Clinton's State of the Union Address

Jan 25 08:18 UTC 1995

I have had my ups and downs with Bill Clinton, but his State of the Union
speech, IMO, was GREAT!
The campaign reforms, including forcing the TV networks to give free time to
candidates, are sorely needed and long overdue.
I heard nothing I disagree with.  The only weak spot was that he didn't toot
his horn enough, didn't point out that all these republican governors' claims
to have improved their economies is bolderdash because the economies in 
democratic governor states are also up.  (John (the barbarian) Engler take
note, you ain't done doodley squat, except give tax breaks to the rich and
put General Assistance recipients on the street.  The improved Mich econ is 
due to high auto sales (witness all the overtime the UAWs are being forced to
work), and Clinton.  He also should have made more of his mention that he has
worked the largest budget deficit reduction since Truman.  He should have 
pounded that home.  Right On Brother Bill!!

response 2 of 79:

Jan 25 14:36 UTC 1995

Except campaign speeches are just promises with no certainty of fulfilment.
Clinton described what has changed in the past two years, what has not,
talked about failures and lessons learned, the best interests of the American
public at large, and what he believes is most important and should be done
next.  I was pleased with the speech (and the events described, for the 
most part).
I was, as always, disappointed by TV commentators that thought the most 
important thing about it was that it was, in their opinion, too long.  Were
they really paying attention?  I was also sickened by the usual heavily
slanted and partisan response by the opposing party, obviously trying to 
undermine the president to serve their own ends.  Yuckkkk!  Where was the
Libertarian (or anyone else's) response?  Politics as usual - hurting us all.

response 4 of 79:

Jan 25 15:30 UTC 1995

Jim or Tim, could you link this Item to World?  Hopefully this will 
engender a healthy debate that shouldn't be lost when Winter Agora is retired.

response 6 of 79:

Jan 25 18:05 UTC 1995

tched a lot of people with food stamps eat better food than I could.  I know
people need assistance, but the current program does not work.  I watched a lot
of my friends from high school struggle to get by on one income but making too
much money to qualify for assistance.  They didn't have a phone and they
couldn't always pay the utility bills.  But I know other people on welfare who
get free phone and free utilities and they sit around the house all day doing
nothing. The system does not reward those who are trying to make it.  I also
watched all kinds of people sell their food stamps outside the store at half
price to get cash to buy beer while their kids looked at the food longingly.
There will always be a need for an assistance program, but the one we have
doesn't work, and it DOES need to be reformed.

response 8 of 79:

Jan 25 19:53 UTC 1995

        re # 6 The fact that people can't get by with a low level
service sector or labor job is why Clinton's call for raising the
minimum wage is long overdue. Increased wages will give people an
incentive to leave the welfare system and start working to support
themselves.

response 10 of 79:

Jan 26 00:13 UTC 1995

Yeah, maybe Bill is a good, populist speaker. All i have to say is......
what happend for the last two years, agian? Bye Bye Billy, you had
your chance, now let the people with an actual mandate run the govermnent.

response 12 of 79:

Jan 26 00:39 UTC 1995

   I find that response very interesting, David.  Do you really think
that constructive things can occur in a short period of time?  Many of
the things Clinton wanted to do (and tried) are not of a quick nature.
The health care proposal, no matter what it would have looked like,
wouldn't have been something that got off the ground quickly.
   But Clinton certainly has waffled on many issues, and I'm not terribly
impressed with him for that reason.  But at least he was trying and still
is.  That is more than I can say for the "contract with america" which
seems to be largely about tearing things down rather than making them
better.  So with contract in hand, many things will change because of
the 140th congress.  It remains to be seen how wise acting quickly will
be.

response 14 of 79:

Jan 26 03:21 UTC 1995

Clinton campaigned on a raise in the minimum raise in 92, but I have been
told by a friend that he traded it away to some western republicans for
their votes on some logging bill.  He sure got the short end of the deal,
and let down those { poor people who are struggling to get by on $4.25 /
hour{.
Also, some congressmen introduced bills to force the media to give free time
for campaigners when Clinton had a democratic congress, but neither passed.
It's rediculous.  The airwaves belong to the people, and the media pigs use
of them is a priviledge granted by the government.  Congress should write a
bill containing both free media time and barring lobbyist contributions and
PACs, so congressmen can't argue that they need the "contributions," because
the free media time would more than make up for the loss of their bribes.

response 16 of 79:

Jan 26 06:25 UTC 1995

re#10  The Republicans have no mandate.  It was just the electorate voting
  against "business as usual" in Washington, and I see no changes with the
  new crowd.
The next election may just flip things the other way, if my perception is
correct.
re# 13&15  I don't object to waffling either, but feel it's sad that 
  Clinton has to struggle to find a position that will sell his ideas.  I
  believe he has principles, which is more than I can say for the past few
  previous administrations, but is getting tired of being beaten up by the
  press and knocked around by the idealogical winds of Washington.  I'm 
  sick of his and others ideas being shot down on purely partisan grounds.
  And I thought "not invented here" was only a problem in business ...

response 18 of 79:

Jan 26 13:15 UTC 1995

What is the _actual_ minimum wage where you live?  (I don't mean the
"legally mandated" minimum, but the lowest wage employers are paying
to find people to work.)

response 22 of 79:

Jan 27 01:42 UTC 1995

I think some of the fast food places are paying quite well, while others
are still paying minimum wage.  As for the Ann Arbor Public Schools (one
of my employers), they have a policy saying that employees who are also
AAPS students can not be paid more than $4.45 per hour.

response 24 of 79:

Jan 27 07:13 UTC 1995

 This item is now world 45.