State of the Union Address

My Predictions:

All of my predictions into the 2013 State of the Union Address were correct. President Obama spoke about all of the things I predicted in my column. He talked about healthcare and bringing the troops home. He mentioned gay and straight equality and he ended his speech with gun control. These were all of the things that I predicted he would speak about. In my column, I also had a quote from President Kennedy's 1951 State of the Union Address as did Obama.

Other Topics Discussed:

There were some suprising topics Obama mentioned in his address. He talked about Cyber hacking. This topic shocked me the most because it is the one topic I never imagined to be disdomestic cussed. He also mentioned deadbeat dads. This surprised me because I don't know what Obama think he can do to help a man be a better father to his child.

Another topic Obama discussed that I did not mention in my column was a better climate and creating a more sustainable source of energy. This topic lead to his fix-it first program. Two topics that Obama discussed that I did not mention in my column was women's equality in pay and domestic violence. The domestic viloence topic arose because Vice President Joe Biden just created a bill to help domestic violent victims.

Obama also spoke about education and getting a higher and better education for children of all ages. He discussed imigration and the Bill created by Gabby Giffords.

The thing that I found most intriguing out of the topics he discussed that I did not mention in column was how manufactuers like Apple are working to make their products in the United States instead of overseas. While this would be good for our economy, it is not something that I see happening anytime soon.

I liked watching the State of the Union. I thought Obama did a good job of getting his points across and I believe he surprised a lot of people with some of the topics he discussed.

What will Obama speak about in the State of the Union Address?

State of the Union
By: Brittini Brooks

 

I will admit that I was not interested in politics when I was younger. However, when I decided to become a journalist a few years ago, I thought it was time to start paying attention. I will also admit that I am one of the few journalists who is not glued to what is going on in the world seven days a week, 24 hours of the day. But one thing I always enjoy watching is the State of the Union address given by our nation’s president whoever he is at the time. I find them enjoyable because I believe you get a sense of the personality and the passion our leader has.

 President Barack Obama will give his first State of the Union address next week since taking the oath for his second term. I took a look at his last state address and compared it to speeches made by America’s former presidents. After reviewing President Obama’s, Abraham Lincoln’s, Dwight Eisenhower’s and John F. Kennedy’s former state addresses, I believe Obama will speak about the following subjects: gay rights, the unemployment rate, health care system, the war in Iraq, taxes and gun control.

Like President Lincoln, one of the big policies that Obama has stressed is equality. Lincoln wanted freedom for slaves and succeeded. Lincoln’s idea has lived on and President Obama is hoping to make his own history by creating equality for gay rights. I believe President Obama will speak about gay rights in his upcoming speech because it was a major topic at this year’s inauguration. President Obama stated in his inauguration speech that he wanted “equality for all.” In this statement he clarified that equality for all meant white, black, Latino, gay and straight. He was also the first president0 to have a gay Latino poet at the inauguration. It is with all of these things that I believe he will mention gay rights in his address.

In his State of the Union address in 1963, President John F. Kennedy stated America has enjoyed 22 months of uninterrupted economic recovery. But recovery is not enough. If we are to prevail in the long run, we must expand the long-run strength of our economy. We must move along the path to a higher rate of growth and full employment.

This has been one of the issues Obama has faced. Since the war in Iraq started, our economy has been on the downhill slide concerning employment. Before Obama took office, the unemployment rate was 9.2 percent. Today that number is 7.8 percent. There are people still unhappy with this number and that is why I believe Obama will address this issue in his upcoming speech.

Health care will forever be a problem in our country. I believe this will always be a subject that a new president addresses in any speech he makes. I believe Obama will mention it because part of his new health care plan has taken effect and people still have concerns about it and the other parts still to take effect.

President Eisenhower and President Obama both inherited wars that were not started by them and both men have ended these wars. Since troops are supposed to come home in 2014, I believe President Obama will make a small statement about the troops homecoming.

 Taxes, like healthcare, will always be a concern in our country. President Obama will most likely talk about taxes and any upcoming changes or bills that are to be passed or in consideration of being passed.

Gun control has been a big controversy in our country since the Newtown, Conn., shootings. Everyone has had an opinion on it. It has become a huge debate on social networks and the news. I believe Obama will talk about gun control and the tragedy that happened. He may even implement a plan that he plans to put into effect.

I believe it is these issues that Obama will talk about because they are of high priority to our society. I believe this because all Americans deserve equal rights, safer schools, jobs, better health care and for the war to end so we can see they can see their loved ones again.