Local Government TV

Wednesday, March 02, 2022

Ukranian Ambassador Highlight of Biden's SOTU

In the first few minutes of his SOTU, President Joe Biden hit more than a few high notes with his denunciation of Putin's invasion of Ukraine. He introduced Ukranian Ambassador Oksana Markarova to raucous applause. It's justified. I've seen several of her news conferences. She has displayed great candor, coupled with humility. She seemed genuinely touched by the accolades from President and Congress. 

Congress  is pretty much united in its opprobrium towards Putin. So when Biden announced he was following the example of European counterparts and closing American airspace to Russian flights, both sides of the aisle were delighted.

From there, his speech rolled downhill. Instead of speaking as a President, he spoke as a legislator who continues to push the Build Back Better plan even though he's unable to get it through his own party. 

His inflation solution is ridiculous. He proposes manufacturing jobs here will reduce costs but I have to wonder what magic wand he can wave to do this. 

Overall, I'd say it was a wasted opportunity.He could have taken an issue we all agree on and drive it home. He could have addressed inflation more directly. It was the speech of a wonk, not a leader.

I've watched several speeches in recent days by French Prime Minister Jean Castex and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. They both were better, even with Scholz declaring a 180 degree reversal in German policy concerning self-defense. 

Castex called Putin what he is - a liar.  

34 comments:

  1. Joe is who he is and the zebra does not and cannot change his stripes. We are in for a rough ride no matter what he says or does as the ineffective leader of the free world and the god forsaken D party. He is the eternal VP/Senator who has risen to the top as a shining example of the Peter Principle. Putin gonna have the last laugh and I hate that murderous bastard. We the people remain the hostages of the rich and powerful of the world.

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  2. Bernie - Would you vote to re-elect Biden?

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  3. The State of The Union address to Congress is just that, The State of The UNion. It takes in many aspects of government. President Biden addressed the concerns of the people and the most important issues facing the Country. The Ukraine, Inflation, jobs, the economy, our national debt, racism, funding the police (crime and guns on the street), Taxes, all are major issues and issues most people want to hear about. Except for the Ukrain , every President has addressed these issues. He was addressing the American people and for the most part was right on target. Could his speech been improved upon, absolutely, just like every other President's State of THe Union Speech. I give him a "B+" for his speech and a week "d" for his performance.

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  4. Bernie -

    I'm sure Biden's tough talk against Putin made the Iranian people feel much better.

    And I thought Biden was absolutely brilliant on inflation. What business owner would have thought to reduce costs on their own? All these years, I'm sure business owners have been trying to pay more for everything. But this is a game-changer!

    If ever the economic brilliance of democrats and their leader was on full display, it was last night.

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  5. Didn’t watch the State of the Union. I no longer have patience required to listen to a failed administration who brought us so many problems explain how they are going to fix them. Then, too, probably explain extremely high costs by blaming this new Ukraine matter.

    I agree about rampant (and still growing) inflation. It is runaway inflation that strikes each and every home directly, right into their kitchen, living room, and garage.

    Of all the blunders and pain this administration has brought into our lives, it will be higher prices for everything that will bring down the Democrat Party. The weak and watching Republicans are no prize, for sure. Many incumbent Republicans will soon be tossed out, too. But, it’s the Democrat Party that will be negatively affected more. That is, assuming the next elections are “cleaner” than the past few were.

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  6. Be careful as we get ginned up for yet another war and more military spending. So-called legitimate news outlets are posting, printing and broadcasting lies from both sides' PsyOps. The "Ghost of Kyiv" and "Snake Island" stories have been debunked. It took only hours to get reports of a school being bombed. Who could have predicted that? This is fog of war in the instant information age. In the US, we've proven to be pretty dopey and very easy marks for misinformation. Ask yourself: in a country where more than half the population believes in ghosts and many still wear ridiculous masks, could we be fooled by propaganda? Lol. Of course we could. We prove it every day.

