obama speech state of the union

7/29/2019 Obama Speech State of the Union

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/25/state-of-the-union-address-full-text

State of the union 2012: full transcript ofPresident !a"a#s speech

$he full text of President %arack !a"a#s third state of the union address to &ongress on 2'(anuar) 2012

guardian.co.uk* +ednesda) 25 (anuar) 2012 02.'5 ,$

e"arks of President %arack !a"a s Prepared for elier)3n "erica %uilt to 4ast3

r Speaker* r ice President* "e"!ers of &ongress* distinguished guests* and fellow

"ericans:

4ast "onth* 6 went to ndrews ir 7orce %ase and welco"ed ho"e so"e of our last troops tosere in 6ra8. $ogether* we offered a final* proud salute to the colors under which "ore than a"illion of our fellow citi9ens fought and seeral thousand gae their lies.

+e gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has "ade thenited Statessafer and "ore respected around the world. 7or thefirst ti"e in nine )ears* there are no "ericans fighting in 6ra8.7or the first ti"e in two decades* sa"a !in 4aden is not a threat tothis countr). ost of al ;aeda#s top lieutenants hae !een defeated.$he $ali!an#s "o"entu" has !een !roken* and so"e troops in fghanistan hae !egun to co"eho"e.

$hese achiee"ents are a testa"ent to the courage* selflessness* andtea"work of "erica#s r"ed 7orces. t a ti"e when too "an) of ourinstitutions hae let us down* the) exceed all expectations. $he)#renot consu"ed with personal a"!ition. $he) don#t o!sess oer theirdifferences. $he) focus on the "ission at hand. $he) work together.

6"agine what we could acco"plish if we followed their exa"ple. $hink

a!out the "erica within our reach: countr) that leads the world ineducating its people. n "erica that attracts a new generation ofhigh-tech "anufacturing and high-pa)ing jo!s. future where we#re incontrol of our own energ)* and our securit) and prosperit) aren#t sotied to unsta!le parts of the world. n econo") !uilt to last* wherehard work pa)s off* and responsi!ilit) is rewarded.

+e can do this. 6 know we can* !ecause we#e done it !efore. t theend of +orld +ar 66* when another generation of heroes returned ho"efro" co"!at* the) !uilt the strongest econo") and "iddle class theworld has eer known. ) grandfather* a eteran of Patton#s r")* got

the chance to go to college on the ,6 %ill. ) grand"other* whoworked on a !o"!er asse"!l) line* was part of a workforce that turnedout the !est products on


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$he two of the" shared the opti"is" of a =ation that had triu"phedoer a depression and fascis". $he) understood the) were part ofso"ething larger> that the) were contri!uting to a stor) of successthat eer) "erican had a chance to share the !asic "erican pro"isethat if )ou worked hard* )ou could do well enough to raise a fa"il)*own a ho"e* send )our kids to college* and put a little awa) for

retire"ent.

$he defining issue of our ti"e is how to keep that pro"ise alie. =ochallenge is "ore urgent. =o de!ate is "ore i"portant. +e can eithersettle for a countr) where a shrinking nu"!er of people do reall)well* while a growing nu"!er of "ericans !arel) get !). r we canrestore an econo") where eer)one gets a fair shot* eer)one doestheir fair share* and eer)one pla)s !) the sa"e set of rules. +hat#sat stake are not e"ocratic alues or epu!lican alues* !ut "ericanalues. +e hae to reclai" the".

4et#s re"e"!er how we got here. 4ong !efore the recession* jo!s and"anufacturing !egan leaing our shores. $echnolog) "ade !usinesses"ore efficient* !ut also "ade so"e jo!s o!solete. 7olks at the topsaw their inco"es rise like neer !efore* !ut "ost hardworking"ericans struggled with costs that were growing* pa)checks thatweren#t* and personal de!t that kept piling up.

6n 200?* the house of cards collapsed. +e learned that "ortgages had!een sold to people who couldn#t afford or understand the". %anks had"ade huge !ets and !onuses with other people#s "one). egulators hadlooked the other wa)* or didn#t hae the authorit) to stop the !ad

!ehaior.

6t was wrong. 6t was irresponsi!le. nd it plunged our econo") intoa crisis that put "illions out of work* saddled us with "ore de!t* andleft innocent* hard-working "ericans holding the !ag. 6n the six"onths !efore 6 took office* we lost nearl) four "illion jo!s. nd welost another four "illion !efore our policies were in full effect.

