The State of the Union

by Marvin Shilmer 142 Replies latest jw friends

teejay

Stand-out quotes from last night's speech:

To bring our economy out of recession we delivered the largest tax relief in a generation.
Is the recession over? Really?
After recession, terrorist attacks, corporate scandals, and stock market declines, our economy is recovering. Yet it is not growing fast enough, or strongly enough. With unemployment rising...
I have sent you Clear Skies legislation ... I urge you to pass these measures, for the good of both our environment and our economy. Even more, I ask you to take a crucial step and protect our environment in ways that generations before us could not have imagined.
Nice to know that the Prez has the environment and the economy at the forefront of his agenda.
Today, the gravest danger in the war on terror -- the gravest danger facing America and the world -- is outlaw regimes that seek and possess nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. These regimes could use such weapons for blackmail, terror, and mass murder. They could also give or sell those weapons to their terrorist allies, who would use them without the least hesitation.
Hmmm... that's interesting. Isn't the U.S. the leading producer, stock-piler, and exporter (seller) of these very weapons? Maybe not.
Throughout the 20th century, small groups of men seized control of great nations, built armies and arsenals and set out to dominate the weak and intimidate the world. In each case, their ambitions of cruelty and murder had no limit.
Nice to know that the U.S. will never move to dominate the weak.
Year after year, Saddam Hussein has gone to elaborate lengths, spent enormous sums, taken great risks, to build and keep weapons of mass destruction -- but why? The only possible explanation, the only possible use he could have for those weapons, is to dominate, intimidate, or attack.
Is the "only possible use" for those weapons to dominate, intimidate and attack? Then why does the U.S. have them?
And tonight I have a message for the brave and oppressed people of Iraq: your enemy is not surrounding your country -- your enemy is ruling your country. And the day he and his regime are removed from power will be the day of your liberation.
Sending Americans into battle is the most profound decision a president can make. The technologies of war have changed, the risks and suffering of war have not. For the brave Americans who bear the risk, no victory is free from sorrow. This nation fights reluctantly, because we know the cost, and we dread the days of mourning that always come.
A future lived at the mercy of terrible threats is no peace at all. If war is forced upon us, we will fight in a just cause and by just means -- sparing, in every way we can, the innocent. And if war is forced upon us, we will fight with the full force and might of the United States military and we will prevail.
So, we're going to war only because it's "forced" upon us. Ooookaaayyyy.
America is a strong nation and honorable in the use of our strength. We exercise power without conquest...
Riiight!
Americans are a free people, who know that freedom is the right of every person and the future of every nation. The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world, it is God's gift to humanity.
It always bothers me when a nation's leader invokes the identity of "god" when making his agenda known. Especially when he goes on to say...
We Americans have faith in ourselves, but not in ourselves alone. We do not claim to know all the ways of Providence, yet we can trust in them, placing our confidence in the loving God behind all of life and all of history.
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The SOTU speech will always follow the same pattern and theme regardless of the party of the person holding the office. Last night's was no different. The Prez always says that:
A: "Hey, we've made considerable progress the past year, BUT we're just getting started -- there's a lot more of the good stuff that's coming, so just hold on, y'all.
B: Yep, there are some serious issues on the horizon that we haven't begun to tackle yet, but we've pinpointed the problems and have plans in place to correct them all.
C: Last but not least, some baddy baddies are mustering on the horizon and we're in the process right now of getting a posse together and riding out to squash them into the ground like bugs under our feet.
D: Trust me (us). We have your and the entire world's best interests at heart.
Whatever.
rolling rock

Threre you go Teejay. Make a choice. Good job...
Scarlet

Realist I said SOCIALIST not communist country there is a difference. It is a proven fact the desire to succeed is higher in the U.S. than Europe because of the fact that all your money is taken. And I talked about Canada's healthcare system but if you want to throw in Europe why not. In Europe I have been told by people who live there that you have to wait 2 weeks if you have to see any kind of specialist. With the PPO I have here in the U.S. when I needed to see a specialist I got in that same day because I demanded my rights. Being poor is a choice you make. Goverment has no right to hand your money off to somone else. What are we telling people if we do that? We are telling them it doesn't matter what you do there will always be a handout for you? There is no need to better yourself because the guy next door will pay for you. The U.S. IS the BEST country to live in and I think we all need to appreciate the FREEDOM we have here. We have the right to think for ourselves and to choose our own healthcare and doctors. We have the right to succeed or fail. To that I say GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!! I wouldn't want to live anywhere else and I say to all those that want socialism move to where they have it. If you don't want freedom then get out.
4horsemen

