The Big Jobs Speech

Despite the seventeen times he said, "Pass this Bill," there was one particular line in Mr. Obama’s speech (PDF) that hit a nerve. Here attempted to define who we are:

"In fact, this larger notion that the only thing we can do to restore prosperity is just dismantle government, refund everyone’s money, let everyone write their own rules, and tell everyone they’re on their own – that’s not who we are. That’s not the story of America. 

Yes, we are rugged individualists. Yes, we are strong and self-reliant. And it has been the drive and initiative of our workers and entrepreneurs that has made this economy the engine and envy of the world. 

But there has always been another thread running throughout our history – a belief that we are all connected; and that there are some things we can only do together, as a nation."

We are all connected? It's ether something out of Marx; idea of the collective, or Nationalism, or the Borg from Star Trek. For me, it implied that we are of one, and the one is the government.

And, the other one in there, the rugged individualists? The only rugged individual Mr. Obama ever met was Joe the Plumber, and Mr. Obama didn't like him very much, if memory serves.

The AP did some fact checking on the speech - and they're finding more errors and problems with it than Rick Perry and Mitt Romney contorting their records the night before.

Meantime, he's going to have to raise taxes to pay for the original stimulus/slush fund bill that he and the Democratic Congress passed ten minutes into his Administration. Shovel ready jobs? It smells a lot like it was found coming out of horse's lower intestine now, doesn't it?

Also worth mentioning, sitting next to Mrs. Obama were CEOs that have been allies of the administration, including GE’s Jeff Immelt, who was appointed to be chair Obama’s Council on Jobs and  Competitiveness. Other corporate executives include Steve Case, the former AOL head, and American Express CEO Ken Chenault. Funny, George Kaiser wasn't?