Years ago I was working on a research project for a firm I was working with at the time. The project had to do with tax legislation that had passed and I was one of a group working on what is known as a “technical correction” which is the process whereby newly enacted tax law is reviewed and compared with existing tax law identifying conflicts so that they can be, well, corrected. I recall reading through hundreds of pages looking for anomalies and “marking up” line after line and at one point I was summoned by the lead person of the group who looked at what I was doing and said, “Gee wiz Curtis, we’re supposed to look for corrections no re-write the entire tax code!” To which I replied, “Yes I know but this is such a mess and with each section I find what seems to be a near endless series of contradiction. I can’t quite figure out were to stop!”
With consideration to the Presidents State of The Union address, I find myself with the exact same conclusion!
There has been and will continue to be many commentaries relating to the Presidents performance and I confess, I truly do admire Mr. Obama’s oratory skills. He is, in deed, extraordinarily gifted and I mean that with all sincerity. However, as to depth and relevance of content, the presentation was pure Political Theater complete with circus-like reverie executed with near surgical like precision. So much so that I’ve actually delayed releasing my comments for many of the same reasons I had resolved to when reviewing tax code. Where do you stop?
There were several points (from his speech) which ulimately compelled me to post this commentary though there is one in particular, a memory which stirred suddenly and it was from the 1979 movie “Animal House” and the scene where the “Delta House” Fraternity was attempting to defend themselves against expulsion. It is a short clip and one I would suggest watching as it is both “entertaining” and “telling” at the same time. I believe it to be a wonderful parody and acutely symbolic of the Political Era we currently face. I’ve considered that, as you will see at the end of the “clip” were “Eric Stratton” comments about “…bad mouthing America…”, the Presidents speech writers may actually have been inspired by these closing comments! You be the judge!
As to content, much of which is discussed in detail throughout my 3 Book Series “Blind Vision”, the speech (content) violates multiple fundamental principals as to our form of Government, Economy Structure, Political Realities, Social and Legal components, to name but a few. What follows are a few points, with comments inserted, that I have extracted from the Presidents actual speech representing those I found to be most conspicuously culpable. They are as follows:
- “Banking Proposal” – Comment: There will be no functional and systemic correction in Banking Practices unless these institutions are confined to the Business of Banking. As a starting pint, the “Financial Modernization Act of 1999” needs to be repealed. Then we must move smartly to address the abuses of the FED and the Security and Exchange Commission. There needs to be punitive measures for abuses and they need to be enforced. The suggestion that had the government not bailed out “Wall Street” the U.S. Financial System would have collapsed is completely inaccurate and quite frankly, completely contrary to one fundamental fact that is always overlooked: The Federal Reserve prints the money, not Wall Street!
- “Job Creation” – Comment: Government has nothing to give that it first doesn’t TAKE from somewhere else, that’s a fact. The Jobs this Country requires are not “wealth consuming” occupations created by government but “Wealth Creating” occupations that are only ever developed in the private sector (see Volume II of the Blind Vision Series entitled “Value Given, Value Received”). Anything short of this (these types of jobs) represents Government extracting wealth from the economic system and perpetuating Deficit Spending Practices and the consequential effects. It should be understood that nearly 5/8ths of the U.S. Economy is Government Spending and barely 1/3 is actually productive (non-service based). The average annual salary, including benefits, for a federal employee is $79,000/year vs. $49,000 for the private sector. Does this make sense to you? Is there any surprise that the U.S. Economy is in the position that it is? Last point, unemployment is not 10%, it is actually just over 18%! If you count the “self-employed” business owners (using “business closure statistics” and dissecting “bankruptcy filings”), the numbers move in to a staggering 28% range!
- “Increase Exports” – Comment: Not likely. Isn’t it ironic (I wonder if anyone noticed) that Steve Jobs, on the very day of the Address, announced Apple Computer’s new “iPad”? A product manufactured in Malaysia (or China) that will be consumed (“wealth consumption”) by Americans with no economic benefit to the U.S. Economic system! Our success in exporting will occur only from “value added” product manufactured in the U.S. This process is what produces sustainable economic health and not by increasing the exports of scrap steel from dismantled U.S. Naval Vessels paid for by the U.S. Taxpayer! Welcome to the Progressive vision of Globalism!
- “Jobs Bill” a.k.a “Stimulus Package II” – Comment: These programs simply use “smoke and mirror economics” to both income shift and target benefit to specific pet political advantages. They are not and have never proven to be functionally and systemically beneficial. In good conscience, how can we expect the government to perform beyond its own failures? Unredeemable in form and irreconcilable as to Function! You want to create true wealth in this Country, a true Job base? Then you’ll have to start at the foundation and build from there. It’s “bottom up” economics and not “top down” economics that create sustainable growth. Like breathing, there are no substitutes! I discuss this fully in Volume II: “Value Given, Value Received”.
