Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

DeSantis transforms Florida into 1930s Germany with gators and theme parks.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

The GOP is a fucking disgrace.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

White supremacy is terrorism.

Let’s finish the job.

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

I wonder if trump will be tried as an adult.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / SotU Address Open Thread #2: $10.10! MyRA!

SotU Address Open Thread #2: $10.10! MyRA!

by | 271 Comments

This post is in: ,

Still watching the Guardian liveblog, here.

Executive order to raise Federal service workers’ minium wage to $10.10/hour.

Some kind of “new savings bond” — per the Guardian:

The president announces a new savings bond designed to promote retirement savings. That’s not long after he was explaining how people who work full time should be able to make a living wage.

A Social Security check often isn’t enough on its own. And while the stock market has doubled over the last five years, that doesn’t help folks who don’t have 401ks. That’s why, tomorrow, I will direct the Treasury to create a new way for working Americans to start their own retirement savings: MyRA. It’s a new savings bond that encourages folks to build a nest egg. MyRA guarantees a decent return with no risk of losing what you put in.

**********

“This needs to be the year we close Guantanamo Bay!” YES!

**************
End of the speech:

My fellow Americans, men and women like Cory remind us that America has never come easy. Our freedom, our democracy, has never been easy. Sometimes we stumble; we make mistakes; we get frustrated or discouraged. But for more than two hundred years, we have put those things aside and placed our collective shoulder to the wheel of progress – to create and build and expand the possibilities of individual achievement; to free other nations from tyranny and fear; to promote justice, and fairness, and equality under the law, so that the words set to paper by our founders are made real for every citizen. The America we want for our kids – a rising America where honest work is plentiful and communities are strong; where prosperity is widely shared and opportunity for all lets us go as far as our dreams and toil will take us – none of it is easy. But if we work together; if we summon what is best in us, with our feet planted firmly in today but our eyes cast towards tomorrow – I know it’s within our reach.

Believe it.

God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

***********
Aaaaand I just sent $100 to Okiciyap. Which is as much as we can really afford right now, but I’m sure some of you will tell me if President Obama actually used the word “opportunity” more than that!

Reader Interactions

271Comments

  1. 1.

    ruemara

    That’s an interesting concept. I’d like to have a good finance guy really talk about what it means and the negatives.

  6. 6.

    Comrade Mary

    Oh wait — it actually does guarantee a decent return, not just safeguarding principal. Hmm. This will need some /splaining.

  9. 9.

    Elizabelle

    Think this is the best SOTU of recent memory.

    And good on mentioning wars in our interest, not the ones the terrorists want us to fight.

    Now: close GITMO. Yes, yes, yes.

  11. 11.

    max

    Oh, hey! Finally! They’re bringing back good old Treasury savings bonds! I wonder if you can get them at the post office?

    max
    [‘That’s a WWII thing, for one.’]

  14. 14.

    mdblanche

    Congress applauds closing Guantanamo. I’m guessing Congress’ approval of itself is around 27%.

  26. 26.

    dmsilev

    @Violet: He’s been that way for the last hour at least. At a guess, that pile of glasses in front of him aren’t filled with water.

  27. 27.

    Anoniminous

    How many times has Obama stood there and politely told Congress to shove it? I’ve got a count of 4 but I’m sure I’ve missed some.

  30. 30.

    Capt. Seaweed

    @Anya: I was not kidding, really. Throw up a few ads with PB, let the wingnuts feed on it and by the end of the day the whole world will know about this new program for personal retirement saving.

  31. 31.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Violet:

    I switched over to radio after the first 20-30 minutes, but when I was still watching, Boner was looking like he was trying to keep from spewing all over the Preznit’s well-tailored back.

  32. 32.

    PsiFighter37

    @ruemara: If it’s linked to some measure of inflation (like CPI) or some other floating rate, it could be a decent idea. If it’s fixed rate, it’s going to underperform substantially when interest rate markets sell off. And if people want to liquidate early, they’re going to be in for a rude surprise.

    Good concept, but I don’t think the government should be in the business of dictating the savings habits of its citizens.

  36. 36.

    Elizabelle

    @dmsilev:

    I am thinking the Speaker is wearing man-type Depends. How else to handle the fluid? It has to go somewhere, and he ain’t weeping.

