BY ANDREW LEVINGOOD
Lions’ Pride Staff Writer

On January 27 President Barack Obama gave his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. He covered a wide array of issues and offered a positive but logical outlook on how the United States must act in these turbulent times.

President Obama focused on the large amount of unemployed Americans and how the United States can create more jobs and enhance the quality of life for many Americans. Obama centered on needed bipartisanship and a unified front on jobs and the economy, “For these Americans and so many others, change has not come fast enough. Some are frustrated; some are angry.”

Obama focused on the results of their attempts to decrease unemployment. They made health insurance cheaper for 65 percent of families who get theirs through COBRA and passed 25 different tax cuts.

“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. 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,” Obama said.

With these changes, there are about two million Americans who are employed who would not have been and they will be adding around one and a half million more by the end of this year.
All of this success is due to the Recovery Act, or Stimulus Bill. The Recovery Act also has caused retirement funds to regain some value, and businesses are starting to invest and hire again. The president also proposed that the government take 30 billion of the repaid bank money and use it for community banks to give credit to small businesses so they stay in business. In addition, the president made some propositions that appealed to both sides of congress.

“I am also proposing a new small business tax credit – one that will go to over one million small businesses who hire new workers or raise wages. While we’re at it, let’s also eliminate all capital gains taxes on small business investment; and provide a tax incentive for all businesses, large and small, to invest in new plants and equipment,” Obama said.

President Obama also suggested that as a nation, the United States should be one of the premiere countries in technology especially in roadways and railways, including a new high speed rail system in Tampa as a result of the Recovery Act. Also Obama let out a John Kennedy like rally for America.
“Well I do not accept second-place for the United States of America. As hard as it may be, as uncomfortable and contentious as the debates may be, it’s time to get serious about fixing the problems that are hampering our growth.”

Obama also wants to focus on education, in particular math and science. He wants to return to some policies that have fallen to the wayside and dramatically improve the life of college students,
“When we renew the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we will work with Congress to expand these reforms to all fifty states. Still, in this economy, a high school diploma no longer guarantees a good job. I urge the Senate to follow the House and pass a bill that will revitalize our community colleges, which are a career pathway to the children of so many working families. 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 one million students that when they graduate, they will be required to pay only ten percent of their income on student loans, and all of their debt will be forgiven after twenty years – and forgiven after ten 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. And it’s time for colleges and universities to get serious about cutting their own costs – because they too have a responsibility to help solve this problem,” Obama said.

Obama called for a freeze of government spending in 20011 after America have fully survived the recession and paying for two wars, “Starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze government spending for three years. Spending related to our national security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will not be affected. But all other discretionary government programs will. Like any cash-strapped family, we will work within a budget to invest in what we need and sacrifice what we don’t. And if I have to enforce this discipline by veto, I will.” The President also called for a more positive and a more responsible media that can instill hope in the American people.