Just one question:
How did the govt of the USA survive from 1776 to 1913?
There was no income tax this entire time. Interestingly the Federal Reserve was also created in 1913 since which time $1 has lost 95% of its store of value.
Tax is a misnomer. Tax=confiscation. The same way that "credit" means debt. Inflation is a hidden tax created by both Democrats and Republicans by their spending (of your income, not "taxes") on programs, many of which are unnecessary or inefficient. At least, the Republicans mention reduction of spending. This means some of the unjustified entitlement programs are going to get cut. Of course bureaucrats dont like that. Consider California's deficit is MORE than the entire budget of every state except New York.
Where the hell did all that money go? Where was the surplus suctioned off to? My streets are worse off, my cities infrastructure hasnt been upgraded, no new libraries or schools, more people in prison but fewer cops, food is higher, gas, Twin Towers is a scrap heap in New Jersey. That is what I pay "tax" for.
I am so very weary of hearing about "poor" and "rich" and how unfair things are.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carnegie/timeline/timeline2.html
Just think, he did not pay ANY tax on that $500,000,000. Guess there was no "poor" people then.
Or maybe that he was not thought of as "poor" when he made $8.00/month
If you dont have what you think you should (or think you deserve) in life, it may not be because you dont work hard, but that you have not worked hard long enough. But dont tell me you work as hard as Mr Carnegie, or that times are tougher than when he made his money. The most socio-economic downtrodden person in Harlem is light years ahead of where Mr Carnegie started.
Even Mr. Locke. Grandfather came to this country from China. No family. Not knowing English. No employment. No education. And in less than 3 generations his grandson is Governor of Washington.
Will your grandson/granddaughter be Governor? Not unless you and them work your a$$ off.
In short whatever you want whether its a 50" plasma TV, or a can of Spam, the United States of America is your best chance to get it. Never in the whole history of man has the opportunity to change your life been so great as today. Legally. However, keep taxing business and people who take steps to improve their lives and pumping fiat $$$ into the system to fund these "justice for all" programs, and well, you'll still be complaining. Except it will be about how difficult it is to get into the drug trade in Juarez, Mexico and getting your "fair chance" at untaxed illegal drug profits.
reporter

last night i could have fell asleep...blahblahblah war blahblahblah hydrogen car blahblah aids in Africa blahblahblah tax reductions blahblahblah...
Hydrogen cars from the Oil Man? Yeah, right...I've got a bridge for sale in Brooklyn...1 dollar as is...you fix it
It's like the prez and Congress were on autopilot last night...until I noticed the groups of people NOT applauding everytime he opened his propagandizing mouth.
Those must be the White Knights...thank God for them...Bush's approval rating went from 34% to 35% last night, big deal.
NESARA NOW!
Anyway, time to rock in 20 minutes the CBC is going to show some REAL journalism!!! I just woke up now. Good morning! Time to fire up the digital recorder!
Scarlet

Amen 4horseman!!!!
IronGland

It is a proven fact the desire to succeed is higher in the U.S. than Europe because of the fact that all your money is taken.
How would one prove something like this? Did they poll Europeans and Americans and have them rate their 'desire to succeed' on a scale of 1 to 10 and the americans gave it an 8 while europeans gave it a 5?
Scarlet

The report was done on a Major news station about 3 years back. I can't remember which one but it was quite interesting. It talked about how behind Europe was technology wise to United States becasue people are not allowed to work long hours everything is regulated. You have to take so much vacation per year. You are only allowed to work 35 hours a week. There is no strive because your whole life is regulated. You are told what you are going to do and how you are going to live.
Edited by - Scarlet on 29 January 2003 20:51:15
IronGland

Im not sure that a news report on a phrase as nebulous as 'desire to succeed' can be considered a 'proven fact'. Define succeed.
IMHO the more tax breaks you give to corporations the more money they have for their employees.
That's the theory. I wonder how often tax breaks given to corporations actually reaches the employees, aside from not giving the corporation an excuse to lay them off.
You have to take so much vacation per year. You are only allowed to work 35 hours a week. There is no strive because your whole life is regulated. You are told what you are going to do and how you are going to live.
The Horror! It must be awful to get to have time to spend with your family. What a bunch of losers. Thank God I live in a country where I work 50 hrs a week 'succeeding' and don't have to take any nasty ole vacations. I have a friend in germany. I know she hates having her life regulated and having to take 2 week vacations in the black forest as well as having 3 more weeks of vacation to dispose of. Oh well, at least my tax bill is a lower.
Edited by - irongland on 29 January 2003 21:2:13
Edited by - irongland on 29 January 2003 21:10:4
Edited by - irongland on 29 January 2003 21:12:26
bluesapphire

email says:
why should I PAY MORE than other people that are sitting on their lazy asses all day?!
Are you serious? This is so disgusting. What makes you think you WORK HARDER than anyone else? My husband works his ass off every single day. He works long hours during the week and takes on side jobs on the weekends. I work 40 hours a week. We make a combined income of $80K per year and WE BARELY MAKE ENDS MEET. We have three kids and another one on the way, a dog, a mortgage, two cars. Nothing out of the ordinary. But you know what! We hardly get to save for retirement, let alone purchase divideds. We can't even save for college educations for our kids. They'll be going to state schools if they don't get scholarships. I want to ask you something; DOES IT SOUND LIKE WE SIT ON OUR ASSES ALL DAY?
You know what makes me sick. It makes me sick when a guy like my husband has to work overtime for "comp time" (that he never gets to take) so that his boss's bottom line will be higher so he can invest more money, take more vacations, buy more Mercedes Benz's, etc. etc. Those are the guys who are buying stocks. If we were to buy stocks they might be a few. These guys are the ones who are making the money off the backs of HARD WORKING guys like my husband and buying the majority of the stocks. The assholes who can't even follow the labor laws. I say fuck them! They should carry the burden of the taxes. The more you earn, the more you SHOULD PAY!

The State of the Union

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