State_of_the_Union

On January 25, 2011, the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, delivered the second official State of the Union Address since he took office. The speech was held in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives during a Joint Session of the new 112th Congress of the United States. In attendance was nearly the entire body of Congress, including many newly elected representatives that had promised to halt the political agenda of President Obama. Sitting directly behind the President was Vice President Joe Biden and the new Speaker of the House, John Boehner. Six of the nine Supreme Court Justices were also present along with a number of civilians that the President had invited. This speech was extremely important as it came two months after the mid-term election in November. President Obama covered many politically charged issues during the speech that I found myself having very strong reactions to what he was talking about. Nearly overshadowing the State of the Union address was the tragic shooting that took place in Tucson, Arizona, in which Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was severely injured and six others were killed. In a show of unity, the Democratic and Republican members of Congress broke tradition and sat amongst each other instead of by party lines. I felt this was advantageous for President Obama as it almost guaranteed applause throughout the chamber, as opposed to previous years when it would seem that either the Democrats or Republicans would stand and applause on one side of the aisle while the other party sat still. Even more, the idea was a stirring presentation of the unity of the citizens of the United States. The seating arrangement was aesthetically pleasing, but did not take away from the fact that President Obama was speaking at a time of political turmoil and economic uncertainty. President Obama needed to strike the perfect chord in order to win over the Republicans that opposed the agenda he has put in place over the past two years while also reassuring the Democrats who were patiently waiting for the change he promised. President Obama began his speech by congratulating the newly elected members of Congress and the new Speaker of the House, John Boehner. He also prayed for the health of Congresswoman Giffords, which prompted the crowd to give a standing ovation in support of the Congresswoman. The President then talked about the political debates that had been fought during his first two years in office. He mentioned how contentious they had been and while he felt that healthy debate was vital to a strong democracy, the events in Arizona should prompt all Americans to realize that after all of the political debates, we are all citizens of same nation, with the same core beliefs in freedom. The President talked about how the people had sent a clear message with the mid-term election results that it will be necessary for the two political parties to work together in order to drive the United States forward. He stated that “We will move forward together, or not at all; for the challenges we face are bigger than party and bigger than politics” (ABCNEWS). The President then went on to talk about the current economic situation since the recession hit in 2008. President Obama mentioned that the United States is on its way out of the greatest recession of our lifetime. He talked about the resurgence of the stock market and corporate profits, but went on to stress how important it was for the United States to “win the future”. The President said that the people of this nation will have to out-innovate the competition from other countries. He spoke of how technology has changed the way businesses operate and that the people must adapt along with the technology. President Obama said the United States is in need of another “Sputnik moment”. A moment that changes the way we view the world we live in. The President spoke about the innovations in renewable energy and information technology as well as what Congress must do to support these innovations. What he was asking Congress to do was pass legislation that would stop tax breaks for oil companies and transfer that money to companies who were researching and developing alternative ways to produce energy. The President said that his goal is by 2035, 80% of America’s electricity will come from renewable energy sources (Ibid). Another topic that President Obama outlined his plan for was education. He spoke about the Race to the Top program that rewarded schools with innovative teaching methods as well as the role teachers have in the lives of children. The President highlighted how innovations at a Colorado high school allowed for 97% percent of the senior class to graduate in an area previously dominated by rival gangs. President Obama also stressed the need for new teachers in the United States. All of these points were in an effort to show Congress that their help was needed to improve the education system. President Obama wants Congress to make the $10,000 tuition tax credit permanent. During his remarks on education, President Obama brought up his plan for illegal immigration. He mentioned that many undocumented workers are educated in this country and then sent back to their countries to “compete against us”. He admitted that it makes no sense and that for that reason and many others, President Obama and Congress must work together to figure out a resolution to the current immigration crisis we face in this country. One of the biggest highlights of President Obama’s speech was his view that the United States was in dire need of infrastructure upgrades. He talked about how businesses are able to ship their products all over the world and the United States needs an infrastructure system that can do the same. The President said that within 5 years, 98% of all Americans will have against to high speed internet. The President set a goal of 80% of all Americans having the ability to travel by high speed rail within 25 years. He mentioned that the jobs created would not only be in the construction of these rails, but also from individuals able to get from the suburbs to the city for job opportunities. The President is asking for Congress to invest in the research and development of these projects. President Obama also talked about the state of American business. He proposed to simplify and close any loopholes within the corporate tax code and lower the corporate tax rate for the first time in 25 years. The President also wants to double American exports by 2014 and has said the United States is already making progress on that front with trade deals with South Korea, China, and India. President Obama talked about getting rid of any unnecessary regulation on business as has been a rallying cry of many Republicans, but did say that he would not hesitate to put regulations in place that ensured the rights of the American people. The most highly contested issue during the State of the Union was the healthcare law that President Obama signed into law in 2010. The President talked about how unhappy many of the Republicans were about the law and while he promised to listen to proposals that would improve the law, the President was steadfast in stating that the battles of the past two years were over and that Congress needed to look forward. It was obvious that this was one issue that the two parties were not in agreement on. The President said that he refused to go back to a time when insurance companies could take advantage of those who are sick and it is for the protection of the American people that the healthcare law was passed. One of the biggest items on the agenda of the 112th Congress is balancing the budget. Excessive spending was not ignored by President Obama during his State of the Union Address. The President acknowledged that the government spends more money that it should and proposed a freeze on all domestic spending for the next five years. He stated that this would save over $400 billion dollars over the next decade. President Obama also said that this was not enough as there would have to be brutal choices made regarding the budget. The President mentioned that the Fiscal Commission he created had proposals to reign in the deficit and while he did not agree with all of their proposals, many cuts would have to be made to the budget to bring down the federal deficit. President Obama said that while it was important to decrease the amount of government spending, the primary goal was not to have a cheaper government, but a more efficient and streamlined government. President Obama made it clear that technology will be important in forming a “21st century government”. President Obama ended his State of the Union address by talking about the possibilities of the American dream. He talked about a nation of many different kinds of people who share a similar goal. He mentioned that the United States is a nation that “does big things”. He stressed that we may come from humble beginnings, but we have come farther than anyone could have thought. President Obama’s message was one of unity, inspiration, and innovation. After watching the President's speech, I have to say that I had a positive reaction to many of the main topics that he mentioned. I found that I responded the most to the President’s plan for high speed rail. It bothers me that the United States has fallen behind China in production of high speed trains and I truly believe that high speed rails should run across the nation. They would allow for goods to be transferred at a more efficient rate than trucks. I also responded well to the President’s plans for education. President Obama made some reforms on student loans that I found benefited me, so I like to hear that he is so passionate about education reform. I felt a sense of relief after hearing many of the things that President Obama had to say. I do have to say that I am very worried about the job market because after I graduate I just want to have a fighting chance at success and right now the unemployment numbers are not good. I do not look at the Wall Street numbers as I do not know how accurately that portrays the state of the economy. Overall, I enjoyed the President’s speech and look forward to see what action he takes after the plans that he proposed.