We didn’t spend a lot of time dissecting the President’s 2014 State Of The Union address, though we did sit through it. It contained pretty-much what one would expect, and we could have had more fun if we wrote the re-cap before the speech, and rejoiced in how right we were.
The Republican response, on the other hand, was hotly-anticipated in the Capitalist Union control center. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington State is widely considered a rising star in the GOP, and delivered the speech with poise (no water breaks, or rambling). The content of what she said, however, had a lot of the golden oldies that are often trotted out as counterpoints to Democrat Presidential addresses.
Republican-friendly news outlets called McMorris Rodgers’ speech a “perfect response” to counterbalance the President’s 90-minute joint session address.
Her 10-and-a-half minute speech left us thinking it was largely about her and her family, and was lean on specifics for the vision of how jumping on the Grand Old Party’s bandwagon would help Main Street USA. At one point, she said “As Republicans, we advance these plans (of empowering people and not government) every day.” She said that with a straight face, for which we give her credit.
The speech made no mention of how our rights will be restored, how respect for the US Constitution would be restored, and how Washington (DC) will work to earn-back the trust and respect of the American people after a decade of banker bailouts, “ruling” by executive order, trillion-dollar wars, inward-focused electronic surveillance, and a national security doctrine that makes the American People “the enemy,” and our beloved country “part of the battlefield.”
Where is the establishment GOP’s vigorous cry to rebuild THAT American Dream? If we don’t have those fundamental pillars, it matters not if you lock in a great mortgage rate, or go to college, because we will have lost America in the subterfuge. Where do you go when America is no longer free, and you have to literally measure your words for fear of ending up on a watch list somewhere? THAT is the fight the GOP should be taking up. All the other stuff in her speech is really just garnish. it may pretty-up the plate, but there is no steak.
Early in the speech, she went from “I’d like to share a more hopeful, Republican vision; one that empowers you, not the government,” back to talking about herself and how cool she is because she got up before the sun came up and had 4H animals. Yes, she needed to establish who she is, but she already did that in the first minute or so.
The thing that is so predictable about establishment GOPers is that they never pass on an opportunity to slip religion into the discussion: “If you would have told me, that one day, I would put my hand on the bible, and be sworn in to be the 200th women to serve in the US House of Representatives…” Then more religion at the end. Yes, they need to cater (pander?) to the Republican base in their message, but independents and libertarians are turned off by integrating religion so overtly. Well, THIS libertarian, at least.
Five minutes in, I’d had enough–but forced myself to press-on, as I had done minutes earlier, listening to the State of the Union, itself.
Not much more was said in the next five minutes, apart from a bunch of well-worn rhetoric on how we should aim to be compassionate and at the same time exceptional.
She ended it up by saying “So, tonight, I simply offer a prayer.”
Her speech left me thinking that the GOP doesn’t have one. We need bold action from our representatives–a Teddy Roosevelt era of “Follow me!” We don’t need prayers right now. The GOP needs to get off its base and lead–or get out of the way for what’s next.
—Michael Carr, Capitalist Union Contributing Editor
Speaking of what’s next, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah delivered what I deem a “proper” response to the President’s address in his Tea Party Response. Please give it a listen, below.
Quotes From Sen. Mike Lee’s Tea Party Response
Obamacare is “An inequality Godzilla”
Over the past five years, President Obama has promised an economy for the Middle Class…but all he has delivered an economy for the Middle MEN.”
Links
-> Tea Party Express Website
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