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REFUSING TO BEND to the new Republican Congress, President Barack Obama unveiled Tuesday night an ambitious State of the Union agenda steeped in Democratic priorities, including tax increases on the wealthy, education and child care help for the middle class and a torrent of veto threats for the GOP’s own plans.
In a shift from tradition, Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress was less a laundry list of new proposals and more an attempt to sell a story of a national economy emerging from the “shadow of crisis.” He appealed for “better politics” in Washington and pledged to work with Republicans, but he showed few signs of curtailing or tweaking his own plans to meet the GOP’s platform.
Instead, the president vowed to use his veto pen to strike down the Republican leadership’s efforts to dismantle his signature accomplishments, including his health care and financial reform laws.
“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 a system to fix,” Obama said in his hour-long address.
“And if a bill comes to my desk that tries to do any of these things, I will veto it.”
The president sought out more common ground on foreign policy, pledging to work with Congress on a new authorisation for military action against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, as well as legislation to guard against cyberattacks.
In a rare move away from his own party, Obama also renewed his call for fast-tracking free trade agreements with Asia and Europe, generating more applause from pro-trade Republicans than skeptical Democrats.
Shift in landscape
Obama’s address marked the first time in his presidency that he stood before a Republican-controlled Congress. Yet the shift in the political landscape has also been accompanied by a burst of economic growth and hiring, as well as a slight increase in Obama’s once-sagging approval ratings — leaving the White House to see little incentive in acquiescing to Republicans.
After ticking through signs of the rising economy, the president turned toward Republicans sitting in the chamber and said with a wink, “This is good news, people.”
The centerpiece of Obama’s economic proposals marked a shift away from the focus on austerity and deficit reduction that has dominated his fiscal fights with Republicans. In a direct challenge to GOP economic ideology, Obama called for increasing the capital gains rate on couples making more than $500,000 annually, to 28 percent.
The president’s tax plan would also require estates to pay capital gains taxes on securities at the time they’re inherited and slap a fee on the roughly 100 U.S. financial firms with assets of more than $50 billion.
Much of the $320 billion in new taxes and fees would be used for measures aimed at helping the middle class, including a $500 tax credit for some families with two spouses working, expansion of the child care tax credit and a $60 billion program to make community college free. He also has called for expanding paid leave for workers and moved on his own to lower a mortgage insurance premium rate that could attract new homebuyers.
Election footing
The president’s proposals seemed more about giving his party a platform in the 2016 election than outlining a realistic legislative agenda. Even before the president’s address, Republicans were balking at his proposals and painting a far less rosy picture of the economy.
“We see our neighbors agonise over stagnant wages and lost jobs. We see the hurt caused by canceled health care plans and higher monthly insurance bills,” said Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, who delivered the Republican response.
House Speaker John Boehner said Obama’s economic initiatives weren’t just “the wrong policies, they’re the wrong priorities: growing Washington’s bureaucracy instead of America’s economy.”
With an eye on a swirl of foreign policy challenges, Obama defended his decision to return to military action in Iraq and also authorise airstrikes in Syria. He said Congress could “show the world that we are united in this mission” by passing a new resolution formally authorising the use of force against the Islamic State group.
As the U.S. eyes a March deadline for a framework agreement with Iran on its disputed nuclear program, the president vowed to veto any effort by Congress to pass new sanctions legislation. Such a step, he said, “will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails — alienating America from its allies and ensuring that Iran starts up its nuclear program again.”
Cuba
The president also heralded his unilateral move last month to normalise diplomatic relations with Cuba after a half-century of animosity, and he urged lawmakers to follow his lead by lifting the economic embargo on the communist island. Yet the guest boxes in the House chamber underscored the sensitive politics that hang over efforts to overhaul the long-standing U.S. policy toward Cuba.
Among the guests sitting with first lady Michelle Obama was Alan Gross, the American man who spent five years in a Cuban prison and was released as part of the deal to end the freeze between Washington and Havana. In a nod to the concerns of Cuban dissidents and pro-democracy advocates, House Speaker John Boehner’s guest was Jorge Luis García Pérez, who spent 17 years in a Cuban prison. Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio brought Rosa Maria Paya Acevedo, whose father was a well-known Cuban dissident who was killed in a car accident that his family believes was suspicious.
Obama appeared at ease throughout the address, adlibbing at times and responding to the audience reaction. As he neared the end of his speech, he declared, “I have no more campaigns to run.”
As Republicans erupted in laughter, Obama retorted, “I know, because I won both of them.”
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I think its called airbrushing history.
Goebbels would be proud.
The quote from Othello that he used in his resignation speech should have just been “I have done the State.”
Odious, oily, corrupt. The epitome of Fianna Fail.
