Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
- Excellent intro tone - straight to the economy
- Surplus in the past became an opportunity to transfer wealth to the wealthy.. aye
- Take charge of our future, by bold action for long-term improvements on energy, healthcare and education — that’s the economic agenda
- Credit greases the wheels of the economy — it is broken today because we have too much bad debt; too little trust
- As taxpayers pay to restore health to the consumer & business credit systems, I want it to be responsibly directed to basics. I’ve no sympathy for those who speculate or indulge on credit.
- Help the major banks to serve again through lending - but how? through new capital tied to lending metrics
- This is about getting money for bus.ops and for families faced with negative home equity, under a sensibly regulated financial system
- Energy, healthcare, education and sensible fiscal plans are ALL about our future competitiveness
- We will have to sacrifice some priorities to achieve these practical improvements, but we will do whatever is needed to get results we need
- Catalyze private enterprise
- Double the amount of renewable energy in 3 years; congress - send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution
- Healthcare costs drive jobs offshore — we cannot delay this reform. It is time.
- A cure for cancer in our time; large investment in preventative care; quality care for everyone; long-overdue efficiency improvements
- We will start on healthcare redesign next week
- Those who out-teach us today will out-compete us next year
- Not just more resources, more reforms - rewards for success, expanded charter schools, better training for teachers
- Everyone should get at least a year of post-secondary - dropping out of high school is quitting on your country.
- By 2020 have highest college grad % in the world. How with tuition at world-record levels??
- Take responsibility to NOT pass onto our children a debt they cannot pay.
- End direct payments to large agribusiness that don’t need them. End no-bid contracts. Control medicare costs.
- End tax breaks for wealthiest 2%. But families earning < 250K to see no tax increases.
- End tax breaks for corporations that offshore jobs — tough to operationalize
- Include (expose?) the real cost of war, in our budgets
- Inspiration comes from the aspirations of ordinary. The starting point for our work must be - how does this help America succeed?
- “Downpayment on universal healthcare” is to drive down the cost of healthcare, so we can afford it for everyone.
- Republican response (Louisiana Governor Jindal) starts long on personal notes connecting his story to President Obama’s
- Moves to the need for Republicans to be the presidents strongest partner
- The responding governor equates government and bureaucracy
- Tax cuts and less government … still the only answer. Admits no possibility of effective government
- Oops … we forgot about our small government agenda for the last 8 years. Sorry. But we mean it now.
- Most memorable take-away: surplus in past was an opportunity to transfer wealth to the wealthy- putting short term gains ahead of long term benefit - no more.
Posted in Community, Consider | No Comments »
