USA: STATE OF THE UNION ------------------------- Obama’s State of the Union 2015: ‘Shadow of crisis has passed’ He urges a focus on “middle-class economics” and “a smarter kind of American leadership abroad.” President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2015, in Washington. Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, listen in the background. President Barack Obama called for the country to “turn the page” after a lengthy economic downturn and more than a decade of war in his State of the Union address Tuesday, laying out an update of the populist vision that helped propel him to the White House more than six years ago. “The shadow of crisis has passed, and the state of the Union is strong,” Obama said, using that declaration for the first time in his presidency. Moving ahead, he said, there must be a focus on “middle-class economics” at home and “a smarter kind of American leadership abroad.” Obama spent much of the speech — which, in breaking with usual protocol, the White House published in full before the president had even arrived in the House chamber — focusing on his proposals for the middle class. “The verdict is clear. Middle-class economics works,” he said. “Expanding opportunity works. And these policies will continue to work, as long as politics don’t get in the way.” The States of Our Union… Are Not All Strong The Obama administration is calling for the expansion of tax breaks for the middle class — including one for families earning two salaries and the tripling of the child tax credit — totaling $175 billion over 10 years. The administration aims to pay for those breaks with increases in capital gains taxes and fees imposed on big banks, totaling $320 billion over 10 years. Obama’s plan to offer two years of community college tuition is expected to cost $60 billion over a decade. Without referring to it by name, the president touched briefly on the Keystone XL pipeline, calling for Americans to “set our sights higher than a single oil pipeline.” Instead, he said, “let’s pass a bipartisan infrastructure plan that could create more than 30 times as many jobs per year, and make this country stronger for decades to come.” On foreign policy, Obama urged Congress to pass a resolution formally authorizing military action against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Obama cited the U.S.-led fight against ISIL in Iraq and Syria as an example of “smarter” American leadership that combines military force with multilateral diplomacy. “We lead best when we combine military power with strong diplomacy; when we leverage our power with coalition building; when we don’t let our fears blind us to the opportunities that this new century presents. That’s exactly what we’re doing right now — and around the globe, it is making a difference,” he said. Countering critics who say he hasn’t been tough enough on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime, Obama took credit for isolating the Kremlin economically and diplomatically. “Today, it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while Russia is isolated, with its economy in tatters,” he said. “That’s how America leads — not with bluster, but with persistent, steady resolve.” Obama repeated a vow he made last week to veto new sanctions on Iran, saying that they would “undo” the progress that’s been made in nuclear talks with the Islamic Republic. “The American people expect us to only go to war as a last resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom,” he said. He also reiterated his desire to close the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and to reform surveillance programs ahead of a June deadline. The president also weighed in on hacking attacks, urging Congress to pass modern cybersecurity rules. “No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids,” he said. “We are making sure our government integrates intelligence to combat cyber threats, just as we have done to combat terrorism.” While Obama’s call to “turn the page” referred to the economy and the country’s war footing, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, used the same phrase earlier Tuesday in voicing hope that the congressional GOP and the president can work together over the next two years. Freshman Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa was expected to use the official Republican response to convey that her party plans to seize on its wins in last year’s midterm elections and get “to work to change the direction Washington has been taking our country,” according to excerpts released by House Speaker John Boehner’s office. “Americans have been hurting, but when we demanded solutions, too often Washington responded with the same stale mindset that led to failed policies like Obamacare. It’s a mindset that gave us political talking points, not serious solutions,” Ernst will say. She will also call for a “comprehensive plan” to defeat terrorism around the world.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 03:03:41 +0000
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