Mrs Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, my fellow Americans:
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| President Barack Obama at the State of The Union 2015 |
We are fifteen years into this new century. Fifteen years that
dawned with terror touching our shores; that unfolded with a new generation
fighting two long and costly wars; that saw a vicious recession spread across
our nation and the world. It has been, and still is, a hard time for many.
But tonight, we turn the page.
Tonight, after a breakthrough year for
America, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since
1999. Our unemployment rate is now lower than it was before the financial
crisis. More of our kids are graduating than ever before; more of our people
are insured than ever before; we are as free from the grip of foreign oil as
we’ve been in almost 30 years.
Tonight, for the first time since
9/11, our combat mission in Afghanistan is over. Six years ago, nearly 180,000
American troops served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, fewer than 15,000
remain. And we salute the courage and sacrifice of every man and woman in this
9/11 Generation who has served to keep us safe. We are humbled and grateful for
your service.
America, for all that we’ve endured;
for all the grit and hard work required to come back; for all the tasks that
lie ahead, know this:
The shadow of crisis has passed, and
the State of the Union is strong.
At this moment – with a growing economy, shrinking deficits,
bustling industry, and booming energy production – we have risen from recession
freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth. It’s now up to us
to choose who we want to be over the next fifteen years, and for decades to
come.
Will we accept an economy where only a
few of us do spectacularly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that
generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?
Will we approach the world fearful and
reactive, dragged into costly conflicts that strain our military and set back
our standing? Or will we lead wisely, using all elements of our power to defeat
new threats and protect our planet?
Will we allow ourselves to be sorted
into factions and turned against one another – or will we recapture the sense
of common purpose that has always propelled America forward?
In two weeks, I will send this
Congress a budget filled with ideas that are practical, not partisan. And in
the months ahead, I’ll crisscross the country making a case for those ideas.
So tonight, I want to focus less on a
checklist of proposals, and focus more on the values at stake in the choices
before us.
It begins with our economy.
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| House Speaker John Boehner and Vice
President Joe Biden applaud |
Seven years ago, Rebekah and Ben Erler
of Minneapolis were newlyweds. She waited tables. He worked construction. Their
first child, Jack, was on the way. They were young and in love in America,
and it doesn’t get much better than that.
“If only we had known,” Rebekah wrote
to me last spring, “what was about to happen to the housing and construction
market.”
As the crisis worsened, Ben’s business
dried up, so he took what jobs he could find, even if they kept him on the road
for long stretches of time. Rebekah took out student loans, enrolled in
community college, and retrained for a new career. They sacrificed for each
other. And slowly, it paid off. They bought their first home. They had a second
son, Henry. Rebekah got a better job, and then a raise. Ben is back in
construction – and home for dinner every night.
“It is amazing,” Rebekah wrote, “what
you can bounce back from when you have to…we are a strong, tight-knit family
who has made it through some very, very hard times.”
We are a strong, tight-knit family who
has made it through some very, very hard times.
America, Rebekah and Ben’s story is our story. They represent the
millions who have worked hard, and scrimped, and sacrificed, and retooled. You
are the reason I ran for this office. You’re the people I was thinking of six
years ago today, in the darkest months of the crisis, when I stood on the steps
of this Capitol and promised we would rebuild our economy on a new foundation.
And it’s been your effort and resilience that has made it possible for our
country to emerge stronger.
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| Michelle Obama wore a tweed Michael Kors suit that was pitch perfect. |
We believed we could reverse the tide
of outsourcing, and draw new jobs to our shores. And over the past five years,
our businesses have created more than 11 million new jobs.
We believed we could reduce our
dependence on foreign oil and protect our planet. And today, America is number
one in oil and gas. America is number one in wind power. Every three weeks, we
bring online as much solar power as we did in all of 2008. And thanks to lower
gas prices and higher fuel standards, the typical family this year should save
$750 at the pump. We believed we could prepare our kids for a more competitive
world. And today, our younger students have earned the highest math and reading
scores on record. Our high school graduation rate has hit an all-time high. And
more Americans finish college than ever before.