$hose are the facts. %ut so are these. 6n the last 22 "onths*!usinesses hae created "ore than three "illion jo!s. 4ast )ear* the)

created the "ost jo!s since 2005. "erican "anufacturers are hiringagain* creating jo!s for the first ti"e since the late 1@@0s.$ogether* we#e agreed to cut the deficit !) "ore than A2 trillion.nd we#e put in place new rules to hold +all Street accounta!le* so acrisis like that neer happens again.

$he state of our nion is getting stronger. nd we#e co"e too far toturn !ack now. s long as 6#" President* 6 will work with an)one inthis cha"!er to !uild on this "o"entu". %ut 6 intend to fighto!struction with action* and 6 will oppose an) effort to return to theer) sa"e policies that !rought on this econo"ic crisis in the first

place.


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=o* we will not go !ack to an econo") weakened !) outsourcing* !adde!t* and phon) financial profits. $onight* 6 want to speak a!out howwe "oe forward* and la) out a !lueprint for an econo") that#s !uiltto last an econo") !uilt on "erican "anufacturing* "erican energ)*skills for "erican workers* and a renewal of "erican alues.

$his !lueprint !egins with "erican "anufacturing.

n the da) 6 took office* our auto industr) was on the erge ofcollapse. So"e een said we should let it die. +ith a "illion jo!sat stake* 6 refused to let that happen. 6n exchange for help* wede"anded responsi!ilit). +e got workers and auto"akers to settletheir differences. +e got the industr) to retool and restructure.$oda)* ,eneral otors is !ack on top as the world#s nu"!er oneauto"aker. &hr)sler has grown faster in the .S. than an) "ajor carco"pan). 7ord is inesting !illions in .S. plants and factories.nd together* the entire industr) added nearl) 1B0*000 jo!s.

+e !et on "erican workers. +e !et on "erican ingenuit). ndtonight* the "erican auto industr) is !ack.

+hat#s happening in etroit can happen in other industries. 6t canhappen in &leeland and Pitts!urgh and aleigh. +e can#t !ring !ackeer) jo! that#s left our shores. %ut right now* it#s getting "oreexpensie to do !usiness in places like &hina. eanwhile* "erica is"ore productie. few weeks ago* the &


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$hird* if )ou#re an "erican "anufacturer* )ou should get a !igger taxcut. 6f )ou#re a high-tech "anufacturer* we should dou!le the taxdeduction )ou get for "aking products here. nd if )ou want torelocate in a co""unit) that was hit hard when a factor) left town*)ou should get help financing a new plant* e8uip"ent* or training fornew workers.

) "essage is si"ple. 6t#s ti"e to stop rewarding !usinesses thatship jo!s oerseas* and start rewarding co"panies that create jo!sright here in "erica. Send "e these tax refor"s* and 6#ll sign the"right awa).

+e#re also "aking it easier for "erican !usinesses to sell productsall oer the world. $wo )ears ago* 6 set a goal of dou!ling .S.exports oer fie )ears. +ith the !ipartisan trade agree"ents 6signed into law* we are on track to "eet that goal ahead ofschedule. Soon* there will !e "illions of new custo"ers for "erican

goods in Pana"a* &olo"!ia* and South Corea. Soon* there will !e newcars on the streets of Seoul i"ported fro" etroit* and $oledo* and&hicago.

6 will go an)where in the world to open new "arkets for "ericanproducts. nd 6 will not stand !) when our co"petitors don#t pla) !)the rules. +e#e !rought trade cases against &hina at nearl) twicethe rate as the last ad"inistration and it#s "ade a difference.er a thousand "ericans are working toda) !ecause we stopped a surgein &hinese tires. %ut we need to do "ore. 6t#s not right whenanother countr) lets our "oies* "usic* and software !e pirated. 6t#snot fair when foreign "anufacturers hae a leg up on ours onl) !ecausethe)#re heail) su!sidi9ed.

$onight* 6#" announcing the creation of a $rade


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ro!otics training. 6t paid (ackie#s tuition* then hired her to helpoperate their plant.

