State of the Union
Members of the Congress, I have the high privilege and the distinct honor presenting to you
The President of the United States
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, my fellow Americans
Tonight marks the eighth year I’ve come here to report on the State of the Union.
And for this final one, I’m going to try to make it shorter.
I know some of you are antsy to get back to Iowa.
I also understand that because it’s an election season,
expectations for what we’ll achieve this year are low.
Still, Mr. Speaker, I appreciate
the constructive approach you and the other leaders took at the end of last year to pass a budget
and make tax cuts permanent for working families.
So I hope we can work together this year
on bipartisan priorities like criminal justice reform, and helping
(clapping)
who are battling prescription drug abuse and heroin abuse.
So, who knows, we just might surprise the cynics again.
But tonight,
I want to go easy on the traditional list of proposals for the year ahead.
Don’t worry, I’ve got plenty,
from helping students learn to write computer code to personalizing medical treatments for patients.
And I’ll keep pushing for progress on the work that still needs to be done
Fixing a broken immigration system
(Cheering)
Protecting our kids from gun violence
(Cheering)
Equal pay for equal work
(Cheering)
paid leave
raising the minimum wage
All these things still matter to hardworking families
they are still the right thing to do
and I will not let up until they get done
But for my final address to this chamber
I don’t want to talk just about next year
I want to focus on the next five years
the next ten years, and beyond
I want to focus on our future
We live in a time of extraordinary change
change that’s reshaping the way we live, the way we work, our planet and our place in the world
It’s change that promises amazing medical breakthroughs
but also economic disruptions that strain working families
It promises education for girls in the most remote villages
but also connects terrorists plotting an ocean away
It’s change that can broaden opportunity,or widen inequality
And whether we like it or not
the pace of this change will only accelerate
America has been through big changes before
wars and depression
the influx of immigrants
workers fighting for a fair deal
and movements to expand civil rights
Each time, there have been those who told us to fear the future
who claimed we could slam the brakes on change
promising to restore past glory if we just got some group or idea that was threatening America under control
And each time, we overcame those fears
We did not
in the words of Lincoln, adhere to the “dogmas of the quiet past.”
Instead we thought anew
and acted anew
We made change work for us
always extending America’s promise outward
to the next frontier, to more people
And because we did
because we saw opportunity where others saw only peril
we emerged stronger and better than before.
What was true then can be true now
Our unique strengths as a nation
our optimism and work ethic, our spirit of discovery
our diversity and commitment to the rule of law
these things give us everything we need to ensure prosperity and security for generations to come
In fact, it’s in that spirit
that we have made progress of these past seven years
that's how we recovered from the worst economic crisis in generations
That’s how we reformed our health care system
and reinvented our energy sector
that's how we delivered more care and benefits to our troops and veterans
that's how we secured the freedom in every state to marry the person we love
But such progress is not inevitable
It is the result of choices we make together
And we face such choices right now
Will we respond to the changes of our time with fear
turning inward as a nation
turning against each other as a people?
Or will we face the future with confidence in who we are
in what we stand for
and the incredible things we can do together?
So let’s talk about the future
and four big questions
that I believe we as a country have to answer
regardless of who the next President is
or who controls the next Congress
First, how do we give everyone a fair shot at opportunity and security in this new economy?
(Clapping)
Second, how do we make technology work for us, and not against us
especially when it comes to solving urgent challenges like climate change?
(clapping)
Third, how do we keep America safe and lead the world without becoming its policeman?
And finally, how can we make our politics reflect what’s best in us, and not what’s worst?