We believed that sensible regulations
could prevent another crisis, shield families from ruin, and encourage fair
competition. Today, we have new tools to stop taxpayer-funded bailouts, and a
new consumer watchdog to protect us from predatory lending and abusive credit
card practices. And in the past year alone, about ten million uninsured
Americans finally gained the security of health coverage.
At every step, we were told our goals
were misguided or too ambitious; that we would crush jobs and explode deficits.
Instead, we’ve seen the fastest economic growth in over a decade, our deficits
cut by two-thirds, a stock market that has doubled, and health care inflation
at its lowest rate in fifty years.
So the verdict is clear. Middle-class
economics works. Expanding opportunity works. And these policies will continue
to work, as long as politics don’t get in the way. We can’t slow down
businesses or put our economy at risk with government shutdowns or fiscal
showdowns. We can’t put the security of families at risk by taking away their
health insurance, or unraveling the new rules on Wall Street, or refighting
past battles on immigration when we’ve got a system to fix. And if a bill comes
to my desk that tries to do any of these things, it will earn my veto.
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| View of the Assembly - Click to enlarge |
Today, thanks to a growing economy,
the recovery is touching more and more lives. Wages are finally starting to
rise again. We know that more small business owners plan to raise their
employees’ pay than at any time since 2007. But here’s the thing – those of us
here tonight, we need to set our sights higher than just making sure government
doesn’t halt the progress we’re making. We need to do more than just do no
harm. Tonight, together, let’s do more to restore the link between hard work
and growing opportunity for every American. Because families like
Rebekah’s still need our help. She and Ben are working as hard as ever, but
have to forego vacations and a new car so they can pay off student loans and
save for retirement. Basic childcare for Jack and Henry costs more than their
mortgage, and almost as much as a year at the University of Minnesota. Like
millions of hardworking Americans, Rebekah isn’t asking for a handout, but she
is asking that we look for more ways to help families get ahead.
In fact, at every moment of economic
change throughout our history, this country has taken bold action to adapt to
new circumstances, and to make sure everyone gets a fair shot. We set up worker
protections, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to protect ourselves from
the harshest adversity. We gave our citizens schools and colleges,
infrastructure and the internet – tools they needed to go as far as their effort
will take them.
That’s what middle-class economics is
– the idea that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot,
everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. We
don’t just want everyone to share in America’s success – we want everyone to
contribute to our success.
So what does middle-class economics
require in our time?
First – middle-class economics means
helping working families feel more secure in a world of constant change. That
means helping folks afford childcare, college, health care, a home, retirement
– and my budget will address each of these issues, lowering the taxes of
working families and putting thousands of dollars back into their pockets each
year.
Here’s one example. During World War
II, when men like my grandfather went off to war, having women like my
grandmother in the workforce was a national security priority – so this country
provided universal childcare. In today’s economy, when having both parents in
the workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need affordable,
high-quality childcare more than ever. It’s not a nice-to-have – it’s a
must-have. It’s time we stop treating childcare as a side issue, or a women’s
issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that it is for all of
us. And that’s why my plan will make quality childcare more available, and more
affordable, for every middle-class and low-income family with young children in
America – by creating more slots and a new tax cut of up to $3,000 per child,
per year. Here’s another example. Today, we’re the only advanced country
on Earth that doesn’t guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave to our
workers. Forty-three million workers have no paid sick leave. Forty-three
million. Think about that. And that forces too many parents to make the
gut-wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home. So I’ll be
taking new action to help states adopt paid leave laws of their own. And since
paid sick leave won where it was on the ballot last November, let’s put it to a
vote right here in Washington. Send me a bill that gives every worker in
America the opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave. It’s the right
thing to do.
Of course, nothing helps families make
ends meet like higher wages. That’s why this Congress still needs to pass a law
that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work.
Really. It’s 2015. It’s time. We still need to make sure employees get the
overtime they’ve earned. And to everyone in this Congress who still refuses to
raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work
full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it. If not,
vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise.
These ideas won’t make everybody rich,
or relieve every hardship. That’s not the job of government. To give working
families a fair shot, we’ll still need more employers to see beyond next
quarter’s earnings and recognize that investing in their workforce is in their
company’s long-term interest. We still need laws that strengthen rather than
weaken unions, and give American workers a voice. But things like child care
and sick leave and equal pay; things like lower mortgage premiums and a higher
minimum wage – these ideas will make a meaningful difference in the lives of
millions of families. That is a fact. And that’s what all of us – Republicans
and Democrats alike – were sent here to do.
