About that Joni Ernst Gal......

So if you were wondering why you heard nothing on immigration reform from Senator Joni Ernst, we might have the answer-

Joni Ernst, the newly-elected Iowa senator who's giving the Republican response in English, is a standard conservative immigration hardliner. She's going to be speaking at an immigration summit this weekend hosted by Rep. Steve King of Iowa — the leading immigration hawk in the House of Representatives. (Jeb Bush, who's generally attempted to be a moderate on this issue, is pointedly refusing to attend King's conference because he finds King too radical.) And in 2007, as a county auditor, Ernst joined a lawsuit against Iowa state officials for offering voting materials in languages other than English.

You mean... the nice gal from Southwest Iowa is actually a wing-nut.... who'd have thunk it? 

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The PA Senate Race of 2016

Here's the state of Pennsylvania's 2016 Senate race:

PPP's first poll of the 2016 Pennsylvania Senate race finds it picking up pretty much where the 2010 Senate race left off- with Pat Toomey holding a narrow edge over Joe Sestak. Toomey leads Sestak 40/36, similar to his 2 point margin of victory the first time the duo faced off.

Four years into his first term, Toomey's approval numbers aren't terribly impressive. 28% of voters approve of the job he's doing to 35% who disapprove, comparable to the 31/34 spread he posted on PPP's last poll in June. A plurality of voters- 37%- don't have any opinion about Toomey at all. That level of anonymity with voters leaves his fate next year somewhat up to the political winds- if it's another good year for Republicans like the last time he ran he may be alright, but if it's a stronger Democratic year he'll be in deep trouble.

Sestak has largely faded from Pennsylvanians' minds since his 2010 bid as well. Only 40% of voters in the state have an opinion about him with those holding one pretty evenly divided in their feelings.

Sestak does about as well as Chris Matthews (he trails 42-38%). The only candidate beating Toomey is former Governor Rendell, who I'd love to see run, but he won't. Most of the Democrats trail Toomey, despite Toomey not being all that strong.

I don't believe Josh Shapiro will run (nor should he, he should be one of several candidates considering a run for Attorney General), and I don't see a whole lot of other takers to challenge Sestak. The one person making noise, Chris Carney, is receiving mixed reviews. I'm not at all bothered by his "Blue Dog" history, but we all know there are some who are.

The issue that Democratic operatives have with Sestak is less about his politics (which are fine), or his 2010 result (he only lost because it was 2010), but more so the campaign he ran, and the difficulty the party had in dealing with him. In such a crucial race to the balance of power, that means a lot more than some bio points and declarations of being qualified.

For myself, I'm open to Sestak or Carney, and would consider myself a free agent. Same for a potential Matthews campaign if that came up. I do have some misgivings about where our field is though.

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For Your Listening Pleasure- 1/21/15- 50 Cent feat. Eminem- Patiently Waiting

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Obama: Grow the Middle Class. GOP: Uh, No.

So last night, President Obama proposed things like raising the minimum wage, cutting middle-class taxes and closing tax loopholes for the rich, investing in green jobs, investing in infrastructure, and hiring veterans when they come home. The response was kind of muddled and lacked direction. For the most part, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst did not attack in her response speech. It was heavy on biography and fluff, and really didn't get into much substance besides things that will not happen- the current Keystone XL bill and repealing Obamacare. As a result, there's not much to say about her. She pointed out things like cyber-security and trade deals that might happen in this Congress, and that's about all we can take from her speech, which will mostly be remembered for her talking about wearing "bread bags" on her feet as a kid.

This doesn't mean the trolls weren't out in force. Congressman Aaron Schock (pictured above), considered one of the moderates in Congress, went all "conservative theorist" on the minimum wage. He asked why arbitrarily raise the rate to $10.10, and not something crazy, like even $50 an hour, since it's all going to be bad for the economy when we "raise the labor cost." Of course, recent history has already proven this ridiculously stupid theory false. We have never seen the kind of mass-layoffs that Schock is trying to scare people with when raising the minimum-wage by $2 and $3 at a time in America. I guess he was trying his best to look like a conservative.

He wasn't nearly the worst though, as Salon cataloged some of the worst. I personally think the worst of all was Iowa Congressman bigot Steve King calling a woman who is benefitting from the "DREAM Act" executive order that President Obama signed into law a "deportable." I'm sure he'd send the agents up to get her if he could. Of course, Republicans will flock to seek his endorsement for President. Then again, how bad was that, compared to?

So are we all ready to kill a bunch of babies and raise taxes? Anything else I missed? Soaring rhetoric?
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) January 21, 2015

I wish when they cut to Elizabeth Warren she'd be knitting a US flag with a hammer and sickle where the stars are supposed to be.
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) January 21, 2015

No, actually not, amazingly. It can be worse than calling someone a "deportable," I guess. Or not. Either way, these crazies run the Congress.

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Senator Joni Ernst's Republican Response to the State of the Union

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So, How'd the President Do?

Yesterday I wrote my hopes out for last night's State of the Union. It's time to check in on them.

1. The President will amend overtime rules by Executive Order- With the stroke of a pen, the President can make millions of additional workers eligible for overtime, and raise their wages as a result. I'd like to hear him say he will. We have no sign at this time that this is on the agenda.
2. Universal free community college- I support the President's plan to make community college free for those who qualify. I don't think this can pass Congress, but President's have to be aspirational. He is going to push this, and I am glad.
3. Student loan forgiveness- One of the best ways for the President to address economic issues facing millennials, and to stimulate the economy, would be to forgive parts or all of the student loans of those still indebted to them. This is not likely to be proposed.
4. Increase the minimum wage and index it- The President has pushed in the past for an increase in the minimum wage, and that call has gone unheeded in Washington. It has passed in a lot of states as a result, which is basically just as good. I'd like to see him push this again, and push to index the minimum wage to the rate of inflation annually. Take this issue out of politics, since most Americans agree on it.
5. Close tax loopholes and breaks exclusive to the rich, cut middle-class taxes- Rich people getting low tax rates just keep their savings. Middle-class and poor people spend it. Close loopholes for trust funds and inheritors, and transfer the savings to the middle class. We'll all benefit from the growth. The White House seems committed to this, and i'm glad.
6. Re-commit to mass transit and renewable energy- This President has been very "green" in his approach to energy and the environment, and I'd like to see more of that in this speech. High speed rail, like that between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, should be a national reality. We also need to cut subsidies to fossil fuels, and transfer those to the emerging solar and wind markets, to name a few. He will almost certainly stand by his veto threat on the Keystone Pipeline issue in this speech.
7. Call for an expansion of Social Security- Yes, go big on the entitlements. We know this Congress wants to create a Social Security crisis, and cut entitlements on the whole. The President should double down on that dare and prepare to put this issue on the national map heading towards 2016. He may go here.
8. Call for GMO Labeling and reforms to our food supply- This is a pipe-dream, but it is necessary. We simply don't know what we're eating, and there is no reason to trust companies to "self-police" themselves when they can raise the profit margin. Increase regulation and improve labeling. I doubt we see anything here.
9. Call on Congress to address marijuana legalization- Colorado passed legalized marijuana, and they are experiencing tremendous success. Still though, you can't allow the status quo to continue. The next President could use federal law and simply go into Colorado and arrest all the business owners and throw the book at them, because it's illegal nationally. Congress should take the first step towards ending the "War on Drugs" by legalizing marijuana, and allowing states to address this issue. This almost certainly won't make the speech.
10. Re-commit to Space- A few years ago, NASA appeared headed to a slow death. Now they are testing rockets that can reach Mars. Take a page from JFK and call on the nation to reach Mars in the near future. Exceptional nations do exceptional things, and we need to get back to doing that. This is possible.