Let me start with the economy, and a basic fact:
the United States of America
right now
has the strongest, most durable economy in the world
(clapping)
We’re in the middle of the longest streak of private-sector job creation in history
(cheering)
More than 14 million new jobs; the strongest two years of job growth since the ‘90s; an unemployment rate cut in half
Our auto industry just had its best year ever
(cheering)
That's just part of the manufacturing surge has created nearly 900,000 new jobs in the past six years
And we’ve done all this while cutting our deficits by almost three-quarters
Anyone claiming that America’s economy is in decline is peddling fiction
Now, What is true
and the reason that a lot of Americans feel anxious
is that the economy has been changing in profound ways
changes that started long before the Great Recession hit, changes that haven’t let up
Today, technology doesn’t just replace jobs on the assembly line
but any job where work can be automated
Companies in a global economy can locate anywhere
and face tougher competition
As a result, workers have less leverage for a raise
Companies have less loyalty to their communities
And more and more wealth and income is concentrated at the very top
All these trends have squeezed workers
even when they have jobs
even when the economy is growing
It’s made it harder for a hardworking family to pull itself out of poverty
harder for young people to start on their careers
tougher for workers to retire when they want to
And although none of these trends are unique to America
they do offend our uniquely American belief that everybody who works hard should get a fair shot
For the past seven years
our goal has been a growing economy that also works better for everybody
We’ve made progress
But we need to make more
And despite all the political arguments we’ve had these past few years
there are some areas where Americans broadly agree
We agree that real opportunity requires every American to get the education and training they need to land a good-paying job
The bipartisan reform of No Child Left Behind was an important start
and together, we’ve increased early childhood education, lifted high school graduation rates to new highs
and boosted graduates in fields like engineering
In the coming years, we should build on that progress
by providing Pre-K for all
offering every student the hands-on computer science and math classes that make them job-ready on day one
we should recruit and support more great teachers for our kids
And we have to make college affordable for every American
no hardworking student should be stuck in the red
We’ve already reduced student loan payments to ten percent of a borrower’s income
and that's good
and now, we’ve actually got to cut the cost of college
(clapping)
Providing two years of community college at no cost for every responsible student
is one of the best ways to do that, and I’m going to keep fighting to get that started this year
It's the right thing to do
(clapping)
a great education isn’t all we need in this new economy
We also need benefits and protections that provide a basic measure of security
it’s not much of a stretch to say that some of the only people in America who are going to work
the same job, in the same place, with a health and retirement package, for 30 years, are sitting in this chamber
For everyone else, especially folks in their forties and fifties
saving for retirement or bouncing back from job loss has gotten a lot tougher
Americans understand that at some point in their careers, in this new economy
they may have to retool and retrain
But they shouldn’t lose what they’ve already worked so hard to build in the process
That’s why Social Security and Medicare are more important than ever
we shouldn’t weaken them, we should strengthen them
(clapping)
And for Americans short of retirement
basic benefits should be just as mobile as everything else is today
That, by the way, is what the Affordable Care Act is all about
It’s about filling the gaps in employer-based care so that when we lose a job
or go back to school
or you strike out and launch that new business
you’ll still have coverage
Nearly eighteen million have gained coverage so far
In the process, . Health care inflation has slowed
And our businesses have created jobs every single month since it became law
Now, I’m guessing we won’t agree on health care anytime soon
But there should be other ways parties can improve economic security
Say a hardworking American loses his job
we shouldn’t just make sure he can get unemployment insurance
we should make sure
that program encourages him to retrain for a business that’s ready to hire him
If that new job doesn’t pay as much
there should be a system of wage insurance in place
so that he can still pay his bills
And even if he’s going from job to job, he should still be able to save for retirement and take his savings with him
That’s the way we make the new economy work better for everyone
I also know Speaker Ryan has talked about his interest in tackling poverty
America is about giving everybody willing to work a chance, a hand up
and I’d welcome a serious discussion about strategies we can all support
like expanding tax cuts for low-income workers who don't have children
(clapping)
But there are some areas
where we just have to be honest, it has been difficult to find agreement over the last seven years
and a lot of them all under the category of what role the government should play in making sure the system’s not rigged
in favor of the wealthiest and biggest corporations
and it's an honest disagreement
And the American people have a choice to make.
I believe a thriving private sector is the lifeblood of our economy
I think there are outdated regulations that need to be changed
there’s red tape that needs to be cut
But after years of record corporate profits
working families won’t get more opportunity or bigger paychecks
just by letting big banks or big oil or hedge funds make their own rules at everyone else's expense
middle class families are not going to feel more secured because we allowed attacks on collective bargaining to go unanswered
Food Stamp recipients didn’t cause the financial crisis
recklessness on Wall Street did
Immigrants aren’t the reason wages haven’t gone up
those decisions are made in the boardrooms that too often put quarterly earnings over long-term returns
It’s sure not the average family watching tonight that avoids paying taxes through offshore accounts
The point is, I believe in this new economy
workers, start-ups and small businesses need more of a voice, not less
The rules should work for them
and I am not alone in this
And this year I plan to lift up the many businesses who’ve figured out that doing right by their workers, or their customers, or their communities
ends up being good for their shareholders
and I want to spread those best practices across America
that's part of a brighter future
In fact, it turns out, many of our best corporate citizens are also our most creative
This brings me to the second big question we as a country have to answer
how do we reignite that spirit of innovation to meet our biggest challenges?
Sixty years ago, when the Russians beat us into space
we didn’t deny Sputnik was up there
We didn’t argue about the science, or shrink our research and development budget
We built a space program almost overnight, and twelve years later, we were walking on the moon
(cheering)
That spirit of discovery is in our DNA
America is Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers and George Washington Carver.
