January 25, 2007
The State of Our Goverment
From the United States Constitution
“The President shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge neccessary and expedient.” (Article II, Section 3)
If The State of the Union address is a cheer fest based on lies and empty rhetoric why bother?
The President has dismissed many aspects of the Constitution, why not this ceremonial waste of time?
Congress doesn't seem all that interested in truth. The President is incapapable of telling the truth so don't watch our government fail us right in front of our eyes on 10 different channels, let's get rid of them, again.
From Campaign For America's Future
The Real State of The Union
Education:
•2005 State of the Union:" We'll make it easier for Americans to afford a college education, by increasing the size of Pell Grants."
•2004 State of the Union:" I propose larger Pell grants for students who prepare for college with demanding courses in high school."
• Average cost of a public four-year college in 2000, annual: $9,958
• Average cost of a public four-year college in 2006, annual: $12,796
• Maximum Pell grant in 2001 school year: $3,750 1a
• Maximum Pell grant in 2006 school year (inflation adjusted): $3,558
Healthcare:
•2006 State of the Union:" Keeping America competitive requires affordable health care. Our government has a responsibility to provide health care for the poor and the elderly, and we are meeting that responsibility. For all Americans, we must confront the rising cost of care, strengthen the doctor-patient relationship, and help people afford the insurance coverage they need."
•2005 State of the Union: "we must make health care more affordable, and give families greater access to good coverage"
•2004 State of the Union:" To make insurance more affordable, Congress must act to address rapidly rising health care costs."
•2003 State of the Union:" Our second goal is high quality, affordable health care for all Americans."
•2001 State of the Union: "Many working Americans do not have health care coverage, so we will help them buy their own insurance with refundable tax credits."
• Americans without health insurance, 2000: 38.2 million
• Americans without health insurance, 2005: 46.6 million
• Average monthly worker contribution for family coverage, 2000: $135
• Average monthly worker contribution for family coverage, 2006: $248
• Percentage of annual bankruptcies due to medical bills: 55%
Energy:
•2006 State of the Union: "Keeping America competitive requires affordable energy. And here we have a serious problem: America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world. The best way to break this addiction is through technology."
•2005 State of the Union: "To keep our economy growing, we also need reliable supplies of affordable, environmentally responsible energy"
•2004 State of the Union: "Consumers and businesses need reliable supplies of energy to make our economy run -- so I urge you to pass legislation to modernize our electricity system, promote conservation, and make America less dependent on foreign sources of energy."
•2003 State of the Union:" Our third goal is to promote energy independence for our country, while dramatically improving the environment"
•2002 State of the Union:" Good jobs also depend on reliable and affordable energy. This Congress must act to encourage conservation, promote technology, build infrastructure, and it must act to increase energy production at home so America is less dependent on foreign oil."
•2001 State of the Union: "We can promote alternative energy sources and conservation, and we must. America must become more energy-independent, and we will."
• Average price of home heating oil on January 3, 2000: $1.15/gallon
• Average price of home heating oil on January 1, 2007: $2.42/gallon
• Increase in average price since January 2000, percent: 110%
• Average price of a gallon of gasoline on January 3, 2000: $1.31
• Average price of a gallon of gasoline on January 1, 2007: $2.38 7
• Increase in the average price since January 2000, percentage: 82%
• ExxonMobil profits in 2000: $7.9 billion
• ExxonMobil profits in 2006: $36.1 billion
• ExxonMobil's profit during the second quarter of 2006, per second: $1,318
• America's Annual Consumption of Gasoline (million of barrels per day) 2000: 8.472
• America's Annual Consumption of Gasoline (million of barrels per day) 2005: 9.125
Incomes:
• Median household income in 2000: $47,599
• Median household income in 2005: $46,326
• Decrease from 2000-2005: $1,273
• Salary full-time minimum wage employee without vacation, 2006: $10,712
• Average time for top CEOs to earn that sum, hours: 2.06
• Federal minimum wage in 2000: $5.15/hr
• Federal minimum wage in 2006: $5.15/hr
• Loss in purchasing power, full time worker annually: $1,562
Climate:
•Year Bush stated that the emission targets of the Kyoto Protocol were "not based upon science": 2000
•Decrease in NASA budget for Earth science and observation in real dollars since 2000, percentage: 30%
• Year with US highest average temperature ever recorded: 2006
Iraq War:
•2006 State of the Union:" Fellow citizens, we are in this fight to win, and we are winning."
•2006 State of the Union:" As we make progress on the ground, and Iraqi forces increasingly take the lead, we should be able to further decrease our troop levels -- but those decisions will be made by our military commanders, not by politicians in Washington, D.C."
