Live Blogging the President's Economic Speech

I have to confess that I really debated whether or not to live-blog this speech.  It's not that I don't care what the president has to say.  I do.  It's not that I fear he won't have good ideas.  I am confident that he will have some good policy proposals to ease the unemployment crisis in our nation.  My frustration here ----- and it is colossal frustration ----- is that the Republican party and the media have decided that our biggest problem is debt.  In fact, all this fuming about debt is making the recovery slower and is putting us on target for a double dip recession.  I blame Republicans and Republican leadership.  I blame a news media unwilling to explain the costs of GOP obstructionism.  And I fear that the political crisis in this nation, a crisis of our own making, is not something that Republicans care to fix.

7:10 pm
The president starts with the facts on the table: the political process and Washington are failing us.  President Obama says "we must stop the political circus and help the economy." Amen.

7:15 pm
The president's plan is called "The American Jobs Act."  Sounds about right.  Mitch McConnell looks like he's constipated.  Perhaps he doesn't understand that it's his bullshit that's placed the nation in danger?

7:16 pm
Fixing the transportation system is the first defined element.  Folks are standing. Well, folks who want to take action, anyway.  Hint: They aren't Republicans.

7:20 pm
He's talking about programs that have had GOP support in the past. Any chance the current GOP will be there still?

7:25 pm
The president promotes a middle class tax cut (namely, extending the payroll tax cuts).....it's not Romney's tax cuts on stock dividends, so it actually will benefit the middle class.  President Obama is also promising to cover the costs and not deficit spend.  I could actually care less about this and object to paying lip service to this ridiculous notion.  But it is sot to the GOP nonsense and he does need their votes.  Sigh.

7:27 pm
And now to the tax code...applause from the Democrats.  GOP sitting on their hands. Boehner seems to be in some sort of personal private space. It's like he's not even listening. God knows he's capable of emotion.  What gives, Mr. Speaker?

7:30 pm
And he's taken on the contract payment issue for small businesses.  I hope that mortgage help really happens this time.  Call me a skeptic but sure, let's try.  Nods to manufacturing are also promising.

7:35 pm
He's taking on the anti-regulation, anti-spending dolts and calling out the canards.   Eric Cantor, chief canard, is equipped with a pen and pad of paper, should be taking notes now. I suspect he's about to get schooled.  Obama's defense of good government and the power of community, rooted in the accomplishments of Republican Lincoln, is making my heart sing.

7:40 pm
"The people who hired us don't have the luxury of waiting 14 months" for action.  Yes, yes, yes.  This is a strong speech and he's got a good plan.  Per the president's request.  I'm going to lift my voice for this plan.  I want to be hopeful, I really do.