State of the Union

[arakish]

Did anyone actually watch the garbage Obama spewed in his address?  I did not, but on the morning news, it is almost the only thing they broadcast.  Gads!

Why couldn't Obama just state it the way it really is?

State of the Union Address (the way it should have been said):
"It sucks.  But we're trying.  Thank you."
<exit stage left>

I think I have become extremely cynical towards all politicians.  It just seems to me they all are nothing more than a bunch of blowhard a__wipes.

I still believe in America, just not its politicians.

rmfr

[Dame Eldgeth]

I love your version of the State of the Union

I'm getting more cynical about politics all the time (and you thought I couldn't get any worse) and the cause is obviously politicians.
This morning our news had footage of Gabby Gifford's farewell to congress.  The announcer said something like "A heartfelt good-bye from her colleagues."  And my tiny little mind fire back, "Yeah, right.  They're just posing for the camera."
I'm wondering how many of those camera hogs had actually spoken to her before the shooting.  And here they all were, saying they love her, etc.
Fake fake fake crap crap crap.

[Usdrothek]

Without knowing any of your political leanings, after all the hype (and from here it looked like several tons of hype), do you feel let down/cheated/dissapointed by Obama's performance as president?

What do you think of the Republican candidates?

[GrumpyOldFart]

Their lips are moving. 

[arakish]

Without knowing any of your political leanings, after all the hype (and from here it looked like several tons of hype), do you feel let down/cheated/dissapointed by Obama's performance as president?

Sad to say it, but all of the above.

What do you think of the Republican candidates?

I am like what GOF said...

Their lips are moving. 

Furthermore, I don't know anything about any of them except Gingrich (msp?).  And I have never had anything even close to "liking" him.

I also don't feel any of the politicians even have an inkling of what it is to be "struggling middle class" citizens.

rmfr

[GrumpyOldFart]

For me that's not just the Republicans. Nor just our current crop, either.

I firmly believe that there are some honest, idealistic people who go into politics intending to work hard to fix the system, fully intending to never abandon their integrity.

I also believe that they soon find out that unless they abandon their integrity in favor of expediency, they'll never rise high enough to accomplish anything.

Note that there is no mention of political party in that statement, nor even any limit concerning what country they're in, or what political system they go into politics trying to reform. Truthfully it's not politicians that I find depressing, it's voters. I don't expect any better from politicians, "opportunistic con artist" is what politics screens for.

[Dame Eldgeth]

Without knowing any of your political leanings, after all the hype (and from here it looked like several tons of hype), do you feel let down/cheated/dissapointed by Obama's performance as president?

What do you think of the Republican candidates?

Umm, that's a complicated question, and my truest answer would best be delivered over 6 hours and many beers.
I'll try.  I don't have 6 hours, but I do have many beers
Do I feel disappointed by President Obama?  Short answer, not really.  He came to office during a generally crappy time.  Could anyone else have done better?  Maybe.  We'll never know.  It's like the people who criticise the stimulus plan and say that it didn't do much.  But we'll never know how bad things might have been without it.  Ditto the automotive bailout.  We'll never know how things would have been if it hadn't happened.
The President is only one man, running one arm of our government.  If Congress doesn't go along with the plan, it sinks like a stone in the sea.
And really, how much of the economy does the President control?  Not much.
I know, everyone wants a shiny new President to ride into town on his white charger and slay the dragon, but life doesn't work like that.
Now, moving on to my view of the Republican candidates.
Newt. Really? 
He was speaker of the house and left "voluntarily" after an investigation by the Ethics Committee.  Now, he argues that he wasn't actually "censured".  Yeah.  Right.  He is still as dirty as my cat's litter pan. 
After an absence of a few years,  I heard him being interviewed on the morning news, and I just about threw up.  I couldn't believe that they were trying to rehabilitate Newt.  Now it looks like a fait accompli.  Then again, last week someone was interviewing Karl Rove on the morning news as an expert.  All that shows is, "The public has a short memory."
Romney?  Sounds reasonable, talks sense. I'm just amazed that his state health insurance plan looks so much like Obamacare, and he can say with a straight face that Obama doesn't know what he's doing.
Ron Paul?  Too extreme, especially in regards to foreign policy. 
I would mention Santorum, but I think he's gone home to lick his wounds.
So, I think it will come down to Obama vs. Romney.