    Yet.

  43. 43.

    Elizabelle

    @Anoniminous:

    How many times has Obama stood there and politely told Congress to shove it? I’ve got a count of 4 but I’m sure I’ve missed some.

    This is going to be a SOTU I read after the fact, and somewhat for that reason.

  46. 46.

    Corner Stone

    Beyond, “Congress: GFY” is there any one takeaway from this SOTU?
    It seemed all over the damned place.

  51. 51.

    Ash Can

    Interesting tweet just posted by commenters at LGF from, as far as I can tell, Michael Steele’s authentic account: “Obama slaps GOP upside the head on #Obamacare and pokes’em with a little Kentucky for good measure. #SOTU #ouch”

    All together, now: RINOOOOOOOO

  52. 52.

    max

    @PsiFighter37: If it’s linked to some measure of inflation (like CPI) or some other floating rate, it could be a decent idea. If it’s fixed rate, it’s going to underperform substantially when interest rate markets sell off. And if people want to liquidate early, they’re going to be in for a rude surprise.

    I’d assume it was a straight TIPS. Given the performance of most IRAs though a nominal payoff might not be bad either, *if* it can be cashed in with the government. (That is, not an ordinary T-Bill.)

    Good concept, but I don’t think the government should be in the business of dictating the savings habits of its citizens.

    Given the 401k/IRA ripoffs in frequent evidence, I don’t see how it’s going to hurt.

    max
    [‘The sums of money involved will be too small to matter much.’]

  61. 61.

    The Thin Black Duke

    Y’know, I’m really going to be interested in what Mr. Obama is going to say when he’s not President anymore and he can freely speak his mind. (“What’s the matter? Oh, you were finished. Well, allow me to retort.”)

  62. 62.

    Violet

    10h deployment. That’s just crazy. Good for him for his recovery. Wish he hadn’t had to go in the first place. Hope all who serve get the same benefits and help for their injuries.

  66. 66.

    Elizabelle

    Sustained applause for a wounded warrior. That’s appropriate, but it makes me sad that that is the only patriotism all sides agree on.

    I would say that our President, standing up for voting rights and for good stewardship of those who did not vote for him too, is every bit the patriot. Those who would not dare snark at a wounded warrior sharpen their claws on him.

    And PBO gets up every day and does it again.

  67. 67.

    PsiFighter37

    @max: True, but I’m still not sure what the difference is going to be between a regular Treasury note/bond and this. Maybe make it like a CD, where there’s some kind of early withdrawal penalty?

    The main problem is that you’re going to get into situations where people will claim the government stole their money if they have to sell their note early and they receive less than par back.

  68. 68.

    max

    @SiubhanDuinne: Savings stamps and Savings bonds. Oh yes, I remember.

    I still have my *great*-grandmother’s savings stamps booklet from WWII. (She didn’t finish filling it in. The war ended I think.)

    max
    [‘They got rid of them because Wall Street hates that kind of thing.’]

  76. 76.

    aangus

    TBogg ‏@tbogg 36s

    There are actually people out there who thought Obama would mention Snowden. These people also invest heavily in bitcoins. #RawSOTU

  78. 78.

    WaterGirl

    @Corner Stone: I agree, but I think that was a good thing. There are dozens of things we should be doing in this country, and I felt like he called out the republicans for standing in the way of all of it.

  80. 80.

    Elizabelle

    We got through without any “you lies” and outright disrespect.

    Gauntlet thrown down tonight, and no illusions about Congress. Who still has any, save some Broderists?

  81. 81.

    JGabriel

    President Obama:

    A Social Security check often isn’t enough on its own. And while the stock market has doubled over the last five years, that doesn’t help folks who don’t have 401ks. That’s why, tomorrow, I will direct the Treasury to create a new way for working Americans to start their own retirement savings: MyRA. It’s a new savings bond that encourages folks to build a nest egg.

    I don’t think a new savings bond is necessarily a bad idea, but I am concerned that it might be a distraction from increasing SS benefits.

    .

  82. 82.

    Ignaz Playel

    @max: perhaps its just a matter of taking I bonds, raising the base interest rate a little and keeping the inflation link.

