A VC - Latest Comments in Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

poorman55 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:03:36 -0000

Did you no that illegals can get wick and child care if they show income and where they live at. No matter if they are legal or not. When asked about this was told they have to give it to them because the government says it is for the KIDS. Do you think we could get this if we went to MEXICO? We need to stop this!

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

fredwilson — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:19:27 -0000

Thanks for telling me that. It's important for me to know what you think.

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

Kwame Ture — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:54:02 -0000

You're a loser.

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

Steve4322 — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:24:49 -0000

Love the post -- I am still trying to keep a "hopeful smile" on my face but with all the layoffs adn foreclosures, it is getting harder -- but I resolve to "keep my chin up"

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

bob smith — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:46:24 -0000

I think your wrong he does not have a impossible job. But he has to do the wright things an make sure that they are focused on the issues not on pork. That can wait till we get the econamy back on track . Bankig system no.1 issue . we have spent enough money but it is going in all the wrong places. Every one is getting rich while the country goes down. You cant keep spendig money you dont have.no one is going to by up the debt.

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

Lwanga D — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 11:54:12 -0000

I do not disagree people in America are hardworking...but c'mon, "the most hardworking people on earth(sic)! To me, the pay system where one is paid per hour or even monitored (if one is on monthly salary scale), leaves people with no choice but to work. To work in America is like the only reason people live...I don't necessarily agree with Pres. Obama's statement

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

Doreen Lwanga — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 11:50:21 -0000

I like your analysis so very much...it's an eye opener.....all of it..but more "novel" is the part about immigration, which seems to be kicked so far away in the minds of even the first generation immigrants like myself...as we are bogged down by the economy, job loss and empty houses...

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

fredwilson — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:29:18 -0000

Ooh

Great comment

I reblogged it in its entirety on fredwilson.vc

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

Erik Giles — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:19:54 -0000

A term you may or may not already know but seems to fit your perspective on why and how the US may survive this crisis is Sokojikara. It is a term of Japanese origin that defines American resiliency as having three pillars: massive immigration, an open economy, and vast natural resources. It came out writings about how the US was able to beat the Japanese after WWII and why Japanese business in the 80's should have been wary of counting the US out of the technology business (back then). It seems to aptly characterize your arguments. I also believe the US will recover for these reasons (not necessarily those described by the president). Perhaps if we can get this perspective (and term) into the media we can influence a more logically constructed road to recovery.

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

fredwilson — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:36:18 -0000

Its a well designed system

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

Gordon Platt — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:33:15 -0000

I agree with you on that. That's why I bailed on network TV years ago. Talk about not being optimized for success! But I guess the reason our government works better than most is because that lack of optimization keeps things from spinning too quickly, either left or right. The inefficiencies are built into the system via checks and balances. Infuriating when it holds up the "good guys." But can you imagine not having had it for the last 8 years? Best, G.

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

fredwilson — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:55:22 -0000

I think we're gonna have to do an AVC meeting because I am just having too
much fun watching all you regulars get along so well

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

fredwilson — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:53:17 -0000

We can get that from and feed off of immigrant culture

We always have in this country

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

fredwilson — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:52:16 -0000

I'm with you on the inauguration. I said so on this blog and was roundly
criticized for it. But I still feel that way.

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

fredwilson — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:51:23 -0000

Your job is to critique and debate and discuss, not agree with me.

Well done

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

fredwilson — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:48:59 -0000

somewhere around the third or fourth minute, i got lost because of nancy pelosi's dress. it was seriously distracting. both of them were. i wish Obama had done that speech in a non state of the union way.

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

Aruni S. Gunasegaram — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:59:12 -0000

So true. I was born in Sri Lanka and immigrated to the US with my parents when I was very young. We need international education which is part of the reason the school will be International Baccalaureate certified eventually. I know that my K-12 education here in the States was not as strong and well rounded as my parents or my husband's was but it wasn't that bad either because I stumbled into the Honor track.

