Something to Know - 26 January

1.  Timothy Egan points out that the Republicans are all in a snit and atwitter about Obama's Inaugural address, and call it "unabashed Liberalism, pure and simple".   However, if you take each one of the bold positions in his address that would be transformed into public policy - the GOP cannot and will not go on record as saying that they cannot support what was said.  Here is why:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/24/the-tomorrow-majority/?nl=opinion&emc=edit_ty_20130125&pagewanted=print

2.  As usual the Republicans seek to fill the air with their noise that getting a grip on the deficit is to cut back on the social safety net of Medicare and Social Security.  The reality is it does not.  It cripples the the least able and makes the situation even worse.  Robert Reich writes:

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Entitlement-cuts-won-t-solve-deficit-4187360.php

3.  Albany bureau sends this one, to alert us to an article that is a heads up on the slick language that Obama may be using to inure us to the "perpetual war against terrorism: while he is officially on record as saying that the long era of war is over.  Read on:

http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/President-of-perpetual-war-4221915.php?t=2099cba539

4.  Just a quick check at the gauge of public opinion may be necessary as the Republicans insist on doing stupid (even as Bobby Jindal advises otherwise).   The Republican's worst enemy is not Obama or the Democrats.   It is their fractured structure, as of now:

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/17/16570498-nbcwsj-poll-public-lowers-expectations-heading-into-obamas-2nd-term?lite

 

--
Juan

"Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught."
       -- Sir Winston Churchill