  85. 85.

    max

    @PsiFighter37: The main problem is that you’re going to get into situations where people will claim the government stole their money if they have to sell their note early and they receive less than par back.

    It depends on what Trasury is trying to do – if they’re trying to suck up money to keep inflation low, that’s a problem. If they’re just issuing the equivalent of cash only to individuals (no sale to corps) then that seems fine. I’d think I’d structure it as a straight par value (that you can get back at any time) with an interest payoff schedule. (The sooner you cash in, the lower the interest return, with maybe an initial delay.)

    Something TIPish, but not quite.

    max
    [‘If they’re running it the assistance of the Federal Reserve, payouts aren’t a problem. On the other hand, they can do a locked bond with no payout prior to sale, but that would be weird, I think.’]

  86. 86.

    Violet

    @raven: Who pays attention to the military. Do Americans even know we’re at war? Do they know servicemembers and veterans? From what I’ve heard the general answer is no. That’s been a big problem–the disconnect between the majority of Americans and members of the military/veterans.

  90. 90.

    jl

    @Anya: Was thinking the same thing. Inspiring story of dedication, bravery and guts. But then I saw some of those old warmongers clapping…

  91. 91.

    ? Martin

    @PsiFighter37:

    True, but I’m still not sure what the difference is going to be between a regular Treasury note/bond and this.

    Well, Treasuries normally have a fixed maturity duration and the rate reflects that. You wouldn’t want that with this. Instead, you’d end up with some actuarially derived thing based on age. It’s a good idea in concept. The only real shortcoming of the idea is that right now, Treasuries don’t earn jack shit – in fact they are negative relative to inflation, but that’s likely a temporary situation.

    In macro, that is, from the government’s viewpoint – these probably look no different from Social Security, since they’re just buying Treasuries anyway. How they look to the individual is really all that matters.

  96. 96.

    Elizabelle

    @Violet:

    We should bring back the draft. It would save lives.

    Skin in the game. We don’t have enough of it, and fetishize those who do.

  99. 99.

    Keith G

    John King reports that the WH could give no details on the MyRA or how it might work.

    A McGuffin?

  100. 100.

    raven

    @Violet: There is a book by Phil Beidler called “Late Thoughts on an Old War”. It’s about Vietnam but he wrote it at the start of all this shit. ” “Don’t come home expecting anybody to remotely care”. We are too busy on our cell phones.”

  102. 102.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Steve Schmidt thought it was a conciliatory, non-partisan speech. I thought it was loaded with fuck you’s and flat-out mockery, including a couple shots at the jaw of his old boss and his sidekick.

  103. 103.

    Elizabelle

    K-thug on CNN. But it is CNN. To stay or to go?

    OTOH, don’t see Wolf Blitzer. That’s a hopeful sign.

    But: a silent Newt Gingrich on deck.

    And John King speaking now. “This town being so disfunctional.”

    Castellanos: If Republicans have any brains at all, they’ll respond in the same way.

  105. 105.

    Violet

    @JPL: I thought the speech was great. Giant FU to Congress. Lots of proposals for Democrats to unite behind. Populist. Good stuff. Plus the thumbs up from Boner and the President’s expression when that happened made the whole thing worthwhile.

  109. 109.

    Elizabelle

    Newt: Senator Tom Coburn has lost his cancer doctor.

    K-Thug: That’s a garbage story. (And Newt agrees …)

    More Krugman, please.

  110. 110.

    MikeJ

    Since Obama did not resign and hand over his office to a cabal of lesbian dulcimer players, I’m going to call this speech a failure.

  111. 111.

    Elizabelle

    Let’s go back to Wolf.

    Where the remote?

    Cathy McMorris Rogers up. Sitting on a gold sofa, in a black dress. Looking real Mad Men ish.

  114. 114.

    Anya

    Manchin: I didn’t sign the resolution with the intent to put it to vote. I signed to give the President a hammer. Give peace a chance. WTF?

  115. 115.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Here comes Cathy McMorris Rogers. NPR bills it as an “uplifting” speech about her own experiences.

  116. 116.

    Violet

    OMG, the SOTU response woman is sitting on a sofa by the fire. The setting makes her look like your mom or aunt.

  117. 117.

