President Obama’s State of the Union Address
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The State of the Union: Appearing before Congress, President Obama offered
a populist pitch for greater economic fairness.
Following is the transcript of President Obama’s State of the Union
address on Jan. 24, 2012, as released by the White House:
_Live Coverage: State of the Union_
(http://projects.nytimes.com/live-dashboard/state-of-the-union/?ref=politics)
In his State of the Union speech, President Obama argued for greater
economic fairness and drew on other themes that offer universal appeal in this
election year. Washington-based Times reporters will be offering live
updates and analysis throughout his address.
THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress,
distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:
Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our
last troops to serve in Iraq. Together, we offered a final, proud salute
to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought —
and several thousand gave their lives.
We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the
United States safer and more respected around the world. (Applause.) For the
first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq.
(Applause.) For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to
this country. (Applause.) Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been
defeated. The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan
have begun to come home.
These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness and
teamwork of America’s Armed Forces. At a time when too many of our institutions
have let us down, they exceed all expectations. They’re not consumed with
personal ambition. They don’t obsess over their differences. They focus on
the mission at hand. They work together.
Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example. (Applause.)
Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world
in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of
high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we’re in control of
our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable
parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and
responsibility is rewarded.
We can do this. I know we can, because we’ve done it before. At the end of
World War II, when another generation of heroes returned home from combat,
they built the strongest economy and middle class the world has ever
known. (Applause.) My grandfather, a veteran of Patton’s Army, got the chance to
go to college on the GI Bill. My grandmother, who worked on a bomber
assembly line, was part of a workforce that turned out the best products on
Earth.
The two of them shared the optimism of a nation that had triumphed over a
depression and fascism. They understood they were part of something larger;
that they were contributing to a story of success that every American had
a chance to share — the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you
could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to
college, and put a little away for retirement.
The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No
challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important. We can either settle for
a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing
number of Americans barely get by, or we can restore an economy where
everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone
plays by the same set of rules. (Applause.) What’s at stake aren’t Democratic
values or Republican values, but American values. And we have to reclaim
them.
Let’s remember how we got here. Long before the recession, jobs and
manufacturing began leaving our shores. Technology made businesses more
efficient, but also made some jobs obsolete. Folks at the top saw their incomes rise
like never before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs
that were growing, paychecks that weren’t, and personal debt that kept piling
up.
In 2008, the house of cards collapsed. We learned that mortgages had been
sold to people who couldn’t afford or understand them. Banks had made huge
bets and bonuses with other people’s money. Regulators had looked the other
way, or didn’t have the authority to stop the bad behavior.
It was wrong. It was irresponsible. And it plunged our economy into a
crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left
innocent, hardworking Americans holding the bag. In the six months before I took
office, we lost nearly 4 million jobs. And we lost another 4 million
before our policies were in full effect.
Those are the facts. But so are these: In the last 22 months, businesses
have created more than 3 million jobs. (Applause.)
Last year, they created the most jobs since 2005. American manufacturers
are hiring again, creating jobs for the first time since the late 1990s.
Together, we’ve agreed to cut the deficit by more than $2 trillion. And we’ve
put in place new rules to hold Wall Street accountable, so a crisis like
this never happens again. (Applause.)
The state of our Union is getting stronger. And we’ve come too far to turn
back now. As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this
chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action,
and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that
brought on this economic crisis in the first place. (Applause.)
No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt,
and phony financial profits. Tonight, I want to speak about how we move
forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last -– an
economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American
workers, and a renewal of American values.
Now, this blueprint begins with American manufacturing.
On the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse.
Some even said we should let it die. With a million jobs at stake, I
refused to let that happen. In exchange for help, we demanded responsibility. We
got workers and automakers to settle their differences. We got the industry
to retool and restructure. Today, General Motors is back on top as the
world’s number-one automaker. (Applause.) Chrysler has grown faster in the
U.S. than any major car company. Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and
factories. And together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs.
We bet on American workers. We bet on American ingenuity. And tonight, the
American auto industry is back. (Applause.)