So, how'd he do:

1. Mixed, but positive bag. He called on Congress to address overtime rules. One can hope this means that when they don't act, he will.
2. He's right where we thought he'd be.
3. Not really on the agenda, unfortunately.
4. He's still pushing on raising the wage, pretty hard too. He didn't go into indexing, but I'll take this.
5. He's spot on here.
6. He's spot on here, too. He's pretty much where I expected on these last two.
7. Not really in the cards.
8. Not much on the agenda here.
9. He did talk about criminal justice reform, but nothing here.
10. He was more bold here than I thought, even going so far as we should seek to live in space. My inner geek loved this part of the speech.

So, he didn't touch on four of my ten items. He did touch on six, though only partially on a couple. Still, 60% wins divisions in baseball, so I'm quite happy to see him be pushing 60% of the things I wanted to hear. The President met my expectations, plus. 

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Text of the State of the Union

From the White House:

Remarks by the President in State of the Union Address | January 20, 2015

U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.

9:10 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, my fellow Americans:

We are 15 years into this new century.  Fifteen years that dawned with terror touching our shores; that unfolded with a new generation fighting two long and costly wars; that saw a vicious recession spread across our nation and the world.  It has been, and still is, a hard time for many. 

But tonight, we turn the page.  Tonight, after a breakthrough year for America, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999.  (Applause.)  Our unemployment rate is now lower than it was before the financial crisis.  More of our kids are graduating than ever before.  More of our people are insured than ever before.  (Applause.)  And we are as free from the grip of foreign oil as we’ve been in almost 30 years.  (Applause.)

Tonight, for the first time since 9/11, our combat mission in Afghanistan is over.  (Applause.)  Six years ago, nearly 180,000 American troops served in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Today, fewer than 15,000 remain.  And we salute the courage and sacrifice of every man and woman in this 9/11 Generation who has served to keep us safe.  (Applause.)  We are humbled and grateful for your service.

America, for all that we have endured; for all the grit and hard work required to come back; for all the tasks that lie ahead, know this:  The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the Union is strong.  (Applause.)

At this moment -- with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry, booming energy production -- we have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth.  It’s now up to us to choose who we want to be over the next 15 years and for decades to come.

Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well?  Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?  (Applause.)

Will we approach the world fearful and reactive, dragged into costly conflicts that strain our military and set back our standing?  Or will we lead wisely, using all elements of our power to defeat new threats and protect our planet?

Will we allow ourselves to be sorted into factions and turned against one another?  Or will we recapture the sense of common purpose that has always propelled America forward?

In two weeks, I will send this Congress a budget filled with ideas that are practical, not partisan.  And in the months ahead, I’ll crisscross the country making a case for those ideas.  So tonight, I want to focus less on a checklist of proposals, and focus more on the values at stake in the choices before us.

It begins with our economy.  Seven years ago, Rebekah and Ben Erler of Minneapolis were newlyweds.  (Laughter.)  She waited tables.  He worked construction.  Their first child, Jack, was on the way.  They were young and in love in America.  And it doesn’t get much better than that.  “If only we had known,” Rebekah wrote to me last spring, “what was about to happen to the housing and construction market.” 

As the crisis worsened, Ben’s business dried up, so he took what jobs he could find, even if they kept him on the road for long stretches of time.  Rebekah took out student loans and enrolled in community college, and retrained for a new career.  They sacrificed for each other.  And slowly, it paid off.  They bought their first home.  They had a second son, Henry.  Rebekah got a better job and then a raise.  Ben is back in construction -- and home for dinner every night.

“It is amazing,” Rebekah wrote, “what you can bounce back from when you have to…we are a strong, tight-knit family who has made it through some very, very hard times.”  We are a strong, tight-knit family who has made it through some very, very hard times.

America, Rebekah and Ben’s story is our story.  They represent the millions who have worked hard and scrimped, and sacrificed and retooled.  You are the reason that I ran for this office.  You are the people I was thinking of six years ago today, in the darkest months of the crisis, when I stood on the steps of this Capitol and promised we would rebuild our economy on a new foundation.  And it has been your resilience, your effort that has made it possible for our country to emerge stronger.

We believed we could reverse the tide of outsourcing and draw new jobs to our shores.  And over the past five years, our businesses have created more than 11 million new jobs.  (Applause.) 

We believed we could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and protect our planet.  And today, America is number one in oil and gas.  America is number one in wind power.  Every three weeks, we bring online as much solar power as we did in all of 2008.  (Applause.)  And thanks to lower gas prices and higher fuel standards, the typical family this year should save about $750 at the pump.  (Applause.) 

We believed we could prepare our kids for a more competitive world.  And today, our younger students have earned the highest math and reading scores on record.  Our high school graduation rate has hit an all-time high.  More Americans finish college than ever before.  (Applause.) 

We believed that sensible regulations could prevent another crisis, shield families from ruin, and encourage fair competition.  Today, we have new tools to stop taxpayer-funded bailouts, and a new consumer watchdog to protect us from predatory lending and abusive credit card practices.  And in the past year alone, about 10 million uninsured Americans finally gained the security of health coverage.  (Applause.) 