•2005 State of the Union: "As those [Iraqi] forces become more self-reliant and take on greater security responsibilities, America and its coalition partners will increasingly be in a supporting role."
•2004 State of the Union:" Month by month, Iraqis are assuming more responsibility for their own security and their own future."
•2004 State of the Union: "Already, the Kay Report identified dozens of weapons of mass destruction-related program activities and significant amounts of equipment that Iraq concealed from the United Nations"
•2003 State of the Union: "The British government has learned that Saddam has WMD"
•2003 State of the Union:" [Saddam Hussein] clearly has much to hide."
•2003 State of the Union: "Saddam Hussein has gone to elaborate lengths, spent enormous sums, taken great risks to build and keep weapons of mass destruction."
• Number of US troops killed in Iraq prior to "Mission Accomplished" speech in 2003: 139
• Number of US troops killed in Iraq as of January 22, 2007: 3,056
• Number of Iraqi civilians killed in 2006, according to the United Nations: 34,452
• Number of US troops wounded in Iraq prior to "Mission Accomplished" speech in 2003: 542
• Number of US troops wounded in Iraq as of January 10, 2007: 22,834
• Total US military expenditures (including Iraq/Afghanistan) in 2006: $522 billion
(Includes China, Russia, the UK, Japan, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Italy, and Australia)
•US Federal Discretionary Budget spent on Military not including Iraq, in 2006, percentage: 48.7%
•Amount spent on Education, percentage: 6.7%
Why is it that the "State of The Union", has little factual information to allow the American people to acurately judge the state of our union?
Why can't congress ask for and receive facts from the President?
Why do they seem content to be spoon fed crap and ask for more?
The Democrats act like neutered, yes men, more interested in politicking than representing the voting people. The Republican party who march in lockstep with the most incompetent President in recent history, act like they're nothing more than corporate whores who rely on think tanks and CEO's to dole out policy.
Our government is in need of whosale changes. While they baby step towards reform we lose our representation, our power and our voice in government.
Do not vote based on party. Register as an Independent. Force all candidates to beg for your vote. Give your vote to whoever will make the sweeping changes our government really needs.
Let's get rid of them again.
Andre M. Hernandez,
EXCELLENT !
Great points !
Lots of good information there !
The then-and-now comparisons are quite revealing.
Please allow me to add to the list of serious issues that are still not being adequately addressed.
Our government is in need of wholesale changes. While they baby step towards reform, we lose our representation, our power and our voice in government.You’re right. We no longer have time to waste. Our troops deserve much better. The irresponsible incumbent politicians just don’t get it yet. And I am worried that the continued inaction of our irresponsible elected politicians in Congress will hasten and increase the painful consequeces. For somethings, it is already too late.
More education (like your article) is needed.
In a voting nation, an educated electorate is paramount.
Must we wait until the lesson is most painful ?
Andre,
Really great article. It’s nice to see others look beyond the pomp and circumstance.
“The Democrats act like neutered, yes men, more interested in politicking than representing the voting people.”
That’s unfortunately all too true of a number of Democrats. I almost swallowed my teeth when Kucinich extended his hand to Bush, and I don’t even have false teeth :)
Posted by: KansasDem at January 25, 2007 01:16 PMgw,
There are many fine people that can run the Government.
The problem is that the Congress we have is still 90% of the same bunch that was there before. So, why do so many think it has suddenly turned over a new leaf?
Especially when our most pressing problems are still NOT being adequately addressed ?
What Andre M. Hernandez wrote above (and he is 100% right), is that there are still too many in Congress that don’t yet get it, that are still more interested in things other than the most important things facing the nation.
Based on 30+ years track-record, events just since 07-Nov-2006, and 90% of Congress are the same incumbents that were there before the election, it is essentially still:
- the same teams (merely taking turns being the IN PARTY and OUT PARTY)
- the same players (90% were re-elected)
- the same old game
- the same old results (the nation’s problems still go ignored)
And, unfortunately, voters are likely to keep doing just that, until the consequences of it become too painful.
And they will.
Some of our lessons are already on the way.
In a voting nation, an educated electorate is paramount, and the voters will get it one way or another.
Sooner would be better than later.
Andre M. Hernandez,
You should be commended for your objectivity and ability to see the things you outlined above.
However, you will run up against a lot of resistance from both sides.
But don’t worry.
What you are recommending is exactly what will happen in the end when voters have finally had enough.
In a voting nation, an educated electorate is paramount, and voters will get their painful education.
It’s already in the pipeline.
Much of it is already unavoidable.
The voters will be motivated by the painful consequences of their own negligence for blindly, continually rewarding irresponsible incumbent politicians by repeatedly re-electing them.
