Post YOUR empty chair...

[Missourian]

...with the inauguration on in the background.

I'm not watching...I'm going to Bass Pro.

​

 

[waltky]

(In case ya missed it)...

Granny says, "Dat's right - anna chicken in every pot...

Budget battle threatens to shape Obama's legacy
January 21, 2013 - In the next four years, President Barack Obama has a war in Afghanistan to end, a defense budget to balance and a legacy of diplomacy and national security to shape. Even before he took his second oath of office Monday, budget fights on Capitol Hill threatened to do all his legacy shaping for him.

Even before he took his second oath of office on Monday, budget fights on Capitol Hill threatened to do all his legacy shaping for him. Obama hasn’t managed to shepherd a budget through Congress since 2009 and is facing another government shutdown threat in less than a month. Even with a debt ceiling compromise, lawmakers will need to find fixes for billions in automatic federal spending cuts by the end of March, something they haven’t been able to compromise on over the last two years.

So while old headaches like Iran and North Korea intersect with new threats like Mali and Algeria, military watchers are left wondering just how the White House will balance domestic fights with long-term security concerns — and how much money they’ll have for either. The president acknowledged the connection in his inauguration remarks Monday, albeit in a more positive light. “A decade of war is now ending,” he said. “Our economic recovery has begun. America’s possibilities are endless.” The president also referenced the upcoming fiscal fights, but not the Pentagon budget specifically.

Significant cuts to military funding were a certainty after Obama won re-election in November, according to Elizabeth Sanders, professor of government and politics at Cornell University. “It could well be an important transition in that respect, and with regard to an emphasis on diplomacy rather than military interventions,” she said. Obama on Monday promised to uphold American values “through strength of arms and rule of law,” reinforcing that diplomatic approach. “We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully, not because we are naive about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear,” he said.

But maintaining that path depends on how those defense cuts go into effect. One year ago, Obama’s Pentagon appointees outlined almost half a trillion dollars in spending reductions for the armed forces over the coming decade. Republicans have protested that his vision of a leaner, more agile fighting force is unrealistic, given the continued demands of Afghanistan and the persistence of terrorist groups worldwide. But they’re also driving the push for meaningful debt reduction, something Democrats say must involve smaller postwar defense budgets.

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See also:

Obama begins second term with emphasis on equality
January 21, 2013 WASHINGTON — Declaring "our journey is not complete," President Barack Obama took the oath of office for his second term before a crowd of hundreds of thousands Monday, urging the nation to set an unwavering course toward prosperity and freedom for all its citizens and protect the social safety net that has sheltered the poor, elderly and needy.

"Our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it," Obama said in his relatively brief, 18-minute address. "We believe that America's prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class," he added, echoing his calls from the presidential campaign that catapulted him to re-election. The president declared that a decade of war is ending, as is the economic recession that consumed much of his first term. The inaugural fanfare spread across the capital Monday, with a joyful parade down Pennsylvania Avenue and two glitzy inaugural balls in the evening. The president also lunched with lawmakers in the Capitol following his address.

Before diving into the afternoon celebrations, Obama previewed an ambitious second-term agenda, devoting several sentences in his address to the threat of global climate change and saying that failure to confront it "would betray our children and future generations." Obama's focus on climate change was notable given that he barely dealt with the issue in his first term. In an era of looming budget cuts, he said the nation has a commitment to costly programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. "These things do not sap our initiative, they strengthen us," he said.

Sandwiched between the bruising presidential campaign and relentless fiscal fights, Monday's inaugural celebrations marked a brief respite from the partisan gridlock that has consumed the past two years. Perhaps seeking a fresh start, Obama invited several lawmakers to the White House for coffee before his speech, including the Republican leaders with whom he has frequently been at odds. Among then was the Senate's top Republican, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. In a statement following Obama's swearing-in, McConnell said the president's second term represents "a fresh start when it comes to dealing with the great challenges of our day."

Looking ahead to those challenges, Obama implored Congress to find common ground over the next four years. And seeking to build on the public support that catapulted him to the White House twice, the president said the public has "the obligation to shape the debates of our time." "Not only with the votes we cast, but with the voices we lift in defense of our most ancient values and enduring ideals," Obama said.

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[OKTexas]

Guess waltky didn't get the memo about off topic post.

 

[Bigfoot]

Oh well, it was a fun idea.