At every step, we were told our goals were misguided or too ambitious; that we would crush jobs and explode deficits.  Instead, we’ve seen the fastest economic growth in over a decade, our deficits cut by two-thirds, a stock market that has doubled, and health care inflation at its lowest rate in 50 years.  (Applause.)  This is good news, people.  (Laughter and applause.)

So the verdict is clear.  Middle-class economics works.  Expanding opportunity works.  And these policies will continue to work as long as politics don’t get in the way.  We can’t slow down businesses or put our economy at risk with government shutdowns or fiscal showdowns.  We can’t put the security of families at risk by taking away their health insurance, or unraveling the new rules on Wall Street, or refighting past battles on immigration when we’ve got to fix a broken system.  And if a bill comes to my desk that tries to do any of these things, I will veto it.  It will have earned my veto.  (Applause.) 

Today, thanks to a growing economy, the recovery is touching more and more lives.  Wages are finally starting to rise again.  We know that more small business owners plan to raise their employees’ pay than at any time since 2007.  But here’s the thing:  Those of us here tonight, we need to set our sights higher than just making sure government doesn’t screw things up; that government doesn’t halt the progress we’re making.  We need to do more than just do no harm.  Tonight, together, let’s do more to restore the link between hard work and growing opportunity for every American.  (Applause.) 

Because families like Rebekah’s still need our help.  She and Ben are working as hard as ever, but they’ve had to forego vacations and a new car so that they can pay off student loans and save for retirement.  Friday night pizza, that’s a big splurge.  Basic childcare for Jack and Henry costs more than their mortgage, and almost as much as a year at the University of Minnesota.  Like millions of hardworking Americans, Rebekah isn’t asking for a handout, but she is asking that we look for more ways to help families get ahead.

And in fact, at every moment of economic change throughout our history, this country has taken bold action to adapt to new circumstances and to make sure everyone gets a fair shot.  We set up worker protections, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid to protect ourselves from the harshest adversity.  We gave our citizens schools and colleges, infrastructure and the Internet -- tools they needed to go as far as their effort and their dreams will take them.

That’s what middle-class economics is -- the idea that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot, everyone does their fair share, everyone plays by the same set of rules.  (Applause.)  We don’t just want everyone to share in America’s success, we want everyone to contribute to our success.  (Applause.)

So what does middle-class economics require in our time? 

First, middle-class economics means helping working families feel more secure in a world of constant change.  That means helping folks afford childcare, college, health care, a home, retirement.  And my budget will address each of these issues, lowering the taxes of working families and putting thousands of dollars back into their pockets each year.  (Applause.)

Here’s one example.  During World War II, when men like my grandfather went off to war, having women like my grandmother in the workforce was a national security priority -- so this country provided universal childcare.  In today’s economy, when having both parents in the workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever.  (Applause.)

It’s not a nice-to-have -- it’s a must-have.  So it’s time we stop treating childcare as a side issue, or as a women’s issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that it is for all of us.  (Applause.)  And that’s why my plan will make quality childcare more available and more affordable for every middle-class and low-income family with young children in America -- by creating more slots and a new tax cut of up to $3,000 per child, per year.  (Applause.)

Here’s another example.  Today, we are the only advanced country on Earth that doesn’t guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave to our workers.  Forty-three million workers have no paid sick leave -- 43 million.  Think about that.  And that forces too many parents to make the gut-wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home.  So I’ll be taking new action to help states adopt paid leave laws of their own.  And since paid sick leave won where it was on the ballot last November, let’s put it to a vote right here in Washington.  (Applause.)  Send me a bill that gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave.  It’s the right thing to do.  It’s the right thing to do.  (Applause.)

Of course, nothing helps families make ends meet like higher wages.  That’s why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work.  (Applause.)  It’s 2015.  (Laughter.)  It’s time.  We still need to make sure employees get the overtime they’ve earned.  (Applause.)  And to everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this:  If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, try it.  If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise.  (Applause.)

Now, these ideas won’t make everybody rich, won’t relieve every hardship.  That’s not the job of government.  To give working families a fair shot, we still need more employers to see beyond next quarter’s earnings and recognize that investing in their workforce is in their company’s long-term interest.  We still need laws that strengthen rather than weaken unions, and give American workers a voice.  (Applause.)

But you know, things like childcare and sick leave and equal pay; things like lower mortgage premiums and a higher minimum wage -- these ideas will make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of families.  That’s a fact.  And that’s what all of us, Republicans and Democrats alike, were sent here to do.

Second, to make sure folks keep earning higher wages down the road, we have to do more to help Americans upgrade their skills.  (Applause.)  America thrived in the 20th century because we made high school free, sent a generation of GIs to college, trained the best workforce in the world.  We were ahead of the curve.  But other countries caught on.  And in a 21st century economy that rewards knowledge like never before, we need to up our game.  We need to do more.

By the end of this decade, two in three job openings will require some higher education -- two in three.  And yet, we still live in a country where too many bright, striving Americans are priced out of the education they need.  It’s not fair to them, and it’s sure not smart for our future.  That’s why I’m sending this Congress a bold new plan to lower the cost of community college -- to zero.  (Applause.)   

Keep in mind 40 percent of our college students choose community college.  Some are young and starting out.  Some are older and looking for a better job.  Some are veterans and single parents trying to transition back into the job market.  Whoever you are, this plan is your chance to graduate ready for the new economy without a load of debt.  Understand, you’ve got to earn it.  You’ve got to keep your grades up and graduate on time. 

Tennessee, a state with Republican leadership, and Chicago, a city with Democratic leadership, are showing that free community college is possible.  I want to spread that idea all across America, so that two years of college becomes as free and universal in America as high school is today.  (Applause.)  Let’s stay ahead of the curve.  (Applause.)  And I want to work with this Congress to make sure those already burdened with student loans can reduce their monthly payments so that student debt doesn’t derail anyone’s dreams.  (Applause.) 

Thanks to Vice President Biden’s great work to update our job training system, we’re connecting community colleges with local employers to train workers to fill high-paying jobs like coding, and nursing, and robotics.  Tonight, I’m also asking more businesses to follow the lead of companies like CVS and UPS, and offer more educational benefits and paid apprenticeships -- opportunities that give workers the chance to earn higher-paying jobs even if they don’t have a higher education.

