I’m back from FL, so hopefully the updates will get moving again.
Meanwhile, the State of the Union was the big political news of the week. It was good (and definitely quelled the general panic in the liberal blog-o-sphere after the MA elections), but I’d say that this Q&A session with the GOP is _infinitely_ more compelling. Granted, its not exactly a fair setting, since Obama always has the last word, but perhaps the Republicans (and the Democrats) will finally learn their lesson: don’t bring talking points to a law professor fight.
It’s 90 minutes, so make yourself some hot chocolate, grab a blanket, make yourself comfortable, and turn on your brain. Q&A starts at 19:00, though the opening remarks are worth a listen too. (Video) (Transcript)
And in case you missed it, the State of the Union Address (Video) (Transcript)
Frankly, how some of you went after this bill, you would think that this thing was a Bolshevik plot. That’s how you presented it. I’m thinking to myself, how is it that a plan that is pretty centrist — no, look. I’m just saying. I know you guys disagree, but if you look at the facts of this bill, most independent observers would say this is actually what many Republicans — it is similar to what many republicans proposed to Bill Clinton when he was doing his debate on health care.
So, all I’m saying is, we’ve got to close the gap a little bit between the rhetoric and the reality. I’m not suggesting that we’re going to agree on everything, whether it’s on health care, energy or what have you. But if the way these issues are being presented by the Republicans is that this is some wild-eyed plot to impose huge government in every aspect of our lives, what happens is you guys then don’t have a lot of room to negotiate with me.
