SOTU: True or false?

According to the news commentary running up to this evening’s State of the Union, tonight’s oratory address is President Obama’s “moment.”

And tonight, in his address to the country, President Obama told America that now, right now, is this generation’s “Sputnik” moment.

Well, it’s all very good and interesting. Apparently, there are a lot of moments to be had.

And what’s more, there are a plethora of policy proposals and promises to be kept. A la the “Sputnik” theme – the president promised the moon and the stars in his address.

True or false

I’d like to know what you think about the laundry list of policy proposals and  promises below. For each one, ask yourself:  True or false – will the administration get this done?

• We need to make America the best place on earth to do business.
• This administration will take on clean energy – and in such a way that America will have more electric vehicles on the road than any other country by 2015.
• Further on the clean energy theme, this administration will embrace clean energy and this will mean that 80 percent of America’s energy will come from clean energy sources by 2035.
• Race to the Top will continue to raise standards for teaching and learning. In fact, Race to the Top will prove to be more focused on what is best for children than No Child Left Behind.
• Great teachers will start to be rewarded.
• This administration will “prepare” 100,000 new teachers in the fields of math, science and engineering.
• Within 25 years, 80 percent of Americans will have access to high speed rail.
• Within the next five years, Americans will experience faster Internet.
• This administration will put policies into place that will double our exports by 2014.
• This administration will engage in Asia-Pacific and global trade talks.
• Annual domestic spending will be frozen for the next five years.
• Excessive spending should be cut wherever we find it – domestic, defense, loopholes, etc.
• This administration will take on medical practice reform to reign in frivolous lawsuits.
• This administration will create a bipartisan commission on Social Security reform.
• This administration will not extend tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans.
• Within the year, this administration will issue a proposal that merges, consolidates and reorganizes the federal government in such a way that provides for a more competitive America? (Lenti note: Whoa – what does this mean? Answer: This would effectively mean moving heaven and earth.)
• If any bill comes across the president’s desk with earmarks inside, President Obama will veto it.
• The president will start bringing our troops home from Afghanistan effective July 2011.
• We will stand by South Korea and insist that North Korea abides by its commitment to abandon its nuclear weapon program.
• America will support the democratic aspirations of all people all over the globe.
• Starting this year, no American will be forbidden from serving her or his country for loving who they love.

True or false? Tell me what you think, please.

Some notes

In purely petty commentary, I would just like to add that:

1. I am a huge fan of Secretary Clinton’s new coif!
2. Representative Pelosi should be ashamed of herself for refusing Representative Cantor’s invite to sit together. Kerry and McCain managed to do it…
3. House Speaker Boehner is looking, well, crispy – almost mirroring the purple hue of his tie.
4. That said, Speaker Boehner clearly has a heart – the president’s mention of family brought a tear to the House speaker’s eye.

In more substantive commentary, I would note that:

1. I agree with President Obama in that there is a huge difference in “sitting together tonight and working together tomorrow.”
2. No matter what your political affiliation, I think we can all agree that President Obama is quite an amazingly exceptional orator.
3. I agree with President Obama’s comment that, “We need to make America the best place on earth to do business.”
4. Finally, I agree with the notion of American exceptionalism and the case for American greatness. As the president said, America is capable of doing “big” things.  The president now must lead in a manner that allows for this.

Sarah Lenti is the blogger behind NMPolitics.net’s The Savvy. E-mail her at sarah@nmpolitics.net.