President Obama stays the course on jobs, health care and more while promising to reduce our national deficit. But Republicans offer their counterpoints on all of those issues and Obama’s contention that Republicans aren’t offering up ideas of their own. The ACORN ‘pimp’ faces federal charges. J.D. Salinger dies.
Reconciliation Plan ‘Dangerous’
Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson says he is surprised that President Obama recommitted himself to a health reform plan that America rejects. He says it would be dangerous for Democrats to ram through Obamacare through the budgetary move known as reconciliation. Isakson says his constituents want Congress to focus on the economy in a way that promotes stability and predictability.
Impolite and ‘Dead Wrong’
Gary Marx of the Judicial Confirmation Network was shocked by President Obama’s scolding of the Supreme Court in his State of the Union address. He says it was not only a lack of respect for the separation of powers but his argument was completely wrong on the facts. Marx says perhaps the justices should not be invited to the State of the Union any longer.
Obama Failed to ‘Learn Anything’
Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole says President Obama’s State of the Union message shows he hasn’t learned anything in the past year. Cole says Obama is still pushing a health plan America has already rejected, is not willing to address the tough issues needed to ‘restore fiscal sanity’ and he’s disappointed that Obama never gave credit to the troops for accomplishing their mission in Iraq. Cole also says Obama’s track record does not back up his claim of being open to all ideas.
‘Blatantly Untrue’
John Gizzi of Human Events says President Obama failed to re-connect with independent voters and the middle class. He says the president was not telling the truth when he claimed there was overwhelming evidence to prove the existence of climate change. Gizzi suggests Obama missed the message of voters by pushing the same rejected health care bill. He also says Justice Alito had every right to object to Obama’s scolding of the Supreme Court.
Abstinence Education Works!
Planned Parenthood is releasing new numbers on teen pregnancy that it says proved abstinence-based sex education is a failure. However, the pro-life American Life League says the conclusion should be exactly the opposite. Rita Diller is national director of ALL’s STOPP Planned Parenthood. She says the data prove that teen pregnancy rates decline a few years after a commitment to abstinence-based education and the numbers rise when teachers don’t stress waiting for sex until marriage.
The News
Both parties share advice and expectations for President Obama’s State of the Union message, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner grilled over handling of AIG, Obama looks to scrap return to the moon, Apple debuts new iPad.
New Message, Same Agenda
Texas Rep. Kevin Brady says President Obama’s spending freeze impacts less than 20% of the budget. Brady’s plan calls for an immediate freeze and an aggressive study of which spending programs are wasteful, repetitive or ineffective. Brady also says Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has a problem telling the truth and predicts Geithner will be forced out of the Obama administration sonner rather than later.
U.S. Must ‘Live Within Its Means’
New Jersey Rep. Scott Garrett says President Obama’s proposed spending freeze should be implemented immediately. He says Dems are still flailing on health care strategy, and President Obama has not been at all welcoming of Republican ideas on health reform and the economy.
Obama’s Security Blunders
Former Pentagon official K.T. McFarland says President Obama needs to chart a new course on keeping us safe in tonight’s State of the Union address. McFarland says treating terrorists like bank robbers is endangering everyone because we’re not getting any good intel from the enemies we have in custody. She also says Obama has never defined the objective in Afghanistan and has achieved nothing in terms of stopping Iran’s nuclear ambitions. She also explains what would change Iran’s dangerous agenda.