Second, to make sure folks keep
earning higher wages down the road, we have to do more to help Americans
upgrade their skills. America thrived in the 20th century because we made
high school free, sent a generation of GIs to college, and trained the best
workforce in the world. But in a 21st century economy that rewards knowledge
like never before, we need to do more.
By the end of this decade, two in
three job openings will require some higher education. Two in three. And yet,
we still live in a country where too many bright, striving Americans are priced
out of the education they need. It’s not fair to them, and it’s not smart for
our future.
That’s why I am sending this Congress
a bold new plan to lower the cost of community college – to zero.
Forty percent of our college students
choose community college. Some are young and starting out. Some are older and
looking for a better job. Some are veterans and single parents trying to
transition back into the job market. Whoever you are, this plan is your chance
to graduate ready for the new economy, without a load of debt. Understand, you’ve
got to earn it – you’ve got to keep your grades up and graduate on time.
Tennessee, a state with Republican leadership, and Chicago, a city with
Democratic leadership, are showing that free community college is possible. I
want to spread that idea all across America, so that two years of college
becomes as free and universal in America as high school is today. And I want to
work with this Congress, to make sure Americans already burdened with student
loans can reduce their monthly payments, so that student debt doesn’t derail
anyone’s dreams.
Thanks to Vice President Biden’s great
work to update our job training system, we’re connecting community colleges
with local employers to train workers to fill high-paying jobs like coding, and
nursing, and robotics. Tonight, I’m also asking more businesses to follow the
lead of companies like CVS and UPS, and offer more educational benefits and
paid apprenticeships – opportunities that give workers the chance to earn
higher-paying jobs even if they don’t have a higher education. And as a
new generation of veterans comes home, we owe them every opportunity to live
the American Dream they helped defend. Already, we’ve made strides towards
ensuring that every veteran has access to the highest quality care. We’re
slashing the backlog that had too many veterans waiting years to get the
benefits they need, and we’re making it easier for vets to translate their
training and experience into civilian jobs. Joining Forces, the national
campaign launched by Michelle and Jill Biden, has helped nearly 700,000
veterans and military spouses get new jobs. So to every CEO in America, let me
repeat: If you want somebody who’s going to get the job done, hire a veteran.
Finally, as we better train our
workers, we need the new economy to keep churning out high-wage jobs for our
workers to fill.
Since 2010, America has put more
people back to work than Europe, Japan, and all advanced economies combined.
Our manufacturers have added almost 800,000 new jobs. Some of our bedrock
sectors, like our auto industry, are booming. But there are also millions of
Americans who work in jobs that didn’t even exist ten or twenty years ago –
jobs at companies like Google, and eBay, and Tesla.
So no one knows for certain which
industries will generate the jobs of the future. But we do know we want them
here in America. That’s why the third part of middle-class economics is about
building the most competitive economy anywhere, the place where businesses want
to locate and hire.
21st century businesses need 21st
century infrastructure – modern ports, stronger bridges, faster trains and the
fastest internet. Democrats and Republicans used to agree on this. So let’s set
our sights higher than a single oil pipeline. Let’s pass a bipartisan
infrastructure plan that could create more than thirty times as many jobs per
year, and make this country stronger for decades to come. 21st century
businesses, including small businesses, need to sell more American products
overseas. Today, our businesses export more than ever, and exporters tend to
pay their workers higher wages. But as we speak, China wants to write the rules
for the world’s fastest-growing region. That would put our workers and
businesses at a disadvantage. Why would we let that happen? We should write
those rules. We should level the playing field. That’s why I’m asking both
parties to give me trade promotion authority to protect American workers, with
strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe that aren’t just free, but fair.
Look, I’m the first one to admit that
past trade deals haven’t always lived up to the hype, and that’s why we’ve gone
after countries that break the rules at our expense. But ninety-five percent of
the world’s customers live outside our borders, and we can’t close ourselves
off from those opportunities. More than half of manufacturing executives have
said they’re actively looking at bringing jobs back from China. Let’s give them
one more reason to get it done.
