NO BOUNCE?

Polls say there was no bounce from the President's SOTU speech.  Henry Kissinger observed that a leader is in trouble if he gets too far out in front of his peeps, but also is in trouble if he gets too close to them.  (Of course, Secretary Kissinger said it with WAAY more flourish due to his grand vocab and his Frankish accent.)  But that made sense to me.  President Obama got hit by the door coming and going.  During his first two years, he got way out front of the country with the social policies; now he casts a stunted "vision" for the next two years.  I was not inspired by Sputnik and I found his prescription for the future insulting, given the recent election.

Mr. President, last November your country said REDUCE (government and debt and spending) and you said "I got it".  Why, then, are we hearing such off-the-mark proposals to "invest"?  Quit spending!  You suggested an education investment.  No.  Give us school choice and competition will help our public schools.  You said high speed rail sounded like a winner.  No.  Pay off debt and slash the budget.

But the most curious investment advice...was for green technology such as wind turbines.  Listen, Mr. President, we can't go backward and forward at the same time.  Have you seen these links?  http://www.energytribune.com/articles.cfm/6310/Britains-Wind-Farms-are-No-Spin-Zones-When-Cold-Hits
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/8261827/Britain-is-becoming-less-windy-raising-doubts-over-Governments-wind-farm-strategy.html

The links say that in the example you love to hold high (the example of Europe), they have experienced a freezing January.  Their electric power surge screamed for help, but the turbines did not deliver. England has lots of coastline and that makes her the most windy country in Europe.  If it didn't work there, where WOULD turbines work?  (And if you are thinking that this year was a fluke, the link says the last 12 years have had the same result.)  So this is not such good news for the United Kingdom of Buyers Remorse, but we can learn from their experience.

Mr. President, your SOTU didn't address our problems, it proposed MORE problems.  The speech bought five minutes of distraction from the biggest economy killer...healthcare.  You and your administration continue to say that opposition to your plan for healthcare is fringe and right wing.  Yesterday when the Florida federal judge's ruling came down that healthcare was unconstitutional, I found it ironic that they used your own words against you.   http://politisite.com/2011/01/31/judge-uses-obamas-own-words-against-him-on-health-care-individual-mandate/    Then a deputy senior advisor within the bully pulpit of the White House responded.  She called the judge "an outlier...a judicial activist, well out of the mainstream of judicial opinion".  


Well, I would call it VERY NOTEWORTHY that the majority of the sovereign states (26) have banded together to challenge healthcare.  Adding Virginia and Oklahoma. who filed separately, now we are at 28.  When was the last time you can recall 28 states linking arms against a policy?  It must be more than just "right wing".  


Besides, if healthcare were so wonderful, why have 700+ waivers already been given FOR JUST ONE of the provisions?  Those who have begged the President for permission to opt-out of the provision (and there are tons more provisions to be unveiled)...40% of the number are unions.  Because unions represent only 7% of the work force, this all looks untoward.   


Mr. President, your speech included support for your troops and thank you for that.  You saluted American exceptionalism (for what must have been the first time) and welcome aboard on that one.  You said now you were thumbs down on earmarks.  Those words all sounded presidential.  Please, then...Mr. President.  Befriend the future of your country and point us toward solvency.