Tonight  President Barack Obama fulfilled his constitutional duty to address the  joint chambers of Congress with an appraisal of the State of the Union.  The President also laid out his plan for action over the next four  years. The President pressed more forcefully than ever for the continued  warfare between the haves and have-nots and the eventual redistribution  of wealth. In short, the President laid out a plan of tax and spend.

Much  of what the President had to say, we have heard before. The President  did announce the withdrawal of 34,000 troops from Afghanistan over the  next year. The President did call for a raise in the minimum wage to $9  per hour and a call to tie that wage to the cost of living index.

Republicans  who had thought by giving the President a tax increase on the most  wealthy Americans as part of the short-term deal to avert the fiscal  cliff found their thinking was wrong. The President called for more and  more taxes on those who are successful in the country and those who  drive the wheels of corporate and small business America. The President  made plain that he will not be happy until the tax rates are increased  on the "rich" and the wealth redistributed to shore up the middle class.

Democrats  who cheered at the pragmatic defense and call to rally around  liberalism during the inaugural address a few weeks ago were buoyed to  hear the President double down on pursuing that left of center agenda.  Democrats saw a President unwilling to back down and compromise with  Republicans. Democrats finally saw what they hope is a backbone after  whining that the President had caved in too much in the last term of  office to Republicans.

The  President offered no plan to compromise or a way for Republicans to  meet the President part way on his agenda for the next four years. The  President instead more or less threw down the gauntlet as he has time  and time again to reach over the heads of Congress to call on the middle  class to rise up and force Representatives and Senators to do the  President's bidding.

What  was evident is that the President feels he has all the cards and can  get what he wants this time around. The President was confident that he  had the political capital to ensure the next four years will see more  taxes on the "rich" and more spending by government and advancement of  liberal policies.

The  President did hit some universal themes that Republicans can and should  get behind. Immigration reform is one of those areas. Tax code reform  is another area that Republicans can and should work with the President.  Education, though I believe is a local issue, is another which should  be doable.

From  the Cornfield, I wish the President well, but I think he is reaching  too far and trying to press too hard for an agenda which will not  succeed. This seems to be a curse that most Presidents have found  themselves in a second term.