And as a new generation of veterans comes home, we owe them every opportunity to live the American Dream they helped defend.  Already, we’ve made strides towards ensuring that every veteran has access to the highest quality care.  We’re slashing the backlog that had too many veterans waiting years to get the benefits they need.  And we’re making it easier for vets to translate their training and experience into civilian jobs.  And Joining Forces, the national campaign launched by Michelle and Jill Biden -- (applause) -- thank you, Michelle; thank you, Jill -- has helped nearly 700,000 veterans and military spouses get a new job.  (Applause.)  So to every CEO in America, let me repeat:  If you want somebody who’s going to get the job done and done right, hire a veteran.  (Applause.)

Finally, as we better train our workers, we need the new economy to keep churning out high-wage jobs for our workers to fill.  Since 2010, America has put more people back to work than Europe, Japan, and all advanced economies combined.  (Applause.)

Our manufacturers have added almost 800,000 new jobs.  Some of our bedrock sectors, like our auto industry, are booming.  But there are also millions of Americans who work in jobs that didn’t even exist 10 or 20 years ago -- jobs at companies like Google, and eBay, and Tesla. 

So no one knows for certain which industries will generate the jobs of the future.  But we do know we want them here in America.  We know that.  (Applause.)  And that’s why the third part of middle-class economics is all about building the most competitive economy anywhere, the place where businesses want to locate and hire.

Twenty-first century businesses need 21st century infrastructure -- modern ports, and stronger bridges, faster trains and the fastest Internet.  Democrats and Republicans used to agree on this.  So let’s set our sights higher than a single oil pipeline.  Let’s pass a bipartisan infrastructure plan that could create more than 30 times as many jobs per year, and make this country stronger for decades to come.  (Applause.)  Let’s do it.  Let’s get it done.  Let’s get it done.  (Applause.)

Twenty-first century businesses, including small businesses, need to sell more American products overseas.  Today, our businesses export more than ever, and exporters tend to pay their workers higher wages.  But as we speak, China wants to write the rules for the world’s fastest-growing region.  That would put our workers and our businesses at a disadvantage.  Why would we let that happen?  We should write those rules.  We should level the playing field.  That’s why I’m asking both parties to give me trade promotion authority to protect American workers, with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe that aren’t just free, but are also fair.  It’s the right thing to do.  (Applause.)

Look, I’m the first one to admit that past trade deals haven’t always lived up to the hype, and that’s why we’ve gone after countries that break the rules at our expense.  But 95 percent of the world’s customers live outside our borders.  We can’t close ourselves off from those opportunities.  More than half of manufacturing executives have said they’re actively looking to bring jobs back from China.  So let’s give them one more reason to get it done.

Twenty-first century businesses will rely on American science and technology, research and development.  I want the country that eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of medicine -- one that delivers the right treatment at the right time.  (Applause.)

In some patients with cystic fibrosis, this approach has reversed a disease once thought unstoppable.  So tonight, I’m launching a new Precision Medicine Initiative to bring us closer to curing diseases like cancer and diabetes, and to give all of us access to the personalized information we need to keep ourselves and our families healthier.  We can do this.  (Applause.)

I intend to protect a free and open Internet, extend its reach to every classroom, and every community -- (applause) -- and help folks build the fastest networks so that the next generation of digital innovators and entrepreneurs have the platform to keep reshaping our world.

I want Americans to win the race for the kinds of discoveries that unleash new jobs -- converting sunlight into liquid fuel; creating revolutionary prosthetics, so that a veteran who gave his arms for his country can play catch with his kids again.  (Applause.)  Pushing out into the solar system not just to visit, but to stay.  Last month, we launched a new spacecraft as part of a reenergized space program that will send American astronauts to Mars.  And in two months, to prepare us for those missions, Scott Kelly will begin a year-long stay in space.  So good luck, Captain.  Make sure to Instagram it.  We’re proud of you.  (Applause.) 

Now, the truth is, when it comes to issues like infrastructure and basic research, I know there’s bipartisan support in this chamber.  Members of both parties have told me so.  Where we too often run onto the rocks is how to pay for these investments.  As Americans, we don’t mind paying our fair share of taxes as long as everybody else does, too.  But for far too long, lobbyists have rigged the tax code with loopholes that let some corporations pay nothing while others pay full freight.  They’ve riddled it with giveaways that the super-rich don’t need, while denying a break to middle-class families who do.  

This year, we have an opportunity to change that.  Let’s close loopholes so we stop rewarding companies that keep profits abroad, and reward those that invest here in America.  (Applause.)  Let’s use those savings to rebuild our infrastructure and to make it more attractive for companies to bring jobs home.  Let’s simplify the system and let a small business owner file based on her actual bank statement, instead of the number of accountants she can afford.  (Applause.)  And let’s close the loopholes that lead to inequality by allowing the top one percent to avoid paying taxes on their accumulated wealth.  We can use that money to help more families pay for childcare and send their kids to college.  We need a tax code that truly helps working Americans trying to get a leg up in the new economy, and we can achieve that together.  (Applause.)  We can achieve it together. 

Helping hardworking families make ends meet.  Giving them the tools they need for good-paying jobs in this new economy.  Maintaining the conditions of growth and competitiveness.  This is where America needs to go.  I believe it’s where the American people want to go.  It will make our economy stronger a year from now, 15 years from now, and deep into the century ahead. 

Of course, if there’s one thing this new century has taught us, it’s that we cannot separate our work here at home from challenges beyond our shores. 

My first duty as Commander-in-Chief is to defend the United States of America.  In doing so, the question is not whether America leads in the world, but how.  When we make rash decisions, reacting to the headlines instead of using our heads; when the first response to a challenge is to send in our military -- then we risk getting drawn into unnecessary conflicts, and neglect the broader strategy we need for a safer, more prosperous world.  That’s what our enemies want us to do.

I believe in a smarter kind of American leadership.  We lead best when we combine military power with strong diplomacy; when we leverage our power with coalition building; when we don’t let our fears blind us to the opportunities that this new century presents.  That’s exactly what we’re doing right now.  And around the globe, it is making a difference.

First, we stand united with people around the world who have been targeted by terrorists -- from a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris.  (Applause.)  We will continue to hunt down terrorists and dismantle their networks, and we reserve the right to act unilaterally, as we have done relentlessly since I took office to take out terrorists who pose a direct threat to us and our allies.  (Applause.)   

