1. Susan Stough
President Obama’s State of the Union Address had several positive aspects in my opinion.
Here are a few of the things I learned.
Currently the US has the lowest unemployment rate in five years. The housing market is
rebounding. There is more oil produced at home than we buy from the rest of the world. Also, it
is the first time the deficits have been cut by more than half. Congress undid a budget that cut
funding from education last year. I also very much appreciated when he said that he will take
steps to further opportunity without legislation. The president also mentioned how the obesity
rates are down for the first time in thirty years. The president proposes to end the incentives to
ship jobs overseas and lower tax rates for businesses that create jobs here at home. With the
money that is saved by doing that, we will invest it in rebuilding roads, ports, and commutes.
Also, congress should undo the cuts to basic research so America can lead the world in
technology. Obama spoke of natural gas being the key to our energy independence. Natural gas
produces energy with less of the carbon pollution that causes climate change. He will invest
billions in factories that use natural gas, and those factories will put people to work. Immigration
reform is positive, it will shrink our deficits by one trillion dollars in twenty years. The president
also pledges to connect ninety nine percent of students to high speed broadband over the next
four years. With support of several major organizations, more than fifteen thousand schools and
twenty million students will be connected, without adding any money to the deficit. Obama also
mentions the argument over the proper size of the government, while an important one, it should
not prevent us from carrying out basic functions of our democracy, including a shutdown of the
government.

2. Overall, I found presiden obamas speech to be positive and encouraging in a way. I really
appreciated his “fuck it” attitude and want to believe that he will do what he says.