- “Education” – Comment: Another example of government feeding its own addiction. Let me get this straight! We’re going to subsidize the labor pool of Government Service and then forgive the education costs? The Taxpayer pays for the cost of education and the lifetime wage, health and retirement benefits for the newly entitled bureaucrat? Something for nothing is the best you can do Mr. President? Our Nations approach to education requires a complete Overhaul and we should start with the primary pathogen, excising the influences of the Teachers Unions who clearly have demonstrated total indifference to education and the requisite standards of excellence. In their place should be “target driven” performance requirements in lieu of mandate driven failure! “No Child Left Behind?” How about we try: “Equip a Child for Success!”
- “Health Care” – Comment: There is and will never be a salient and functional resolution to health care in this country until the following 3 issues are resolved: Medicaid/Medicare/Social Security, Pharmaceutical Company Influences and a clear and ultimate understanding that Government is incapable of managing Health Care Administration of any kind. There is however, one solid and functional solution, I describe it in great detail in Volume III of the Blind Vision Series: “Valor In Prosperity”. What the Public is not being told, among many relevant issues, are two critical facts: (1.) The Health Care System has been driven to failure by excessive cost burdens of Government driven programs who shift unfunded reimbursements to the Private System. And, (2.) The Public and Private Unions whose own financial excess have made their obscenely benevolent benefits programs financial unsustainable and these programs, under the proposed Federal program, costs will be absorbed at your expense, both in quality of care and their actual costs. From Cradle to the enforced Grave!
- “Supreme Court” – Comment: I have serious issues with the Supreme Court to be sure however, it is still the highest court of the land and our Constitution, being the “Supreme Law of the Land”, places the Court as the final and ultimate arbiter of said document. I find it ironic that an alleged Constitutional Law Professor (Mr. Obama) understands so little of it. He needs to be reminded that you don’t “re-litigate” the U.S. Constitution, it is absolute and altered only by the Consent of the Governed, not the Court(s) and most certainly NOT by a U.S. President whose very Oath expressly requires him to defend said document! His chiding the Justices in the manner in which he did reminds me of Roosevelt’s similar bludgeoning of the Court. Moreover, Mr. Obama’s comments are, summarily, a complete misstatement of the Courts Opinion. However, unlike others, I have no issue with the President addressing the Court in the fashion he did as they too need to be held accountable, however, one needs to have their facts straight if the intent is constructive in nature.
- “Super Majority” – Comments: Well the Democrats have control of both Houses and still fail to pass legislation. This is more a function of poor legislation than Politics though it is more true to say that it is wretched Political Antics that created the problem in the first place. Expressing utter contempt for Constitutional Government, the President says he’ll solve the problem by “Executive Order”! That’s Marxism and I’ve nothing more to say on the subject, the truth of the statement is all that need be known!
If you want to see the picture, the TRUE picture of the U.S. Economy then I advise that one watch this video on Detroit, Michigan. Nice work Steven Crowder! I can speak personally, as an endorsement, to the substance of this Reporters observations and he’s being rather “kind”! This is the face of Government excess, this is the face of Progressive Ideology in action, completely self-serving and supremely detached from reality.
I sat and watched the Presidents speech, I tuned in to the “Republi-crats” response, I’ve listened to various Media-Pundits and I am perplexed by their approach in addressing what they believe to be key points. They all talk about “it” but that never say what “it” is and further, and worse, not a one dare offer a specific recommendation or enumerate a cogent discourse as to a plan to recover what has clearly been lost! Universally, their comments revolve about or within the construct of Democrat or Republican policy (only) as if to say, the only choices made available are the ones we Offer! Has the message offered by the People of Massachusetts still not reaching the spongy tissue lodged between their two ears?
Moreover, a luxury I’ve been afforded by delaying a comment is that I’ve been able to look at “post” Speech polling data and I’m even more discouraged! How can the 80% “speech approval” numbers be accurate? I’d love to know who they’re polling! Robots?
Well, at the risk of appearing self-serving, the entire Blind Vision Series is dedicated to calling “it” what it is and offering a specific and deliberate strategy for addressing the issues. You may not like it, you may think it over-reaching BUT you’ll not find a more thought provoking presentation from which to build a dialogue whose intention is to resolve, ultimately, to a functional solution. I do hope you’ll secure a copy of each of the 3 Volumes! The conversation has to start somewhere and it clearly is not going to happen at government levels and it will certainly not come from the Pundits! They’ve too much at stake, too much to protect for themselves and you are not included in the club!
Here’s an excerpt from Volume I:
“The people’s greatest torment is neither fear nor so much as the abandonment of their moral compass. No, it is more likely that it is their sense of duty and honor that has been corrupted by the complete and utter disbelief that their Own have so willingly and so recklessly violated their trust!”
In the end, all that really matters is to know that You do matter and that there are far too many Americans struggling from the direct effect of excess in practice whose cause lie squarely at the feet of the Federal Government, including the Supreme Court! In truth though, ulitimatly, it is Our Collective Fault!
Sadly though, “…you can’t fix what prefers to remain broken!” We must force a change in preferences to those that are the will of the People and not the will of the mob!
Yes, you matter, we “matter” immensely!
Change the conversation by insisting on it!
Engage!
Curtis C. Greco, Founder
