Obama’s “Julia” State of the Union Speech

During Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, his staff developed “The Life of Julia” – an interactive website that showed the inextricable dependence of the faceless Julia on federal government services. A collage of glimpses into Julia’s life at various milestones revealed Obama’s vision of life in America – a near-Orwellian addiction to intrusive Nanny-statism.

Julia’s life was depicted from her 3^rd to her 67^th year. She enters the government-funded and managed Head Start program as a toddler. At age 17 she’s in the government Race to the Top high school program. In her 20s she receives a surgery procedure and free birth control thanks to ObamaCare. She files a lawsuit under the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act – the first bill newly-elected Obama signed in 2009. She pays off her college debt with low interest loans made possible by the Obama’s federal government program.

At 31 Julia "decides to have a child." No mention of a husband contributing his part to the procreative process. Son Zachary is born and, following in Mom Julia’s footsteps, he too enrolls in a Race to the Top funded public school, while Mom Julia starts her own Web design business. Julia retires at age 67 with Social Security supporting her financially and Medicare paying her medical expenses so she can spend her later years volunteering in a community garden – unfettered with the real-world possibility that the programs which she is so dependent on to allow her to grow radishes in her idyllic world will likely implode. Julia is also unaware that she and Zachary own a share in the national debt which grows every day Obama is in office and presently her share is $50,000 and so is Zach’s.

From cradle to grave Julia’s needs are cared for so she can live, and ultimately die, in peace. (Sigh.) Conspicuously absent from Julia’s life are family, friends, church, and community – the normal associations we all have – because they have been replaced by government. The Nanny State is Julia’s husband and Zachary’s dad. You’ve heard of bigamy and polygamy? Well, this is “bureaugamy” – a word supposedly coined to describe the connubial bliss of having government as your life partner.

"The Life of Julia" caricature has been taken down by the Obama administration but Julia lives on in every new Obama proposal – a dozen of which he ticked off in last week’s State of the Union speech. After first declaring that “the American people don’t expect government to solve every problem,” Obama proceeded to propose a government solution to every problem … to wit:

A year and a half ago, I put forward an American Jobs Act that independent economists said would create more than one million new jobs. I thank the last Congress for passing some of that agenda, and I urge this Congress to pass the rest.

(Forget the fact that there are more than four million fewer people working today than were working when I was first sworn in as president. Forget the fact that the work-force-participation rate is at a historic low and that people who have given up looking for work is at a historic high. Forget the fact that my stimulus package was supposed to keep unemployment below 8% – about where it’s hovering today … with the help of BLS fudge factors – after spending months over 10%, despite four years of having me in the White House and $6 trillion in deficit spending. Oh, and forget the fact that my American Jobs Act isn’t funded.)

After shedding jobs for more than 10 years, our manufacturers have added about 500,000 jobs over the past three … Last year, we created our first manufacturing innovation institute in Youngstown, Ohio. A once-shuttered warehouse is now a state-of-the art lab where new workers are mastering the 3D printing that has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything. So tonight, I’m announcing the launch of three more of these manufacturing hubs And I ask this Congress to help create a network of fifteen of these hubs and guarantee that the next revolution in manufacturing is Made in America.

(Forget the fact that BLS statistics confirm 1.1 million manufacturing jobs have been lost since I became president and that only 500,000 of those jobs have been recovered since 2010, the low point in manufacturing jobs. Forget the fact that during my watch the economy still hasn’t recovered the other 600,000 jobs lost. Forget the fact that “proof of product” and “proof of market” have yet to be achieved for this “manufacturing innovation” – something every sensible business executive would do before expanding an unproven concept. Forget the fact that my expertise is in community organizing, not business.)

… my Administration will keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and gas permits … much of our new-found energy is drawn from lands and waters that we, the public, own together. So tonight, I propose we use some of our oil and gas revenues to fund an Energy Security Trust that will drive new research and technology to shift our cars and trucks off oil for good.

(Forget the fact that since I took office energy production on federal land has decreased and all new energy production has occurred on private and state lands over which I have no control – i.e. I can’t prevent it.)

Tonight, I propose a “Fix-It-First” program to put people to work as soon as possible on our most urgent repairs, like the nearly 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country.

I’m also proposing a Partnership to Rebuild America that attracts private capital to upgrade what our businesses need most: modern ports to move our goods; modern pipelines to withstand a storm; modern schools worthy of our children.

(Forget the fact that the statistics alleging US infrastructure is equivalent to a third world country have been peddled for 40 years by the infrastructure hawks of the 140,000 member American Society of Civil Engineers. They would stand to gain a substantial share of the repair cost, which they estimate at around $2.7 trillion. Before a wallet transplant is performed on the American taxpayer, be assured that every bridge open for traffic is safe. It may be “structurally deficit” because its design is obsolete (width, height, preferred traffic loads and vehicle weights) or that non-threatening repairs and inspections beyond normal maintenance are routinely recommended. Forget the fact that only about a half dozen companies in the country are qualified to do this kind of work – all of them unionized.)

