9:30 PM: Mitch McConnell should love this part of the speech on Obamacare …
And if you want to know the real impact this law is having, just talk to Governor Steve Beshear of Kentucky, who’s here tonight. Kentucky’s not the most liberal part of the country, but he’s like a man possessed when it comes to covering his commonwealth’s families. “They are our friends and neighbors,” he said. “They are people we shop and go to church with…farmers out on the tractors…grocery clerks…they are people who go to work every morning praying they don’t get sick. No one deserves to live that way.”
Steve’s right. That’s why, tonight, I ask every American who knows someone without health insurance to help them get covered by March 31st. Moms, get on your kids to sign up. Kids, call your mom and walk her through the application. It will give her some peace of mind – plus, she’ll appreciate hearing from you.
9:38 PM: Presidents are always snappy during SOTUs. But Obama seems particularly pumped and forceful. Maybe more than I’ve heard him recently and more than the sense of malaise around his presidency would seem to suggest? Again, presidents don’t come to these things droopy. But it’s just the feel I get about this one.
9:40 PM: I must be out of the loop on this. But what’s the “reforming unemployment insurance” about? Here’s the reference …
I’m also convinced we can help Americans return to the workforce faster by reforming unemployment insurance so that it’s more effective in today’s economy. But first, this Congress needs to restore the unemployment insurance you just let expire for 1.6 million people.
Nothing and I mean nothing gets into a SOTU address by chance. There’s a story there. A reader on twitter flags this policy paper from Council of Economic Advisors from 2012. Perhaps this is what he’s referring to?