What’s happening in Detroit can happen in other industries. It can happen
in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Raleigh. We can’t bring every job back that’
s left our shore. But right now, it’s getting more expensive to do
business in places like China. Meanwhile, America is more productive. A few weeks
ago, the CEO of Master Lock told me that it now makes business sense for
him to bring jobs back home. (Applause.) Today, for the first time in 15
years, Master Lock’s unionized plant in Milwaukee is running at full capacity.
(Applause.)
So we have a huge opportunity, at this moment, to bring manufacturing
back. But we have to seize it. Tonight, my message to business leaders is
simple: Ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your country, and
your country will do everything we can to help you succeed. (Applause.)
We should start with our tax code. Right now, companies get tax breaks for
moving jobs and profits overseas. Meanwhile, companies that choose to stay
in America get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world. It
makes no sense, and everyone knows it. So let’s change it.
First, if you’re a business that wants to outsource jobs, you shouldn’t
get a tax deduction for doing it. (Applause.) That money should be used to
cover moving expenses for companies like Master Lock that decide to bring
jobs home. (Applause.)
Second, no American company should be able to avoid paying its fair share
of taxes by moving jobs and profits overseas. (Applause.) From now on,
every multinational company should have to pay a basic minimum tax. And every
penny should go towards lowering taxes for companies that choose to stay
here and hire here in America. (Applause.)
Third, if you’re an American manufacturer, you should get a bigger tax
cut. If you’re a high-tech manufacturer, we should double the tax deduction
you get for making your products here. And if you want to relocate in a
community that was hit hard when a factory left town, you should get help
financing a new plant, equipment, or training for new workers. (Applause.)
So my message is simple. It is time to stop rewarding businesses that ship
jobs overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here
in America. Send me these tax reforms, and I will sign them right away.
(Applause.)
We’re also making it easier for American businesses to sell products all
over the world. Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over
five years. With the bipartisan trade agreements we signed into law, we’re on
track to meet that goal ahead of schedule. (Applause.) And soon, there
will be millions of new customers for American goods in Panama, Colombia, and
South Korea. Soon, there will be new cars on the streets of Seoul imported
from Detroit, and Toledo, and Chicago. (Applause.)
I will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for American products.
And I will not stand by when our competitors don’t play by the rules. We’
ve brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last
administration –- and it’s made a difference. (Applause.) Over a thousand
Americans are working today because we stopped a surge in Chinese tires. But
we need to do more. It’s not right when another country lets our movies,
music, and software be pirated. It’s not fair when foreign manufacturers
have a leg up on ours only because they’re heavily subsidized.
Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will
be charged with investigating unfair trading practices in countries like
China. (Applause.) There will be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or
unsafe goods from crossing our borders. And this Congress should make sure
that no foreign company has an advantage over American manufacturing when
it comes to accessing financing or new markets like Russia. Our workers are
the most productive on Earth, and if the playing field is level, I promise
you -– America will always win. (Applause.)
I also hear from many business leaders who want to hire in the United
States but can’t find workers with the right skills. Growing industries in
science and technology have twice as many openings as we have workers who can
do the job. Think about that –- openings at a time when millions of
Americans are looking for work. It’s inexcusable. And we know how to fix it.
Jackie Bray is a single mom from North Carolina who was laid off from her
job as a mechanic. Then Siemens opened a gas turbine factory in Charlotte,
and formed a partnership with Central Piedmont Community College. The
company helped the college design courses in laser and robotics training. It
paid Jackie’s tuition, then hired her to help operate their plant.
I want every American looking for work to have the same opportunity as
Jackie did. Join me in a national commitment to train 2 million Americans with
skills that will lead directly to a job. (Applause.) My administration has
already lined up more companies that want to help. Model partnerships
between businesses like Siemens and community colleges in places like
Charlotte, and Orlando, and Louisville are up and running. Now you need to give more
community colleges the resources they need to become community career
centers -– places that teach people skills that businesses are looking for right
now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.
And I want to cut through the maze of confusing training programs, so that
from now on, people like Jackie have one program, one website, and one
place to go for all the information and help that they need. It is time to
turn our unemployment system into a reemployment system that puts people to
work. (Applause.)
These reforms will help people get jobs that are open today. But to
prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to
start earlier.
For less than 1 percent of what our nation spends on education each year,
we’ve convinced nearly every state in the country to raise their standards
for teaching and learning — the first time that’s happened in a
generation.