America is Grace Hopper and Katherine Johnson and Sally Ride
America is every immigrant and entrepreneur from Boston to Austin to Silicon Valley racing to shape a better future
that's who we are
And over the past seven years, we’ve nurtured that spirit
We’ve protected an open internet, and taken bold new steps to get more students and low-income Americans online
We’ve launched next-generation manufacturing hubs
and online tools that give an entrepreneur everything he or she needs to start a business in a single day
But we can do so much more
. Last year, Vice President Biden said that with a new moonshot, America can cure cancer
Last month, he worked with this Congress to give scientists at the National Institutes of Health the strongest resources they’ve had in over a decade
(cheering)
Tonight, I’m announcing a new national effort to get it done
And because he’s gone to the mat for all of us, on so many issues over the past forty years, I’m putting Joe in charge of Mission Control.
For the loved ones we’ve all lost, for the family we can still save, let’s make America the country that cures cancer once and for all
(cheering)
What do yo say, Joe?
(cheering)
Medical research is critical. We need the same level of commitment when it comes to developing clean energy sources.
Look, if anybody still wants to dispute the science around climate change, have at it. You will be pretty lonely.
Because you will be debating our military, most of America's business leaders, the majority of the American people, almost the entire scientific community and two hundred nations around the world who agree it's a problem and intend to solve it.
But even if the planet wasn't at stake, even if 2014 wasn't the warmest year on record, until 2015, turned out to be even hotter, why would we want to pass up the chance for American businesses the chance to produce and sell the energy of the future.
(cheering)
Listen, seven years ago we made the single biggest investment in clean energy in our history. Here are the results. In fields from Iowa to Texas, wind power is now cheaper than dirtier conventional power.
On rooftops from Arizona to New York solar is saving Americans tens of millions of dollars a year on their energy bills.
And employs more Americans than coal in jobs that pay better than average. We are taking steps to give homeowners the freedom to generate and store their own energy.
Something by the way, environmentalists and tea partyer's have teamed up to support.
Meanwhile we have cut our imports of foreign oil by nearly 60 percent and cut carbon pollution more than any other country on earth.
(clapping)
Gas under two bucks a gallon ain't bad either.
(cheering)
Now we've got to accelerate the transition away from old dirtier energy sources.
Rather than subsidize the past we should invest in the future. Especially in communities that rely on fossil fuels.
We do them no favor when we don't show them where the trends are going.
And that's why I'm going to push to change the way we manage our oil and coal resources so that they better reflect the cost they impose on taxpayers and our planet.
And that way we put money back into those communities and put tens of thousands of Americans to work building a 21st century transportation system.
Now, none of this is going to happen overnight. And yes, there are plenty of entrenched interests who want to protect the status quo.
But the jobs we'll create, the money we'll save, the planet we'll preserve, that is the kind of future our kids and grand kids deserve.
And it's within our grasp. And climate change is one of many issues where our security is linked to the rest of the world.
And that's why the third big question that we have to answer together is how to keep America safe and strong without either isolating ourselves or trying to nation build where ever there's a problem.
I told you earlier all the talk of America's economic decline is political hot air. Well so is all the rhetoric you hear of our enemies getting stronger and America getting weaker, let me tell you something.
The Untied States of America is the most powerful nation on earth. Period. Period. It's not even close.
(clapping)
It's not even close. It's not even close. We spend more on our military than the next eight nations combined. Our troops are the finest fighting force in the history of the world.
(clapping and cheering and standing ovation)
No nation attacks us directly or our allies because they know that is the path to ruin. Surveys show our standing around the world is higher than when I was elected to this office.
And when it comes to every important issue people of the world do not look to Moscow or Beijing to lead they call us.
(clapping)
So I think its useful to level said here, because when we don't we don't make good decisions. Now someone who begins everyday with an intelligence briefing, I know this is a dangerous time.
But that's not primarily because of some looming super power that out there and it's certainly not because of diminished American strength.
In today's world we are threatened less by evil empires and more by failing states. The middle east is going through a transformation that will play out for a generation.
Rooted in conflicts that date back millennium. Economic headwinds are blowing in from a Chinese economy that is in significant transition.
Even as their economy severely contracts, Russia is pouring resources into prop up Ukraine and Syria, states that they saw slipping away from their orbit.
And the international system we built after World War II is struggling to keep pace with this new reality. It's up to us, the United States of America to help remake that system.
And to do that well, it means that we've got to set priorities. Priority number one is protecting the American people and going after terrorists networks.
(clapping)
Both Al cida and now Isel pose a direct threat to out people because in today's world even a handful of terrorists who place no value on human life including their own can do a lot of damage.
They use the internet to poison the minds of individuals inside our country. There actions undermine and destabilize our allies. We have to take them out.
