This'n'That; January 27th[Inaug Address]

My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents [Our forefathers, while writing the Constitution, were concerned that one branch of government would overpower the others; they intentionally wrote into that document all the incumbrances that we now see in action. Starting in the last century, the governance has not "remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers;" Those ideals included limited government-minimal involvement and/or interference in the individual's personal lives, rights and responsibilities]. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans. That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. [Yes, but a necessary two-front war. We have seen the devastation that can be wraught upon our land by terrorist forces, sworn to kill anyone not of their faith. True, our economy IS badly weakened. This weakening started in the modern era by President F.D. Roosevelt at the beginning of "The Great Depression." Most conservative economists agree that his liberal fiscal policies extended that downturn by 3 to 5 years. WWII finally put America and Americans on a track to prosperity. Most don't know or don't remember that it was the added liberal policies during the Clinton Era which severely relaxed financial stability requirements for home ownership; thus allowing housing purchases by those who could least afford them. True, jobs ARE shed.... primarily due to the passage of the NAFTA Treaty. This agreement sent hundreds-of -thousands of manufacturing and service jobs overseas or across the border. Is it finally time to consider it's repeal? Businesses HAVE been shuttered. When did it become "un-American to fail? As surely as "death is a fact of life"..... failure is a fact of poor business practices. Recently, America's future has been mortgaged more than ever to support businesses which, due to their short foresight and dismal business models, should fail-to force them into healthier economic practices]. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet [Healthcare IS expensive! This was not the case prior to federal interference. I remember in the 1950s when my Dad earned $50/week, supporting a family of six; there was NEVER a shortage of healthcare for us. Welfare and Medicare/Medicaid were even "thought of" at that time. With the exception of national defense and homeland security, there is not one program in which the federal government has had a positive affect. Our schools fail too many? The proper phrase should be: Too many pupils fail! This all stems from continuing the failed policies of FDR {The New Deal} and LBJ {The Great Society}. These two programs among others, were great forces in altering "the family dynamic." With continued giveaway programs two-parent households, the natural work ethic and the will to succeed have been cast asunder. Why work if the government is going to financially allow the populus sit on it's collective ass in front of a TV? This lackadaisical attitude has extended itself to the student. The government has forced the teacher to "teach the test;" their livelyhood depends upon success-at any cost! Imagine the effectiveness of each tax dollar if the Department of Education were eliminated and those budget monies dispersed to the individual school districts....and the authority for programs and policies is relegated to the school district and the school board-someone a parent can approach? Government is most effective at it's lowest level! Energy: A simple solution is to allow oil drilling/exploration in America! A more complex solution is to explore alternative energies; not to finance the process, but to get-ta-Hell outa the way, forego federal mandates and let economics and the inventive spirit work! Those that are economically viable will succeed-those that aren't, won't. With starvation rampant in many parts of the world, using food as [bio-]fuel is asinine!]. These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights[If there are two mis-steps that will bring down America as we know it will be the welfare system and the "unlimited" federal spending!! The welfare system promotes the single parent household and makes lifestyle profitable by paying individuals and parents to sit on their collective dead asses in front of the TV. Some Census Bureau findings:- Median monthly earnings of TANF[forerunner of AFDC] participants increased significantly,from $472 in 1996 to $738 in 2000.....the typical poor family with children is supported by only 800 hours of work during a year: That amounts to 16 hours of work per week.......Father absence is another major cause of child poverty. Nearly two-thirds of poor children reside in single-parent homes; each year, an additional 1.3 million children are born out of wedlock. If poor mothers married the fathers of their children, almost three-quarters would immediately be lifted out of poverty............... Employment and Labor Force Status[Welfare Benefit] Employed full time . . . . . . . . . $224 Employed part time . . . . . . . $260 Unemployed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $403 Not in the labor force . . . . . $421

..The current Congress and those of the past 10 years are responsible for the vast "runaway" federal spending! Just a few of the stats I've found: [in this order...Year; Total Federal Spending; Total Federal Public Debt-all amounts in Trillions of dollars, i.e., $1.515= One Trillion,515 Billion Dollars!!] 1995...$1.515...$4.974; 2000...$1.789...$$5.674; 2005...$2.472...$7.932; 2008...$2.931...$10.385. [The "Public Debt" portion is that which will be paid by the GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN of the current taxpayers....]. Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics. [This seems more like the "campaign fluff" we're used to hearing. This fear,conflict, etc., is generated by the Members of Congress more so than by the general population. Prior to this "Giveaway Era," Americans "hitched up their boots" and did whatever was necessary to survive those previous downturns. The competitions in Congress, be they... out-spending each other, party versus party or member versus member..... are far more damaging to the morale and psyche of the average American than the actual economic conditions.] We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness. [Sir: Several times during this discourse you've mentioned God, Scripture and other religious themes. Is now the time that we can expect you to stand up to those who would remove the word "God" and various Scripture passages from coinage and currency, public buildings and public oaths??] In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. [Mr President..... we DID EARN IT, only to have that greatness given away by you, previous presidents and the rest in the Congress. That "giveaway" was completed with the passage of the NAFTA Agreement!! On that note: Why was this NAFTA thing formulated as an "agreement" rather than a "treaty??" Might it be because a treaty must be approved with the "consent" of the Senate and an agreement only requires a handshake in the "dead of night??"] Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. [By the American people-TRUE; By the Congress-FALSE. The previous congresses seemingly have been hell-bent on acquiring power and riches for themselves. This being done with too-liberal welfare policies and individual members' less-than-forthcoming policies which stifle opposing opinions, promote porkbarrel spending, etc. Any of these will garner more power through the vote of those most benefitted by the public dole and those porkbarrel projects that benefit the few over the most.] Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom [Mister President, how can prosperity and greatness be earned sitting in front of a TV, on the public dole? Are not ALL AMERICANS deserving of greatness and prosperity? The public perception of "risktakers" are those Americans who are small businessowners; those Americans who are entreprenuers. The current confiscatory tax policy stifles both at their outset!!] For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn. Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. [Surely we can not continue as the most prosperous nation on earth when most of the economy is owned by communists-namely China via the Public Debt] For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. [These jobs you propose are temporary, at best. What the country REALLY needs are deep TAX CUTS; massive federal SPENDING CUTS. Both these actions will put massive amounts of money back into circulation; creating lasting jobs; creating public purchasing power; reducing the growth of the public debt; all benefits of and to, a growing economy!!] ***From here-I find the address too depressing to continue analyzing... I done the best I could....*** We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do. Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government. Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good. As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more. Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint. We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you. For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace. To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. [This last sentence: Is the President referring to the Congress....?? I'm confused!!] To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it. As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all. For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate. Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task. I thought I might be up to the task. Now, I'm not so sure! This recitation is depressing, far too depressing to continue to analyse. I had decided prior to January 20th to look at this presidency with as un-jaundiced an eye as possible. Everyone deserves the time to put his or her programs into place and the additional time to see if they will work or fail. I intend to do just that!! If there are statements made; if programs are made; which I think are wrong-minded, goofy or downright ludicrious, I intend to take the President to task..... Til Nex'time....

This is the price and the promise of citizenship. This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny. This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath. So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people: "Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]." America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.