Obama's State Of The Onion Address: The More You Peel It, The More It Makes You Cry

President Obama must have an awefully sore shoulder this morning.  He patted himself on the back so hard and so many times, it's a wonder he wasn't rushed to the hospital with a dislocated shoulder!

Here's a perfect example why "professional" politicians are so clueless.  They BELIEVE that government creates jobs!  Never actually having had jobs themselves, they don't really understand how the economy works. Yes, they write checks to someone who in turn employs someone.  But for every check they write, someone ELSE has to pay for that check and becomes LESS able to employ someone.  Hmm.  The math.  That stupid math that just keeps getting in the way.

It's amazing that a President can claim that he's "created" so many millions of jobs while at the same time ignoring the fact that real unemployment is at all time highs.  Again, that silly math just keeps getting in the way.  But DON'T pay attention to the man behind the curtain!

Fortunately, the President DID make a few decent suggestions such as encouraging nuclear power. He also recommended tax breaks for companies investing in capital equipment and raising payrolls.  That's good stuff. 

But is he serious about giving the already "Dead on Arrival" Obamacare another try?  I guess he must really want to work with Republicans, because if that bill is pushed more, he will cost many Democrats their beloved jobs.  And this from a man who claims to have created jobs! 

In listening to the address, it amazes me how so many words can contain so little meaning.  "We will do this".  "We will do that".  Ok, so why haven't you done this or that already?  Oh that's right, you had to blame everything on your predecessor.  As we know,  the ridiculous stimulous bills, TARP, bailout of General Motors and Chrysler were all Bush's fault.  So is the ongoing war in Afghanistan.  So is the out-of-control budget deficit.  All Bush's fault.  Well before we get too hard on the President, let's rememeber he just got into office - a YEAR ago!

While campaigning, President Obama promised to "unify".  HUH?  How many bills are being voted strictly along party lines like Obamacare?  In fact, President Obama is probably the most polarizing figure in history.  And that's saying something after Bill and Hillary Clinton, George Bush and Newt Gingrich.

Seriously, if you want to waste a perfectly good hour and a half and yet learn nothing other than the art of obfuscation, listen to last night's address.  Lot's of jobs created or saved, yet none destroyed.   Lot's of money spent with all kinds of real results, like the grocery store check-out clerk in Pittsburgh who would have lost her job without the bailout funds.  Never mind the real people who join the unemployment rolls week after week.  Lot's of applause by other politicians whose sole purpose is to get face time on camera and keep their jobs. 

Thankfully, the speech finally ended and we can go on to the "people's business" like spending more money we don't have - all while providing "8 million middle-class Americans with tax cuts"!  Don't pay attention to the main behind the curtain!

I hope everyone writes Mr. Obama a "get well" card this morning.  First, in sympathy to his dislocated shoulder and second to express sympathies for his delusions of grandeur.  As he told us, the state of America is not only JUST FINE but he has more hope than ever.  Didn't someone I know write a book about the AUDACITY of HOPE? 

Another State of the Union Adress and another hour of empty rhetoric.  While the President may not walk the walk, at least he talked the talk, and talked the talk, and talked the talk...

The truly sad aspect of the State of the Union address is that it gave the President an honest opportunity to acknowledge where things stand and propose SOLUTIONS -  not to take credit for accomplishments that haven't actually been made. 

Tomorrow, we'll go back to the markets and review our "Take" after a heavy news week.

Marko's Take