Comments on: The State of the Union: Opening the Debate of 2012 http://www.deliberatelyconsidered.com/2012/01/the-state-of-the-union-opening-the-debate-of-2012/ Informed reflection on the events of the day Wed, 15 Jul 2015 17:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.23 By: Scott http://www.deliberatelyconsidered.com/2012/01/the-state-of-the-union-opening-the-debate-of-2012/comment-page-1/#comment-23426 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:42:00 +0000 http://www.deliberatelyconsidered.com/?p=11254#comment-23426 One thing that struck me about Obama’s speech is the rhetoric he used to justify his spending programs. While referring to it as “investing” rather than “spending” he consistently framed this in terms of national greatness, while always looking out for #1 be it education or clean energy technology. You think such a nationalist tone would appeal to Republicans, yet they think of things in terms of Biblical morality and free-market ideology, a strange brew to be sure. As long as we hold to these principles, America will always be God’s favorite country. (God evidently is also against raising taxes on the rich.)

And think the phrase “No bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts…” is actually as conservative as it gets, but I think it could appeal to some Liberal as well. Yet I worry about Obama’s ability (or resoluteness) to follow through on such an ideal. Remember, we’ve heard much of this before. It’s really up to us to hold him to his word.

]]> By: Darini Nicholas http://www.deliberatelyconsidered.com/2012/01/the-state-of-the-union-opening-the-debate-of-2012/comment-page-1/#comment-23364 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:58:00 +0000 http://www.deliberatelyconsidered.com/?p=11254#comment-23364 Jeff, I agree with you that Obama’s speech “was elegantly crafted and delivered” and that he did indeed focus on fairness, but might I add that it was really a very good campaign speech! Whether his strategies really hold weight will have to stand the test of time. I did watch it live streaming last evening, since it was a “media event” but also because there’s so much at stake. I appreciate your analysis in how you broke it down to show O’s centrist agenda. This political theatre wouldn’t have been even half as interesting if not for OWS, and we are only seeing its impact just beginning to unfurl…

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