At the same time, we’ve learned some costly lessons over the last 13 years.  Instead of Americans patrolling the valleys of Afghanistan, we’ve trained their security forces, who have now taken the lead, and we’ve honored our troops’ sacrifice by supporting that country’s first democratic transition.  Instead of sending large ground forces overseas, we’re partnering with nations from South Asia to North Africa to deny safe haven to terrorists who threaten America. 

In Iraq and Syria, American leadership -- including our military power -- is stopping ISIL’s advance.  Instead of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group.  (Applause.)  We’re also supporting a moderate opposition in Syria that can help us in this effort, and assisting people everywhere who stand up to the bankrupt ideology of violent extremism. 

Now, this effort will take time.  It will require focus.  But we will succeed.  And tonight, I call on this Congress to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against ISIL.  We need that authority.  (Applause.)  

Second, we’re demonstrating the power of American strength and diplomacy.  We’re upholding the principle that bigger nations can’t bully the small -- by opposing Russian aggression, and supporting Ukraine’s democracy, and reassuring our NATO allies.  (Applause.) 

Last year, as we were doing the hard work of imposing sanctions along with our allies, as we were reinforcing our presence with frontline states, Mr. Putin’s aggression it was suggested was a masterful display of strategy and strength.  That's what I heard from some folks.  Well, today, it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while Russia is isolated with its economy in tatters.  That’s how America leads -- not with bluster, but with persistent, steady resolve.  (Applause.)

In Cuba, we are ending a policy that was long past its expiration date.  (Applause.)  When what you’re doing doesn’t work for 50 years, it’s time to try something new.  (Applause.)  And our shift in Cuba policy has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemisphere.  It removes a phony excuse for restrictions in Cuba.  It stands up for democratic values, and extends the hand of friendship to the Cuban people.  And this year, Congress should begin the work of ending the embargo.  (Applause.)

As His Holiness, Pope Francis, has said, diplomacy is the work of “small steps.”  These small steps have added up to new hope for the future in Cuba.  And after years in prison, we are overjoyed that Alan Gross is back where he belongs.  Welcome home, Alan.  We're glad you're here.  (Applause.)

Our diplomacy is at work with respect to Iran, where, for the first time in a decade, we’ve halted the progress of its nuclear program and reduced its stockpile of nuclear material.  Between now and this spring, we have a chance to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that prevents a nuclear-armed Iran, secures America and our allies -- including Israel, while avoiding yet another Middle East conflict.  There are no guarantees that negotiations will succeed, and I keep all options on the table to prevent a nuclear Iran. 

But new sanctions passed by this Congress, at this moment in time, will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails -- alienating America from its allies; making it harder to maintain sanctions; and ensuring that Iran starts up its nuclear program again.  It doesn’t make sense.  And that's why I will veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to undo this progress.  (Applause.)  The American people expect us only to go to war as a last resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom.

Third, we’re looking beyond the issues that have consumed us in the past to shape the coming century.  No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids.  (Applause.)  So we're making sure our government integrates intelligence to combat cyber threats, just as we have done to combat terrorism. 

And tonight, I urge this Congress to finally pass the legislation we need to better meet the evolving threat of cyber attacks, combat identity theft, and protect our children’s information.  That should be a bipartisan effort.  (Applause.)

If we don’t act, we’ll leave our nation and our economy vulnerable.  If we do, we can continue to protect the technologies that have unleashed untold opportunities for people around the globe.

In West Africa, our troops, our scientists, our doctors, our nurses, our health care workers are rolling back Ebola -- saving countless lives and stopping the spread of disease.  (Applause.)  I could not be prouder of them, and I thank this Congress for your bipartisan support of their efforts.  But the job is not yet done, and the world needs to use this lesson to build a more effective global effort to prevent the spread of future pandemics, invest in smart development, and eradicate extreme poverty.

In the Asia Pacific, we are modernizing alliances while making sure that other nations play by the rules -- in how they trade, how they resolve maritime disputes, how they participate in meeting common international challenges like nonproliferation and disaster relief.  And no challenge -- no challenge -- poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change.  (Applause.)   

2014 was the planet’s warmest year on record.  Now, one year doesn’t make a trend, but this does:  14 of the 15 warmest years on record have all fallen in the first 15 years of this century.  

I’ve heard some folks try to dodge the evidence by saying they’re not scientists; that we don’t have enough information to act.  Well, I’m not a scientist, either.  But you know what, I know a lot of really good scientists at NASA, and at NOAA, and at our major universities.  And the best scientists in the world are all telling us that our activities are changing the climate, and if we don’t act forcefully, we’ll continue to see rising oceans, longer, hotter heat waves, dangerous droughts and floods, and massive disruptions that can trigger greater migration and conflict and hunger around the globe.  The Pentagon says that climate change poses immediate risks to our national security.  We should act like it.  (Applause.) 

And that’s why, over the past six years, we’ve done more than ever to combat climate change, from the way we produce energy to the way we use it.  That’s why we’ve set aside more public lands and waters than any administration in history.  And that’s why I will not let this Congress endanger the health of our children by turning back the clock on our efforts.  I am determined to make sure that American leadership drives international action.  (Applause.) 

In Beijing, we made a historic announcement:  The United States will double the pace at which we cut carbon pollution.  And China committed, for the first time, to limiting their emissions.  And because the world’s two largest economies came together, other nations are now stepping up, and offering hope that this year the world will finally reach an agreement to protect the one planet we’ve got.

And there’s one last pillar of our leadership, and that’s the example of our values. 

As Americans, we respect human dignity, even when we’re threatened, which is why I have prohibited torture, and worked to make sure our use of new technology like drones is properly constrained.  (Applause.)  It’s why we speak out against the deplorable anti-Semitism that has resurfaced in certain parts of the world.  (Applause.)  It’s why we continue to reject offensive stereotypes of Muslims, the vast majority of whom share our commitment to peace.  That’s why we defend free speech, and advocate for political prisoners, and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.  We do these things not only because they are the right thing to do, but because ultimately they will make us safer.  (Applause.)

As Americans, we have a profound commitment to justice.  So it makes no sense to spend $3 million per prisoner to keep open a prison that the world condemns and terrorists use to recruit.  (Applause.)  Since I’ve been President, we’ve worked responsibly to cut the population of Gitmo in half.  Now it is time to finish the job.  And I will not relent in my determination to shut it down.  It is not who we are.  It’s time to close Gitmo.  (Applause.)