6 want eer) "erican looking for work to hae the sa"e opportunit) as(ackie did. (oin "e in a national co""it"ent to train two "illion"ericans with skills that will lead directl) to a jo!. )

d"inistration has alread) lined up "ore co"panies that want to help.odel partnerships !etween !usinesses like Sie"ens and co""unit)colleges in places like &harlotte* rlando* and 4ouisille are up andrunning. =ow )ou need to gie "ore co""unit) colleges the resourcesthe) need to !eco"e co""unit) career centers places that teach

people skills that local !usinesses are looking for right now* fro"data "anage"ent to high-tech "anufacturing.

nd 6 want to cut through the "a9e of confusing training progra"s* sothat fro" now on* people like (ackie hae one progra"* one we!site*and one place to go for all the infor"ation and help the) need. 6t#s

ti"e to turn our une"plo)"ent s)ste" into a ree"plo)"ent s)ste" thatputs people to work.

$hese refor"s will help people get jo!s that are open toda). %ut toprepare for the jo!s of to"orrow* our co""it"ent to skills andeducation has to start earlier.

7or less than one percent of what our =ation spends on education each)ear* we#e coninced nearl) eer) State in the countr) to raise theirstandards for teaching and learning the first ti"e that#s happenedin a generation.

%ut challenges re"ain. nd we know how to sole the".

t a ti"e when other countries are dou!ling down on education* tight!udgets hae forced States to la) off thousands of teachers. +e knowa good teacher can increase the lifeti"e inco"e of a classroo" !) oerA250*000. great teacher can offer an escape fro" poert) to thechild who drea"s !e)ond his circu"stance. to stopteaching to the test> and to replace teachers who just aren#t helpingkids learn.

+e also know that when students aren#t allowed to walk awa) fro" their

education* "ore of the" walk the stage to get their diplo"a. Sotonight* 6 call on eer) State to re8uire that all students sta) inhigh school until the) graduate or turn eighteen.


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+hen kids do graduate* the "ost daunting challenge can !e the cost ofcollege. t a ti"e when "ericans owe "ore in tuition de!t thancredit card de!t* this &ongress needs to stop the interest rates onstudent loans fro" dou!ling in (ul). we#ll run out of "one).States also need to do their part* !) "aking higher education a higher

priorit) in their !udgets. nd colleges and uniersities hae to dotheir part !) working to keep costs down. ecentl)* 6 spoke with agroup of college presidents who#e done just that. So"e schoolsre-design courses to help students finish "ore 8uickl). So"e use

!etter technolog). $he point is* it#s possi!le. So let "e putcolleges and uniersities on notice: 6f )ou can#t stop tuition fro"

going up* the funding )ou get fro" taxpa)ers will go down. Dighereducation can#t !e a luxur) it#s an econo"ic i"peratie that eer)fa"il) in "erica should !e a!le to afford.

4et#s also re"e"!er that hundreds of thousands of talented*hardworking students in this countr) face another challenge: $he factthat the) aren#t )et "erican citi9ens. an) were !rought here ass"all children* are "erican through and through* )et the) lie eer)da) with the threat of deportation. thers ca"e "ore recentl)* tostud) !usiness and science and engineering* !ut as soon as the) gettheir degree* we send the" ho"e to inent new products and create new

jo!s so"ewhere else.

$hat doesn#t "ake sense.

6 !eliee as strongl) as eer that we should take on illegali""igration. $hat#s wh) ") d"inistration has put "ore !oots on the

!order than eer !efore. $hat#s wh) there are fewer illegal crossingsthan when 6 took office.

$he opponents of action are out of excuses. +e should !e working on

co"prehensie i""igration refor" right now. %ut if election-)earpolitics keeps &ongress fro" acting on a co"prehensie plan* let#s atleast agree to stop expelling responsi!le )oung people who want tostaff our la!s* start new !usinesses* and defend this countr). Send"e a law that gies the" the chance to earn their citi9enship. 6 willsign it right awa).

Eou see* an econo") !uilt to last is one where we encourage the talentand ingenuit) of eer) person in this countr). $hat "eans wo"enshould earn e8ual pa) for e8ual work. 6t "eans we should supporteer)one who#s willing to work> and eer) risk-taker and entrepreneur

who aspires to !eco"e the next Stee (o!s.


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fter all* innoation is what "erica has alwa)s !een a!out. ost newjo!s are created in start-ups and s"all !usinesses. So let#s pass anagenda that helps the" succeed. $ear down regulations that preentaspiring entrepreneurs fro" getting the financing to grow. to new "erican jo!s and new "erican industries.