21st century businesses will rely on
American science, technology, research and development. I want the country that
eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of medicine –
one that delivers the right treatment at the right time. In some patients with
cystic fibrosis, this approach has reversed a disease once thought unstoppable.
Tonight, I’m launching a new Precision Medicine Initiative to bring us closer
to curing diseases like cancer and diabetes – and to give all of us access to
the personalized information we need to keep ourselves and our families
healthier.
I intend to protect a free and open
internet, extend its reach to every classroom, and every community, and help
folks build the fastest networks, so that the next generation of digital
innovators and entrepreneurs have the platform to keep reshaping our world. I
want Americans to win the race for the kinds of discoveries that unleash new
jobs – converting sunlight into liquid fuel; creating revolutionary
prosthetics, so that a veteran who gave his arms for his country can play catch
with his kid; pushing out into the Solar System not just to visit, but to stay.
Last month, we launched a new spacecraft as part of a re-energized space
program that will send American astronauts to Mars. In two months, to prepare
us for those missions, Scott Kelly will begin a year-long stay in space. Good
luck, Captain – and make sure to Instagram it.
Now, the truth is, when it comes to
issues like infrastructure and basic research, I know there’s bipartisan
support in this chamber. Members of both parties have told me so. Where we too
often run onto the rocks is how to pay for these investments. As Americans, we
don’t mind paying our fair share of taxes, as long as everybody else does, too.
But for far too long, lobbyists have rigged the tax code with loopholes that
let some corporations pay nothing while others pay full freight. They’ve
riddled it with giveaways the superrich don’t need, denying a break to middle
class families who do.
This year, we have an opportunity to
change that. Let’s close loopholes so we stop rewarding companies that keep
profits abroad, and reward those that invest in America. Let’s use those
savings to rebuild our infrastructure and make it more attractive for companies
to bring jobs home. Let’s simplify the system and let a small business owner
file based on her actual bank statement, instead of the number of accountants
she can afford. And let’s close the loopholes that lead to inequality by
allowing the top one percent to avoid paying taxes on their accumulated wealth.
We can use that money to help more families pay for childcare and send their
kids to college. We need a tax code that truly helps working Americans trying
to get a leg up in the new economy, and we can achieve that together.
Helping hardworking families make ends
meet. Giving them the tools they need for good-paying jobs in this new economy.
Maintaining the conditions for growth and competitiveness. This is where
America needs to go. I believe it’s where the American people want to go. It
will make our economy stronger a year from now, fifteen years from now, and
deep into the century ahead.
Of course, if there’s one thing this
new century has taught us, it’s that we cannot separate our work at home from
challenges beyond our shores.
My first duty as Commander-in-Chief is
to defend the United States of America. In doing so, the question is not
whether America leads in the world, but how. When we make rash decisions,
reacting to the headlines instead of using our heads; when the first response
to a challenge is to send in our military – then we risk getting drawn into
unnecessary conflicts, and neglect the broader strategy we need for a safer,
more prosperous world. That’s what our enemies want us to do. I believe in
a smarter kind of American leadership. We lead best when we combine military
power with strong diplomacy; when we leverage our power with coalition
building; when we don’t let our fears blind us to the opportunities that this
new century presents. That’s exactly what we’re doing right now – and around
the globe, it is making a difference.
First, we stand united with people
around the world who’ve been targeted by terrorists – from a school in Pakistan
to the streets of Paris. We will continue to hunt down terrorists and dismantle
their networks, and we reserve the right to act unilaterally, as we’ve done
relentlessly since I took office to take out terrorists who pose a direct
threat to us and our allies.
At the same time, we’ve learned some
costly lessons over the last thirteen years.
Instead of Americans patrolling the
valleys of Afghanistan, we’ve trained their security forces, who’ve now taken
the lead, and we’ve honored our troops’ sacrifice by supporting that country’s
first democratic transition. Instead of sending large ground forces overseas,
we’re partnering with nations from South Asia to North Africa to deny safe
haven to terrorists who threaten America. In Iraq and Syria, American
leadership – including our military power – is stopping ISIL’s advance. Instead
of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a
broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this
terrorist group. We’re also supporting a moderate opposition in Syria that can
help us in this effort, and assisting people everywhere who stand up to the
bankrupt ideology of violent extremism. This effort will take time. It will
require focus. But we will succeed. And tonight, I call on this Congress to
show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to
authorize the use of force against ISIL.