But as we focus on destroying Isel over the top claims that this is World War III, just play into their hands. Masses of fighters on the back of pickup trucks, twisted souls plotting in apartments or garages they pose an enormous danger to civilians.
They have to be stopped. But they do not threaten our national existence. That is the story Isel want to tell. That is the propaganda they use to recruit.
We don't need to build them up to show them were serious. And we sure don't need to push away vital allies in this fight by echoing the lie that Isel is somehow the representative of one of the world's largest religions.
(clapping)
We just need to call them what they are. Killers and fanatics. Who have to be rooted out, hunted down and destroyed.
(clapping)
And that is exactly what we're doing. For more than a year, America has led a coalition of more than 60 countries to cut off Isel's financing, disrupt their plots, stop the flow of terrorist fighters and stamp out their vicious ideology.
With nearly ten thousand air strikes, we are taking out their leadership, their oil, their training camps, their weapons. We are training, arming and supporting forces who are steadly reclaiming territory in Iraq and Syria.
If this congress is serious about winning this war and wants to end a message to our troops and the world, authorize the use of military force against Isel. Take a vote. Take a vote.
(clapping)
But the American people should know, that with or without congressional act, Isel will learn the same lessons as terrorists before them.
If you doubt America's commitment or mine to see that justice is done, just ask Osama Bin Laden. Ask the Leader of Akida Yemen who was taken out last year.
Or the perpetrator of the Benghazi attack who sits in a prison cell. When you come after Americans, we come after you.
It may take time, but we have long memories and our reach has no limits.
(clapping)
Our foreign policy has to be focused on the threat of Isel and Alkida. But it can't stop there. For even without Isel, even without Alkida, instability will continue for decades in many parts of the world.
In the Middle East, in Afghanistan, parts of Pakistan, in parts of Central America and Africa and Asia, some of these places may become safe havens for new terrorists networks.
Others will just fall victim to ethnic conflict or famine, feeding the next wave of refugees. The world will look us to help solve these problems.
And our answer needs to be more than tough talk. Or calls to carpet bomb civilians. That may work as a TV sound byte, but it doesn't pass muster on the world stage.
We also can't take over and rebuild every country that falls into crisis. Even if it is done with the best of intentions. That is not leadership.
That is a recipe for quagmire, spilling American blood and treasure that ultimately will weaken us. It is the lesson of Vietnam.
It's the lesson of Iraq and we should have learned it by know. Now fortunately there is a smarter approach. A patient and disciplined strategy that uses every element of our national power.
It says America will always act alone if necessary to protect our people and our allies. But on issues of global concern, we will mobilize the world to work with us and make sure other countries pull their own weight.
That is our approach for conflicts like Syria, where we are partnering with local forces and leading international efforts, to help that broken society pursue a lasting peace.
That is why we built a global coalition with sanctions and principled diplomacy to prevent a nuclear armed Iran and as we speak, Iran has rolled back its nuclear program, shipped out its Uranium stockpile and the world has avoided another war.
That's how, that's how we stopped this spread of Eboli in West Africa. Our military, our doctors, our development workers, they were heroic, they set up the platform that then allowed other countries to join in behind us and stamp out that epidemic.
Hundreds of thousands, maybe a couple million lives were saved. That is how we forged a transpacific partnership to open markets, and protect workers in the environment and advance American leadership in Asia.
It cuts 18,000 taxes on products made in America. Which will then support more good jobs here in America. With TTP China does not set the rules in that region, we do.
You want to show our strength in this new century, approve this agreement, give us the tools to enforce it. its the right thing to do.
Let me give you another example. Fifty years of isolation in Cuba had failed to promote democracy, it set us back in land America, that's why we restored diplomatic relations, open the door to travel and commerce, position ourselves to improve the lives of the Cuban people.
(clapping)
So if you want to consolidate our leadership and credibility in the hemisphere, recognize that the Cold War is over, lift the embargo. (clapping) The point is, American leadership in the 21st century is not a choice between ignoring the rest of the world, except when we kill terrorists or occupying and rebuilding whatever society is unraveling.
Leadership means a wise application of military power and rallying the world behind the causes that are right. It means seeing our foreign assistance as a part of our national security, not something separate, not charity.
When we lead nearly two hundred nations to the most ambitious agreement in history to fight climate change , yes that helps vulnerable countries but it also protects our kids.
When we help Ukraine defend its democracy or Columbia resolve a decades long war, that strengthens the international order we depend on.
When we help African countries feed their people and care for the sick, its the right thing to do and it prevents the next pandemic from reaching our shores.
Right now we are on track to end the scourge of HIV Aids, that's within our grasp and we have the chance to accomplish the same thing with malaria, something I will be pushing congress to fund this year.