But challenges remain. And we know how to solve them.
At a time when other countries are doubling down on education, tight
budgets have forced states to lay off thousands of teachers. We know a good
teacher can increase the lifetime income of a classroom by over $250,000. A
great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond
his circumstance. Every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who
changed the trajectory of their lives. Most teachers work tirelessly, with
modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies —
just to make a difference.
Teachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo,
let’s offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers
on the job, and reward the best ones. (Applause.) And in return, grant
schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to
the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn. That’
s a bargain worth making. (Applause.)
We also know that when students don’t walk away from their education, more
of them walk the stage to get their diploma. When students are not allowed
to drop out, they do better. So tonight, I am proposing that every state —
every state — requires that all students stay in high school until they
graduate or turn 18. (Applause.)
When kids do graduate, the most daunting challenge can be the cost of
college. At a time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit card
debt, this Congress needs to stop the interest rates on student loans from
doubling in July. (Applause.)
Extend the tuition tax credit we started that saves millions of
middle-class families thousands of dollars, and give more young people the chance to
earn their way through college by doubling the number of work-study jobs in
the next five years. (Applause.)
Of course, it’s not enough for us to increase student aid. We can’t just
keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we’ll run out of money. States also
need to do their part, by making higher education a higher priority in
their budgets. And colleges and universities have to do their part by working
to keep costs down.
Recently, I spoke with a group of college presidents who’ve done just
that. Some schools redesign courses to help students finish more quickly. Some
use better technology. The point is, it’s possible. So let me put colleges
and universities on notice: If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the
funding you get from taxpayers will go down. (Applause.) Higher education can’
t be a luxury -– it is an economic imperative that every family in America
should be able to afford.
Let’s also remember that hundreds of thousands of talented, hardworking
students in this country face another challenge: the fact that they aren’t
yet American citizens. Many were brought here as small children, are American
through and through, yet they live every day with the threat of
deportation. Others came more recently, to study business and science and
engineering, but as soon as they get their degree, we send them home to invent new
products and create new jobs somewhere else.
That doesn’t make sense.
I believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration.
That’s why my administration has put more boots on the border than ever
before. That’s why there are fewer illegal crossings than when I took office.
The opponents of action are out of excuses. We should be working on
comprehensive immigration reform right now. (Applause.)
But if election-year politics keeps Congress from acting on a
comprehensive plan, let’s at least agree to stop expelling responsible young people who
want to staff our labs, start new businesses, defend this country. Send me
a law that gives them the chance to earn their citizenship. I will sign it
right away. (Applause.)
You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and
ingenuity of every person in this country. That means women should earn
equal pay for equal work. (Applause.) It means we should support everyone who’
s willing to work, and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to
become the next Steve Jobs.
After all, innovation is what America has always been about. Most new jobs
are created in start-ups and small businesses. So let’s pass an agenda
that helps them succeed. Tear down regulations that prevent aspiring
entrepreneurs from getting the financing to grow. (Applause.) Expand tax relief to
small businesses that are raising wages and creating good jobs. Both parties
agree on these ideas. So put them in a bill, and get it on my desk this
year. (Applause.)
Innovation also demands basic research. Today, the discoveries taking
place in our federally financed labs and universities could lead to new
treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched. New
lightweight vests for cops and soldiers that can stop any bullet. Don’t gut these
investments in our budget. Don’t let other countries win the race for the
future. Support the same kind of research and innovation that led to the
computer chip and the Internet; to new American jobs and new American industries.
And nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made
energy. Over the last three years, we’ve opened millions of new acres for oil
and gas exploration, and tonight, I’m directing my administration to open
more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources.
(Applause.) Right now — right now — American oil production is the highest that
it’s been in eight years. That’s right — eight years. Not only that — last
year, we relied less on foreign oil than in any of the past 16 years.
(Applause.)
But with only 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves, oil isn’t enough.
This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every
available source of American energy. (Applause.) A strategy that’s cleaner,
cheaper, and full of new jobs.
We have a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly 100 years.
(Applause.) And my administration will take every possible action to safely
develop this energy. Experts believe this will support more than 600,000
jobs by the end of the decade. And I’m requiring all companies that drill for
gas on public lands to disclose the chemicals they use. (Applause.) Because
America will develop this resource without putting the health and safety
of our citizens at risk.
