The campaign has begun and this is when Obama shines..he was definitive, on point and had poise. Much has been lost in the last two years so I hope some leverage can be regained...tough raod ahead.

Anybody else noticed how the fatigue rises as the threat of despair grows?

The moral bankruptcy of the Ayn Rand enclave cannot be over-estimated. Note, for example, that the great love relationship in "The Fountainhead" begins with a rape. I've always believed that was a critical insight into Ayn Rand's mind.

A few days ago, I was called by a young friend, the father of two small children and our church's former board chair. He asked me whether I'd ever seen a bumper sticker that read, "Atlas is Shrugging" and whether I knew what it meant. I explained - and I've been deeply troubled ever since.

As so many of us have heard, and perhaps even thought, "where are the moderate Muslims to critique the policies of radical Islam?" is the time right for us, who are Liberals in the midst of the revisions of Christianity that have arisen since the beautiful indignation of the mid 1960's, to step up and challenge the covetous greed of this generation's quasi-Christian political MadMen, and look again to Union Theological Seminary for the moral leadership that powered the coalition of the Civil Rights movement and the Anti-Vietnam war movements?

Help us, Thom. It's time, isn't it, to take the moral decay, and the decayed so-called Christianity that lets Republicans keep reciting, "fairness isn't the issue!," and "it's a spending problem, not a revenue problem," as though they have every right to lie, cheat and steal, and being born where they are is proof that God is on their side and Jesus got it wrong?? ! ?

Thom , As usual, " Great show. Bring it home!

I think it will take forever with the congress we have.

I greaty sympathize with the "show me" attitude towards the President's speech. I will applaud after the budget has been passed and the committments he made during the speech are clearly reflected in it. I am happy that at least he has made a action/value statement, publicly, that directly bears on an immediate and high-profile legislative issue. My hope is that the media and progressive organizations will watch and, if necessary, reveal the buy-out attempts. Judging from the house vote today, it's going to be a great news opportunity.

He talked about no tax cuts for the rich again as if he just didn't give them (on his own accord mind you)--another Bush Tax Cut which he benefitted just a few months ago. Said before coming into office he wouldn't do it. Now he's saying it again in office. He's the reason they're rushing to deadlines to cut program spending on Americans now because of this increased deficit alone. Gotta be a crisis to push wealth benefits to the wealthy. He appears to be satisfied with his tax cut and doesn't need another $200K. Never had so much money-can live without another guilty conscience. He plays to several audiences at once including across seas. Hell with him. He doesn't help me.

He implies all Americans must make some future sacrifices. Guess things ain't bad enough yet.

I have to agree with DRichards on the point that the rich are addicts. I'll even thrown in addicted to power as well as addicted to money. They're no different than the gambler sitting there on that stool shoving the last dollar that his family has into his one armed god. Why doesn't anyone try to get them help?

But, as far as the President's speech goes, I'm not going to hold my breath or run out and buy that new car or anything. He has been known to lie and spin the wheel of change counter clockwise. He hasn't made my life better one bit, but there are a lot of wealthy people who can't say that. The truth is, he's trying to put a different perspective on himself in front of those he needs to vote for him in 2012. Anything that he does now will be a little too little and a little too late for a lot of folks. Anyway. . . I would never vote for a Satan loving Republican, but I sure as Hell won't be voting for him again.

I also believe it's time for a R E V O L U T I O N !

I am going to reread Ravi Batra's, "The New Golden Age". It's a little like reading Tom Clancy in the early 2000's, except it's non-fiction. I think he was right on the mark - the times, they are a changing.

The age of acquisition is nearing its end. It will come years sooner if Obama knows what he's doing.

Hearing Thom gushing over just another good speech from Obama, makes me sick. You're suckling on the Washington Power Teat, Thom. I have guarded optimism, at best.
Stop searching for justification of your hopes for Obama. Instead, you should be challenging your opinions against those who are More Progressive Than You. How else do you expect to grow?

If we can’t understand the reality around us then we cannot even use the word hope. You have to respond to the real not the imaginary.

You've become too establishment oriented. What happened to the Anti-Establishment Thom Hartmann? The one who was skeptical but optimistic. Hope, without action, is useless.

Do you believe this culture is going to undergo a voluntary transformation to a sane and sustainable existence?

His speech was right on target. I'm not sure if it is enough to bury Reaganomics, but it's a start -- FINALLY. His critique of the Ryan "fantasy" was excellent. It will be interesting to see what happens to the Rs when they try to kill Medicare and are also trying to kill unions in the states.

My fear is not the quality of the arguments, but the amount of secret money that will target the most progressive members of Congress. The best defense will be to expose where the money is coming from. I hope the Wikileaks hackers can help us out with that.

It is certainly great to hear President Obama say the things he did. He sounded tough, bold, resolute, and historically correct in his pre-election campaign too...and then proceeded to take it in the a$$ from the Republicans after being elected. Actions, not words, is what we need. Talk is cheap! I wouldn't get too excited that he berated Reaganism Voodoo economics because his actions has shown that he is owned by Wall Street bubble economics. It is nice that Thom Hartmann had on his show today, 4/14/11, an economics professor Max Wolff, but it would be really great if he had on the economics professor from Kansas City, Michael Hudson. By the way, I certainly agreed with that last caller on his show today that commented on Obama's position on economic policy. Since he said that he couldn't even afford to be on the internet, I hope he finds the means (public libraries?) to continue to express his views. He sounded quite intelligent and I think even Thom Hartmann thought so until the caller slipped in at the last moment his view of what he thought of Obama's true economic position.

I think the Democratic party, with the exception of a few, is being used by the rich to be the pressure release valve, the false hope, in order to keep the masses from ripping them to shreds while they continue their plans to kill off the peons, the riff-raff, the masses who don't deserve, in their eyes, to exist except to serve their masters. Whenever the rich have pushed too hard, as in Voodoo and bubble economics, and people are dying and starving in the streets, they will try to convince us that the great savior party, the Democratic party, gives us hope and will save us. But their actions betray them as traitors and liars who are just as much owned by the rich as the Republicans are. I think that Americans are finally realizing this and that the traditional two party system needs to be replaced. Whether that will come about through massive violence is yet to be seen. I sure hope it will never come to that but signs that this may happen may be manifested by random acts of violence..unless certain rich people who have been the beneficiaries of their criminal Wall Street and bankster actions suffer the consequences of their actions and their booty restored to the people. Should that be through a long awaited prosecutorial action and they become some prison-mate's butt buddy, or through some other act of lynch mob mentality..time will tell.

great words! nice signature too!