Last week, President Obama gave the first State of the Union
address of his second term. The State of
the Union address is a time for the President to inform Congress and the
American people about….well, the State of the Union. As expected, President Obama touched on many
different priorities for his second term including immigration, gun control,
job creation and raising the minimum wage.
In case you missed it, you can watch the full address here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/state-of-the-union-2013
We’ve spent time in class talking about how Presidents spend
a lot of time crafting their political image and message, and how they help set
the agenda for what the American people see as their top priorities. So my question to you this week is, “What was
one thing President Obama said that you could support? What was something he left out, that you wish
he would’ve mentioned?” You must answer
both questions to earn full credit.
Answers are due no later than Sunday, February 24th,
2013. To read the full transcript of
President Obama’s speech, go here: http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-02-12/politics/37059380_1_applause-task-free-enterprise
I agreed with raising tax rates on the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans, and the deficit reduction that economists say we need to stabilize our finances because i think the wealthier people should pay more in taxes just because they have more.
ReplyDeleteI think he should of talked about health care and how also about creating more oppurtunities than just the regular.
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ReplyDeleteI liked where he was going with gun control. Its a good start and needed for this country. His over all speech was easy to listen to and made since to me. I do however think that raising munimum wage is a mistake. Its going to hurt consumers. I am very thrilled however he brought up the topic of global warming and an answer I think met both sides opinions.I wish he would have gone more in depth with enviromental things. I really think he named enough subjects to cover in this term.
ReplyDeleteLonger school year?
ReplyDeleteObama repeated his support for a longer school year after being asked about it by students from a sixth-grade class in Cincinatti, Ohio. He did not specify how long that school year should be, however he noted that U.S. students attend classes, on average, about a month less than children in most other advanced countries.
Obama stated"That month makes a difference. It means students are losing a lot of what they learn during the school year during the summer ... The idea of a longer school year, I think, makes sense," Obama said. "Now, that's going to cost some money ..., but I think that would be money well spent."I think on some levels this cut down possibly alot of crime within schools. this would keep their brains busy and occupied
I'm glad he wants to change high schools for the better and that he wants to find a way to stop climate change. These and the part about making guns harder to get are policies I could support. I agree with what Ashanta said about the longer school years. We're doing that in our school right now. I think staying in school year round helps retain information we learned in school. I think he could have more about immigration and health care.
ReplyDeleteTalking about taxes is something that was very important for me to hear because i'm going to be a small business owner in the very near future. I want to be able to create and grow my business as quickly and efficiently as possible, and knowing and understand how the taxes are going to be is important.
ReplyDeleteWhat would have been nice to hear was something about marijuana reform. Look, whether anyone likes it or not IT'S HAPPENING. I'm sick and tired of him acting like this issue is doesn't exist. It's something close to half of Americans believe in and it's time to rethink the stupid Draconian laws made up by a bunch of scared white men nearly a hundred years ago
Kiernan Stillabower
One thing I agree and support is the gun law. Its time to take action on this issue so we can avoid another tragedy.An also minimum wage ;Its good that he raised it.
ReplyDeleteWhat he didn't bring up about was health care, that's a common subject that should of been brought to attention; people are still struggling with cost of health care and some are not being treated because they do not have health care.
I would say stimulating the economy by creating more jobs is somthing I could stand behind but he failed to mention the seriousness of the after effects of introducing obamacare, Its raising the taxes of americans to the point where its bound ruin people.
ReplyDeleteI could support a couple things he had mentioned. He did string all of his topics into a kind of story. Probably so instead of seeing just one issue, we would see them as one big thing to fix all together. Clever way of doing it. I think that clean/renewable energy is the way we should continue to strive for. Are current way of gas is not very stable, and we literally are "hooked" by the gas company's. I do agree we need to get away from this way, not only for our planet (Climate Change) but for our own wallets. I did wish he would of included how he plans to limit/stop cyber hackers from stealing identities and personal information. Is the internet no longer going to be a free place, but a more strictly monitored environment? I would have liked to know his plan on this.
ReplyDeleteThe President talked about how we dont need a larger government, what we need is a smarter government. Finally something that makes sense, he is correct that our government is becoming too large and that is leading to too much spending, by making the government smarter we could decrease spending and stop the government from getting too much power. What he didnt mention was the man behind the face, how corporations that make contributions to party members are influencing the decisions the government makes. How the secret societies made of the big wigs in our country have the influence to place only the members they want in power and form the country in the way they want it to be, this is supposed to be the country of the people, not of the rich. His mention of making higher taxes on the rich is making a lot of people happy but what these people dont realize is that even if we took all the daily wages and assets of everyone making over $60,000 a year it wouldn't put a dent in our countries total debt. Its a lot of fluff that makes sense, but when you start to add everything up on paper the numbers are still looking VERY bad. Finally I would like to talk about how the first thing he talks about is how the troops are coming home, doesn't any one realize that he said this same thing when he was running for election the first time? He didn't do it his first term, so why does it deserve a standing ovation when he say's it again? Hello people, pay attention and use your brain, don't just follow the masses.
ReplyDeleteTroops have come home since his first election. Look at the numbers of troops stationed in Iraq in 2006 versus today.
DeleteEveryday I don't care about politics is another day I live happier. I didn't watch the state of the union address. Just because I'm an American who lives in America it doesn't mean I have to care about politics. I really don't care what Obama had to say, I never care what the presidents say. I've heard them say plenty of things before that just don't get done. Seriously, the guy talks about multiple things to do, but barely gets one to go through. Obamacare...