    Elizabelle

    She’s got a boxed American flag in background. LIke you get at a military funeral.

    And she’s in black.

    Who died?

  120. 120.

    Greg

    @max:

    It depends on what Trasury is trying to do – if they’re trying to suck up money to keep inflation low, that’s a problem. If they’re just issuing the equivalent of cash only to individuals (no sale to corps) then that seems fine. I’d think I’d structure it as a straight par value (that you can get back at any time) with an interest payoff schedule. (The sooner you cash in, the lower the interest return, with maybe an initial delay.)

    Part of the problem right now is that the Federal Reserve is giving huge amounts of free money to banks (“Quantitative Easing”), but then the banks aren’t loaning enough of it out, so the money isn’t circulating in the economy, making it not terribly effective.

    Could this be some sort of end run around the banks AND Congress to get some of that QE money in the hands of mostly middle class people who’ll actually spend it? If so, it doesn’t matter if people cash in early and the gov loses money by paying at par, because any individual investor doing so is sure to put the money directly into the economy much more efficiently than those same dollars used for QE.

  121. 121.

    dmsilev

    The GOP response appears to have been filmed in the meeting room of a funeral parlor, complete with memorial folded flag in the background.

  123. 123.

    Elizabelle

    A vision that empowers you, not the government.

    yeah, right. This could be good. Free market! A better future for every American. Uh huh.

  126. 126.

    Steeplejack

    Okay, Cathy McMorris Rodgers is going to make me vomit. Her rah-rah “America, fuck yeah!” intro with the vocal delivery of a really bad late-night Tony Robbins infomercial. Ugh.

  127. 127.

    Elizabelle

    Is she dropping Gs all over the place?

    Palin playbook?

    And she’s talking about jobs. Like they’ve supported any job legislation the President has ever proposed. Except military-related.

  128. 128.

    Violet

    This woman swallows loudly.

    Family member just leaned over and asked, “Is this an e-harmony ad?” Heh.

  132. 132.

    Anya

    Cathy McMorris Rogers sounds conciliatory and cheerful. Oh look, she sitting on the living room couch in front of the fire. Non threatening. They’re trying. She’s going to share “more hopeful republican promise”

  133. 133.

    JGabriel

    GOP response is up.

    Apparently, no one has ever explained the difference to McMorris-Rodgers between emoting on film/video and theater. She’s moving her cheeks and eyebrows so much it looks like she’s trying to reach the reach the cheap seats from the pitching mound in a baseball stadium.

  136. 136.

    WaterGirl

    @Steeplejack: Speaking of vocal delivery… did you see the lt. governor read her response to accusations by the mayor of hoboken? Weirdest delivery ever, I thought. (It was a few days ago, not tonight, but it was the first thing I thought of when I read your comment.)

  138. 138.

    MomSense

    Ok this rebuttal is like the annoying Christmas letter you get from that one “perfect family”.

  139. 139.

    magurakurin

    @Elizabelle:

    We should bring back the draft. It would save lives.

    yeah, the draft saved so many lives in Vietnam and made that war end so quickly.

    Also, too, will you, who are calling for a draft, be eligible? I hope so.

  141. 141.

    MomSense

    Ok this rebuttal is like the annoying Christmas letter you get from that one “perfect family”.

  142. 142.

    Elizabelle

    Child with Down’s Syndrome?

    He dances to Bruce Springsteen.

    We see all the things he can do, not the things he can’t.

    We are not defined by our limits, but by our potential.

    No policy prescriptions whatsoever in this speech. It’s perfect for following PBO’s “Congress, do your job” speech.

    She sees a gap. But guess who’s at fault? Guess that’s coming .

  143. 143.

    divF

    @Steeplejack:
    You’ve got to remember – the Repubs have the choice of presenting (1) no ideas or (2) bad ideas. The official GOP response from Rodgers is going to be (1), while everyone else on the other side will be presenting ever-loonier versions of (2).

  147. 147.

    Baud

    TBogg ‏@tbogg 38s

    Sarah Palin is sooooo pissed about Cathy McMorris Rodgers stealing her Downs baby story. #RawSOTU

  151. 151.

    Ruckus

    @PsiFighter37:

    Good concept, but I don’t think the government should be in the business of dictating the savings habits of its citizens.

