Last night, millions of Americans gathered around their television sets to hear President Barack Obama give an address on the current state of U.S. affairs. For some, it may have been the way for them to answer the question, “what has Obama done for us again?” before rushing off to the voting polls in November. For others, who have got Obama’s back, the state of the union served as a method of reassurance about what the future holds for America.
So, what exactly did the President say this year? Let’s break it down.
- Big banks can’t slide. The President announced the creation of a prosecution and investigation team led by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to discover and go after financial and mortgage fraud. Perhaps, stimulated by the disruptive rise after the bailouts and Occupy Wall Street?
- This country is built on immigrants. Obama once again pushed Congress to pass the DREAM Act and ban congressional insider trading.
- We can help others, but we have to help ourselves first. Obama was adamant about working to push America forward in a better way through domestic energy development and education reform.
- Money makes the world go round. The President did not shy away from the theme of the U.S. economy, which he expressed is built to last. A do-nothing Congress and public discontent over the division of wealth and benefits seemed to be an underlying theme during his address.
- We can work together. The President specially mentioned Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-AZ) who will retire from Congress to focus on her recovery after she was shot nearly a year ago. Giffords had represented the ideal form of bi-partisan cooperation that now seems quite impossible in Washington. The President emphasized that her actions as an acting body of Congress is something that shouldn’t be forgotten.