(clapping)
That's American strength, that's American leadership. And that kind of leadership depends on the power of our example. That's why I will keep working to shut down the prison at Guantanamo. It is expensive, it is unnecessary and it only serves as a recruitment brochure for our enemies. There is a better way.
(clapping)
And that' why we need to reject any politics, and politics, that targets people because of race, or religion. (clapping). But let me just say this, This is not a matter of political correctness. This is a matter of understanding just what it is that makes us strong.
The world respects us not just for our arsenal, it respects us for our diversity. And our openness and the way we respect everything.
His holiness Pope Francis told this body from the very spot that I am standing on tonight, that to imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place.
When politicians insult musselims whether abroad or our fellow citizens, when a mosque is vandalized, or a kid is called names, that doesn't make us safer. That's not telling it like it is. It is just wrong. It diminishes us in the eyes of the world. It makes it harder to achieve our goals. It betrays who we are as a country.
(clapping and cheering, standing ovation)
We the people, our constitution begins with those simple words. Words we've come to recognize mean all the people, not just some. Words that insist that we rise and fall together. That that's how we might perfect our youth.
And that brings me to the fourth and maybe most important thing I want to say tonight. The future we want, all of us want, opportunity and security for our families, a rising standard of living, a sustainable peaceful planet for our kids, all that is within our reach.
But it will only happen if we work together, it will only happen if we can have rational, constructive debates, it will only happen if we fix our politics.
A better politics doesn't mean we have to agree on everything. It is a big country, different regions, different attitudes, different interests, that is one of our strengths too.
Our founders distributed power between states and branches of government and expected us to argue, just as they did, fiercely, over the size and shape of government.
Over commerce and foreign relations. Over the meaning of liberty and the imperatives of security. But democracy does require basic bonds of trust between its citizens.
It doesn't work, if we think the people who disagree with us are all motivated by malice. It doesn't work if our political opponets are unpatriotic or trying to weaken America.
Democracy grinds to a halt without a willingness to compromise, or when even basic facts are contested, or when we listen only to those who agree with us.
Our public life withers, when only the most extreme voices get all the attention. And most of all democracy breaks down when the average person feels their voice doesn't matter.
That the system is rigged in favor of the rich or the powerful or some special interest. Too many Americans feel that way right now. It's one of the few regrets of my presidency, that the rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better.
I have no doubt that a president with the gifts of Lincoln or Roosevelt might have better bridged the divide. And I guarantee I'll continue to try to make it better so long as I hold this office.
But my fellow Americans, this cannot be my task, or any president's alone. There are a whole lot of folks in this chamber, good people, who would like to see more cooperation. Who would like to see a more elevated debate in Washington.
But feel trapped by the imperatives of getting elected. By the noise coming out of the base. I know, you've told me. Its the worse kept secret in Washington, and a lot of you aren't enjoying being trapped in that kind of rank.
But that means that if we want a better politics, and I'm addressing the American people now, if we want a better politics, its not enough to change a congressman, or change a senator, or even change the President, we have to change the system to reflect our better selves.
I think we've got to end the practice of drawing our congressional districts so that politicians can pick their voters and not the other way around.
(clapping)
Let a bipartisanship group do it. I believe we've got to reduce the influence of money in our politics so that a handful of families of hidden interest can't bankroll our elections.
(clapping)
And If our existing approach to campaign finance reform can't pass muster in the courts, we need to work together to find a real solution, because it's a problem. And most of you don't like raising money.
I know, I've done it. We've got to make it easier to vote, not harder. We need to modernize it for the way we live now. (clapping) This is America, we want to make it easier for people to participate. And over the course of this year, I intend to travel the country to push for reforms to do just that.
But I can't do these things on my own. Changes in our political process. And not just who gets elected, but how they get elected. That will only happen when the American people demand it. It depends on you.
That's what meant by a government of, by and for the people. What I'm suggesting is hard. It's a lot easier to be cynical. To accept that change is not possible, and politics is hopeless.
And the problem is, all the folks elected don't care And to believe that our voices and actions don't matter. But if we give up now then we forsake a better future.
Those with money and power will gain greater control over the decisions that could send a young soldier to war or allow another economic disaster, or roll back the equal rights and voting rights that generations of Americans have fought and even died to secure.
And then as frustration grows, there will be voices urging us to fall back into our respective tribes. To scapegoat fellow citizens who don't look like us or pray like us or vote like we do or share the same background.
We can't afford to go down that path. It won't deliver the economy we want. It woun't produce the security we want, But most of all it contradicts everything that makes us the envy of the world.
So my fellow AMerican, whatever you believe, Whether you prefer one party or no party, whether you support my agenda or fough as hard as you could against it, our collective futures depend on your willingness to uphold your duties as a citizen.