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  7. The President's speech last night was not the greatest speech ever given by a sitting President; however, it was a good address to the nation. He hit most of the topics that U.S. Citizens are concerned about. Alright, he didn't address free tires for bicyclists living on a fixed income, or wider roads for the idiots who ride their bikes two and three abreast on our highways, or free inspections for cyclists over sixty, but he did address most of the key issues. You may not agree with those issues but he addressed everything from the Ukraine to voting rights in America. Sorry Bern, you didn't get new bike paths but maybe in the next budget

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  8. As a Democrat, I think his decision to shut down the Keystone Pipeline will go down as his worst policy decision. Every time the President tries to convince working Americans that he is going to address rising fuel prices, the prices actually keep going up. I think Biden/Harris administration's ineffective performance and Biden's falling approval ratings are going to hurt our candidates across the board this Fall.

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  9. Biden and his democrats have no glue--I hope this country survives this administration.

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  10. 5:31, Biden should hang it up after one term. The way he mismanaged the withdrawal from Afghanistan was enough for me, to say nothing of his other mistakes. I would support a moderate Democrat or Republican with some gravitas. I could never vote for Trump.

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  11. Somebody please explain to me something. If he wants to buy American why shut down the Keystone pipeline and cancel federal drilling contracts and purchase foreign oil? He said buy American last night. Is he contradicting himself because he can't remember anything or lying? Only 2 options

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  12. Bernie - will Biden get a primary challenger?

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  13. It was a good speech and he hit on the important points. He spoke about policies that SHOULD and would pass with bi-partisan support (lower costs for prescription drugs and child care, pre-k, home health care for seniors, etc), if only McConnell and the obstructionist Republicans cared more about the American people than political pandering.

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  14. There is a difference between a leader and a politician. We in this country have settled for politicians and shun leaders thereby we have come to expect politicians. We all whine and complain about them but at the same time embrace them on both sides of the aisle. It is easier to whine then get involved for most everyone including many on this blog.

    We regularly crucify leaders as they sometime don't tell us what we want to hear or buy us all off with their give away. Republicans regularly give to big business and the rich. Democrats give to the lower economics but still coddle select rich. Both sides pander to people for different interpretations of the same reason.

    And we as Americans almost never stand behind leaders but huddle behind those that pander to us. Just go back and read many of the blogs posts and it becomes very evident.

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  15. He hit on all the points his polling told him to hit. All the points are issues he and his administration created. Don't expect a 180 to address the issues. To answer 11:52, I believe he is lying.

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  16. I would never vote for Trump--but you would vote for politicians who have ruined our country and as long as we put politicians in leadership positions, we will continue on this path to destruction.

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  17. I find it beyond comprehension that anyone on the planet could defend the current 'administration', seeing what the country has become in the last year.

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  18. Bernie, this shit show was like the triplets cigar surprise sideshow, except Kamala was hiding all the cigars!
    We had the nation alcoholic, a high priced hooker and than last but not least a shitty pants old man that should be in hospice not speaking from the most powerful podium in the world today!

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  19. Anyone else notice how spastic Pelosi was during the speech. Between her awkward half-stand half sit motions to her weird hand moves and strange facial expressions, she seemed more out of it than Biden.

    Can democrats ever shed itis new uber liberal uber feminist nonsense and speak to all Americans about the problems we all face. Yes, I am a democrat and I want my Party back. 2022 will be a massacre at the polls.

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  20. Bernie, it easy to say Biden should hang it up after one term as your middle of the road politics come to light. He is 10 fold better then the orange Orangutan we had in office for the last for years. About mismanagement of Afghanistan, come on that was Biden correcting another one of Trumps F - UP.
    Screw the moderate Democrats we need somebody that has some man balls. A real socialist to get this country back on track. Hopefully, someone who will tax those greedy bastards 45% of their income after 2MM. And inheritance tax! WTF - people pay social security taxes up to 145k and that’s it. That is ridiculous and there needs to be a need’s tests and those who are wealthy do not collect. That would be a moderate Democrat that I would vote for.
    How about Lou Pektor? There a real winner, they should throw the book at him. 50 years in prison!