    Sounds more like giving the option rather than dictating. And having a savings option that pays more than 1/2 to 3/4 percent wouldn’t be a bad idea. Might just beat the hell out of banks as a place for people to park some money. Depends on the details.

  153. 153.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Betty Cracker:

    O/T. How goes it with your mom? And your FIL? I’m so sorry your family has been doubly socked with distressing news in the last few days. Have been thinking about you with hope and affection.

  154. 154.

    Corner Stone

    @WaterGirl:

    did you see the lt. governor read her response to accusations by the mayor of hoboken? Weirdest delivery ever, I thought. (It was a few days ago, not tonight, but it was the first thing I thought of when I read your comment.)

    That was unspeakably not-believable. And when she changed to empathy for her “and to think anyone would do this with Sandy aid?”
    That was bullshit.

  157. 157.

    Betty Cracker

    @JPL: B+. I wanted more broadsides against the 1% leeches and for POTUS to lead us in a Pete Seeger protest song. But it was a strong speech.

    This GOP response is Jindal-class awful.

  158. 158.

    bago

    They’re still banging the obamacare drum.

    With this weird thing ignoring pre-existing conditions in a platitunizanza.

  159. 159.

    Violet

    She’s not very good at this response thingy. I’d believe her more if she was selling dishwashing liquid or demonstrating a recipe.

  161. 161.

    Elizabelle

    Republicans believe in a government that trusts people.

    That’s why pregnant braindead women in Texas are forced onto life support, and no one should ever have to pass a check to buy firearms.

  168. 168.

    Corner Stone

    Damn. You’re going to finish on the death of a soldier?
    What the ever loving fuck is wrong with you lady?

  171. 171.

    JGabriel

    Holy FSM, I feel like I’m watching a children’s show:

    Hi kids! Today, Cathy McMorris-Rodges hosts The Magic Garden!

    .

  172. 172.

    Boudica

    She hasn’t explained one of these many plans. Obama mentioned raising minimum to $10.10, talked about his MyRA bonds, actual concrete stuff.
    Oh…now she tells us the plan. She’s offering a prayer…..
    What a load of codswollop.

  175. 175.

    Anya

    She wants the president to listen “to you”. Well, America wants gun control, minimum wage increase, access to health care, etc.

  176. 176.

    Anoniminous

    @catclub:

    Thanks. I will.

    @Greg:

    The world is awash in cash. The banks have money running out of their years and US corporations have an estimated (by Forbes) $21 trillion off-shore. It’s not being put to productive use.

  177. 177.

    ? Martin

    Well, that was less terrible than the last few. But I didn’t realize that Cathy was the inspiration for Apple Jack on My Little Pony.

  179. 179.

    Anne Laurie

    @Violet: Still stealing from the Guardian:

    And here is Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, with the Republican response.

    It’s a fireside chat! She’s seated, on a couch, next to a literal fireplace.

    There’s no fire, which, giving the history of Republican stagecraft, is probably a good idea, because that couch would definitely be on fire.

  180. 180.

    RareSanity

    Well, they finally released Palinbot 2.0.

    I’m not that impressed…doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade.

  186. 186.

    WaterGirl

    @Corner Stone: Agree.

    Well, when you’ve already said “and if you tell anyone I said this I’ll say you’re lying”, it’s not a big surprise when she denies it. But the delivery was so bizarre.

  187. 187.

    Elizabelle

    @Anya:

    She wants the president to listen “to you”. Well, America wants gun control, minimum wage increase, access to health care, etc.

    Yes. But that’s not what the Republican brand is selling.

  188. 188.

    magurakurin

    @Elizabelle: I’m not the one calling for a draft. No, I’m not going to some fucked up war. I wouldn’t have gone when I was 18 and I’m damn sure not going now. But the idea that the draft will prevent war is pretty much proven false by history. Maybe if you are talking about universal conscription with absolutely no exceptions for everyone who turns 18. But Sparta wasn’t really that nice of a place. Not electing pinheads like GWB is a better plan.

  199. 199.

    RareSanity

    @catclub:

    Meh…I figure there is just about as much work to get elected to congress in the state of Washington as it is to get elected to governor of the state of Alaska.

