Cato Scholars Address Obama's First Address to Congress

President Barack Obama's first address to Congress laid out a laundry list of new spending contained within the stimulus legislation and provided hints as to what will be contained in the budget - a so-called "blueprint for America's future" - he submits to the legislature. Cato Institute scholars Chris Edwards, Jim Harper, Gene Healy, Neal McCluskey, David Rittgers, John Samples and Michael D. Tanner offer their analyses of the President's non-State-of-the-Union Address.

This video was produced by Caleb Brown ( http://www.twitter.com/cobrown ) and Austin Bragg ( http://www.twitter.com/habragg ).

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• cato
• institute
• barack
• obama
• address
• congress
• stimulus
• spending
• budget
• blueprint
• chris
• edwards
• neal
• mccluskey
• jim
• harper
• gene
• healy
• cult
• of
• the
• presidency
• david
• rittgers
• john
• samples
• michael
• tanner
• state
• union

[HarryNRubin]

when watching the speech, i just kept thinking, WHY CAN'T THEY BE SERIOUS FOR FIVE MINUTES!!!

[dbigboy161]

Excellent commentary!

[allietacker]

Pretty good post...

[spidermanandsnape]

I agree with the guy in the beggining. he made a good point. I agree with most of the other things too, but just remember, Obama has come in at a really hard time in our economy, and he has problems without everyone hating him and putting him down all the time.

[edwardpf123]

Will Obama ever shut up!

[xfvkemosx]

hmmm and lose our empire...now lets be a realistic here...

[xfvkemosx]

technically Fascist germany flourished pretty well. even though they were d-bags.

2ndly laissez fair capitalism means no regulations what so ever including labor laws

that doesnt mean capitalism doesn't work

progressive capitalism works great

(points to western Europe with there high IQ's long life span good wages ect ect)

/opens history book again and looks at the equal distribution of wealth in the 40's - 70's then i begin to lawl at ronald regan look at the charts of distribution

[n2motocross]

xfvkemosx:

First of all... We no longer live in the gilded age.

Secondly, Your biased. Find anywhere in History where Government ran businesses and corporations, which is Facism, have flourished like they have in a Capitalistic society.

Thirdly, We have labor laws on the books already... the Unions have ran their course.

[xfvkemosx]

when congress went all pussy...hmmm

lets check out the abuses of power in the last 100 years

i think ol dick cheney and bushy boy were the last big cock punch to congress. You know illegal wars, illegal spending, illegal torture, illegal detainnaining of pow's AND civilitions, illegal secret CIA prisons, patriot act & freedom act wtf is that bullshit

got to love his IM GOING TO CUT TAXES DURING WAR DURHURRR cause thats brilliant

[xfvkemosx]

well cato is biased...they think laissez fair capitalism is fun and fair for everyone..

then they forget to open a history book and look up the gilded age

working 12 hours a day 6 days a week earning $1 a day at a steel factory sounds fun to me...damn those unions wanting fair pay and 8 hour days and 2 days off...

[hootchy]

I especially like the comment regarding the "budget as a blueprint for our future". This sure sounds like we are headed towards the federal government entering into increased collectivist planning. In a capitalist society shouldn't the free market decide these things? More and more social spending is not the way to preserve our liberty.

[bweazel]

Can someone tell me why the executive branch is even making a budget? It's suppose to be CONGRESS' budget!Congress needs to stop being pussies and take their job back! Seriously. What has the been the point of Congress over the last 20 years? The executive branch now makes the laws, interprets the laws, and enforces the laws. It's sad that checks and balances have now been consolidated into one branch. Creeping really close to a dictatorship here people. Be watchful!