=owhere is the pro"ise of innoation greater than in "erican-"adeenerg). er the last three )ears* we#e opened "illions of new acresfor oil and gas exploration* and tonight* 6#" directing ")d"inistration to open "ore than F5 percent of our potential offshoreoil and gas resources. ight now* "erican oil production is thehighest that it#s !een in eight )ears. $hat#s right eight )ears.

=ot onl) that last )ear* we relied less on foreign oil than in an)of the past sixteen )ears.

%ut with onl) 2 percent of the world#s oil reseres* oil isn#t enough.$his countr) needs an all-out* all-of-the-a!oe strateg) thatdeelops eer) aaila!le source of "erican energ) a strateg) that#scleaner* cheaper* and full of new jo!s.

+e hae a suppl) of natural gas that can last "erica nearl) onehundred )ears* and ") d"inistration will take eer) possi!le actionto safel) deelop this energ).


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+hen %r)an itter!) was laid off fro" his jo! "aking furniture* hesaid he worried that at 55* no one would gie hi" a second chance.%ut he found work at so"e co"panies fail. %ut 6 will not walk awa) fro" the

pro"ise of clean energ). 6 will not walk awa) fro" workers like%r)an. 6 will not cede the wind or solar or !atter) industr) to &hinaor ,er"an) !ecause we refuse to "ake the sa"e co""it"ent here. +ehae su!sidi9ed oil co"panies for a centur). $hat#s long enough.6t#s ti"e to end the taxpa)er gieawa)s to an industr) that#s rarel)

!een "ore profita!le* and dou!le-down on a clean energ) industr)that#s neer !een "ore pro"ising. Pass clean energ) tax credits and

create these jo!s.

+e can also spur energ) innoation with new incenties. $hedifferences in this cha"!er "a) !e too deep right now to pass aco"prehensie plan to fight cli"ate change. %ut there#s no reason wh)&ongress shouldn#t at least set a clean energ) standard that creates a"arket for innoation. So far* )ou haen#t acted. +ell tonight* 6will. 6#" directing ") d"inistration to allow the deelop"ent ofclean energ) on enough pu!lic land to power three "illion ho"es. nd6#" proud to announce that the epart"ent of efense* the world#slargest consu"er of energ)* will "ake one of the largest co""it"entsto clean energ) in histor) with the =a) purchasing enough capacit)to power a 8uarter of a "illion ho"es a )ear.

f course* the easiest wa) to sae "one) is to waste less energ). Sohere#s another proposal: Delp "anufacturers eli"inate energ) waste intheir factories and gie !usinesses incenties to upgrade their

!uildings. $heir energ) !ills will !e A100 !illion lower oer thenext decade* and "erica will hae less pollution* "ore "anufacturing*and "ore jo!s for construction workers who need the". Send "e a !illthat creates these jo!s.

%uilding this new energ) future should !e just one part of a !roaderagenda to repair "erica#s infrastructure. So "uch of "erica needsto !e re!uilt. +e#e got cru"!ling roads and !ridges. power gridthat wastes too "uch energ). n inco"plete high-speed !road!andnetwork that preents a s"all !usiness owner in rural "erica fro"selling her products all oer the world.

uring the ,reat epression* "erica !uilt the Dooer a" and the,olden ,ate %ridge. fter +orld +ar 66* we connected our States witha s)ste" of highwa)s. e"ocratic and epu!lican ad"inistrations

inested in great projects that !enefited eer)!od)* fro" the workerswho !uilt the" to the !usinesses that still use the" toda).


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6n the next few weeks* 6 will sign an


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water is clean. 6 will not go !ack to the da)s when health insuranceco"panies had unchecked power to cancel )our polic)* den) )oucoerage* or charge wo"en differentl) fro" "en.

nd 6 will not go !ack to the da)s when +all Street was allowed topla) !) its own set of rules. $he new rules we passed restore what

should !e an) financial s)ste"#s core purpose: ,etting funding toentrepreneurs with the !est ideas* and getting loans to responsi!lefa"ilies who want to !u) a ho"e* start a !usiness* or send a kid tocollege.