To vote, to speak out, to stand out for others, escpeially the weak, especially the vulnerable. Knowing that each of us is here because somebody somewhere stood us for us.
(clapping)
We need every American to stay active in our public life and not just during election time, so that our public life reflects the goodness and the decency that I see in the American people every single day.
It is not easy, our brand of democracy is hard. But I can promise that a little over a year from now when I no longer hold this office that I will be right there with you as a citizen, inspired by those voices of fairness and vision, of grit and good humor and kindness that have helped Americans travel so far.
Voices that help see ourselves not first and foremost as black and white, Asian or Latino, not as gay or straight, immigrant or native born, not democrat or republican, but as Americans first, bound by a common creed.
Voices Dr. King believed would have the final word. Voices of unarmed truth and unconditional love. And there out there, those voices, they don't get a lot of attention, they don't seek a lot of fanfare, but there busy doing the work this country needs doing.
I see them everywhere I travel in this incredible country of ours. I see you, the American people, and in your daily acts of citizenship, I see our future unfolding.
I see it in the worker around the assembly line who clocked extra shifts to keep the company open. And the boss who paqys them higher wages instead of laying them off. I see it in the dreamer who stays up late at night to finish her science project.
And the teacher who comes in early, maybe with some extra supplies she bought because she knows that that young girl might someday cure a disease.
I see it in the American who served his time, made bad mistakes as a child but now is dreaming of starting over. And I see it in the business owner who gives him that second chance. The protester determined to prove that justice mattes and the young cop walking the beat, treating everybody with respect.
Doing the work of keeping us safe. I see it in the soldier who gives almost everything to save his brothers, the nurse who tends to him so he can run a marathon, the community that lines up to cheer him on. It's the son who finds the courage to come out as who is his, and the father whose love for that son overrides everything hes been taught.
I see it in the elderly woman who will wait in line to cast her vote as long as she has to, the new citizen who casts his vote for the first time, the volunteer at the polls who believe that every vote should count, because each of them in different ways know how much that precious right to vote is worth.
That's the America I know. That's the country we love. Clear eyed, big hearted, undaunted by challenge, optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. That's what makes me so hopeful about our future. I believe in change, because I believe in you. The American people. And that's why I stand here as confident as I have ever been.
That the state of our union is strong. (clapping)
Thank you. God bless you. Gold bless the United States of America.
(clapping, cheering, standing ovation)
PRÄSIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Herr. Sprecher, Herr. Vizepräsident, Mitglieder des Kongresses, my fellow Americans: Kennzeichnet heute abend über das achte Jahr, das ich hergekommen bin, über den Zustand des Anschlußes zu berichten. Und für dieses abschließende, werde ich versuchen, es kürzer zu bilden.
Ich weiß, daß etwas von Ihnen antsy sind, zurück zu Iowa zu erhalten. Ich verstehe auch, daß, weil es ist, eine Wahljahreszeit, Erwartungen für, was wir dieses Jahr erzielen, seien Sie niedrig.
Noch Herr. Lautsprecher, schätze ich die konstruktive Annäherung Sie und die anderen Führer nahmen am Ende des letzten Jahres, um einen Etat zu führen und Steuerschnitte dauerhaft zu bilden für Arbeitsfamilien. So hoffe ich, daß wir zusammen bearbeiten können dieses Jahr auf zwei Parteien zugehörigen Prioritäten wie krimineller Gerechtigkeitverbesserung und die helfenden Leute, die Verordnungdrogemißbrauch kämpfen.
Wir konnten die Zyniker gerade wieder überraschen. Aber heute abend, möchte ich auf der traditionellen Liste der Anträge für das Jahr voran einfach gehen. Sorgen Sie sich nicht, ich haben viel, von helfenden Kursteilnehmern erlernen, Computercode zum Personifizieren der ärztlichen Behandlungen für Patienten zu schreiben. Und ich halte, für Fortschritt auf der Arbeit zu drücken, die noch tun muß. Reparieren eines defekten Immigrationsystems.