… there’s a bill in this Congress that would give every responsible homeowner in America the chance to save $3,000 a year by refinancing at today’s rates. Democrats and Republicans have supported it before. What are we waiting for? Take a vote, and send me that bill.

(Forget the fact that this problem exists because my economic policies have caused the slowest economy recovery in modern history, preventing people from refinancing to lower rates because their home values are upside down. Unless a mortgage executive wants to go to prison, current home values won’t legally collateralize a refinancing. Billions in federal subsidies would be required to underwrite the refinancing risk due to inadequate collateral. Isn’t this how we created the housing mess in the first place?)

Tonight, I propose working with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America.

(Forget the fact that the federal government spends $8 billion annually on Head Start. Non-partisan research has shown Head Start to be a totally ineffective in improving educational outcomes. Forget the fact that I am a leading opponent of school choice, which would be far more effective in improving education by introducing competition for students. Teacher unions oppose school choice, but they’re all for more pre-K spending.)

Tonight, I’m announcing a new challenge to redesign America’s high schools so they better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy. We’ll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers, and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math – the skills today’s employers are looking for to fill jobs right now and in the future.

(Forget the fact that the enumerated powers of Congress in the US Constitution do not include federal government involvement in public education. Forget the fact that spending per student has doubled over the past 30 years but the needle has not moved for educational outcomes. Forget the fact that research has indisputably shown that the two leading factors which prevent improvement in public education are unions and parental involvement – in that order.)

Tonight, I ask Congress to change the Higher Education Act, so that affordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid

(Forget the fact that federal aid to college education is the leading cause for tuition cost inflation. Eliminate financial aid to colleges and universities and their tuition would drop almost immediately and quality would improve as fast because higher educational institutions would be compelled to compete for students.)

I ask this Congress to declare that women should earn a living equal to their efforts, and finally pass the Paycheck Fairness Act this year.

(AKA The Trial Lawyers Retirement and Enrichment Act.)

Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9.00 an hour.

(Forget the fact that no one is expected “to live” on minimum wage levels. Jobs that pay minimum wages are entry level and part-time positions. People whose education or experience won’t allow them to earn more than minimum wage have a problem that raising minimum wage rates won’t solve. In fact, it will get their jobs eliminated. Wage rates are set by the marketplace, not government edict. Otherwise, why not raise them to $20 an hour? How about $50? What minimum wage is “just right” – the Goldilocks standard? No government bureaucrat knows the answer. Only the market does.)

And this year, my Administration will begin to partner with 20 of the hardest-hit towns in America to get these communities back on their feet.

(I haven’t a clue how I’m going to do this or how much it will cost. Maybe I’ll just call my 20 hard-hit partners and say, “Hi, I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” That’ll get ‘em on their feet!)

Tonight, I’m announcing a non-partisan commission to improve the voting experience in America.

(And while I’m at it, I’m going to improve the experience of preparing income tax returns, internet download speeds, ATS pat-downs, license and tag renewals, blind dates, dental exams, service at restaurants, drone strikes, MRIs for claustrophobics, and having to listen to stupid stuff politicians say in speeches.)

Predictably, Obama’s laundry list of Julia programs was surrounded by his usual display of rhetorical platitudes, clichés, non sequiturs, straw men, false choices, and half-truths. More than a few times he pushed the envelope of truth.

For example, Obama claimed that “both parties have worked together to reduce the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion.” The $2.5 trillion is a 10-year estimate with a dubious factual basis. All of the reduction is “on the come” over the next ten years. No Congress can bind a future Congress. How do we know what future Congresses will or will not do to change this number? Moreover, what Obama is calling deficit reduction in the $2.5 trillion is a reduction in planned increases, not an absolute reduction. If Obama had chosen a different base year than 2012 – like 2010, and intervening years that have already “happened” the deficit reduction figure would have been less.

Rather than look to the future, look to the past. No spending cuts have been made since Obama became president. Since he took over the budget from Bush, the government spent $3.5 trillion in 2010/2011. Last fiscal year we spent $100 billion more. Spending for the first four months of Fiscal Year 2013 is running ahead of spending for the same period last year by almost $40 billion, putting us on track for $120 billion in increased spending this year. Increased deficit spending has swelled the national debt by $6 trillion – 57% – since Obama was sworn in. To put that in perspective, if we begin counting from the founding of the American Republic, 36 cents of the national debt was piled up under the Obama administration. The White House hasn’t gotten deficit reduction religion yet.

