February 1, 2014 --

President Obama began his address by announcing that we have "[t]he lowest unemployment rate in five years. A rebounding housing market. A manufacturing sector that's adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s. More oil produced at home than we buy from the rest of the world...." A moment or two later, he indicated that the middle class continues to shrink, adding, " [financial] inequality has deepened. Upward mobility has stalled." The president then indicated that "too many Americans" are working harder" without improving their economic circumstances, and "too many" remain out of work. Later in the address, President Obama called on Congress to extend unemployment benefits. LPR asks, if the economy were doing well, would there be a great need to extend unemployment insurance?

Elsewhere in the speech, he lauded reforms of student loan program -- and then called for aid to people who feel mired in student loan obligations.
He called for immigration reform in the context of improving the economy, oblivious to concern that his plans for immigration reform will further depress the economy. The president seemed to be proud that how we were developing our natural gas resources, yet referred to natural gas as "the bridge fuel." LPR asks, a bridge fuel to what -- more vast losses for solar and wind projects?

The president's imperial tone was evident when he declared "settled" the climate change debate. The president pronounced: "Climate change is a fact." (Wasn't this once called "global cooling?") Or should this be called his "Stalinist" tone?

LPR is here reminded of the Soviet biologist Lysenko, who convinced the the Soviet tyrant Joseph Stalin of his crackpot notions on heredity, notions that led to the persecution, including death, of Soviet biologists who did not follow the party line on science.

President Obama asserted, during his address: "It should be the power of our vote, not the size of our bank account, that drives our economy."
The president did not explain why we should not regard his fondness for political fundraising to be inconsistent with this statement.

Interestingly, President Obama did make one comment in the speech that seemed to contradict the remarks of Amb. Susan Rice on Face the Nation, September 16,2012. On that occasion, Amb. Rice suggested that the president should be praised for his efforts in defeating Al Qaeda. In the course of his State of the Union remarks, the president acknowledged that the threat from Al Qaeda continues.

LPR absolutely agrees with this statement from the president's speech: "A social security check is not enough on its own."

Announcing his plan to raise the minimum wage for workers employed by federal contractors to $10.10, President Obama urged: "Say yes. Give America a raise." LPR wonders if President Obama will, before the November's elections, call for an Annual Minimum Income (AMI) for every American over the age of 18. Certainly this would put an end to the need for unemployment insurance and food stamps.