As Americans, we cherish our civil liberties, and we need to uphold that commitment if we want maximum cooperation from other countries and industry in our fight against terrorist networks.  So while some have moved on from the debates over our surveillance programs, I have not.  As promised, our intelligence agencies have worked hard, with the recommendations of privacy advocates, to increase transparency and build more safeguards against potential abuse.  And next month, we’ll issue a report on how we’re keeping our promise to keep our country safe while strengthening privacy.

Looking to the future instead of the past.  Making sure we match our power with diplomacy, and use force wisely.  Building coalitions to meet new challenges and opportunities.  Leading -- always -- with the example of our values.  That’s what makes us exceptional.  That’s what keeps us strong.  That’s why we have to keep striving to hold ourselves to the highest of standards -- our own.

You know, just over a decade ago, I gave a speech in Boston where I said there wasn’t a liberal America or a conservative America; a black America or a white America -- but a United States of America.  I said this because I had seen it in my own life, in a nation that gave someone like me a chance; because I grew up in Hawaii, a melting pot of races and customs; because I made Illinois my home -- a state of small towns, rich farmland, one of the world’s great cities; a microcosm of the country where Democrats and Republicans and Independents, good people of every ethnicity and every faith, share certain bedrock values.

Over the past six years, the pundits have pointed out more than once that my presidency hasn’t delivered on this vision.  How ironic, they say, that our politics seems more divided than ever.  It’s held up as proof not just of my own flaws -- of which there are many -- but also as proof that the vision itself is misguided, naïve, that there are too many people in this town who actually benefit from partisanship and gridlock for us to ever do anything about it.

I know how tempting such cynicism may be.  But I still think the cynics are wrong.  I still believe that we are one people.  I still believe that together, we can do great things, even when the odds are long.  (Applause.)

I believe this because over and over in my six years in office, I have seen America at its best.  I’ve seen the hopeful faces of young graduates from New York to California, and our newest officers at West Point, Annapolis, Colorado Springs, New London.  I’ve mourned with grieving families in Tucson and Newtown, in Boston, in West Texas, and West Virginia.  I’ve watched Americans beat back adversity from the Gulf Coast to the Great Plains, from Midwest assembly lines to the Mid-Atlantic seaboard.  I’ve seen something like gay marriage go from a wedge issue used to drive us apart to a story of freedom across our country, a civil right now legal in states that seven in 10 Americans call home.  (Applause.)

So I know the good, and optimistic, and big-hearted generosity of the American people who every day live the idea that we are our brother’s keeper and our sister’s keeper.  And I know they expect those of us who serve here to set a better example. 

So the question for those of us here tonight is how we, all of us, can better reflect America’s hopes.  I’ve served in Congress with many of you.  I know many of you well.  There are a lot of good people here, on both sides of the aisle.  And many of you have told me that this isn’t what you signed up for -- arguing past each other on cable shows, the constant fundraising, always looking over your shoulder at how the base will react to every decision.

Imagine if we broke out of these tired old patterns.  Imagine if we did something different.  Understand, a better politics isn’t one where Democrats abandon their agenda or Republicans simply embrace mine.  A better politics is one where we appeal to each other’s basic decency instead of our basest fears.  A better politics is one where we debate without demonizing each other; where we talk issues and values, and principles and facts, rather than “gotcha” moments, or trivial gaffes, or fake controversies that have nothing to do with people’s daily lives.  (Applause.)   

A politics -- a better politics is one where we spend less time drowning in dark money for ads that pull us into the gutter, and spend more time lifting young people up with a sense of purpose and possibility, asking them to join in the great mission of building America.

If we’re going to have arguments, let’s have arguments, but let’s make them debates worthy of this body and worthy of this country.  We still may not agree on a woman’s right to choose, but surely we can agree it’s a good thing that teen pregnancies and abortions are nearing all-time lows, and that every woman should have access to the health care that she needs.  (Applause.) 

Yes, passions still fly on immigration, but surely we can all see something of ourselves in the striving young student, and agree that no one benefits when a hardworking mom is snatched from her child, and that it’s possible to shape a law that upholds our tradition as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.  I’ve talked to Republicans and Democrats about that.  That’s something that we can share.

We may go at it in campaign season, but surely we can agree that the right to vote is sacred; that it’s being denied to too many -- (applause) -- and that on this 50th anniversary of the great march from Selma to Montgomery and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we can come together, Democrats and Republicans, to make voting easier for every single American.  (Applause.) 

We may have different takes on the events of Ferguson and New York.  But surely we can understand a father who fears his son can’t walk home without being harassed.  And surely we can understand the wife who won’t rest until the police officer she married walks through the front door at the end of his shift.  (Applause.)  And surely we can agree that it’s a good thing that for the first time in 40 years, the crime rate and the incarceration rate have come down together, and use that as a starting point for Democrats and Republicans, community leaders and law enforcement, to reform America’s criminal justice system so that it protects and serves all of us.  (Applause.) 

That’s a better politics.  That’s how we start rebuilding trust.  That’s how we move this country forward.  That’s what the American people want.  And that’s what they deserve.

I have no more campaigns to run.  (Applause.)  My only agenda -- (laughter) -- I know because I won both of them.  (Applause.)  My only agenda for the next two years is the same as the one I’ve had since the day I swore an oath on the steps of this Capitol -- to do what I believe is best for America.  If you share the broad vision I outlined tonight, I ask you to join me in the work at hand.  If you disagree with parts of it, I hope you’ll at least work with me where you do agree.  And I commit to every Republican here tonight that I will not only seek out your ideas, I will seek to work with you to make this country stronger.  (Applause.) 

Because I want this chamber, I want this city to reflect the truth -- that for all our blind spots and shortcomings, we are a people with the strength and generosity of spirit to bridge divides, to unite in common effort, to help our neighbors, whether down the street or on the other side of the world.

I want our actions to tell every child in every neighborhood, your life matters, and we are committed to improving your life chances as committed as we are to working on behalf of our own kids.  (Applause.)  I want future generations to know that we are a people who see our differences as a great gift, that we’re a people who value the dignity and worth of every citizen -- man and woman, young and old, black and white, Latino, Asian, immigrant, Native American, gay, straight, Americans with mental illness or physical disability.  Everybody matters.  I want them to grow up in a country that shows the world what we still know to be true:  that we are still more than a collection of red states and blue states; that we are the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

I want them to grow up in a country where a young mom can sit down and write a letter to her President with a story that sums up these past six years:  “It’s amazing what you can bounce back from when you have to…we are a strong, tight-knit family who’s made it through some very, very hard times.”