Schützen unserer Zicklein vor Waffengewalt. Gleiche Bezahlung für gleiche Arbeit, bezahlter Urlaub, den minimalen Lohn anhebend. Alle diese Sachen machen noch zu den fleißigen Familien aus; sie sind noch die rechte Sache, zum zu tun; und ich lasse nicht oben, bis sie getan erhalten. Aber für meinen Schlußvortrag zu diesem Raum, möchte ich nicht gerade über das folgende Jahr sprechen. Ich möchte auf die folgenden fünf Jahre, 10 Jahre konzentrieren und jenseits
Ich möchte auf unsere Zukunft konzentrieren. Wir leben in einer Zeit der außerordentlichen änderung - ändern Sie, die die Weise umgestaltet, die, wir leben, die Weise wir bearbeiten, unser Planet und unser Platz in der Welt. Es ist änderung, die überraschende medizinische Durchbrüche verspricht, aber auch ökonomische Unterbrechungen, die Arbeitsfamilien belasten. Es verspricht Ausbildung für Mädchen in den entferntdörfern, aber schließt auch die Terroristen an, die weg einen Ozean plotten. Es ist änderung, die Gelegenheit erweitern kann, oder verbreitert Verschiedenheit. Und ob wir es oder nicht mögen, beschleunigen der Schritt dieses änderung Willen nur.
Amerika ist durch grosse änderungen vor - Kriege und Tiefstand, der Zufluß der Immigranten, die Arbeiter, die für ein angemessenes Abkommen kämpfen, und Bewegungen, um Zivilrechte zu erweitern gewesen. Jedesmal wenn, es die gegeben hat, die uns baten, die Zukunft zu fürchten; wer behauptete, könnten wir die Bremsen auf der änderung zuschlagen und versprechen an der Wiederherstellung hinter Ruhm, wenn wir gerade irgendeine Gruppe oder Idee erhielten, die Amerika unter Steuerung bedrohten. Und jedesmal, überwanden wir jene Furcht. Wir nicht, in den Wörtern von Lincoln, die „Dogmen der Ruhe hinter zu befolgen.“ Stattdessen dachten wir von neuem und fungierten von neuem.
Wir nahmen änderung vor, für uns zu arbeiten und immer außerhalb verlängerten Versprechung Amerikas, auf die folgende Grenze, immer mehr an den Leuten. Und weil wir - weil wir Gelegenheit sahen, in der andere nur Gefahr sahen - wir tauchten stärker auf und verbessern als vorher. Was dann zutreffend war, können zutreffend jetzt sein. Unsere einzigartigen Stärken als Nation - unsere Optimismus- und Arbeitsethik, unser Geist der Entdeckung und der Innovation, unsere Verschiedenartigkeit und Verpflichtung gegenüber dem Rechtsgrundsatz - diese Sachen geben uns alles, das wir Wohlstand und Sicherheit sicherstellen müssen, damit Erzeugungen kommen.
Tatsächlich ist es dieser Geist, der den Fortschritt von diesen letzten sieben Jahren ermöglichte. Es ist, wie wir von der schlechtesten Wirtschaftskrise in den Erzeugungen erholten.
Es ist, wie wir unser Gesundheitspflegesystem verbesserten, und reinvented unseren Energiesektor; wie wir mehr Obacht und Nutzen an unsere Truppen und Veterane lieferten und wie wir die Freiheit in jedem Zustand sicherten, um die Person zu heiraten, lieben wir.
Aber solcher Fortschritt ist nicht unvermeidlich. Es ist das Resultat der Wahlen, die wir zusammen treffen. Und wir stellen solche Wahlen im Augenblick gegenüber. Reagieren drehen wir auf die änderungen unserer Zeit mit Furcht, Inneren als Nation, und gegeneinander drehen als Leute? Für oder stellen wir die Zukunft im Vertrauen in wem wir sind, was wir stehen, und die unglaublichen Sachen gegenüber, die wir zusammen tun können?
Lassen Sie uns die Zukunft und über vier grosse Fragen so sprechen, die wir, während ein Land antworten müssen - unabhängig davon, wem der folgende Präsident ist, oder die den folgenden Kongreß steuert. Zuerst wie, geben wir jeder einen angemessenen Schuß an der Gelegenheit und an s
Zweitens, wie bilden wir Technologiearbeit für uns und nicht gegen uns - besonders wann sie kommt zum Lösen der dringenden Herausforderungen wie Klimaänderung? Drittens, wie halten wir Amerika sicher und führen die Welt, ohne sein Polizist zu werden? Und schließlich, wie können wir unsere Politiken reflektieren lassen, was in uns am besten ist, und nicht was ist am schlechtesten?
Lassen Sie mich mit der Wirtschaft beginnen und eine grundlegende Tatsache: die Staaten von Amerika haben im Augenblick das stärkste, die meiste haltbare Wirtschaft in der Welt. Wir sind mitten in dem längsten Streifen der Privatsektor Schaffung von Arbeitsplätzen in der Geschichte. Mehr als 14 Million neue Jobs; die stärksten zwei Jahre des Jobwachstums seit dem `90s; eine Arbeitslosigkeit Rate beinahe eingeschnitten. Unsere Selbstindustrie hatte gerade sein bestes Jahr überhaupt. Herstellung hat fast 900.000 neue Jobs in den letzten sechs Jahren verursacht. Und wir haben alles dieses beim Schnitt unseres Defizits durch fast Dreiviertel getan.