But it seems that public education is not near what it used to be and one theory I've heard is that when we were younger women had fewer career options and one was being a teacher. So you had some really smart women teaching, but now many smart women choose other careers because they are more lucrative.

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

cdawg — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:49:51 -0000

couldn't agree more. I'm a European living and working in the US. Came to this country for grad school. I had many bright, ambitious friends from all over the world in my class. Most of them went back to their countries as it was made nearly impossible for them to work in the US. This seems to be a pattern ever since 9/11, and the US is hurting itself the most this way. There are plenty of other places in the world that are catching up in terms of educational & job opportunities, so it's becoming a much easier decision for many bright foreigners here to say, "screw the US, if they make it this hard, I'll take my talent elsewhere". It's a trend that scares me. It's counter to everything the US has always stood fodr.

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

fredwilson — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:20:22 -0000

That's awesome. We need a lot of innovation in education right now. The world is changing and our education system is not.

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

Chris Hamoen — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:18:44 -0000

I couldn't agree more - and it applies to other industries as well. A close contact runs a construction company (ground source heating) - and if it was legal, he would hire immigrants only. His experience with NA workers is frustrating - the self-entitlement is nauseating.

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

Aruni S. Gunasegaram — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:17:54 -0000

Thanks for the great re-cap. I agree with much of what you said. Interestingly, my husband is starting a new school (in reference to your #10) here in Austin called The Magellan School (www.magellanschool.org). It's a non-profit, dual language, immersion private school. The two main languages will be Spanish and English with proficiency in Mandarin. He went to the American School in Mexico city and is completely bi-lingual. You can't tell he speaks two languages when you look at him. He also has a master's degree in aerospace from Stanford and is big in the Wireless community here so starting a school is a bit out of his career path...but he's passionate about our kids knowing more than one language and when the calling hits...

It's a tough environment to start a private school right now, but despite that there have been many people applying even though we are still finalizing the location! And it's set to open this Fall.

He and I are both entrepreneurs and we are probably raising 2 more so it makes for interesting conversations around here. :-)

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

Josh Morgan — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:11:21 -0000

Today's WSJ...
http://online.wsj.com/artic...
"A tax policy that confiscated 100% of the taxable income of everyone in America earning over $500,000 in 2006 would only have given Congress an extra $1.3 trillion in revenue. That's less than half the 2006 federal budget of $2.7 trillion and looks tiny compared to the more than $4 trillion Congress will spend in fiscal 2010. Even taking every taxable "dime" of everyone earning more than $75,000 in 2006 would have barely yielded enough to cover that $4 trillion."

In other words, raising taxes, leaving Iraq, and cutting a program or two will still come nowhere near balancing a budget. Cap and trade would also act as an increase in taxes. The ridiculous fuel standards would not help people save more money. The cars will cost more than normal and any benefit in gasoline savings will surely be made up by the equally ridiculous mileage tax some states are considering where gps devices are placed on vehicles. This spending is the best example of government irresponsibility. Obama's only hope is to create a nation of people dependent on the government. That is not the America I want and it certainly is diametrically opposed to the principals this country was founded on, primarily freedom and liberty.

This is NOT the worst economy since the Great Depression, that is a lie. It is the worst economy since Jimmy Carter!

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

fredwilson — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:25:16 -0000

I'll do that

I do have issues with governments and non-profits

It's hard for me to wrap my head around any institution that is not
optimized for success

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

BillSeitz — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 07:35:56 -0000

Hey, watch what you say about JFK around here...

Re: Ten Thoughts On The President's Speech Last Night

BillSeitz — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 07:32:53 -0000

Well, we can always "Hope" for cold fusion. Does that count? :) Or maybe we could put that GWB faith-based program that BO just renewed on the case...

I'd be more supportive of nuclear energy if the industry didn't always loan guarantees, liability caps, etc.
http://webseitz.fluxent.com...

Waste may be like coal tar: something that provides value in the future....
http://webseitz.fluxent.com...