“The State of the Union is strong.”
Those are the words of President Obama, who delivered his last State of the Union address before the start of the 2012 general election. In a speech that will likely set the tone for his reelection bid, Mr. Obama said “the basic American promise” that hard work can help you accomplish your dreams of owning a home and supporting a family are at risk if the government doesn’t do more to balance the scale between the nation’s rich and poor.
President Obama warned that economic inequality has put the nation’s middle class at grave risk. Therefore, he believes government must do more to preserve the basic American dream.
“The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important,” Mr. Obama declared. “We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. What’s at stake are not Democratic values or Republican values, but American values. We have to reclaim them.”
In a clear cut message directed at voters who may hold him accountable for the nation’s continuing economic woes, the president reminded Americans he was not the architect of the financial meltdown. “In the 6 months before I took office, we lost nearly 4 million jobs. And we lost another 4 million before our policies were in full effect,” Mr. Obama said in reference to former president George W. Bush. But he made sure to point out that the country is turning around under his policies, creating 3 million jobs in just the last 22 months.
Sticking with a theme of unity from recent addresses, Democrats and Republicans sat interspersed with each other. Among those in attendance was outgoing congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot last January while speaking to her Arizona constituients in a grocery store parking lot. In an extremely touching moment, a Republican helped Giffords stand each time Democrats stood in support of the president’s words. This was her last State of the Union prior to retirement.
Mr. Obama wrapped up his address with a very strong finish: “The state of our union is getting stronger, and we’ve come too far to turn back now. As long as I’m president, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.”
"The state of our union is getting stronger, and we've come too far to turn back now. As long as I'm president, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place."HEAR! HEAR! Mr. President.Trust YOUR instincts. Take NOTHING for granted. IGNORE all polls (even polls that favor you) and pundit-idiots. And continue fighting the GOOD fight on behalf of the American people.