ReplyDeleteI've got plenty of other things I'd much rather do than see what the government is up to and how they're going to piss me off again.
This class has me pissed off all of the time, thinking about how much I hate the government and how little I have a say in things. I try to talk to family and friends about this class, but they don't share the same passion I have for it. This class has haunted me, because I've never thought so much about politics. I hate the feeling I take from this class, I hate the emotions I leave with everyday, and I hate bitching this much.
no credit needed this week
I'm optimistic. Contrary to popular belief, I've seen a lot of good in our generation and I think that we will turn out just fine. However, right now, we are struggling. I think we are suffering because we are no longer representing ourselves. A democracy is only a democracy if there is a choice, and I believe the only choices we really make now is which corporation we elect. I think there are good men in politics, on both ends. People who genuinely are in politics to make the country better. People like Ron Paul, Bernie Sanders, Al Gore, and I would even say President Obama. There is just too much money blocking them from what they are trying to do, so they are forced to play the political game. I think there is solutions to this, but the solutions require public support, and being that our media is nearly Rupert Murdoch's monopoly, public support is hard to come by when it means corporations losing revenue. REAL journalism is the answer, transparency when it comes to campaign funds is the answer, smarter, more efficient system of government is the answer, and elected officials that accurately portray America are the answer.
ReplyDeleteThe things that I hear in this address, I don't really comprehend. Maybe its because I don't take interest in the numbers or whatnot, but the things said that we are slowly turning around is good news and I am glad to hear it. I like that he has a plan to fix some things such as taking from the one percent of high class americans. This always sounds like a good idea to me. Also from the experience I have had about going all year round in school, I like that idea. I hope this actually happens. It might do these youngsters some good, however it might be harder on those depending on a summer job. Apparently not enough was said about the health care. That I'm sure could have used more attention.
ReplyDeleteOf course I support the gun control part of his speech but I wish he had spoken a little more on the environment and what he was planning to change and fix for the US. I liked what he pointed out I just wish that Obama was more specific what it was he was changing and how. Besides those two things I am not really sure of what else I'd like to see done differently. Obama hit things that I'd really like to see changed.
ReplyDeleteI support the fact that he recognizes climate change as a major issue for mankind. Also I like how he even addressed the issues people are facing when it comes to trying to obtain a job when no one wishes to give you a chance after so long. I've been in the situation where, as a college student coming out of high school when I started up, I find it hard to get by in this economy. It's odd because if you were to even get the cheapest apartment, you have to meet certain requirements that not very many people seem to make. I am very confident he will at least have Congress try to accomplish as much as they can to achieve the improvement on voting, although I'm not exactly sure that our housing collapse has improved since 2007 in Indiana. I even still believe that we, as hoosiers, should address our government more firmly about our unemployment problem, whether it has improved or not. But most importantly, education should have also been a main concern for it it always a main concern no matter what.
ReplyDelete- Micah Kistler
I agree with the taxes for the rich. If you make more money i think you should have to pay more taxes, you are just doing you're part.
ReplyDeleteFor starters, so I didn't post sooner this week like I normally do, my boyfriend's been super sick and have been making crazy doctors appointments and ER visits.
ReplyDeleteWhen watching the State of the Union two weeks ago, I was very pleased that he tried to squeeze in "whether they are gay or straight". Even though he is the first president to openly say that he is for gay marriage, still my topic of choice that I support is the gun control. When watching the State of the Union, seeing all those families that had lost loved ones and how he just kept saying how much they deserved a vote it was heart-wrenching. Of course, I send good vibes to those families and hope that I never have to feel the same pain they felt during the Newtown Shooting. I just felt like he knew what those families needed, and that he is trying to help with that anyway he can while still in office.
Even though I believe that guns, such as the ones used during shootings such as Newtown, are always going to be on the streets as long as the people that are giving them to people under the table are hidden; I still think all presidents should elaborate more on the science and medicine spending. Last time I checked I'm not the only one who wants to see people on the moon again, and I'm not the only one who still hopes for a cure for auto-immune diseases, such as Crohn's. Organizations like Breast Cancer Foundation, AARDA, and American Cancer Society are working hard for a cure and are getting closer and closer. Meanwhile our government is always putting their money where the military is.
In my eyes the Military is like a Universities Football team. Sports for a University is ALWAYS going to be top priority, as the Military is for our government. As much as I'm thankful to all the troops and their families for keeping this country safe, I am also a person who thinks our money could be used somewhere else...
Maybe global warming? or NASA? or Medicine?
- Sarah Brown
One item he mentioned that I support was bringing up gun control especially with the amount of issues and concern with this topic.
ReplyDeleteSome topics I wished he would have mentioned were legalization of marijuana and gay marriage. I think these both should of been talked about as multiple states have already legalized these items. Especially with the supreme court finally seeing cases on gay marriage it should have been mentioned so more people would be aware because as of now I don't believe a lot of people know about it.
I support his vision on switching over to natural energy instead of using coal and oil. it is safer for the environment and will be beneficial to us in the long run.
ReplyDeleteHere im gonna say it, I am a Conservative Repulican. I in general do not agree or like what Obama is doing as president, but one thing i can agree on is the switch to natural energy instead of fossil fuels and coal. It will better our lives and the hopeful generations to come in this great country of ours.
ReplyDelete