Yahoo! News asked voters for their reaction to the State of the Union address on Monday night. Below is a perspective from one voter.
COMMENTARY | In 1972, I was thrilled to be among the first 18-year-olds eligible to vote under the brand new 26th constitutional amendment. I have never missed an election.
I watched President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night with about 30 Obama campaign volunteers at a restaurant in a Pittsburgh suburb. While Obama declared the state of the union as "getting stronger," it struck me that these people, who all worked on his 2008 campaign, are just as strong in their beliefs, and principles, and commitment to public service today as we were then.
As expected, Obama touched on all of the major national policy areas. He talked about jobs, the economy, taxes, war, education, immigration, energy, the deficit, last summer's debt "crisis," and the infrastructure. He promised to work with anyone in Congress, to fight obstruction with action, and to oppose efforts to return to policies that created our financial crisis. He promised not to back down, not to walk away, not to give up. That line got a standing ovation in our group. It's about time. I've criticized Obama for appeasing the Republicans, and I hope he keeps that promise. He urged the Senate to relax or drop its rules permitting filibusters, which both parties use to obstruct progress in Congress. While he didn't use the phrase, the tone of his address was a rousing "Yes we can!"
When Obama suggested using the tax code to reward companies that create jobs for Americans and to raise taxes on those that ship jobs overseas, the television camera cut to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. He looked like a 3-year-old about to embark on a world-class temper tantrum. Watch out for a stunt from Cantor and Boehner this week.
The president proposed using half of the money saved from the wars to pay down the debt and the other half to repair and rebuild our infrastructure. Infrastructure spending is the single best action that government can take to create jobs and stimulate the economy. Unfortunately, most of the people who will benefit from those jobs won't understand how that works.
I was disappointed that Obama chose to omit a few issues. He didn't mention the vicious Republican attacks on our legal rights to join labor unions, on our voting rights, and on the social safety net that caught so many Americans who lost their jobs, homes, and health care to immoral corporatists who put profit above everything else.
Obama is hardly my idea of the perfect president. Will I vote for him again? You bet.
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