The development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and
factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don’t have to choose
between our environment and our economy. (Applause.) And by the way, it was
public research dollars, over the course of 30 years, that helped develop the
technologies to extract all this natural gas out of shale rock –-
reminding us that government support is critical in helping businesses get new
energy ideas off the ground. (Applause.)
Now, what’s true for natural gas is just as true for clean energy. In
three years, our partnership with the private sector has already positioned
America to be the world’s leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries. Because
of federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly doubled, and
thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.
When Bryan Ritterby was laid off from his job making furniture, he said he
worried that at 55, no one would give him a second chance. But he found
work at Energetx, a wind turbine manufacturer in Michigan. Before the
recession, the factory only made luxury yachts. Today, it’s hiring workers like
Bryan, who said, “I’m proud to be working in the industry of the future.”
Our experience with shale gas, our experience with natural gas, shows us
that the payoffs on these public investments don’t always come right away.
Some technologies don’t pan out; some companies fail. But I will not walk
away from the promise of clean energy. I will not walk away from workers like
Bryan. (Applause.) I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry
to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here.
We’ve subsidized oil companies for a century. That’s long enough.
(Applause.) It’s time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that rarely has
been more profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that
never has been more promising. Pass clean energy tax credits. Create these
jobs. (Applause.)
We can also spur energy innovation with new incentives. The differences in
this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to
fight climate change. But there’s no reason why Congress shouldn’t at least
set a clean energy standard that creates a market for innovation. So far,
you haven’t acted. Well, tonight, I will. I’m directing my administration to
allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to power 3
million homes. And I’m proud to announce that the Department of Defense,
working with us, the world’s largest consumer of energy, will make one of the
largest commitments to clean energy in history -– with the Navy purchasing
enough capacity to power a quarter of a million homes a year. (Applause.)
Of course, the easiest way to save money is to waste less energy. So here’
s a proposal: Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories
and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings. Their energy
bills will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have
less pollution, more manufacturing, more jobs for construction workers who
need them. Send me a bill that creates these jobs. (Applause.)
Building this new energy future should be just one part of a broader
agenda to repair America’s infrastructure. So much of America needs to be
rebuilt. We’ve got crumbling roads and bridges; a power grid that wastes too much
energy; an incomplete high-speed broadband network that prevents a small
business owner in rural America from selling her products all over the
world.
During the Great Depression, America built the Hoover Dam and the Golden
Gate Bridge. After World War II, we connected our states with a system of
highways. Democratic and Republican administrations invested in great
projects that benefited everybody, from the workers who built them to the
businesses that still use them today.
In the next few weeks, I will sign an executive order clearing away the
red tape that slows down too many construction projects. But you need to fund
these projects. Take the money we’re no longer spending at war, use half
of it to pay down our debt, and use the rest to do some nation-building
right here at home. (Applause.)
There’s never been a better time to build, especially since the
construction industry was one of the hardest hit when the housing bubble burst. Of
course, construction workers weren’t the only ones who were hurt. So were
millions of innocent Americans who’ve seen their home values decline. And
while government can’t fix the problem on its own, responsible homeowners
shouldn’t have to sit and wait for the housing market to hit bottom to get some
relief.
And that’s why I’m sending this Congress a plan that gives every
responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage, by
refinancing at historically low rates. (Applause.) No more red tape. No
more runaround from the banks. A small fee on the largest financial
institutions will ensure that it won’t add to the deficit and will give those banks
that were rescued by taxpayers a chance to repay a deficit of trust.
(Applause.)
Let’s never forget: Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the
rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that do the same.
It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom. No bailouts, no
handouts, and no copouts. An America built to last insists on responsibility
from everybody.
We’ve all paid the price for lenders who sold mortgages to people who
couldn’t afford them, and buyers who knew they couldn’t afford them. That’s
why we need smart regulations to prevent irresponsible behavior. (Applause.)
Rules to prevent financial fraud or toxic dumping or faulty medical devices
— these don’t destroy the free market. They make the free market work
better.