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  21. I find it hard to comprehend how anyone could support the current 'administration' after being awake for the last year.

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  22. I seem to recall that then President Trump referred to Putin as "his new best friend".

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  23. "it easy to say Biden should hang it up after one term as your middle of the road politics come to light. He is 10 fold better then the orange Orangutan we had in office for the last for years. About mismanagement of Afghanistan, come on that was Biden correcting another one of Trumps F - UP."

    They both mismanaged Afghanistan. It would be hard to say who was worse, although I'd never vote for Trump for anything.

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  24. He addressed talking about the issues, but has no clue or desire to fix any of them.

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  25. You Trump haters are losers look what your asshole Biden did to this country on all levels If you are not losers, you are mentally retarded.

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  26. Biden ain't great and would *seem* to be ripe for the picking.

    If Republicans choose to lean back into Trump in 2024 (Or DeSantis, Hawley or Cruz), I will vote for Biden again. Romney would get my vote. Sasse would get my vote. She's no moderate, but Liz Cheney would get my vote.

    Some interesting wrinkles yesterday in the January 6th stuff, one of the Oath Keepers has flipped, and the committee has suggested to DOJ that Trump & Co were involved in criminal conspiracy. Hopefully some convictions and penalties will spur on a reset of American politics.

    If Putin can't get Ukraine settled down in timely fashion, his days could be numbered and what shakes out of Russia could land squarely on a number of GOP members and their media mouth pieces.

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  27. Biden is worst President in our history--Face facts Trump haters you people who love these politicians are the real enemy.
    .

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  28. U.S. Const. Art. II Sec. 3 - “He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information on the State of the Union…”

    Much like all of the entertainment industry’s award shows, this annual speech, regardless of who occupies the White House and the seats in the chamber, is unwatchable. The histrionics have long overtaken the import and substance of the message. Just send the information and forget the performance.

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  29. I put this on the wrong post yesterday and just realized it.

    After 4 years of the aspirational but end of the day fairly empty rhetoric of Obama then the buffoonery of Trump, I'm cool with some policy wonkiness. Would have liked to see inflation addressed more directly. Happy to see the President denounce "defund the police" directly and that both chambers erupted in cheers. It's clear that it remains only the most out of touch progressive wing of the democrat party who are still clinging to pretty much the worse political policy slogan and accompanying notion in the nations history. Yes, I get it doesn't mean literally defunding the police... but the message was terribly out of touch.

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  30. 6:56 - I think you tried to sell me a car the other day or maybe you were that guy I ran into at the airport bar. Like a snake, ready to strike, you cannot wait to tell anyone within earshot about the stolen election and the Dems running this country into the ground. Ease up partner, the sun will come out tomorrow.

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  31. March 3, 2022 at 5:37 AM Anonymous said... He addressed talking about the issues, but has no clue or desire to fix any of them.

    I watched the House Of Representatives vote on the veteran's health care bill this morning. The one Biden talked about at his SOTU address concerning the toxic burn pits veterans suffer from. Every Democrat voted for the bill. They were joined by only 34 Republicans with every one of their other party members voting against the house measure.

    Apparently the majority of Republicans would rather neuter Biden then actually try and help the veterans they claim to care so much about.

    If you have some sort of magic "clue" how Biden is suppose to fix any of them" without somehow getting around Republicans undermining his efforts please share with us how.

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  32. F&M poll out for March with the headline about who's leading in the primary polling. What the article didn't say is Tom Wolf is at 37% approval in PA, and Joe Biden is at 30%! 30% in PA is bad! I don't see how his mediocre SOTU speech helps dems much with those kinds of numbers. People have tuned him out. To add insult to injury, you have a member of your own party in this Talib character giving a rebuttal to his speech. What the heck is that all about? Like Bill Mahar said, that's like sacking your own quarterback.

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