My fellow Americans, we, too, are a strong, tight-knit family.  We, too, have made it through some hard times.  Fifteen years into this new century, we have picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off, and begun again the work of remaking America.  We have laid a new foundation.  A brighter future is ours to write.  Let’s begin this new chapter together -- and let’s start the work right now.  (Applause.) 

Thank you.  God bless you.  God bless this country we love.  Thank you.  (Applause.) 

END
10:11 P.M. EST

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The State of the Union

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Joni Ernst- More Wingnut than Star

In an hour or two, Iowa's new Senator, Joni Ernst, will be giving the response to President Obama's State of the Union speech. This is typically a kiss of death for most politicians. Ernst is being pre-celebrated though as a rising star. Political Animal's Ed Kilgore shoots this down:

Thus continues the joint GOP/MSM effort to whitewash the actually very recentperiod of time when Ernst was a prominent wingnut member of the Iowa Senatewho supported constitutional personhood rights for zygotes, claimed states should be able to nullify federal environmental rules, and promoted the psychotic Agenda 21 meme. She did not go straight from a hog farm to deployment in Kuwait and then suddenly decide what the Senate needed was a big dose of Iowa Nice. She’s a dedicated ideologue who cynically ran one of the most blatantly dumb campaigns in memory, exploiting the even dumber gaffes of her opponent. And she’s about as authentic a representative of the “Iowa farmer” as Bachelor contestant Chris Soules, now that the poor guy is being used as Hollywood’s idea of what a farmer should look and act like.

He's right. She's not an "Iowa Farm Girl Done Good," but a wingnut rewarded. 

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Exit Stage Right, Crooks

Only one of those two men left office today, but Blue Jersey is making the link in a convincing fashion.

"He suggested that he had few, if any, regrets, and said he was proud that the New Jersey Legislature never overrode one of his vetoes, even as he vetoed more bills than any other governor of New Jersey. He leaves office under criminal indictment on charges alleging abuse of power, a case that could play out during a presidential campaign.

This is an actual quote from today's New York Times. The only change is that I replaced Texas with New Jersey. Christie's presidential rival, Rick Perry, is leaving office under a cloud of indictment. Will history repeat itself if Christie opts to run for the White House in 2020?

Pretty striking. Might be totally accurate. Rick Perry leaves today after 14 years in office. I doubt Texas will miss him, though his incompetent successor might lead them to.

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Wolf Keeps It Simple and Straight-Forward

You have to hand it to the guy for keeping it simple- Anyone can understand Tom Wolf's objectives as Governor. He said his administration will be judged on three things:

1. Creating good paying jobs.
2. Educating our youth.
3. A government that works.

That's about as straight-froward as it can get. Jobs, schools, and a functioning government. If he can do this, he will be successful. Obviously, there are more complicated matters like fracking, and they will play into this, but it's still an excellent blueprint.

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The State of Our Union is Pretty Good

Now that the mid-terms and all the gloom and doom talk have faded, people are realizing something- President Obama has done a good job. In fact, his approval is back up to 50%. That's no shock though, given the state of our nation. His former opponent, Mitt Romney, promised us unemployment under 6% and gas under $3, and well, President Obama crushed that. He did it in half the time too.

As we step further away from the partisan fights, the reality, that the President has done well, is setting in. Much like with Bill Clinton, at some point simple statistics set in. Hopefully, unlike with Clinton, this approval decides the election of his successor.

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Mission to Pluto- The Time is Now

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I Guess We Don't All Celebrate MLK the Same

This should disgust you:

Every state celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but not every state celebrates it the same way. In New Hampshire, King’s birthday is “Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Day,” an explicit celebration of the entire civil rights movement (and a compromise with lawmakers who didn’t want a day devoted to King alone). In Idaho, it’s “Martin Luther King, Jr.–Idaho Human Rights Day,” a celebration of justice writ large. And in three states—Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi—MLK Day is also Robert E. Lee Day

This isn’t a different Robert E. Lee—some forgotten crusader for human equality. No, this is the Gen. Robert E. Lee who led Confederate armies in war against the United States, who defended a nation built on the “great truth” that the “negro is not equal to the white man,” and whose armies kidnapped and sold free black Americans whenever they had the opportunity.

Robert E. Lee is a traitor to his country, who lost the war, and defended slavery. He has no place being celebrated on a day with a man who's legendary fight for peace and justice made our nation a better place. I'm not particularly shocked that deep Southern states would do something like this, but it is very disgusting to me.

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Picture of the Day- 1/20/15

I bet this favor gets returned.

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For Your Listening Pleasure- 1/20/15- U2- Beautiful Day

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Just a Thought Here

If the above picture angers you because a Lebanese girl and an Israel girl took a picture together, you need help. We will never have peace in a world where that kind of thinking prevails. You are the problem if this bothers you.

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"Pipelines are Safe".... or something....

The supposedly safe pipelines are safe, until they're not. From a local Bozeman news outlet:

GLENDIVE - Bridger Pipeline, the company in charge of the line, released a statement Sunday night confirming the release of oil occurred about 10 a.m. on Saturday morning.

The press release stated Bridger's initial estimate is that 300 to 1,200 barrels of crude oil have been released, and an unknown amount of that total has spilled into the Yellowstone River.

Yup, no worries with that Keystone Pipeline or anything.... 

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It's Almost Show-Time- An Intro to Hillarynomics

In 2008, I told people that I felt Hillary Clinton was a solid progressive. Some of those who opposed her campaign scoffed at that and said she everything from a "moderate" to "Republican-lite." Anyone who read through the domestic policies of Hillary and President Obama would have actually come to my conclusion, but most didn't. Bygones are bygones though, and President Obama is finishing two successful terms in office and leaving in two years. Secretary Clinton is likely to run for President. So, let's try this again.