So if )ou#re a !ig !ank or financial institution* )ou are no longerallowed to "ake risk) !ets with )our custo"ers# deposits. Eou#rere8uired to write out a 3liing will3 that details exactl) how )ou#ll

pa) the !ills if )ou fail !ecause the rest of us aren#t !ailing )ouout eer again. nd if )ou#re a "ortgage lender or a pa)da) lender ora credit card co"pan)* the da)s of signing people up for products the)

can#t afford with confusing for"s and deceptie practices are oer.$oda)* "erican consu"ers finall) hae a watchdog in ichard &ordra)with one jo!: $o look out for the".

+e will also esta!lish a 7inancial &ri"es nit of highl) trainedinestigators to crack down on large-scale fraud and protect people#sinest"ents. So"e financial fir"s iolate "ajor anti-fraud laws

!ecause there#s no real penalt) for !eing a repeat offender. $hat#s!ad for consu"ers* and it#s !ad for the ast "ajorit) of !ankers andfinancial serice professionals who do the right thing. So passlegislation that "akes the penalties for fraud count.

nd tonight* 6 a" asking ") ttorne) ,eneral to create a special unitof federal prosecutors and leading state attorne)s general to expandour inestigations into the a!usie lending and packaging of risk)"ortgages that led to the housing crisis. $his new unit will holdaccounta!le those who !roke the law* speed assistance to ho"eowners*and help turn the page on an era of recklessness that hurt so "an)"ericans.

return to the "erican alues of fair pla) and shared responsi!ilit)

will help us protect our people and our econo"). %ut it should alsoguide us as we look to pa) down our de!t and inest in our future.

ight now* our "ost i""ediate priorit) is stopping a tax hike on 1B0"illion working "ericans while the recoer) is still fragile. Peoplecannot afford losing A'0 out of each pa)check this )ear. $here are

plent) of wa)s to get this done. So let#s agree right here* rightnow: =o side issues. =o dra"a. Pass the pa)roll tax cut withoutdela).

+hen it co"es to the deficit* we#e alread) agreed to "ore than A2

trillion in cuts and saings. %ut we need to do "ore* and that "eans"aking choices. ight now* we#re poised to spend nearl) A1 trillion"ore on what was supposed to !e a te"porar) tax !reak for the


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wealthiest 2 percent of "ericans. ight now* !ecause of loopholesand shelters in the tax code* a 8uarter of all "illionaires pa) lowertax rates than "illions of "iddle-class households. ight now* +arren%uffett pa)s a lower tax rate than his secretar).

o we want to keep these tax cuts for the wealthiest "ericansH r do

we want to keep our inest"ents in eer)thing else like educationand "edical research> a strong "ilitar) and care for our eteransH%ecause if we#re serious a!out pa)ing down our de!t* we can#t do !oth.

$he "erican people know what the right choice is. So do 6. s 6told the Speaker this su""er* 6#" prepared to "ake "ore refor"s thatrein in the long ter" costs of edicare and edicaid* and strengthenSocial Securit)* so long as those progra"s re"ain a guarantee ofsecurit) for seniors.

%ut in return* we need to change our tax code so that people like "e*

and an awful lot of e"!ers of &ongress* pa) our fair share of taxes.$ax refor" should follow the %uffett rule: 6f )ou "ake "ore than A1"illion a )ear* )ou should not pa) less than G0 percent in taxes. nd") epu!lican friend $o" &o!urn is right: +ashington should stopsu!sidi9ing "illionaires. 6n fact* if )ou#re earning a "illiondollars a )ear* )ou shouldn#t get special tax su!sidies or deductions.n the other hand* if )ou "ake under A250*000 a )ear* like @? percentof "erican fa"ilies* )our taxes shouldn#t go up. Eou#re the onesstruggling with rising costs and stagnant wages. Eou#re the ones whoneed relief.

=ow* )ou can call this class warfare all )ou want. %ut asking a!illionaire to pa) at least as "uch as his secretar) in taxesH ost"ericans would call that co""on sense.

+e don#t !egrudge financial success in this countr). +e ad"ire it.+hen "ericans talk a!out folks like "e pa)ing ") fair share of taxes*it#s not !ecause the) en) the rich. 6t#s !ecause the) understandthat when 6 get tax !reaks 6 don#t need and the countr) can#t afford*it either adds to the deficit* or so"e!od) else has to "ake up thedifference like a senior on a fixed inco"e> or a student tr)ing to

get through school> or a fa"il) tr)ing to "ake ends "eet. $hat#s notright. "ericans know it#s not right. $he) know that thisgeneration#s success is onl) possi!le !ecause past generations felt aresponsi!ilit) to each other* and to their countr)#s future* and the)know our wa) of life will onl) endure if we feel that sa"e sense ofshared responsi!ilit). $hat#s how we#ll reduce our deficit. $hat#san "erica !uilt to last.