Stop Repeat Offenders !
Stop Rewarding them by Repeatedly Re-Electing them.
gw,
BTW, I completely with your statement:
gw wrote:
We are like children who did not get what they wanted for Xmas.Spoild Rotten Adults that will never agree on anything Important!!
It sad, but true.
I believe it is a cycle.
But it can’t last forever.
There is something that finally slows the decline.
It’s pain.
American voters will eventually stop rewarding irresponsible incumbent politicians when doing so becomes too painful.
And we are approaching that time.
However, it may take a long time.
It’s 2.000 steps forward, and 1.999 steps backward.
Sometimes we make a large leap forward.
Sometimes we gradually slip backwards.
We’ve been going backwards for a while (30+ years).
The pain of those consequences are starting to be felt, but they could get much, much more painful before the electorate finally figures it out.
GREAT POST!
Probably the worst empty promise to my mind was the promise of funds to NYC after 9/11 that never materialized.
This would make a great website. Promises made - tabs on the results.
Posted by: Max at January 25, 2007 03:56 PMLook, if you dont like the fact that the american people voted in president bush and the fact that he tried to do things during the last congress (and the congress bebofe that) but was held back by dems giving fillibusters, and other nonsense holdups then you can to some foreign place and start up your own little world were everything is perfect and the president of your country is some jolly happy fellow with no stress. When you have yop our own little perfect la la land then you can complaign about the man we elected. but until then maybe you should consider the fact that the dems were so rude during the speech and didnt give their boss any ovation for his goals that you guys will screw up worse then everything else he has proposed.
Posted by: jonh at January 25, 2007 08:25 PMLook, Andre why don’t you try using paragraphs of trainwrecked thoughts to articulate your views instead of using some high faluting easy to understand bulletin style memo fancy pants what i cant understand is why cant people understand that i like the smell of poop and dumb presidents look this isnt candyland and when the president messes up or lies im just gonna say thiss isn’t candyland cause this in’t candyland and real men have to make decisions that somtimes they cant be hald accountalbel for personallt me I like cheerfests and if we all clap our hands and say yesh then we will give our soldiers the edge they need to win this war dont you understand the all the left has is celebrities using there overly sensitive artistic minds to distract people from the way things are and them weak by alerting them to sissy causes and feelings boy this feels good anyway bubba coundn’t do any better
Posted by: darren159 at January 25, 2007 09:05 PMDarren159:
WOW! amazing you are so funny! i have to say though very true!! Get over it the mistakes and help win the war! Amen!
Only 21,500 troops won’t “win the war”.
MANDATORY RENEWABLE ENERGY – THE ENERGY EVOLUTION –R11
In order to insure energy and economic independence as well as better economic growth without being blackmailed by foreign countries, our country, the United States of America’s Utilization of Energy sources must change.
“Energy drives our entire economy.” We must protect it. “Let’s face it, without energy the whole economy and economic society we have set up would come to a halt. So you want to have control over such an important resource that you need for your society and your economy.” The American way of life is not negotiable.
Our continued dependence on fossil fuels could and will lead to catastrophic consequences.
The federal, state and local government should implement a mandatory renewable energy installation program for residential and commercial property on new construction and remodeling projects with the use of energy efficient material, mechanical systems, appliances, lighting, etc. The source of energy must by renewable energy such as Solar-Photovoltaic, Geothermal, Wind, Biofuels, etc. including utilizing water from lakes, rivers and oceans to circulate in cooling towers to produce air conditioning and the utilization of proper landscaping to reduce energy consumption. (Sales tax on renewable energy products should be reduced or eliminated)
The implementation of mandatory renewable energy could be done on a gradual scale over the next 10 years. At the end of the 10 year period all construction and energy use in the structures throughout the United States must be 100% powered by renewable energy. (This can be done by amending building code)
In addition, the governments must impose laws, rules and regulations whereby the utility companies must comply with a fair “NET METERING‎ (the buying of excess generation from the consumer at market price), including the promotion of research and production of “renewable energy technology‎ with various long term incentives and grants. The various foundations in existence should be used to contribute to this cause.
A mandatory time table should also be established for the automobile industry to gradually produce an automobile powered by renewable energy. The American automobile industry is surely capable of accomplishing this task. As an inducement to buy hybrid automobiles (sales tax should be reduced or eliminated on American manufactured automobiles).
