Missed the State of the Union Address??

Allow me to break it down for you. Passion, charisma, realness are a few words that come to mind when mentally recapping President Obama’s State of the Union speech. In the wake of the economic recession, alarming home foreclosure and unemployment rates, two wars, climate change crisis and health care reform; President Obama stood firm as he addressed the nation.

“I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They’re not new. These struggles are the reason I ran for President. These struggles are what I’ve witnessed for years in places like Elkhart, Indiana and Galesburg, Illinois. I hear about them in the letters that I read each night.”

Sincere words often go unheard by the people that are suffering the most. They want answers to their problems. If you’re one of those “what have you done for me?” – people, here’s what Obama had to say to you.

“We extended or increased unemployment benefits for more than 18 million Americans; made health insurance 65% cheaper for families who get their coverage through COBRA; and passed 25 different tax cuts. Let me repeat: we cut taxes. We cut taxes for 95% of working families. We cut taxes for small businesses. We cut taxes for first-time homebuyers. We cut taxes for parents trying to care for their children. We cut taxes for 8 million Americans paying for college. As a result, millions of Americans had more to spend on gas, and food, and other necessities, all of which helped businesses keep more workers. And we haven’t raised income taxes by a single dime on a single person. Not a single dime. Because of the steps we took, there are about two million Americans working right now who would otherwise be unemployed.”

Well put Mr. President. A little over a year ago we witnessed history as you were sworn-in as President of the US. Your unforgettable slogans “yes we can” and “change” shifted the world. But many now wonder what if anything has changed? Some have even gone as far as saying “pay me, you can keep your change” Obama proved he understands the feelings and anger of hard working Americans when he said:
“For these Americans and so many others, change has not come fast enough. Some are frustrated; some are angry. They don’t understand…”

So now that we’ve heard the progress the Obama administration has made in the 372 days of being in Office. People want to know what’s next.

Obama: “One place to start is serious financial reform. Look, I am not interested in punishing banks, I’m interested in protecting our economy. A strong, healthy financial market makes it possible for businesses to access credit and create new jobs. It channels the savings of families into investments that raise incomes. But that can only happen if we guard against the same recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy. We need to make sure consumers and middle-class families have the information they need to make financial decisions. We can’t allow financial institutions, including those that take your deposits, to take risks that threaten the whole economy. The House has already passed financial reform with many of these changes. And the lobbyists are already trying to kill it. Well, we cannot let them win this fight. And if the bill that ends up on my desk does not meet the test of real reform, I will send it back. Next, we need to encourage American innovation. Last year, we made the largest investment in basic research funding in history – an investment that could lead to the world’s cheapest solar cells or treatment that kills cancer cells but leaves healthy ones untouched. And no area is more ripe for such innovation than energy. You can see the results of last year’s investment in clean energy – in the North Carolina company that will create 1200 jobs nationwide helping to make advanced batteries; or in the California business that will put 1,000 people to work making solar panels. But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies. And yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America.”

Obama’s State of the Union speech can and will be dissected several different ways. Whether you loved it or hate it President Obama State of the Union speech served its core purpose of notifying Americans of the current condition of America.

In the words of President Obama:
“We are strong, we are resilient, we are Americans”
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-If I don’t tell you…who will?
Politik with Krys