    Once you get elected the first time, the amount of work to get re-elected is not as daunting…incumbency has its privileges.

    Toe-may-toe/Toe-mah-toe

  201. 201.

    Elizabelle

    @magurakurin:

    What would you do? We have a military that’s in many ways removed from mainstream American society. They are applauded in public and suffer in silence.

    They endure 10 deployments. Hello?

  204. 204.

    KG

    Flipped over to the Laker game, then because they were starting late, figured I’d check on the response. 8 seconds and I turned the channel. Just couldn’t bring myself to pay attention. Honestly, never understood the need responses, seems like a lose-lose situation

  205. 205.

    Aji

    Anee Laurie, I didn’t even have a count. We missed the first few minutes, as a matter of fact. So I’ll just say again: You rock. Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. [Which is better than it being from the bottom of Boehner’s glass. :-D]

  206. 206.

    WaterGirl

    @jl: They were playing it safe.

    She can’t have water because, Rubio. She can’t walk in to a room because, Jindal. No fire because republicans are scared of everything.

    There’s not much left but the awkward filmed christmas by the fire (less) chat.

  209. 209.

    JGabriel

    Anyone else get the feeling, while listening to Ted Cruz, that you’re looking at Eddie Haskell with Eddie Munster’s hair?

  210. 210.

    Elizabelle

    Ted Cruz has as much lipstick on as that emcee (Joel Grey?) from Cabaret?

    Selling the same schtick, too.

  212. 212.

    Anya

    So, we all know why the republicans chose Cathy McMorris Rodgers to deliver the republican response? A female, Downs baby, married to a solder.

  214. 214.

    jl

    @WaterGirl: I guess they are scared of content too. I don’t think ending with a prayer will impress many people outside their xtianist base. It seemed a little creepy to me, especially jammed together with the story about the soldier.

    Edit:I mean creepy in a political speech.

  217. 217.

    divF

    @Anya:
    Mean comes off as ugly. Hubert Humphrey wasn’t any matinee idol, but no one cared about his looks. He was “The Happy Warrior” (for liberal causes).

  219. 219.

    Violet

    @Anya: No, it’s not just you. He’s ugly. It’s his personality as much as anything, though. It just shines through. He’s slimy. Just looking at him and listening to him makes me feel unclean.

  220. 220.

    Gopher2b

    My main take away: One mention of Boehner’s son of a barkeep story, waterworks. Uplifting story about a wounded soldier, not a drop. Why I left the party in a nutshell.

    If a male Democrat cried every time his personally story was referenced, he would never hear the end of it.

  221. 221.

    Anya

    @Violet: He always gives me the impression of someone who woke up from a night of drunken stupor and he’s still reeks of alcohol and stale tobacco.

  222. 222.

    PsiFighter37

    GOS makes it sound like McMorris-Rodgers was full of vapid fail, not unlike Governor Starbursts. I have made it a point not to watch this shit anymore, as it’s mainly just pointless theater…opinions?

  223. 223.

    Steeplejack

    @WaterGirl:

    Yeah, I did see that. It was sort of “I’m shocked—shocked!” combined with mean-girl “I know you are but what am I?” Definitely weird.

  225. 225.

    WaterGirl

    @jl: What part of separation of church and state do they not understand?

    (And here’s where someone will chime in the “all of it, katie”.)

  227. 227.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Betty Cracker:

    Been there. It’s easy for us to say, Take care of yourself, get some sleep — but when you’re waiting and worrying about a loved relative, that is much easier said than done.

    As circumstances, and your own energy level, permit, please keep us informed. Lot of people out here thinking of you and rooting for your parents!

  228. 228.

    Corner Stone

    @Aji:

    Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. [Which is better than it being from the bottom of Boehner’s glass. :-D]

    Ha. The bottom of Boehner’s glass is wayyyy deeper than we mere mortals can possibly imagine.

  229. 229.

    Anoniminous

    @Anya:

    Obama won women by 12%. If the GOP ever wants to win the White House they have to grab back some of that back. So they found themselves a woman and threw her on camera as the face for the official official response.

    It’s supposed to make you love them.