Obama claimed that “we have doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas.” A less misleading claim would be, “We have mandated a fuel efficiency target that is twice today’s efficiency for 2025 – nine years after I’m out of office.”

Obama claimed “Every dollar we invested to map the human genome returned $140 to our economy.” No credible source substantiates this assertion.

Obama claimed that ObamaCare “is helping to slow the growth of health care costs.” Year-over-year decreases in healthcare spending began to occur the year before ObamaCare was enacted into law. The economic slowdown, not the law, is responsible for slowing growth.

In contrast, ObamaCare is increasing healthcare cost.  Its coverage mandates, which include providing unrated insurance regardless of the insured’s health conditions is causing insurance premium sticker shock. Candidate Obama promised to reduce insurance premiums for a family of four by $2,500. In fact, insurance premiums for that family have increased $3,000. And the ObamaCare-induced healthcare cost inflation is just beginning. Of course, President Obama failed to mention that Candidate Obama’s premium reduction promise was pure pre-election fiction.

Promoting his $9 minimum wage proposal, Obama said, “… here’s an idea that Governor Romney and I actually agreed on last year: let’s tie the minimum wage to the cost of living.” It was an exaggerated call for bipartisanship. Romney dropped the minimum wage-COLA linkage during his campaign.

Obama and Biden continue to mislead the public on the extent of gun violence in this country. His State of the Union message was no exception. Obama scolded Congress that two months had passed since Newtown. He pressured them to put to a vote more stringent gun regulations, reminding them that “more than a thousand birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries have been stolen from our lives by a bullet from a gun” in Newtown.

It’s a tragedy any time a child is denied the opportunity to live out his or her biblical “four score and ten” years – whether due to a bullet, an auto accident, disease, or abuse. A child’s death is a unique loss. But Obama’s soaring rhetoric ignores the 55 million children denied their “four score and ten” due to abortions since 1973 – a practice that claims over a million more lives annually and a practice championed by Obama. Illinois State Senator Obama even voted against a bill to provide care to a baby who survived a failed abortion. So pardon me; I find Obama’s feigned concern for missing birthdays and graduations cynical and morally repugnant.

I’ve recently blogged on the politics of gun regulation. This past week Mindy McCready ended her life with a gun. Her sad death, leaving two small boys behind, is not atypical. A little-known fact about gun deaths in this country is that two-thirds of them – like McCready’s – are suicides. Two-thirds. Less than one in a dozen in the remaining third of gun deaths is due to long barrel guns, the kind which Obama and Biden are trying to regulate even more than they are presently regulated.

Obama referred in his speech to Hadiya Pendleton, the 15-year old Chicago girl killed recently in a random drive-by shooting. Her parents were in the visitors’ gallery as Obama spoke. Hadiya was killed by a revolver in a city with the toughest gun laws in the nation – a city that has NO gun stores. To use the Pendletons as props while he demagogued the acts of demented people as if such violence was epidemic among normal people was the height of hypocrisy, in my opinion, and I’m embarrassed that the Pendletons let themselves be drawn into it.

Thus passed another State of the Union speech.

Senator Marco Rubio delivered the Republican response. He saw the images of JuliaNation in Obama’s speech, saying

There are valid reasons to be concerned about the president’s plan to grow our government. But any time anyone opposes the president’s agenda, he and his allies usually respond by falsely attacking their motives.

Concerning Obama’s push for combating climate change, Rubio noted, “When we point out that no matter how many job-killing laws we pass, our government can’t control the weather, he accuses us of wanting dirty water and dirty air.”

“I would never support any changes to Medicare that would hurt seniors like my mother. But anyone who’s in favor of leaving Medicare exactly the way it is right now is in favor of bankrupting it,” Rubio continued. “…We were all heartbroken by the recent tragedy in Connecticut. We must effectively deal with the rise of violence in our country. But unconstitutionally undermining the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans is not the way to do it.”

Senator Rand Paul gave the Tea Party response, calling for a balanced budget amendment and threatening to take Obama to court if he tried, as warned in his speech, to legislate by executive order. “We cannot and will not allow any president to act as if he were a king,” Paul warned.

House Speaker John Boehner, opined that Obama “had an opportunity to offer a solution tonight, and he let it slip by,” continuing;

We are only weeks away from the devastating consequences of the president’s sequester, and he failed to offer the cuts needed to replace it. In the last election, voters chose divided government which offers a mandate only to work together to find common ground. The president, instead, appears to have chosen a go-it-alone approach to pursue his liberal agenda.

But Representative Matt Salmon said it best;

Fourteen years ago, I sat in this chamber when President Clinton declared during his State of the Union address that the “era of big government is over.” After listening tonight to President Obama’s State of the Union, I can sum his speech up in two words: “it’s back.”