There’s no question that some regulations are outdated, unnecessary, or
too costly. In fact, I’ve approved fewer regulations in the first three years
of my presidency than my Republican predecessor did in his. (Applause.) I’
ve ordered every federal agency to eliminate rules that don’t make sense. We
’ve already announced over 500 reforms, and just a fraction of them will
save business and citizens more than $10 billion over the next five years.
We got rid of one rule from 40 years ago that could have forced some dairy
farmers to spend $10,000 a year proving that they could contain a spill —
because milk was somehow classified as an oil. With a rule like that, I guess
it was worth crying over spilled milk. (Laughter and applause.)
Now, I’m confident a farmer can contain a milk spill without a federal
agency looking over his shoulder. (Applause.) Absolutely. But I will not back
down from making sure an oil company can contain the kind of oil spill we
saw in the Gulf two years ago. (Applause.) I will not back down from
protecting our kids from mercury poisoning, or making sure that our food is safe
and our water is clean. I will not go back to the days when health insurance
companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny your coverage, or
charge women differently than men. (Applause.)
And I will not go back to the days when Wall Street was allowed to play by
its own set of rules. The new rules we passed restore what should be any
financial system’s core purpose: Getting funding to entrepreneurs with the
best ideas, and getting loans to responsible families who want to buy a
home, or start a business, or send their kids to college.
So if you are a big bank or financial institution, you’re no longer
allowed to make risky bets with your customers’ deposits. You’re required to
write out a “living will” that details exactly how you’ll pay the bills if
you fail –- because the rest of us are not bailing you out ever again.
(Applause.) And if you’re a mortgage lender or a payday lender or a credit card
company, the days of signing people up for products they can’t afford with
confusing forms and deceptive practices — those days are over. Today,
American consumers finally have a watchdog in Richard Cordray with one job: To
look out for them. (Applause.)
We’ll also establish a Financial Crimes Unit of highly trained
investigators to crack down on large-scale fraud and protect people’s investments.
Some financial firms violate major anti-fraud laws because there’s no real
penalty for being a repeat offender. That’s bad for consumers, and it’s bad
for the vast majority of bankers and financial service professionals who do
the right thing. So pass legislation that makes the penalties for fraud
count.
And tonight, I’m asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of
federal prosecutors and leading state attorney general to expand our
investigations into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led
to the housing crisis. (Applause.) This new unit will hold accountable those
who broke the law, speed assistance to homeowners, and help turn the page
on an era of recklessness that hurt so many Americans.
Now, a return to the American values of fair play and shared
responsibility will help protect our people and our economy. But it should also guide us
as we look to pay down our debt and invest in our future.
Right now, our most immediate priority is stopping a tax hike on 160
million working Americans while the recovery is still fragile. (Applause.)
People cannot afford losing $40 out of each paycheck this year. There are plenty
of ways to get this done. So let’s agree right here, right now: No side
issues. No drama. Pass the payroll tax cut without delay. Let’s get it done.
(Applause.)
When it comes to the deficit, we’ve already agreed to more than $2
trillion in cuts and savings. But we need to do more, and that means making
choices. Right now, we’re poised to spend nearly $1 trillion more on what was
supposed to be a temporary tax break for the wealthiest 2 percent of
Americans. Right now, because of loopholes and shelters in the tax code, a quarter
of all millionaires pay lower tax rates than millions of middle-class
households. Right now, Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.
Do we want to keep these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans? Or do we
want to keep our investments in everything else –- like education and
medical research; a strong military and care for our veterans? Because if we’re
serious about paying down our debt, we can’t do both.
The American people know what the right choice is. So do I. As I told the
Speaker this summer, I’m prepared to make more reforms that rein in the
long-term costs of Medicare and Medicaid, and strengthen Social Security, so
long as those programs remain a guarantee of security for seniors.
But in return, we need to change our tax code so that people like me, and
an awful lot of members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes.
(Applause.)
Tax reform should follow the Buffett Rule. If you make more than $1
million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes. And my
Republican friend Tom Coburn is right: Washington should stop subsidizing
millionaires. In fact, if you’re earning a million dollars a year, you shouldn’t
get special tax subsidies or deductions. On the other hand, if you make under
$250,000 a year, like 98 percent of American families, your taxes shouldn’t
go up. (Applause.) You’re the ones struggling with rising costs and
stagnant wages. You’re the ones who need relief.
