Here is the transcript, followed by the video:
Additionally some followup notes from the White House.
HuffPo has a top 10 quotes list from the speech.
Plus a good piece by Gail Collins on the angry speech of the day.
And a decent analysis piece on the speech by E.J. Dionne.
Wow, it has been a bad couple days for book lovers and those who value freedom and integrity.
I read this morning that J.D. Salinger has passed. Here is his obit at The New York Times and over at the BBC, plus a post over at Powell’s Books.
A really odd cat, but definitely one of our more free-spirited Americans.
Of more personal import is the death of Howard Zinn (obits at The New York Times and The Washington Post, plus the Powell’s Books entry).
I’ve enjoyed Zinn’s work on pushing the stories of real Americans to the forefront of our history. More importantly, his work has been critical in making sure we don’t whitewash our history or gloss over the hard parts, or even the bad decisions. If you have only been taught Texas conservative Talibangelical/Luddite BS, you know nothing about the history of this nation, warts and all. It is a damned shame too many of our students and only getting the sanitized version.
He didn’t report it either: he lived it, fighting during World War II (and losing the taste for war) as well as being a force for chance for change during the Civil Rights era). In this age of Tea Baggery and people proud of their stupidity, we need people like Zinn more than ever.
A glimpse of how bad things are in California. Glitzy, wealthy, opulent buildings and a completely broke state government.
In short, there are a lot things that need fixed in the old Bear Republic, but I’m not sure that is an easy fix by anyone’s imagining.
The problem with conservatives is that they often make oaths or promise things and then conveniently forget it when the moment comes to be ethical or just keep their word. Senator Patrick Leahy calls out Samuel Alito for basically lying to Congress during his confirmation hearings.
Why this is relevant today of all days is that Justice Alito went all Joe Wilson last night and broke decorum by editorializing during the State of the Union speech. Check it out:
What a turd. You are supposed to be above party bickering. That said, given said body’s response to weigh in on, much less ever bother to hear, Bush v. Gore pretty much says everything you need to know about the current Supreme Court.
As the lead-in states, getting Haiti’s internet stable seems really low on the priority list when people still can’t get proper food and shelter after the quake.
That said, the nation needs to get it’s infrastructure back up if it wants to get out of the state of emergency. And these seem like the folks who can get it done.
I love that this trend is back.
It’s always fun to get attached to a local brew and then be able to take some home. Growlers are key to this ritual and should I ever live in a place that has good regional microbrews again, I’ll be using this service.
Here is a story from Chicago on the subject.
I read about Data Privacy Day today over at GeekDad. I then went over to the main project site to read up on the whole thing.
Honestly, give it a look over and maybe check out your online settings.
If you feel the need to grimace while being amused by hypocrisy, this is the interview for you.
In it, NPR’s resident NeoThug basically gets on his knees and services The Orange Man, John Boehner.
Other than bearing that asshole’s children, I am really not sure what other service Inskeep could have done for him. And I am really, really, REALLY tired of NPR giving the GOP an open mike to air their bullshit without even once questioning their words, motive, intent, or honesty.
Seriously, it’s always, “let’s criticize the Dem plan without even the courtesy of a sound byte” and then give the conservative point of view without filter, analyze, or even the obvious outright “you’re kidding me, right?” response it usually deserves.
Want to know why I still refuse to donate to NPR and kinda want to kick myself for doing so? Start with Steve Inskeep.
How does one correct someone who is on your side but has bouts of straying like President Obama? Offer constructive criticism, rather than throwing his clothes on the lawn, for one. You’ve got a perfectly good right to bitch as well as moan about things, but the equivalent of crying “fire” in a crowded theater just makes for a crappy moviegoing experience.
Barack Obama is the center-left, charismatic politician he has been for most of his life in the public. There are numerous issues on which he should be much more progressive, not just for the overall fortunes of the progressive movement, but for the future strength of the country. But we won’t get there if every perceived misstep (especially one based on a less than clear story that is slowly being filled in) is greeted as if he kicked a puppy in the teeth. We shouldn’t help a media environment that already favors Democratic politicians wagging their finger at the base, nor should we allow Democratic pols to get away with conservative nonsense.
Measure pols like Obama on their words and hold them to high standards, but don’t profess anger at them for not holding up to a caricature you dreamily doodled in your Trapper Keeper.
Good, strong, honest, and thoughtful words from Oliver Willis.
I tend to agree with the premise. The downside of being a liberal is that you have to associate with really, really progressive liberals. They eat their young just as quickly as rabid, racist teabagger types…just for different justifications, if not reasons.
Look, overturning Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is important. Just not as important to as many people as, say, reforming health care. Also, Obama isn’t a liberal. If you believe this, you are as stupid as the Dittoheads who fervently believe this. No, you are actually MORE stupid than those morons. They at least have the excuse of not thinking. You probably don’t.
Point is, the concept of even considering to object to EVERYTHING Obama does reactively is just as inane coming from a Rethug or a Progressive. Stop. Think. Wait for the details. Think some more. If it still offends you, fine, take a stance.
That said, I’m not a fan of the budget freeze thing, but more of from a historical 1937 perspective than some “he’s taking pages from the McCain handbook!” kind of crazy. I just think it’s a bad idea. Hell, if both Bob Reich and Paul Krugman are against it, it might not be that hot of a plan.
A graphical look at where the money is coming from for Haitian relief.