Second, we are demonstrating the power
of American strength and diplomacy. We’re upholding the principle that bigger
nations can’t bully the small – by opposing Russian aggression, supporting
Ukraine’s democracy, and reassuring our NATO allies. Last year, as we were
doing the hard work of imposing sanctions along with our allies, some suggested
that Mr. Putin’s aggression was a masterful display of strategy and strength.
Well, today, it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while
Russia is isolated, with its economy in tatters.
That’s how America leads – not with
bluster, but with persistent, steady resolve. In Cuba, we are ending a
policy that was long past its expiration date. When what you’re doing doesn’t
work for fifty years, it’s time to try something new. Our shift in Cuba policy
has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemisphere; removes a
phony excuse for restrictions in Cuba; stands up for democratic values; and
extends the hand of friendship to the Cuban people. And this year, Congress
should begin the work of ending the embargo. As His Holiness, Pope Francis, has
said, diplomacy is the work of “small steps.” These small steps have added up
to new hope for the future in Cuba. And after years in prison, we’re overjoyed
that Alan Gross is back where he belongs. Welcome home, Alan.
Our diplomacy is at work with respect
to Iran, where, for the first time in a decade, we’ve halted the progress of
its nuclear program and reduced its stockpile of nuclear material. Between now
and this spring, we have a chance to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that
prevents a nuclear-armed Iran; secures America and our allies – including
Israel; while avoiding yet another Middle East conflict. There are no
guarantees that negotiations will succeed, and I keep all options on the table
to prevent a nuclear Iran. But new sanctions passed by this Congress, at this
moment in time, will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails – alienating
America from its allies; and ensuring that Iran starts up its nuclear program
again. It doesn’t make sense. That is why I will veto any new sanctions bill
that threatens to undo this progress. The American people expect us to only go
to war as a last resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom.
Third, we’re looking beyond the issues
that have consumed us in the past to shape the coming century.
No foreign nation, no hacker, should
be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the
privacy of American families, especially our kids. We are making sure our
government integrates intelligence to combat cyber threats, just as we have
done to combat terrorism. And tonight, I urge this Congress to finally pass the
legislation we need to better meet the evolving threat of cyber-attacks, combat
identity theft, and protect our children’s information. If we don’t act, we’ll
leave our nation and our economy vulnerable. If we do, we can continue to
protect the technologies that have unleashed untold opportunities for people
around the globe. In West Africa, our troops, our scientists, our doctors,
our nurses and healthcare workers are rolling back Ebola – saving countless
lives and stopping the spread of disease. I couldn’t be prouder of them, and I
thank this Congress for your bipartisan support of their efforts. But the job
is not yet done – and the world needs to use this lesson to build a more
effective global effort to prevent the spread of future pandemics, invest in
smart development, and eradicate extreme poverty.
In the Asia Pacific, we are
modernizing alliances while making sure that other nations play by the rules –
in how they trade, how they resolve maritime disputes, and how they participate
in meeting common international challenges like nonproliferation and disaster
relief. And no challenge – no challenge – poses a greater threat to future
generations than climate change.
2014 was the planet’s warmest year on
record. Now, one year doesn’t make a trend, but this does – 14 of the 15
warmest years on record have all fallen in the first 15 years of this century.
I’ve heard some folks try to dodge the
evidence by saying they’re not scientists; that we don’t have enough
information to act. Well, I’m not a scientist, either. But you know what – I
know a lot of really good scientists at NASA, and NOAA, and at our major
universities. The best scientists in the world are all telling us that our
activities are changing the climate, and if we do not act forcefully, we’ll
continue to see rising oceans, longer, hotter heat waves, dangerous droughts
and floods, and massive disruptions that can trigger greater migration,
conflict, and hunger around the globe. The Pentagon says that climate change
poses immediate risks to our national security. We should act like it.