Now, you can call this class warfare all you want. But asking a
billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would
call that common sense.
We don’t begrudge financial success in this country. We admire it. When
Americans talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes, it’s not
because they envy the rich. It’s because they understand that when I get a
tax break I don’t need and the country can’t afford, it either adds to the
deficit, or somebody else has to make up the difference — like a senior on a
fixed income, or a student trying to get through school, or a family trying
to make ends meet. That’s not right. Americans know that’s not right.
They know that this generation’s success is only possible because past
generations felt a responsibility to each other, and to the future of their
country, and they know our way of life will only endure if we feel that same
sense of shared responsibility. That’s how we’ll reduce our deficit. That’s an
America built to last. (Applause.)
Now, I recognize that people watching tonight have differing views about
taxes and debt, energy and health care. But no matter what party they belong
to, I bet most Americans are thinking the same thing right about now:
Nothing will get done in Washington this year, or next year, or maybe even the
year after that, because Washington is broken.
Can you blame them for feeling a little cynical?
The greatest blow to our confidence in our economy last year didn’t come
from events beyond our control. It came from a debate in Washington over
whether the United States would pay its bills or not. Who benefited from that
fiasco?
I’ve talked tonight about the deficit of trust between Main Street and
Wall Street. But the divide between this city and the rest of the country is
at least as bad — and it seems to get worse every year.
Some of this has to do with the corrosive influence of money in politics.
So together, let’s take some steps to fix that. Send me a bill that bans
insider trading by members of Congress; I will sign it tomorrow. (Applause.)
Let’s limit any elected official from owning stocks in industries they
impact. Let’s make sure people who bundle campaign contributions for Congress
can’t lobby Congress, and vice versa — an idea that has bipartisan support,
at least outside of Washington.
Some of what’s broken has to do with the way Congress does its business
these days. A simple majority is no longer enough to get anything -– even
routine business –- passed through the Senate. (Applause.) Neither party has
been blameless in these tactics. Now both parties should put an end to it.
(Applause.) For starters, I ask the Senate to pass a simple rule that all
judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or down vote
within 90 days. (Applause.)
The executive branch also needs to change. Too often, it’s inefficient,
outdated and remote. (Applause.) That’s why I’ve asked this Congress to
grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy, so that our
government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American
people. (Applause.)
Finally, none of this can happen unless we also lower the temperature in
this town. We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in
a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging
to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common-sense
ideas.
I’m a Democrat. But I believe what Republican Abraham Lincoln believed:
That government should do for people only what they cannot do better by
themselves, and no more. (Applause.) That’s why my education reform offers more
competition, and more control for schools and states. That’s why we’re
getting rid of regulations that don’t work. That’s why our health care law
relies on a reformed private market, not a government program.
On the other hand, even my Republican friends who complain the most about
government spending have supported federally financed roads, and clean
energy projects, and federal offices for the folks back home.
The point is, we should all want a smarter, more effective government. And
while we may not be able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences
this year, we can make real progress. With or without this Congress, I will
keep taking actions that help the economy grow. But I can do a whole lot
more with your help. Because when we act together, there’s nothing the United
States of America can’t achieve. (Applause.) That’s the lesson we’ve
learned from our actions abroad over the last few years.
Ending the Iraq war has allowed us to strike decisive blows against our
enemies. From Pakistan to Yemen, the al Qaeda operatives who remain are
scrambling, knowing that they can’t escape the reach of the United States of
America. (Applause.)
From this position of strength, we’ve begun to wind down the war in
Afghanistan. Ten thousand of our troops have come home. Twenty-three thousand
more will leave by the end of this summer. This transition to Afghan lead will
continue, and we will build an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, so
that it is never again a source of attacks against America. (Applause.)
As the tide of war recedes, a wave of change has washed across the Middle
East and North Africa, from Tunis to Cairo; from Sana’a to Tripoli. A year
ago, Qaddafi was one of the world’s longest-serving dictators -– a
murderer with American blood on his hands. Today, he is gone. And in Syria, I have
no doubt that the Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of
change cannot be reversed, and that human dignity cannot be denied. (Applause.)