This is a way to expedite our energy independence and economic growth. (This will also create a substantial amount of new jobs). It will take maximum effort and a relentless pursuit of the private, commercial and industrial government sectors commitment to renewable energy – energy generation (wind, solar, hydro, biofuels, geothermal, energy storage (fuel cells, advance batteries), energy infrastructure (management, transmission) and energy efficiency (lighting, sensors, automation, conservation) (rainwater harvesting, water conservation) (energy and natural resources conservation) in order to achieve our energy independence.
“To succeed, you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality.”
Jay Draiman, Energy Consultant
Northridge, CA. 91325
Jan. 25, 2007
P.S. I have a very deep belief in America’s capabilities. Within the next 10 years we can accomplish our energy independence, if we as a nation truly set our goals to accomplish this.
I happen to believe that we can do it. In another crisis—the one in 1942—President Franklin D. Roosevelt said this country would build 60,000 [50,000] military aircraft. By 1943, production in that program had reached 125,000 aircraft annually. They did it then. We can do it now.
The American people resilience and determination to retain the way of life is unconquerable and we as a nation will succeed in this endeavor of Energy Independence.
Solar energy is the source of all energy on the earth (excepting volcanic geothermal). Wind, wave and fossil fuels all get their energy from the sun. Fossil fuels are only a battery which will eventually run out. The sooner we can exploit all forms of Solar energy (cost effectively or not against dubiously cheap FFs) the better off we will all be. If the battery runs out first, the survivors will all be living like in the 18th century again.
Every new home built should come with a solar package. A 1.5 kW per bedroom is a good rule of thumb. The formula 1.5 X’s 5 hrs per day X’s 30 days will produce about 225 kWh per bedroom monthly. This peak production period will offset 17 to 24 cents per kWh with a potential of $160 per month or about $60,000 over the 30-year mortgage period for a three-bedroom home. It is economically feasible at the current energy price and the interest portion of the loan is deductible. Why not?
Title 24 has been mandated forcing developers to build energy efficient homes. Their bull-headedness put them in that position and now they see that Title 24 works with little added cost. Solar should also be mandated and if the developer designs a home that solar is impossible to do then they should pay an equivalent mitigation fee allowing others to put solar on in place of their negligence. (Installation should be paid “performance based‎)
Installation of renewable energy and its performance should be paid to the installer and manufacturer based on “performance based” (that means they are held accountable for the performance of the product - that includes the automobile industry). This will gain the trust and confidence of the end-user to proceed with such a project; it will also prove to the public that it is a viable avenue of energy conservation.
Installing renewable energy system on your home or business increases the value of the property and provides a marketing advantage.
Nations of the world should unite and join together in a cohesive effort to develop and implement MANDATORY RENEWABLE ENERGY for the sake of humankind and future generations.
Jay Draiman
Northridge, CA 91325
Email: renewableenergy2@msn.com
Look, if you dont like the fact that the american people voted in president bush and the fact that he tried to do things during the last congress (and the congress bebofe that) but was held back by dems giving fillibusters, and other nonsense holdups then you can to some foreign place and start up your own little world were everything is perfect and the president of your country is some jolly happy fellow with no stress.Just because some voted for Bush doesn’t mean he has a free rein to screw up everything possible, defy the majority of Americans that don’t agree with him, and the majority of Congress that no longer agrees with him. Especially since Bush and Cheney are out of touch and only interested in salvaging their failed legacies, no matter how many have to die to prove it.
If Bush is allowed to continue with more blunders (and there’s no reason to think the blunders will now end), there will most likely be more death and destruction.
Also, is it the right thing for our troops?
Should our troops be used this way?
How many more U.S. troops must die and be maimed to salvage Bush’s failed legacy.
Is Iraq salvagable?
The quagmire in Iraq is not making the U.S. safer.
It’s time to start pulling out of Iraq.
Most Iraqis don’t want us there anyway.
Most U.S. troops don’t want us there either.
- Most Iraqis polled want us to leave (who can blame them?). 82% of Iraqis “strongly oppose” the continuing occupation, and 45% of Iraqis feel attacks against coalition troops are justified! The battle for hearts and minds has already been lost!
- A poll of U.S. troops in Iraq (released by the Zogby International polling firm) finds that 72% of American troops serving in Iraq think the U.S. should leave Iraq.
- In March of 2006, 25% of U.S. troops said the U.S. troops should leave Iraq immediately.
- Our troops deserve better. It’s not right to subject our troops to danger for nation-building and baby-sitting civil wars. Iraq will have their civil war with or without us.
The cost will be enormous (money and the lives of Iraqis and U.S. and coalition troops).
Posted by: d.a.n at January 26, 2007 07:30 PMAmericares is and has been doing great work in providing medicines and physician services to those that don’t have it. Perhaps together the potential synergy could provide even greater advantages. WBR LeoP
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