6 recogni9e that people watching tonight hae differing iews a!outtaxes and de!t> energ) and health care. %ut no "atter what part) the)

!elong to* 6 !et "ost "ericans are thinking the sa"e thing right now:

=othing will get done this )ear* or next )ear* or "a)!e een the )earafter that* !ecause +ashington is !roken.


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&an )ou !la"e the" for feeling a little c)nicalH

$he greatest !low to confidence in our econo") last )ear didn#t co"efro" eents !e)ond our control. 6t ca"e fro" a de!ate in +ashingtonoer whether the nited States would pa) its !ills or not. +ho

!enefited fro" that fiascoH

6#e talked tonight a!out the deficit of trust !etween ain Street and+all Street. %ut the diide !etween this cit) and the rest of thecountr) is at least as !ad and it see"s to get worse eer) )ear.

So"e of this has to do with the corrosie influence of "one) inpolitics. So together* let#s take so"e steps to fix that. Send "e a!ill that !ans insider trading !) e"!ers of &ongress* and 6 will signit to"orrow. 4et#s li"it an) elected official fro" owning stocks inindustries the) i"pact. 4et#s "ake sure people who !undle ca"paigncontri!utions for &ongress can#t lo!!) &ongress* and ice ersa an

idea that has !ipartisan support* at least outside of +ashington.

So"e of what#s !roken has to do with the wa) &ongress does its!usiness these da)s. si"ple "ajorit) is no longer enough to getan)thing een routine !usiness passed through the Senate. =either

part) has !een !la"eless in these tactics. =ow !oth parties shouldput an end to it. 7or starters* 6 ask the Senate to pass a rule thatall judicial and pu!lic serice no"inations receie a si"ple up ordown ote within @0 da)s.

$he executie !ranch also needs to change. $oo often* it#sinefficient* outdated and re"ote. $hat#s wh) 6#e asked this &ongressto grant "e the authorit) to consolidate the federal !ureaucrac) sothat our ,oern"ent is leaner* 8uicker* and "ore responsie to theneeds of the "erican people.

7inall)* none of these refor"s can happen unless we also lower thete"perature in this town. +e need to end the notion that the two

parties "ust !e locked in a perpetual ca"paign of "utual destruction>that politics is a!out clinging to rigid ideologies instead of

!uilding consensus around co""on sense ideas.

6#" a e"ocrat. %ut 6 !eliee what epu!lican !raha" 4incoln!elieed: $hat ,oern"ent should do for people onl) what the) cannotdo !etter !) the"seles* and no "ore. $hat#s wh) ") education refor"offers "ore co"petition* and "ore control for schools and States.$hat#s wh) we#re getting rid of regulations that don#t work. $hat#swh) our health care law relies on a refor"ed priate "arket* not a,oern"ent progra".

n the other hand* een ") epu!lican friends who co"plain the "osta!out ,oern"ent spending hae supported federall)-financed roads* and

clean energ) projects* and federal offices for the folks !ack ho"e.


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$he point is* we should all want a s"arter* "ore effectie ,oern"ent.nd while we "a) not !e a!le to !ridge our !iggest philosophicaldifferences this )ear* we can "ake real progress. +ith or withoutthis &ongress* 6 will keep taking actions that help the econo") grow.%ut 6 can do a whole lot "ore with )our help. %ecause when we acttogether* there is nothing the nited States of "erica can#t achiee.

$hat is the lesson we#e learned fro" our actions a!road oer the lastfew )ears.

fro" Sana#a to$ripoli. )ear ago* ;adhafi was one of the world#s longest-seringdictators a "urderer with "erican !lood on his hands. $oda)* he isgone. nd in S)ria* 6 hae no dou!t that the ssad regi"e will soondiscoer that the forces of change can#t !e reersed* and that hu"andignit) can#t !e denied.