How this incredible transformation will end remains uncertain. But we have
a huge stake in the outcome. And while it’s ultimately up to the people of
the region to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that
have served our own country so well. We will stand against violence and
intimidation. We will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings –-
men and women; Christians, Muslims and Jews. We will support policies that
lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no
match for liberty.
And we will safeguard America’s own security against those who threaten
our citizens, our friends, and our interests. Look at Iran. Through the power
of our diplomacy, a world that was once divided about how to deal with Iran
’s nuclear program now stands as one. The regime is more isolated than
ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as
they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent.
Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting
a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that
goal. (Applause.)
But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better,
and if Iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the
community of nations.
The renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe. Our
oldest alliances in Europe and Asia are stronger than ever. Our ties to the
Americas are deeper. Our ironclad commitment — and I mean ironclad — to Israel’
s security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two
countries in history. (Applause.)
We’ve made it clear that America is a Pacific power, and a new beginning
in Burma has lit a new hope. From the coalitions we’ve built to secure
nuclear materials, to the missions we’ve led against hunger and disease; from
the blows we’ve dealt to our enemies, to the enduring power of our moral
example, America is back.
Anyone who tells you otherwise, anyone who tells you that America is in
decline or that our influence has waned, doesn’t know what they’re talking
about. (Applause.)
That’s not the message we get from leaders around the world who are eager
to work with us. That’s not how people feel from Tokyo to Berlin, from Cape
Town to Rio, where opinions of America are higher than they’ve been in
years. Yes, the world is changing. No, we can’t control every event. But
America remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs –- and as long as I
’m President, I intend to keep it that way. (Applause.)
That’s why, working with our military leaders, I’ve proposed a new
defense strategy that ensures we maintain the finest military in the world, while
saving nearly half a trillion dollars in our budget. To stay one step
ahead of our adversaries, I’ve already sent this Congress legislation that will
secure our country from the growing dangers of cyber-threats. (Applause.)
Above all, our freedom endures because of the men and women in uniform who
defend it. (Applause.) As they come home, we must serve them as well as
they’ve served us. That includes giving them the care and the benefits they
have earned –- which is why we’ve increased annual VA spending every year I’
ve been President. (Applause.) And it means enlisting our veterans in the
work of rebuilding our nation.
With the bipartisan support of this Congress, we’re providing new tax
credits to companies that hire vets. Michelle and Jill Biden have worked with
American businesses to secure a pledge of 135,000 jobs for veterans and
their families. And tonight, I’m proposing a Veterans Jobs Corps that will help
our communities hire veterans as cops and firefighters, so that America is
as strong as those who defend her. (Applause.)
Which brings me back to where I began. Those of us who’ve been sent here
to serve can learn a thing or two from the service of our troops. When you
put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian,
Latino, Native American; conservative, liberal; rich, poor; gay, straight.
When you’re marching into battle, you look out for the person next to you, or
the mission fails. When you’re in the thick of the fight, you rise or fall
as one unit, serving one nation, leaving no one behind.
One of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with
them on the mission to get bin Laden. On it are each of their names. Some may
be Democrats. Some may be Republicans. But that doesn’t matter. Just like
it didn’t matter that day in the Situation Room, when I sat next to Bob
Gates — a man who was George Bush’s defense secretary — and Hillary Clinton —
a woman who ran against me for president.
All that mattered that day was the mission. No one thought about politics.
No one thought about themselves. One of the young men involved in the raid
later told me that he didn’t deserve credit for the mission. It only
succeeded, he said, because every single member of that unit did their job — the
pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator
who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated the
women and children from the fight; the SEALs who charged up the stairs. More
than that, the mission only succeeded because every member of that unit
trusted each other — because you can’t charge up those stairs, into darkness
and danger, unless you know that there’s somebody behind you, watching your
back.
So it is with America. Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that
our destiny is stitched together like those 50 stars and those 13 stripes. No
one built this country on their own. This nation is great because we built
it together. This nation is great because we worked as a team. This nation
is great because we get each other’s backs. And if we hold fast to that
truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission
too hard. As long as we are joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain
our common resolve, our journey moves forward, and our future is hopeful,
and the state of our Union will always be strong.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.
(Applause.)
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