bag community today. Get used to it. It’s called accountability.
January 9, 2011 – 12:18 pm
Your Sensei
Founding Fathers? Why would you trust those opium addict whoremongers?
December 1, 2010 – 3:32 pm
This is a fine exposition of the Anti-Hypocrisy Crusader being the Hyper Hypocrite. Hypocrite, not just in the “Sensei” of that ordinary human trait. A different level of willful achievement, with a proud pointed hat on top, sitting in the corner, with a dead mic, licking It’s open sores.
Interesting that It has some form of mystical Modern Liberal insight into something … Anything that It is not. This is a very small world that It inhabits. A mirrored walled compound with bits of refuse that It feeds on. Voraciously. Something between a flushed toilet and Mr. President’s vocal flatulence.
Clang!
Whatever.
Why so (s)catty?
Great blog Claudia-you captured much of the absurdity in Obama’s speech. I like how all of sudden America is an exceptional country-a shining light. Weren’t we just like any other country a little while ago when he said something like, ‘I’m sure Greeks and Italians’ think they are exceptional too?
Unwilling to focus on the now, after all ” the now ” is pretty bleak, Obama kept Americans looking ahead with the old ” There’ll be pie in the sky, by and by. ” wrapped in a little bit of, ” Why can’t we all just get along?”.
Boy are we in trouble!
I’m still waiting for my solar-powered car! Obama promised during the campaign in 2008 that we would have all of these “green” jobs. We would be leading the way in solar and “wind” technology. Well, yesterday the Department of Energy unveiled its new “energy-efficient” mode of transportation. It’s called “the horse.” No, really, it’s a horse, as in Mr. Ed. Because that’s about all we’re getting from the Department of Energy these days. Anyway, the new one-horsepower Horse just needs a little food and water and no electricity. Can you beat that? You do have to clean up after it and it doesn’t smell too good, but, hey, nobody ever said energy independence would be a bed of roses. Given the speech last night, I think I’ll call mine Traveller. Let’s see if all you history buffs out there know why that name is so important and why that’s where we may be headed unless this guy is voted out of office in 2012.
I would prefer the name of what ever horse Paul Revere road. Traveller belonged to a traitor.
A “traitor” who was reimbraced by the nation he reluctantly fought against, and is honored to this day. Many of the “traitors” who served under him formed the core of a number of cavalry units on the post-Civil War frontier.
“…belonged to a traitor.”
To many, that is a matter of perspective.
Paul Revere was a traitor too, wasn’t he?
When those 100,000 new unionized science and engineering teachers get down from their solar powered bullet train and are forced to mingle among us lesser mortals will they be wearing and using their solar powered beanie hat propellers to zip around the countryside? It seems obvious to me that Barry believes we’re just a bunch of stupid oafs…peasants…and that he is just smarter and better and..umm..did I mention smarter?? He wants to be King.
It’s worse: he seems to think he IS king.
Remember Bill Clinton’s second term, when midnight basketball programs were among the “small government” things Clinton pushed because they polled well with soccer moms? That’s what Obama’s trying to do here; get re-elected by following the Clinton 1997-2000 agenda, in hopes it will allow him not to have to follow Clinton’s 1995-96 agenda.
In order for him to get re-elected, Clinton had to eventually sign the welfare reform plan the House and Senate GOP sent him three times before he finally gave approval, and then only after Dick Morris pretty much said sign it, or Dole may win the ’96 election. Obama basically doesn’t want to sign anything the Republican House sends him, and while he knows Harry Reid will serve as a firewall for any meaningful reforms, he also knows the swing voters (21st Century soccer moms included) want Obama to show some sort of idea that he got the message of 2010.
So you get Clinton’s small agenda and some buzzwords about financial responsibility, in hopes that will satisfy the rabble, and he won’t have to do anything that might truly piss off his far-left base between now and the 2012 election.
I think I’ll call mine Traveller. Let’s see if all you history buffs out there know why that name is so important and why that’s where we may be headed unless this guy is voted out of office in 2012.
Libertyship46
I graduated from Washington & Lee University, so I know the Traveller to which you refer. Traveller, Robert E. Lee’s horse, is buried just outside Lee Chapel, where his faithful owner is also buried.
A Civil War reference. Let’s hope not.
For a glimpse of the State Of The Future with Obama and his band of gypsies, and what they intend to tax and spend, take a look Here.
Sorry; The link is:
http://www.usnews.com/news/washington-whispers/articles/2011/01/26/obamas-plan-would-cost-another-20-billion
If we could only harness insipidness and misdirection then we would have a new and nearly perpetual energy source. The discount machine on the reality of dreaming the future is already on overtime. Ryan nailed the state of the union in a few minutes without the glossy web.
” questing after the three doctors who will still be in private practice once ObamaCare really takes hold.”
Hmmm. “Obamacare” is pretty much the same as what Romney brought to Massachusetts. So now that Romneycare has really taken hold in MA, I guess there must be only three doctors left in private practice in MA.
Gosh, why hasn’t that been nationwide news? Or did I somehow miss the story?
…actually at least 57 States of the Future (maybe more, depending on inflation): a blend of commie China, Indonesia, India, Nigeria, and Mexico.
How’s that for a “post-american” (no whites, please) future under Barry Soetoro the Great Leader of the new Pink/Green (like islam and “clean energy” ala GE) World?
If a Sputnik moment is when you see enemy technology surpassing yours, what kind of a moment is it when you see enemy regulators strangling your economy?
