Yoni's Official State of the Union Address Thread

[Yonivore]

Laws in 24 states may fall as a result. We'll see.

That doesn't change the untruth of the statement.

On campaign finance, though. Exactly how does money translate to votes? Unless donors are buying the electorate's vote at the polling booth, I don't see the problem with lifting restrictions on political giving.

The underlying complaint seems to be that politicians can remain in power just by virtue of being the biggest recipient of campaign donations. If that's the case, we get the government we deserve.

I think more attention should be given the veracity of political speech. Just like truth in product advertising, I think political ads should be accompanied by the facts supporting the claims made.

[DarrinS]

As far as his disrespect towards the SCOTUS:

http://www.politico.com/arena/perm/R...79CC7D13F.html

In the history of the State of the Union has any President ever called out the Supreme Court by name, and egged on the Congress to jeer a Supreme Court decision, while the Justices were seated politely before him surrounded by hundreds Congressmen? To call upon the Congress to countermand (somehow) by statute a cons utional decision, indeed a decision applying the First Amendment? What can this possibly accomplish besides alienating Justice Kennedy who wrote the opinion being attacked. Contrary to what we heard during the last administration, the Court may certainly be the object of presidential criticism without posing any threat to its independence. But this was a truly shocking lack of decorum and disrespect towards the Supreme Court for which an apology is in order. A new tone indeed.

[Winehole23]

I think more attention should be given the veracity of political speech. Just like truth in product advertising, I think political ads should be accompanied by the facts supporting the claims made.

You'd restrict speakers to making objectively verifiable claims. Like we do with drug ads, I guess. Hilarious.

In any case factuality can be completely blown out of the water by simple statements of opinion about so-called facts such as, "I believe that.." or "some people are concerned that", so why even bother?

[Marcus Bryant]

I'm surprised FDR's court packing scheme hasn't been resurrected yet.

Hey, if FDR wunted it den it musta be good.

[Marcus Bryant]

The common appeal to nostalgia for historical political figures is one of the most pungent, foul, and untoward aspects of American politics. Of course, it's nostalgia of the sanitized Disney-esque view perpetuated by American pedagogues and solidified in the mindless American media.

[Marcus Bryant]

Duh president should be able to dew whut he wants unless he's der president.

[Winehole23]

But this was a truly shocking lack of decorum and disrespect towards the Supreme Court for which an apology is in order. A new tone indeed.

On the contrary, we've had this very discussion a small number of times in the last year alone. Joe Wilson, anybody?

[Winehole23]

Alito's response, however be it justified in the rec ude of its truth, may betray an awkwardness of judicial comportment.

For example. The other justices didn't react demonstratively. Because they disagreed either more or less with President? I doubt it.

Obama shook Alito's cage. Unlike all the other judges, Alito hid his disposition poorly.

[FromWayDowntown]

I suppose it was an act of unmentionable temerity and defiance when calls were made to enact legislation to undo the Supreme Court's flag burning case (Johnson v. Texas).

Or maybe it's just that if a President is going to call for direct reaction to a Supreme Court decision, he or she should do so only when those jurists are cloistered.

[Marcus Bryant]

On the contrary, we've had this very discussion a small number of times in the last year alone. Joe Wilson, anybody?

This is America.

Everyone was born yesterday.

[Marcus Bryant]

No wonder being 'born again' is so popular.

[Marcus Bryant]

Ok, that was bad.

[Marcus Bryant]

I apologize.

[Marcus Bryant]

I'll come up with something better next time.

[Winehole23]

The common appeal to nostalgia for historical political figures is one of the most pungent, foul, and untoward aspects of American politics. Of course, it's nostalgia of the sanitized Disney-esque view perpetuated by American pedagogues and solidified in the mindless American media.

I think it matters who you pick, even if it's the equivalent of con uous consumption at the shopping mall. Choices matter. For Ronald Reagan there was a halo around Harry Truman. Go figure.

And it isn't just nostalgia that I and a few others have the pre-digital America within living memory. There's a few old farts left. For good and for ill, some of em will leave a mark.

Others do too, and the inculcation of whippersnappers in America's pre-digital ways and American history in general, is very much in order, in the solitary opinion of this wino. It's old-fogeyish, old fartish and boring to be sure, but JMO boring is underrated.

[EVAY]

The gloves came off between the conservative judges on this court and Obama during the Oath of office, when Roberts, in a display of genuine arrogance, decided to try to lead Obama through the oath without having the words in front of him, resulting in a muffed oath-taking that marred the moment, at least, and required a 'do-over' the next day.

Obama did limit his comments by saying "I believe" ...will open the floodgates...etc., etc. Then he called on the congress to write a new law. I don't think what Obama did was that notable, but the media frenzy is what it is because everything else was so dull.

Other Supremes have probably said worse in years past but not been caught on camera doing it.

[Marcus Bryant]

I think it matters who you pick, even if it's the equivalent of con uous consumption at the shopping mall. Choices matter. For Ronald Reagan there was a halo around Harry Truman. Go figure.

And it isn't just nostalgia that I and a few others have the pre-digital America within living memory. There's a few old farts left. For good and for ill, some of em will leave a mark.

Others do too, and the inculcation of whippersnappers in America's pre-digital ways and American history in general, is very much in order, in the solitary opinion of this wino. It's old-fogeyish, old fartish and boring to be sure, but JMO boring is underrated.

But it glosses over the disagreements of the time and presents this false unanimity in our history. In the process, those who disagreed vehemently are forgotten, save for when they serve as useful villains.

The creation of these myths kills real tradition.

[Marcus Bryant]

The WWII/Cold War narrative essentially killed off any notion of an anti-war conservatism. The new sanitized tradition became America as the warrior state, liberating the Earth and making it safe for "democracy."

It would do Sparta some good to examine its past, to have a serious anti-war strain of thought running through it.

[Winehole23]

If there were any Spartans left, yes.

[Marcus Bryant]

Pseudo-Spartans then.

[Winehole23]

But it glosses over the disagreements of the time and presents this false unanimity in our history. In the process, those who disagreed vehemently are forgotten, save for when they serve as useful villains.

The creation of these myths kills real tradition.

The false unanimity grows mainly on its ignorance about what it hoists up as holy, but partly also on its charismatic persuasion. Ignorance is a killer of tradition. One of the really big ones.

[Winehole23]

Pseudo-Spartans then.

Oh, that'd be us. Forgive my slowness...

[Winehole23]

Other Supremes have probably said worse in years past but not been caught on camera doing it.

That was my point, really. Alito was con uous.

[Marcus Bryant]

The false unanimity grows mainly on its ignorance about what it hoists up as holy, but partly also on its charismatic persuasion. Ignorance is a killer of tradition. One of the really big ones.

And the pedagogues maintain that, ensuring the people spend their days flailing blindly at each other and remain susceptible to false calls to patriotism and history. Or, calls to patriotism based on a false history. Or an incomplete one.

[Winehole23]

Retail politics is a .