Even though I'm in the media biz, I long ago stopped watching State of the Union addresses (which is what his really is), let alone pandering efforts like "100 days" stuff. That died long ago, and FDR had a tidal wave in Congress behind him, which Biden doesn't.
The infrastructure stuff? Good.
The more taxes to pay for it? You may have to bribe Joe Manchin, but something more subtle than the Cornhusker Kickback, please.
That said? Not much on health care.
Not much on his just-completed climate change summit.
BUT?
"America is the most unique idea in history."
Not.Even.Close.
Historians and cultural anthropologists might argue over what ideas surpass it, but I'll give you my list.
(Sidebar: This is bad grammar, as "unique" is an absolute adjective and one thing cannot be "more unique" than another.)
First is the idea that literally gave us history, that is, the invention of writing.
Second would be the invention of agriculture, especially if it includes animal domestication.
Third, and yes, I'm a post-capitalist of some sort, but I'll go with the invention of money.
"America" is like at AA baseball level (didn't Scranton, Pa., used to have one of those, Joe?) compared to what I just mentioned.
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As for the full speech? Some other notes?
1. You've got a 6% growth rate because Trump fucked up, wouldn't do a hard shutdown at first, and left too much in the hands of governors. That said, had he done more earlier on, you might not be giving this speech.
2. While the power grid in Texas may need improving, its structure didn't cause the Abbott Blackout. Its lack of connection to the rest of the US did. Nothing else on the Green New Deal double-lite or whatever.
3. It was good for him to call for a $15/minimum ... IF it's phased in, and even then, I'd like to see the US do like Oregon and have different levels for rural, suburban and urban areas.
4. Oh, fucking doorknob, the "war on cancer." Stop.
5. Obamacare-plus the only other healthcare item? Sure.
6. Good on calling out the Trump Tax Cut.
7. No mention of Israel violating Palestinian human rights. Of course not.
8. Good on guns.
9. Bad on HR 1, unless you explicitly call on Congress to strip out anti-third party provisions.
10. I wasn't created in the image of god. I wasn't created in anybody's image.
2 comments:
Were you not created in the image of your mother and father?
No I was not.
"Created" is not the word used for sexual reproduction in other species and there's no reason to use it for the results of human sexual reproduction, in part precisely because the denotative background will be used by many to hint at some sort of religious creation.
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