    (Did it? :-)

  230. 230.

    jl

    Is the Cruz response an official speech response, or just a sleazy cheapshot festival and circus of lies with Hannity? I’m listening to the latter, will have to turn it off in a few seconds. Too obviously dishonest and biased, and silly.

  231. 231.

    JGabriel

    @PsiFighter37:

    GOS makes it sound like McMorris-Rodgers was full of vapid fail …

    Vapid pretty much sums it up. McMorris-Rodgers’ delivery was more like that of a children’s show host than a serious politician. Not as hateful or stupid as Palin, but equally lacking in gravitas.

  233. 233.

    Violet

    @Anya: You’re much too kind. The impression I have is that his day was full of screwing over workers and cheating customers. If he just woke up from anything it’s an all-night p0ker game where he forced his employees to play and cheated to win. Then went and drank expensive scotch with his “real Ivies” 1% buddies and laughed about itt.

  235. 235.

    Helen

    Frank Luntz is on Fox. Isn’t he supposed to have gone Galt – or committed suicide? Didn’t he have the biggest sad EVA?

  236. 236.

    WaterGirl

    @Steeplejack: If I were auditioning for some role and the directions were:

    here, read the words on this piece of paper, try to convey that you don’t mean what you’re saying, and try to say it in the weirdest way possible…

    what the lt. governor did is exactly what I would have gone with.

  238. 238.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Aji:

    I lost count too, so I will go with the transcript. I don’t mind retroactively choosing a few more buzzwords to count toward my contribution.

  239. 239.

    Anya

    @PsiFighter37: It was all about her biography and nothing else. Basically, republicans saying: America, we just want to connect with you. We’re not evil, really. This lady is one of us.

  242. 242.

    lol chikinburd

    Okay, never mind my earlier link to Sawant. Eyeroll-inducing in the first paragraph,

    And holy crap, it’s getting even worse even as I type this. Mentions of broken websites and Angry Birds. Christ, what was I thinking when I posted that link?

  243. 243.

    Anoniminous

    @Helen:

    When last heard from Frankie was in Vegas having a sad because Obama had turned the American electorate into commies.

  245. 245.

    Corner Stone

    @Anya: They have been pushing her really hard core for 18 months or more now.
    Not sure why. But she was in every set piece PR response by the R party during the govt shut down era.

  247. 247.

    jl

    @Corner Stone: I think the GOPers, pols and the GOP pundits and political analysts and consultants, were ordered to be polite and non-lunatic tonight. Maybe that is why Johnny Bones got hammered, he was stressed out about some House GOPer jumping up and trying to make a citizen’s arrest on Obama and Biden or something almost as nutty.

  250. 250.

    Elizabelle

    Rand Paul just sniffed that Obama’s speech didn’t sound very “conciliatory.”

    You think?

  253. 253.

    chopper

    jesus, now i know why all the other goopers wanted their own response.

    not as bad as jindal. but will anything ever be?

  256. 256.

    jl

    @James Parente: I never thought about that. It makes sense. “Look, you miserable losers, put this crap together, and if you break anything, we’re taking it out of your commie minimum wages that you don’t deserve.”

    On the other hand, if you were going to make a response to speech, why not just take moving picture of somebody walking up to a lectern and giving a speech in response? They have the text beforehand. Do they not have one person they can trust to do it live?

    Edit: The taped in advance responses are going to be forgettable and bland, since they are only responding to the text, in advance.

  259. 259.

    Anne Laurie

    Yet another OT above this, for the device readers & anyone already sick of talking about the Repubs…

  267. 267.

    LAC

    @raven: lol! Well, did you think Corner Rage was not going to carp about Obama? We got snow in the freaking South! The good Lord has performed his miracle of the day.

  268. 268.

    ? Martin

    @Mnemosyne: Looked like straight up shiny grey duct tape.

    I credit my son for kicking off the duct tape crafts thing a number of years back when his GATE class had a ‘bring a shoe that represents you’ activity and we wrapped his foot in duct tape sticky side out, and then another layer sticky side in, so it was a perfectly fit shoe. Represented his resourcefulness and joy in building things.

  269. 269.

    piratedan

    @Anya: the President IS listening to us, it’s you myopic ideologues in the House that aren’t listening to America…. sheessh, when will the GOP ever change the channel.

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