On Friday, the Center for American Progress released a white paper on economic solutions for America and the United Kingdom (who happens to have an election coming up in May). Her policy director for her last run, Neera Tanden is the President over there, and Larry Summers (of the last two Democratic Administrations) was one of the writers. Ed Balls, Labour's Chancellor of the Exchequer if they win, was also involved. In other words, this paper matters. Anything from CAP matters, particularly with John Podesta having founded the organization, and now moving into a role as "liaison" from the Clinton-campaign in waiting to the White House. It was titled the "Report on the Commission on Inclusive Prosperity." Matthew Yglesias of Vox sums it up:

In some ways, it defies stereotypes of the Clintons as standard-bearers for neoliberal centrism by endorsing fiscal stimulus and a strong pro-labor union agenda while downplaying the strong education-reform streak of the Obama administration. But it's also notable for the Obama-era liberal ambitions it pushes aside. In the main recommendations for the United States, there's no cap-and-trade or carbon tax in here, no public option for health care, and no effort to break up or shrink the largest banks. Nor is there an ambitious agenda to tackle poverty.

Instead, you get a multi-pronged push to boost middle-class incomes. After an extended period in which Democratic Party politics has been dominated by health care for the poor, environmental regulation, and internecine fights about Wall Street, Hillarynomics looks like back-to-basics middle-class populism. It should in many ways further infuriate Clinton's left-wing intellectual critics — and then further infuriate them by turning out to be an agenda that makes the party's voting base perfectly happy.

So that might seem complicated in that it says on the one hand that we need serious fiscal stimulus and a stronger labor movement, but it's not in line with some of this White House's agenda. So, is this a progressive plan. In short, yes. Yglesias makes it more clear with some more details:

The list of proposed solutions for the US is long, ranging from more infrastructure spending (with new measures to improve project management on federal infrastructure deals), more preschool, closing corporate tax and inheritance tax loopholes, curbing the deductibility of executive pay, a tax cut for middle class workers, more FHA subsidies for riskier loans, and a reiteration of the merits of comprehensive immigration reform.

But the report is especially striking for its endorsement of labor market regulations not normally associated with the Summers wing of Democratic thinking. As David Leonhardt put it, "one theme is that the countries where the middle class has fared better are countries where workers have more power." The document endorses a variety of regulatory changes that would make union organizing easier, and calls for the creation of German-style works councils outside the context of traditional union organizing. It also endorses more favorable tax treatment for worker-owned firms, and proposing "estate tax relief" for corporate founders who convert their companies to worker-owned enterprises when they retire or die.

On the non-wage front, inclusive growth calls for paid (gender-neutral) parental leave, expanded Family and Medical Leave Act eligibility, and universal paid sick days and paid vacation days — all loosely under the banner of increasing women's labor force participation. Clinton has, in the past, field-tested feminist frames as a means of selling big government.

The chief criticism of this plan will be that it is less inclined to focus on poverty, and more inclined to focus on middle-class stagnation. One could pretty plainly argue that the focus is correct, and middle-class, consuming-class, stagnation is killing our economy. One could also say that after an era where Democrats did focus on these issues, the next Democratic President must simply defend the gains we received in this era. Either way, it's worth noting that CAP's agenda is very, very heavy on pro-worker reforms. It's not a "business friendly" plan, even if it is a clear deviation from Elizabeth Warren-economics.

It must be noted here that this is not a white-paper from the Clinton campaign, which doesn't even exist yet. It's not a statement by the candidate (or her husband), and it's not legislation that could be passed as is, either. It's just a clue. A clue that came on the weekend before the State of the Union, the point in 2015 at which it now becomes viable for Clinton to begin a campaign, when she chooses. At some point in the next two months or so, we will probably get word that Hillary Clinton is becoming a candidate for 2016. This paper just gives us something to chew on and process while waiting.

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Pennsylvania's Four Year Long Nightmare is Over- Congratulations Governor Wolf

Election Night 2010 was an awful experience for me. Up until then, I pretty much had been used to winning elections, but on that night, my boss, the then-Majority Leader of Pennsylvania's House, got swept up in the Republican wave and lost. The then-Attorney General of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, had thrown a lot of mud our way in the process, and he was elected Governor, while we lost. It was a somewhat traumatic night for a younger version of me.

That's nothing compared to what the Commonwealth went through over the last four years. Tom Corbett was an utter embarrassment. He bankrupt schools, literally, while giving away our natural resources for a super-low "impact fee" that even would make Texas blush. He attempted to grandstand on the embarrassing Sandusky-scandal, until it blew up in his face. We had wells on fire in movies (yes, burning water). We had our universities cutting sports, raising tuition, and narrowing study options. It took an all-at-once gas-tax increase to pay for the awful state of our roads. We fell to the bottom in job creation, education, and the state of our budget. In fact, one-term Tommy Corbett leaves us with a $2 billion hole in the budget. Oh, and he used state employees for political work too.

That ends today at noon though, as Tom Wolf becomes the Governor of Pennsylvania. I must admit I wasn't always in love with his candidacy (I was a Schwartz backer in the primary), but Wolf proved himself to be a most competent and capable individual. Besides, you don't need to "love" a Governor, you need to have confidence in them and respect them. Governor Wolf more than meets that standard.

So what are my hopes for our new Governor? I'll keep the bar reasonable here, he's inheriting a mess. I'm hoping he:

1. Restores education funding as fast as possible. I think this is most important. This is what he was elected to do. Our children deserve a governor who advocates for them.
2. Moves past the impact fee, into an extraction tax. I'm not expecting the Moon here, but he can at least meet the standards of Texas and Alaska. I personally think that with our current energy economy, the time is ripe to ban fracking or pass a moratorium, but a responsible tax that helps produce revenue to closer our $2 billion hole is good enough.
3. Expands Medicaid under the normal system. There have already been issues with Corbett-Care, and there's no reason to continue under the privatized system (especially since an insurer administered the program before).
4. Addresses the pension issues. No, i'm not for doing anything to hurt public workers, but the reality is that our Democratic Mayors are even struggling with pension payments, and it's putting them in a very bad spot. Even just some mild reforms, not the insane cuts Republicans will want, would help.
5. Doesn't give away too much in budget negotiations. Republicans will want liquor privatization and massive pension reform. I'm not saying he can't negotiate a deal and compromise a bit (more liquor licenses, beer in gas stations, etc.), in fact he should. I just hope it's not a total sell-out to deal with the absolute mess he inherits in the budget and the legislature.

I must confess i'm worried. Not that wolf isn't trustworthy, he is. I'm worried that the disaster he inherits and the very conservative legislature will hurt the state, and his tenure in office. I'm hoping I'm wrong there. It seems to me that we got an A+ caliber person and business man to run the state, so i'm hoping that translates into a four years that make people proud to say they're from Pennsylvania.

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