He was the godfather of corruption in Ireland, he tutored Bertie so well that Bertie outshone him then went on to become the Al Capone of Ireland, why do we need reminders of his treachery.
No matter what the family put up to redeem this thief he’ll remain a hate figure for many people. The personification of cute hoorism in politics on this country. Lived like a king while the people struggled. I for one never ever want him referred to as being my Taoiseach. He was a crook…end of.
What a load of cock… No mention of terry Keane either.. Talk about one sided…. Most corrupt politician in history .
No that would Bertie
Thats saying a lot considering Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowan came after him
Bertie was his apprentice, Haughy taught him well, put corruption on a totally new level.
Martin now not much of a change they were all around the table
I agree with you Joe , Bertie was the the biggest bollox of them all our country would be a much better place only for him I suppose you could but Biffo in there to and now we could put the other two in Kenny and Gilmore ( oh god help us when you see what we have to run our lovely little country)
What a piece of sh*t. Represented all that was wrong with Ireland
Such a toxic family.
You know them all personally do you?
Hmmm, Charlie is fair game, but his family (well most of them) weren’t public representatives – cheap shot.
The Heehaugh family would do well to look at the comments and thumbs on this thread before wasting their time trying to rewrite history and treating us as fools.
The disgrace that was Charles Haughey, set the tone for the arrogant disregard by Fianna Fail for laws, the people and for basic decency This disregard for the people and Fianna Fail corrupt practices led to €200,000,000,000 debt forcing Irish families into debt forever. Haughey’s wealth was accumulated by the proceeds of criminality. In any decent society, the Criminal Assets Bureau would have taken all his assets for the state. Haughey’s elitist family, like all the Fianna Fail “family” have some neck attempting to rewrite the history of Haughey and Fianna Fail.
Give back the money your DADDY stole from the irish nation HAUGHEYS
Financial scandals[edit]
Haughey’s personal wealth and extravagant lifestyle – he owned racehorses,[36] a large motor sailing yacht Celtic Mist, a private island, and a Gandon-designed mansion – had long been a point of curious speculation; he had refused throughout his career to answer any questions about how he financed this lifestyle on a government salary.[37] Despite his professed desire to fade from public attention, these questions followed him into retirement, eventually exploding into a series of political, financial and personal scandals tarnished his image and reputation.
In 1997, a government-appointed tribunal led by Judge Brian McCracken first revealed that Haughey had received substantial monetary gifts from businessmen, and that he had held secret offshore bank accounts in the Ansbacher Bank in the Cayman Islands. Haughey faced criminal charges for obstructing the work of the McCracken tribunal.[38][39] His trial on these charges was postponed indefinitely after the judge in the case found that he would not be able to get a fair trial following prejudicial comments by the then PD leader and Tánaiste Mary Harney.[40]
In 1997 the public were shocked by allegations that Haughey had embezzled money that was a subvention to the Fianna Fáil Party; money that was from central Government’s taxpayer’s funds for the operation of a political party and that he had spent large sums of these funds on Charvet shirts and expensive dinners in a top Dublin restaurant while preaching belt-tightening and implementing budget cuts as a national policy.[41]
The subsequent Moriarty Tribunal delved further into Haughey’s financial dealings. In his main report[6] on Charles Haughey released on 19 December 2006, Mr. Justice Moriarty made the following findings:
Haughey was paid more than IR£8 million between 1979 and 1986 from various benefactors and businessmen, including £1.3 million from the Dunnes Stores supermarket tycoon Ben Dunne alone.[37] The tribunal described these payments as “unethical”.[42]
In May 1989 one of Haughey’s lifelong friends Brian Lenihan, a former government minister, underwent a liver transplant which was partly paid for through fundraising by Haughey. The Moriarty tribunal found that, of the £270,000 collected in donations for Brian Lenihan, no more than £70,000 ended up being spent on Lenihan’s medical care. The tribunal identified one specific donation of £20,000 for Lenihan that was surreptitiously appropriated by Haughey,[43] who took steps to conceal this transaction.[44][45]
The tribunal found evidence of favours performed in return for money – Saudi businessman Mahmoud Fustok paid Haughey £50,000 to support applications for Irish citizenship.[42]
In other evidence of favours performed, the tribunal reported that Haughey arranged meetings between Ben Dunne and civil servant Seamus Pairceir of the Revenue Commissioners. These discussions resulted in an outstanding capital gains tax bill for Dunne being reduced by £22.8 million. Moriarty found that this was “not coincidental”, and that it was a substantial benefit conferred on Dunne by Haughey’s actions.[46]
Allied Irish Banks settled a million-pound overdraft with Haughey soon after he became Taoiseach in 1979; the tribunal found that the lenience shown by the bank in this case amounted to an indirect payment by the bank to Haughey.[42]
The tribunal rejected Haughey’s claims of ignorance of his own financial affairs[41] and Haughey was accused by the tribunal of “devaluing democracy”.[42]
Haughey eventually agreed a settlement with the revenue and paid a total of €6.5 million in back taxes and penalties to the Revenue Commissioners in relation to these donations.[47] In August 2003 Haughey was forced to sell his large estate, Abbeville, in Kinsealy in north County Dublin for €45 million to settle legal fees he had incurred during the tribunals.[48] He continued to live at Abbeville and own the island of Inishvickillane off the coast of County Kerry until his death.
