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What a great Speech here are some of my favorite moments:
One of the first things he said was, "It's tempting to look back on
these moments and assume that our progress was inevitable, that America
was always destined to succeed.
But when the Union was turned back at Bull Run and the Allies first
landed at Omaha Beach, victory was very much in doubt. When the market
crashed on Black Tuesday and civil rights marchers were beaten on Bloody
Sunday, the future was anything but certain.
These were the times that tested the courage of our convictions and the
strength of our union. And despite all our divisions and disagreements,
our hesitations and our fears, America prevailed because we chose to
move forward as one nation, as one people."
He is 100% correct. Just cause we live in America doesn't mean we are
destined to greatness. Everything we have done in the past we have had
to put our foot to the ground and work. Hard work and determination are
the only way we are going to move forward and escape the financial
crisis we are currently in, in my opinion there is light at the end of
the tunnel we just have to keep moving in the right direction.
"But when I ran for president, I promised I wouldn't just do what was
popular, I would do what was necessary. And if we had allowed the
meltdown of the financial system, unemployment might be double what it
is today. More businesses would certainly have closed; more homes would
have surely been lost.
So I supported the last administration's efforts to create the financial
rescue program. And when we took that program over, we made it more
transparent and more accountable. And as a result, the markets are now
stabilized, and we've recovered most of the money we spent on the banks.
Most, but not all. To recover the rest, I've proposed a fee on the
biggest banks. Now...
Now, I know Wall Street isn't keen on this idea, but if these firms can
afford to hand out big bonuses again, they can afford a modest fee to
pay back the taxpayers who rescued them in their time of need."
Now you could say that he is just saying that because with every passing
day, every passing week, and every passing month, his approval rating
has dropped and he is just trying to do damage control, but I would
disagree with that whole heartily. Do you not think that other members
of congress, his cabinet, or his advisor's would have told him that
going after the biggest business's, the business's with the most pull
and backing would be a very unpopular under taking. Or maybe trying to
do so much with healthcare in such a little amount of time would be a
near impossible feat. He is tackling these issues because first and
foremost these issues need to be solved before anything else if this
country is to move forward in the right direction. Sometimes you need
to take a few steps backwards in order to be able to move forward.
"Now, as we stabilized the financial system, we also took steps to get
our economy growing again, save as many jobs as possible, and help
Americans who'd become unemployed.
That's why we extended or increased unemployment benefits for more than
18 million Americans, made health insurance 65 percent cheaper for
families who get their coverage through COBRA, and passed 25 different
tax cuts.
Now, let me repeat: We cut taxes. We cut taxes for 95 percent 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."
I am split on the first part of this I am not sure if it is an all
together good idea to increase unemployment benefits. In the short term
it absolutely needs to be done. But long term I can see just a circle
of financial and collapse and rebuilding coming from this. Like I said
before the only way this country can fully recover and move forward is
hard work. There are far too many Americans out there that just want
the quick and easy buck. If there are more benefits for being
unemployed why work. I am guilty of that as well. Everyone wants the
quick buck but this country needs us to bust our ass and build it up not
so we can have a better life or not so our children can have a better
life but maybe because of the hard work we put in our children's
children will have an easier life, and their children will have an ever
easier life. Not saying they won't have to bust there asses cause they
will still have to that but it will seem easier because it is just how
life has been for years. How life use to be but somewhere mixed in with
all the technology we have now, this generation lost sight on that. We
forget that if slack off it won't just affect us it will affect our
children as well. But when he said:
"made health insurance 65 percent cheaper for families who get their
coverage through COBRA, and passed 25 different tax cuts. Now, let me
repeat: We cut taxes. We cut taxes for 95 percent 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."
That is exactly what they needed to do. Making the future of tomorrow
cheaper, and easier to obtain is exactly how America will work its way
back to the top.
This is a powerful statement:
"You see, Washington has been telling us to wait for decades, even as
the problems have grown worse. Meanwhile, China's not waiting to revamp
its economy; Germany's not waiting; India's not waiting.
These nations, they're not standing still. These nations aren't playing
for second place. They're putting more emphasis on math and science.
They're rebuilding their infrastructure. They're making serious
investments in clean energy because they want those jobs.
Well, I do not accept second place for the United States of America"
What does China, Germany, and India have that America doesn't? Serious
education! We have fallen into a state of compliancy when it comes to
our education. We aren't pushing the boundary without students. It's
common knowledge with every passing generation the people have gotten
smarter and smarter. But why should we just settle for that small
growth? Why not expand out teachings at younger ages when our minds are
still young and able to learn new things more quickly? China is doing
that... India is doing that... And Germany is doing that, so why not us?
Why should we settle for second best?
This goes along the same lines:
"I know there have been questions about whether we can afford such
changes in a tough economy. I know that there are those who disagree
with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change.
But -- but here's the thing. Even if you doubt the evidence, providing
incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to
do for our future, because the nation that leads the clean-energy
economy will be the nation that leads the global economy, and America
must be that nation.
Pushing our education to the next generation is the first step of
creating the energy of tomorrow. America's name should be associated
with building the cleaner energy of tomorrow not China, India, or
Germany, but America.
To make college more affordable, this bill will finally end the
unwarranted taxpayer subsidies that go to banks for student loans.
Instead, let's take that money and give families a $10,000 tax credit
for four years of college and increase Pell Grants.
And let's tell another 1 million students that, when they graduate, they
will be required to pay only 10 percent of their income on student
loans, and all of their debt will be forgiven after 20 years, and
forgiven after 10 years if they choose a career in public service,
because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because
they chose to go to college."
That bill would be the building steps to what America needs moving
forward. How many people do you know want to go to college busted there
ass through school got accepted to a university just to realize they
can't afford it so they drop out and work full time doing whatever work
they can find? Does that sound right? People shouldn't be punished
because they didn't come from upper class they should be rewarded for
busting there ass. IS that bill enough time will tell but I think it is
the building block for future bills in education and it is certainly a
step in the right direction.
I am sure this long enough all ready but that is only about half of what
was said last night. I am not saying this is the greatest speech ever
and it needs to be put on a plaque somewhere and be displayed, but that
was one of the most historic State of the Union address in recent
memory. Not just because President Obama is half African-American and
is in the highest seat in America (all though this is historical in its
own rights.) But because not since 9/11 has the nation been in such a
chaotic condition, in a state of emergency. Know more than ever we need
to hear comforting words to help ease the pain and reassurance that we
can overcome anything set in front of us, and that nothing will stop us
from achieving our goals. Nothing.
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lil kru