Jedermann, das behauptet, daß Wirtschaft Amerikas in der Abnahme ist, feilbietet Erfindung. Was zutreffend ist - und der Grund daß eine Menge Amerikanergefühl besorgt - ist, daß die Wirtschaft in den profunden Weisen geändert hat, änderungen, die begannen, lange zuvor die große Rezession schlug und nicht oben gelassen hat. Heute ersetzt Technologie gerade Jobs auf dem Fließband, aber keinen Job, in dem Arbeit automatisiert werden kann. Firmen in einer globalen Wirtschaft können überall finden und stellen härtere Konkurrenz gegenüber.
Infolgedessen haben Arbeiter weniger Hebelkraft für eine Erhöhung. Firmen haben weniger Loyalität zu ihren Gemeinschaften. Und immer mehr wird Fülle und Einkommen an der Oberseite konzentriert. Alle diese Tendenzen haben Arbeiter zusammengedrückt, selbst wenn sie Jobs haben; selbst wenn die Wirtschaft wächst. Es hat es härter gebildet, damit eine fleißige Familie Armut sich herauszieht, härter, damit junge Leute auf ihren Karrieren beginnen, und haltbarer, damit Arbeiter sich zurückziehen, wenn sie zu wünschen. Und obgleich keine dieser Tendenzen nach Amerika einzigartig sind, beleidigen sie unseren einzigartig amerikanischen Glauben, den jeder, die stark arbeitet, erhalten sollte einem angemessenen Schuß.
Für die letzten sieben Jahre ist unser Ziel eine wachsende Wirtschaft gewesen, die besser für jeder arbeitet. Wir haben Fortschritt gebildet. Aber wir müssen mehr bilden. Und trotz aller politischen Argumente haben wir diese letzten Jahre, dort sind etwas Bereiche gehabt, in denen Amerikaner breit zustimmen. Wir stimmen darin überein, daß reale Gelegenheit jeden Amerikaner erfordert, die Ausbildung zu erhalten und Training, die sie einen gut-zahlenden Job landen müssen. Die zwei Parteien zugehörige Verbesserung ohne das Kind, das nach gelassen wurde, war ein wichtiger Anfang und zusammen, haben wir frühe Kindheitausbildung, angehobene AbiturRate zu den neuen Höhen erhöht, und aufgeladene Absolvent fängt innen wie Technik auf. In den kommenden Jahren sollten wir auf diesem Fortschritt errichten, indem wir Pre-K für alle
zur Verfügung stellen und jedem Kursteilnehmer die praktischen Informatik- und Mathekategorien anbieten, die sie Job-bereit an Tag einer bilden, und wir sollten grössere Lehrer für unsere Zicklein einziehen und stützen.
Und wir müssen Hochschule erschwinglich bilden für jeden Amerikaner.
Weil kein fleißiger Kursteilnehmer im Rot gehaftet werden sollte. Wir haben bereits Kursteilnehmerdarlehenzahlungen auf 10 Prozent Einkommen eines Geldnehmers verringert. Jetzt haben wir wirklich erhalten, die Kosten der Hochschule zu schneiden.
Zwei Jahre der Volkshochschule an keinen Kosten für jeden verantwortlichen Kursteilnehmer zur Verfügung zu stellen ist eine der besten Weisen, das zu tun, und ich werde zu kämpfen halten, um dieses zu erhalten begonnen dieses Jahr
Selbstverständlich ist eine große Ausbildung nicht alle, die wir in dieser neuen Wirtschaft benötigen. Wir benötigen auch Nutzen und Schutze, die ein grundlegendes Maß Sicherheit liefern. Schließlich ist es nicht viel einer Ausdehnung, zum zu sagen, daß einige der einzigen Leute in Amerika, die den gleichen Job, im gleichen Platz, mit einer Gesundheit bearbeiten werden und Ruhestandpaket, für 30 Jahre, in diesem Raum sitzen.
Für jeder sonst, hat besonders Völker in ihren Forties und die fünfziger Jahre, speichernd für Ruhestand oder vom Jobverlust zurück aufprallend viel haltbarer erhalten. Amerikaner verstehen, daß an etwas Punkt in ihren Karrieren, sie müssen retool und zu umschulen können. Aber sie sollten nicht verlieren, was sie bereits so stark gearbeitet haben, um zu errichten. Das ist, warum Sozialversicherung und Medicare wichtiger als überhaupt sind; wir sollten nicht sie schwächen, wir sollten sie verstärken.
Und für Amerikaner schließen Sie vom Ruhestand kurz, grundlegend ist