The perfect response

In a very smart move, the Republicans have decided that they're not going to have one of those standard, deadly responses from the opposition party to a presidential address. They're almost always weak and artificial, especially when they're following an address to a joint session of Congress. And all it would do would annoy viewers who want to turn over to the NFL pregame show.

But the Democrats are gobsmacked at this move. Apparently, Nancy Pelosi thinks that the only way a party can demonstrate its commitment to creating jobs is by giving a speech.

"The Republicans' refusal to respond to the president's proposal on jobs is not only disrespectful to him, but to the American people," Pelosi said.

Memo to Madam Pelosi: speeches aren't what creates jobs. If that were true, we wouldn't be sitting at 9.1% unemployment. Obama has given plenty of speeches. Unfortunately, his actions have been louder than his words.

And it's not as if he's going to be proposing anything that would actually make a difference. His plan is more of the same sorts of policies that have been failing us now for almost three years. The GOP doesn't need to treat his speech as if it's anything special. He's been giving bits of his program in his appearances for the past few weeks. The speech before Congress is an election speech, not a serious attempt at changing his failed economic policies.

So kudos to the Republicans for not dignifying Obama's political ploy of giving the speech with a response.