Truly the Godfather of corruption and greed that has infiltrated politics ever since !
CAB should be seizing his families assets.
I really enjoyed reading that and it spells out exactly how rotten and corrupt he was!
Are you jealous?
What became of the silk shirts
probably in Berties wardrobe……
CAB should have gone after the Haughey’s assets
They still should. All the little Junior Haugheys living the high life on the back of Il Duce’s ill gotten gains.!
And they’re using that wealth to go on the marketing offensive here.
Do you press a brown envelope button to enter?
Airbrush Charlie all you like but GUBU sums the odious man up quite well
Master thief and conman there is a saying in the art world a master piece can never be improved
Factual, that should be interesting.
would’nt read this book if they put it threw me letter box for freeee
And anybody says he done good for this country is a blind old fool he just layed the foundations for bigger shite bags
It will be interesting to see if RTE attempt airbrushing him too !!!
RTE IS A PUPPET TO THOSE PEOPLE
The turnout for his funeral summed up perfectly what we all thought of him. Despicable man .
Haughey the only politician capable of making Berlusconi look like an honest man.
Haughey corrupted the entire political system but rather ironic the mention of phone tapping of two journalists in the wake of revelations that the USA has been tapping every single world leaders phone calls
The ‘Hawhee’ family don’t have to worry about how RTE will portray their father. The people know the truth. Their attempt to airbrush the past is sickening.
There’s no doubt that Haughey done some good things, there’s no getting away from that. Copy that with his counterpart across the Dail, Garret FitzGerald. You might not have agreed with his politic, he also done good but he wasn’t corrupt.
At the end of it all Haughey was found to be corrupt and abused a position of power. The Haughey family should be glad that they were able to hang on to his millions, if it were up to me, CAB would seized them. Of course, Bertie was never going to betray his master….
And when the father of FG investment when down, he negotiated a write off from AIB . What was the payload for that I wonder. Not corruption on same scale I would agree.
Hardly a crime to negotiate a write down on a loan which was secured by worthless GPA shares. It’s not as if he walked away from it either.
http://www.moriarty-tribunal.ie/images/transcript_145.pdf
Does it mention that he was a corrupt bully?
What about all the Brown Envelopes he got as back handers???
“Winnings on the horses” is the favoured response of Fianna Fail leaders.
Typical! If this initiative wasn’t so pathetic it would be funny ! Editing history not a credible thing to do. They’re a at it today, Lenihan in Irish daily mail. More of the same
There’s bound to be an email address on the website for…ahem…suggestions.
You can say what you like but I’d take Charlie as Taoiseach today over the current lot. He was a statesman and a real leader not like the buffoon we have at the wheel today!
You should be Lionel Nutz coming out with a comment like that..as bad as the current lot are they can’t hold a stick to FF when it comes to corrupt politicians.
Lionel, he was a great achiever and made the Celtic Tiger possible. He lived way beyond his salary, made corruption acceptable within FF and this was the foundation stone to our present situation. His personal life is still legend to this day and his thoughts were not of his family either .
Power corrupts !
You make a good point, Mr Hutz.
I would like to see how this site compares to Wikipedia? This is a cynical attempt to rewrite history just like this show on RTE.
bad made worse
This is a good idea on the part of the Haughey family. It may allow younger people, in particular, to gain a balanced knowledge of Charles Haughey’s career and contribution to Ireland, as opposed to the totally jaundiced, infantile and one-sided caricature of him that is presented by the liberal establishment media (whose idol was always the hopeless Garret Fitzgerald).
The shinner always comes out in Hugh!
And the brown envelopes always come out in Fianna Fail.
Nothing to do with SF. Why can’t you understand that people commenting here can’t stand haughey or FF. It really is that simple oliver
How WOULD a FF party hack understand?
All these comments from people that never done anything wrong my what good people ye are, ye must be proud of yourselves never committed a sin, the people of Kerry loved Charlie and he always looked after the old people of this country not like the current shower of misfits
What about the bribes the money he demanded and received from “the big fellow” Ben Dunne?
I’m sure the wardrobe shinners In RTE will show Charlie in a good light, some hope What about yourself Hugh.
Arms trial is mentioned in northern ireland section. Headline on this piece is inaccurate. I wonder why?
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