Obama promised reforms, economic growth and “smarter government”

In his annual address, U.S. President Barack Obama urged the Congress to support the government in reviving the economy of the country that has fallen into stagnation by creating new jobs for the middle class. Delivering his State of the Union speech before the House of Representatives on February 12, the American President said that the task of his generation is “to re-ignite the true engine of America’s economic growth: a rising, thriving middle class.”

Democratic President promised that the new government would be rather a “smarter” one than just “bigger” and that it would work “on behalf of the many, and not just the few.”

Obama in his speech announced the establishment of a commission for improving the voting experience in America. “I’m asking two long-time experts in the field, who, by the way, recently served as the top attorneys for my campaign and for Governor Romney’s campaign, to lead it. We can fix this. And we will,” said the President.

Another hot topic raised by the President in his speech was the issue of tightening control over the possession of firearms. As we know, the Obama Administration favors more severe gun control, suggesting, in particular, a ban on its combat varieties and magazines of large capacity. They also suggest a more thorough examination of the biographies of the potential buyers of weapons. However, according to analysts, only the last bill has some chances of being adopted.

Obama has proposed reforms aiming at reducing the cost of the health care programs Medicare, designed for older Americans over age of 65 and the disabled people, but he noted that it is impossible to simply “cut the way to prosperity.”

In his speech, the head of the White House also argued in favor of the federal government investment in infrastructure, clean energy, and education, he also urged to raise the minimum wage and enact a law that would make the incomes of men and women equal.

The President addressed the topic of innovations, aw well as the topic of energy. He asked the Congress to take action to support the energy sector, and also urged citizens and businesses to reduce energy consumption in half within 20 years.

Obama also spoke warmly of the joint efforts of both parties to develop a bill on immigration, adding that once he receives a comprehensive immigration reform bill, he will sign it right away.

Among other things, Obama has announced a full withdrawal of 34,000 American military officers from Afghanistan by the end of this year. Thus, the number of U.S. troops, which at the present time consists of 66,000 people, will drop by almost a half.

The President also spoke about plans to change the approach to the fight against terrorism: from now on the United States will not fight terrorism by direct military methods, but will provide assistance to the authorities of the countries that oppose the terrorist gangs.

According to observers, after winning the elections in November 2012 Obama has the popularity and political capital he may use, but he has only about a year to push his ideas in the sphere of legislation.

In his response on behalf of the Republicans, Senator Marco Rubio demanded from Obama to “abandon the obsession with rising taxes,” which together with the spending cuts will strike middle class families.

Cuban by birth and a potential Republican candidate for the presidential election in 2016, the Senator delivered his speech in English and in Spanish, referring to the pain felt by the residents of the working areas in which he was grown.

“I don’t oppose your plans because I want to protect the rich. I oppose your plans because I want to protect my neighbors,” said the Republican Senator.

Right after Rubio, Republican Senator of Kentucky Rand Paul delivered his response and put forward counter-arguments of the U.S. Tea Party to Obama’s statements. “We are the party that embraces hard work and ingenuity, therefore we must be the party that embraces the immigrant who wants to come to America for a better future,” was stated in the text of Paul’s speech released in advance.

PRESIDENT’S PROPOSALS PERCEIVED NEGATIVELY BY REPUBLICANS

Oleh SHAMSHUR, former Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States:

“President Obama’s yesterday’s address to the nation has attracted a lot of attention for two main reasons. Firstly, it had to finally define the main priorities of his second term following the ideas expressed in the inaugural address of the president. Secondly, many saw it as a chance to begin the overcoming of the inter-party strife, which in recent years virtually paralyzed normal legislative activity.

Regarding the first aspect, as it was expected Obama clearly stressed the need for economic growth and job creation, which, in turn, should provide for the expansion in the ranks of ‘thriving middle class.’ It was also expected that he would call for the adoption of the plan for reducing the budget deficit through increasing revenues to it along with spending cuts, adoption of the tougher laws that would regulate arms sales, and the implementation of immigration reform. A new element was the announcement made by the President of the intention to issue a decree aimed at strengthening cybersecurity. However, experts noticed that the President never mentioned the new, stricter standards of carbon emissions into the atmosphere by the existing power plants.

“President’s proposals, in general, were perceived negatively by Republicans. Senator Mario Rubio, who had been instructed to give an official response on their behalf, described the economic program proposed by Obama as such that aims at the destruction of jobs, increased taxation and borrowing, and expanding the influence of the government. The President himself, who at the beginning of his speech urged his political opponents to search for compromise, later repeatedly subjected their position to biting criticism.

“Currently, the only issue, where a real compromise is still possible, is the reform of the immigration law, because both parties, mainly for reasons of fighting for votes of Hispanic voters, are ready to support its implementation. Significantly, when the President mentioned it in his speech, a group of senators from both parties, including John McCain and Charles Schumer, gave him a standing ovation.”