That’s why, over the past six years,
we’ve done more than ever before to combat climate change, from the way we
produce energy, to the way we use it. That’s why we’ve set aside more public
lands and waters than any administration in history. And that’s why I will not
let this Congress endanger the health of our children by turning back the clock
on our efforts. I am determined to make sure American leadership drives
international action. In Beijing, we made an historic announcement – the United
States will double the pace at which we cut carbon pollution, and China
committed, for the first time, to limiting their emissions. And because the
world’s two largest economies came together, other nations are now stepping up,
and offering hope that, this year, the world will finally reach an agreement to
protect the one planet we’ve got. There’s one last pillar to our
leadership – and that’s the example of our values.
As Americans, we respect human
dignity, even when we’re threatened, which is why I’ve prohibited torture, and
worked to make sure our use of new technology like drones is properly
constrained. It’s why we speak out against the deplorable anti-Semitism that
has resurfaced in certain parts of the world. It’s why we continue to reject
offensive stereotypes of Muslims – the vast majority of whom share our
commitment to peace. That’s why we defend free speech, and advocate for
political prisoners, and condemn the persecution of women, or religious
minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. We do
these things not only because they’re right, but because they make us safer.
As Americans, we have a profound
commitment to justice – so it makes no sense to spend three million dollars per
prisoner to keep open a prison that the world condemns and terrorists use to
recruit. Since I’ve been President, we’ve worked responsibly to cut the
population of GTMO in half. Now it’s time to finish the job. And I will not
relent in my determination to shut it down. It’s not who we are.
As Americans, we cherish our civil
liberties – and we need to uphold that commitment if we want maximum
cooperation from other countries and industry in our fight against terrorist
networks. So while some have moved on from the debates over our surveillance
programs, I haven’t. As promised, our intelligence agencies have worked hard,
with the recommendations of privacy advocates, to increase transparency and
build more safeguards against potential abuse. And next month, we’ll issue a
report on how we’re keeping our promise to keep our country safe while
strengthening privacy.
Looking to the future instead of the
past. Making sure we match our power with diplomacy, and use force wisely.
Building coalitions to meet new challenges and opportunities. Leading – always
– with the example of our values. That’s what makes us exceptional. That’s what
keeps us strong. And that’s why we must keep striving to hold ourselves to the
highest of standards – our own. You know, just over a decade ago, I gave a
speech in Boston where I said there wasn’t a liberal America, or a conservative
America; a black America or a white America – but a United States of America. I
said this because I had seen it in my own life, in a nation that gave someone
like me a chance; because I grew up in Hawaii, a melting pot of races and
customs; because I made Illinois my home – a state of small towns, rich
farmland, and one of the world’s great cities; a microcosm of the country where
Democrats and Republicans and Independents, good people of every ethnicity and
every faith, share certain bedrock values.
Over the past six years, the pundits
have pointed out more than once that my presidency hasn’t delivered on this
vision. How ironic, they say, that our politics seems more divided than ever.
It’s held up as proof not just of my own flaws – of which there are many – but
also as proof that the vision itself is misguided, and naïve, and that there
are too many people in this town who actually benefit from partisanship and
gridlock for us to ever do anything about it.
I know how tempting such cynicism may
be. But I still think the cynics are wrong.
I still believe that we are one
people. I still believe that together, we can do great things, even when the
odds are long. I believe this because over and over in my six years in office,
I have seen America at its best. I’ve seen the hopeful faces of young graduates
from New York to California; and our newest officers at West Point, Annapolis,
Colorado Springs, and New London. I’ve mourned with grieving families in Tucson
and Newtown; in Boston, West, Texas, and West Virginia. I’ve watched Americans
beat back adversity from the Gulf Coast to the Great Plains; from Midwest
assembly lines to the Mid-Atlantic seaboard. I’ve seen something like gay
marriage go from a wedge issue used to drive us apart to a story of freedom
across our country, a civil right now legal in states that seven in ten
Americans call home.