Dow this incredi!le transfor"ation will end re"ains uncertain. %ut wehae a huge stake in the outco"e. nd while it is ulti"atel) up tothe people of the region to decide their fate* we will adocate forthose alues that hae sered our own countr) so well. +e will standagainst iolence and inti"idation. +e will stand for the rights anddignit) of all hu"an !eings "en and wo"en> &hristians* usli"s* and(ews. +e will support policies that lead to strong and sta!lede"ocracies and open "arkets* !ecause t)rann) is no "atch for li!ert).

nd we will safeguard "erica#s own securit) against those whothreaten our citi9ens* our friends* and our interests. 4ook at 6ran.$hrough the power of our diplo"ac)* a world that was once diideda!out how to deal with 6ran#s nuclear progra" now stands as one. $heregi"e is "ore isolated than eer !efore> its leaders are faced withcrippling sanctions* and as long as the) shirk their responsi!ilities*this pressure will not relent. 4et there !e no dou!t: "erica isdeter"ined to preent 6ran fro" getting a nuclear weapon* and 6 willtake no options off the ta!le to achiee that goal. %ut a peacefulresolution of this issue is still possi!le* and far !etter* and if

6ran changes course and "eets its o!ligations* it can rejoin theco""unit) of nations.


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$he renewal of "erican leadership can !e felt across the glo!e. uroldest alliances in fro" the !lows we#e dealt toour ene"ies> to the enduring power of our "oral exa"ple* "erica is

!ack.

n)one who tells )ou otherwise* an)one who tells )ou that "erica isin decline or that our influence has waned* doesn#t know what the)#retalking a!out. $hat#s not the "essage we get fro" leaders around theworld* all of who" are eager to work with us. $hat#s not how peoplefeel fro" $ok)o to %erlin> fro" &ape $own to io> where opinions of"erica are higher than the)#e !een in )ears. Ees* the world is

changing> no* we can#t control eer) eent. %ut "erica re"ains theone indispensa!le nation in world affairs and as long as 6#"President* 6 intend to keep it that wa).

$hat#s wh)* working with our "ilitar) leaders* 6 hae proposed a newdefense strateg) that ensures we "aintain the finest "ilitar) in theworld* while saing nearl) half a trillion dollars in our !udget. $osta) one step ahead of our adersaries* 6 hae alread) sent this&ongress legislation that will secure our countr) fro" the growingdanger of c)!er-threats.

!oe all* our freedo" endures !ecause of the "en and wo"en in unifor"who defend it. s the) co"e ho"e* we "ust sere the" as well as the)sered us. $hat includes giing the" the care and !enefits the) haeearned which is wh) we#e increased annual spending eer) )ear6#e !een President. nd it "eans enlisting our eterans in the workof re!uilding our =ation.

+ith the !ipartisan support of this &ongress* we are proiding new taxcredits to co"panies that hire ets. ichelle and (ill %iden haeworked with "erican !usinesses to secure a pledge of 1G5*000 jo!s for

eterans and their fa"ilies. nd tonight* 6#" proposing a eterans(o! &orps that will help our co""unities hire eterans as cops andfirefighters* so that "erica is as strong as those who defend her.

+hich !rings "e !ack to where 6 !egan. $hose of us who#e !een senthere to sere can learn fro" the serice of our troops. +hen )ou puton that unifor"* it doesn#t "atter if )ou#re !lack or white> sian or4atino> conseratie or li!eral> rich or poor> ga) or straight. +hen)ou#re "arching into !attle* )ou look out for the person next to )ou*or the "ission fails. +hen )ou#re in the thick of the fight* )ou riseor fall as one unit* sering one =ation* leaing no one !ehind.

ne of ") proudest possessions is the flag that the S


15/15

na"es. So"e "a) !e e"ocrats. So"e "a) !e epu!licans. %ut thatdoesn#t "atter. (ust like it didn#t "atter that da) in the Situationoo"* when 6 sat next to %o! ,ates a "an who was ,eorge %ush#sdefense secretar)> and Dillar) &linton* a wo"an who ran against "e for

president.

ll that "attered that da) was the "ission. =o one thought a!outpolitics. =o one thought a!out the"seles. ne of the )oung "eninoled in the raid later told "e that he didn#t desere credit forthe "ission. 6t onl) succeeded* he said* !ecause eer) single "e"!erof that unit did their jo! the pilot who landed the helicopter thatspun out of control> the translator who kept others fro" entering theco"pound> the troops who separated the wo"en and children fro" thefight> the S

obama speech state of the union

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