Speaking before a bitterly divided Congress, President Barack Obama renewed his initiatives to reform a nation in jeopardy. Seeking to overcome what had driven the nation to the brink of economic disaster after President Bush, he presented an innovative plan to continue the recovery.
Through advancements in education, healthcare reform, and the economy, Obama brought forth a bold vision of unity and optimism.
“We need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world,” said Obama. “We have to make America the best place on Earth to do business. That’s how we’ll win the future. And tonight, I’d like to talk about how we get there.”
The president reiterated his ideas from when he was first inaugurated, consisting of change, invention and getting things done.
His presentation was loud and proud, bringing the issues straight to those who are determined to stop the function of effective government.
Yet the opposition — the Republicans in Congress — are resolute in deploying their agenda, which will not innovate in the slightest.
Republicans pledged to cut $100 billion of domestic spending. According to The New York Times, that means 20 percent budget cuts across the board, which includes education and transportation.
The idea behind this is fundamentally flawed.
The Republicans believe that the driving force of the economy is free enterprise, meaning competition in the market place.
“We need to reclaim our American system of limited government, low taxes, reasonable regulations, and sound money, which has blessed us with unprecedented prosperity,” said Representative Paul Ryan in the Republican response to the State of the Union. “And it has done more to help the poor than any other economic system ever designed.”
The “unprecedented prosperity” that Ryan describes did not, and does not, exist. The Great Recession was caused by these principles.
Because of this philosophy, there is a record gap between the rich and poor, primarily caused by the Bush administration’s tax cuts for the rich and anti-government policies.
There is a clear distinction between the approaches and tone by Obama and the Republicans. Obama advocates optimistically for the government’s success, while the Republicans drive their ideology through misguided principles and negativity.
“We are poised for progress,” said Obama. “Two years after the worst recession most of us have ever known, the stock market has come roaring back. Corporate profits are up. The economy is growing again.”
Despite Ryan’s claim that the stimulus and government intervention failed, the gross domestic product — the measure of economic growth — grew at a pace of 3.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010, according to The New York Times.
According to The Economist, January was the sixth consecutive monthly expansion.
“First, the policy response to the economic crisis was very successful,” said Mark Zandi, a respected economist, in a testimony before the Senate Budget Committee on Sept. 22, 2010. “Fiscal stimulus was key to jump-starting the recovery.”
Obama, while promoting the success of his policies, advocated throughout the speech the necessity of innovation.
“We’ll invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean energy technology ― an investment that will strengthen our security, protect our planet, and create countless new jobs for our people,” said the president.
Innovation is critical in economic development, which stimulates growth in both human and physical capital.
Innovation will provide advancements in our own lives. Obama set goals of more high-speed rails and the accessibility of high-speed wireless Internet for 98 percent of Americans.
Obama, through invention, optimism, and a centered approach, has out-maneuvered the Republicans. Obama’s ideas seem to resonate with the public. In recent weeks polls have been rising, and the speech will certainly help.