So I know the good, and optimistic,
and big-hearted generosity of the American people who, every day, live the idea
that we are our brother’s keeper, and our sister’s keeper. And I know they
expect those of us who serve here to set a better example.the question for
those of us here tonight is how we, all of us, can better reflect America’s
hopes. I’ve served in Congress with many of you. I know many of you well. There
are a lot of good people here, on both sides of the aisle. And many of you have
told me that this isn’t what you signed up for – arguing past each other on
cable shows, the constant fundraising, always looking over your shoulder at how
the base will react to every decision.
Imagine if we broke out of these tired
old patterns. Imagine if we did something different.
Understand – a better politics isn’t
one where Democrats abandon their agenda or Republicans simply embrace mine.
A better politics is one where we
appeal to each other’s basic decency instead of our basest fears.
A better politics is one where we
debate without demonizing each other; where we talk issues, and values, and
principles, and facts, rather than “gotcha” moments, or trivial gaffes, or fake
controversies that have nothing to do with people’s daily lives.
A better politics is one where we
spend less time drowning in dark money for ads that pull us into the gutter,
and spend more time lifting young people up, with a sense of purpose and
possibility, and asking them to join in the great mission of building America.
If we’re going to have arguments,
let’s have arguments – but let’s make them debates worthy of this body and
worthy of this country.
We still may not agree on a woman’s
right to choose, but surely we can agree it’s a good thing that teen
pregnancies and abortions are nearing all-time lows, and that every woman
should have access to the health care she needs.
Yes, passions still fly on
immigration, but surely we can all see something of ourselves in the striving
young student, and agree that no one benefits when a hardworking mom is taken
from her child, and that it’s possible to shape a law that upholds our
tradition as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.
We may go at it in campaign season,
but surely we can agree that the right to vote is sacred; that it’s being
denied to too many; and that, on this 50th anniversary of the great march from
Selma to Montgomery and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we can come
together, Democrats and Republicans, to make voting easier for every single
American.
We may have different takes on the
events of Ferguson and New York. But surely we can understand a father who
fears his son can’t walk home without being harassed. Surely we can understand
the wife who won’t rest until the police officer she married walks through the
front door at the end of his shift. Surely we can agree it’s a good thing that
for the first time in 40 years, the crime rate and the incarceration rate have
come down together, and use that as a starting point for Democrats and
Republicans, community leaders and law enforcement, to reform America’s
criminal justice system so that it protects and serves us all.
That’s a better politics. That’s how
we start rebuilding trust. That’s how we move this country forward. That’s what
the American people want. That’s what they deserve. I have no more
campaigns to run. My only agenda for the next two years is the same as the one
I’ve had since the day I swore an oath on the steps of this Capitol – to do
what I believe is best for America. If you share the broad vision I outlined
tonight, join me in the work at hand. If you disagree with parts of it, I hope
you’ll at least work with me where you do agree. And I commit to every
Republican here tonight that I will not only seek out your ideas, I will seek
to work with you to make this country stronger.
Because I want this chamber, this
city, to reflect the truth – that for all our blind spots and shortcomings, we
are a people with the strength and generosity of spirit to bridge divides, to
unite in common effort, and help our neighbors, whether down the street or on
the other side of the world.
I want our actions to tell every
child, in every neighborhood: your life matters, and we are as committed to
improving your life chances as we are for our own kids.
I want future generations to know that
we are a people who see our differences as a great gift, that we are a people
who value the dignity and worth of every citizen – man and woman, young and
old, black and white, Latino and Asian, immigrant and Native American, gay and
straight, Americans with mental illness or physical disability.
I want them to grow up in a country
that shows the world what we still know to be true: that we are still more than
a collection of red states and blue states; that we are the United States of
America.
I want them to grow up in a country
where a young mom like Rebekah can sit down and write a letter to her President
with a story to sum up these past six years:
“It is amazing what you can bounce
back from when you have to…we are a strong, tight-knit family who has made it
through some very, very hard times.”
My fellow Americans, we too are a
strong, tight-knit family. We, too, have made it through some hard times.
Fifteen years into this new century, we have picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves
off, and begun again the work of remaking America. We’ve laid a new foundation.
A brighter future is ours to write. Let’s begin this new chapter – together –
and let’s start the work right now.
Thank you, God bless you, and God
bless this country we love.
President Obama's 2015 State of the Union Address