I beg to differ. There will be more than three doctors. Obama, with his new outward love for Cuba, is taking a chapter from the book of Chavez: Cuban doctors will replace our beloved doctors.
Cuban doctors wuld LOVE to work in America; it’s a wonder they’re not jumping into inner tubes for the trip to Florida as we speak.
For conservatives, Barry and 11/4/08 was our “sputnik” moment – and we blew it.
I thought we already bought all that crap a couple years ago with the “stimulus”. He wants to pay a second time because he got nothing for the money the first time?
You are aware that the big ole’ welfare state called Texas was only able to avoid bankruptcy because of stimulus funds, right? Go ask TX governor Rick Perry just how terrible the stimulus was. Publicly he’ll tell you its socialism, like a good little stooge. But privately, he took the money because he knows that the stimulus is the only thing holding his POS state together right now.
Hey sleazits, do Texans pay federal taxes?
Truth Time? Really original. Like Jaaaavelllllin! The need for all to know. The All Correcting Modern Liberal Recycled Corn. Better than spaghetti.
Kick’s away!
Clang!
Whatever.
If I may amend the title of this article; “The States Are The Future”.
Yet another indicator of the ObliviOne’s infinite intelligence: His new theme is Winning the Future.
So handy, so versatile, so blogarific …
ObamaCare – WTF? Sputnik – WTF? Lightrails – WTF? Government Motors – WTF? Obama’s Vision – WTF?
Well, we could literally go on forever. Surely, the ObamaDrones could see this coming, right?
Obama continues to insult (Most of) the American’s intelligence.
Seriously, can any reasonable person who has a real handle on what has gone on in the past two years really continue to “buy” into this stuff? It’s like a very bad long winded sales pitch..
I also hate when these speeches continue to play on the ‘emotions’ by using ‘children and education’ in the same speech. Haven’t we ‘thrown’ enough money at education and wouldn’t we have fixed it by now??? Why, oh, why do we continue down a path that doesn’t lead to anything? Some states are actually improving here but its the ‘substance’ of what they are teaching that is in question. (spin and omissions on American History. Too much emphasis on ‘social justice’ instead of self reliance)
It’s beyond reason how, but the Left is probably eating his speech up – more thrills going up their legs… However, I hope I am wrong. I pray the fog hasn’t clouded their vision of the last two years…
I am waiting to please wake up from this awful nightmare…
Yeah, it wasn’t all that great or specific, but it could have been worse … he could have straight up bald-face lied to the American people about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Or he could have straight up lied about how the state of our economy was strong while the mortgage bubble was moments away from bursting all over everyone’s faces. I’ll take fanciful projections over traitorous lies and falsehoods everytime.
…the obligatory troll.
Right, Truth time. Again, it all pales in comparison to George. What you fail to acknowledge, but what most sentient beings comprehend, is that Obama is not making fanciful projections but is continuing his trademark policy of telling one monumental and unrealistic lie after another. This has characterized the course of his entire career and is far more despicable and devious than the supposedly “traitorous” lies you ascribe to Bush with your blatent dishonesty. Barry melodiously promises nirvana to the unthinking but, as has become clear, is completely incapable of delivering meaningful solutions with his failed policies and agenda. He accomplished nothing before he was elected by the deluded, he has accomplished only disastrous spending and failed programs during the last two plus years and his socialist efforts going forward will be proven an equally complete failure by history. Rail transit, green energy and the other platitudes he offered last night offer little or nothing of real consequence. But keep offering us your tired and pathetic insights–we need the humor because the clown-in-chief clearly ain’t making it.
Hey Truth Time- Those guys telling us that everything was okay with the mortgage industry and Fanni and Freddie were your old butt buddies Barney Frank and Chris Dodd. The troll swings and misses!
Bush Lied? You still at that? Haven’t you heard? Wikileaks proved that Bush had not lied. Hussein was ready to go back into WMD business as soon as we let up on him. Proven fact.
Troll.
The USA ranks about where? in the worlds developed nations education stats? #28 or so? This is exactly the reason that the US voters elected Barry in the first place. Now if we can drop that down to about #30ish or lower, we will easily transition to a ‘safe’ and ‘controlled’ bureaucrats dream nation… like Plato’s ‘Alegory of the Cave’. Of course that would be upstaged by North Korea, our true role model? Keep on track lowly US voters, You are almost there. That mystical state where everyone is brought down to the lowest common denominator. Well except for the ‘chosen ones’ forcing the mandates of ‘Dear Leader’..
Win The Future or WTF for short. President Sputnik or O’Sputnik for short.
Finally, Obama, at least trying to claim that he’s an American, his ultimate disgrace, snif…that we won’t have him.
Ms. Rosett does it again. Wit generates a smile and the message gives a whisper of hope. Thanks Claudia.
Let me get this straight. We’re going to be “gifted” with a health care plan we are forced to purchase and fined if we don’t, written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn’t understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn’t read it but exempts themselves from it, signed by a president who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn’t pay his taxes, to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that’s broke. What the hell could possibly go wrong?
Oh Claudia;
NASA has no time to do space exploration any more, they’re too involved with Dr James Hansen working up environmental PROPAGANDA.
http://www.giss.nasa.gov/staff/jhansen.html
And a far better one:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/01/24/commentary-hansen-draft-paper-paleoclimate-implications-for-human-made-climate-change/