TNI Bureau: US President Barack Obama vowed to boost job creation and strengthen the middle class in the country. In his State of Union address after winning re-election, he laid out the agenda for the second term of his presidency focusing on the expansion of job, early education, and developmental programmes.
In his speech, Obama said that the US’ economic revival is still an unfinished task. He said to cut the number of troops deployed in Afghanistan in half or a year. He said that his proposals would not increase the deficit. Focusing on the rising number of unemployment in the nation, he said that the number will be dropped in two decades.
“The American people don’t expect government to solve every problem; they don’t expect those of us in this chamber to agree on every issue. But they do expect us to put the nation’s interests before party. They do expect us to forge reasonable compromise where we can. It is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country – the idea that if you work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead, no matter where you come from, what you look like, or who you love,” Obama said, speaking to a joint session of Congress.
Quoting Kennedy, he said, “It is my task to report the State of the Union – to improve it is the task of us all”.
He said that the US have created over six million new jobs years after the recession. He was happy that more American cars were bought in five years and less foreign oil has been imported.
He revealed that the Housing market is healing, stock market is rebounding & consumers, patients & homeowners are enjoying stronger protections after the slow economy. He agreed that even though the economy is improving, but many Americans are still unemployed. He said that the issue needs to be solved first.
Even though, corporate profits have rocketed to all-time highs, but for more than a decade, wages and incomes have been reduced. “Therefore, It is our generation’s task, then, to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth – a rising, thriving middle class”, he said.
He said that the responsibility of improving the Union remains the task of us all. He praised both parties that have worked together to reduce the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion. However, the parties need to meet the goal of $4 trillion in deficit reduction.
The modest economy reforms will benefit the middle class people, who take entire burden of deficit reduction while asking nothing more from the wealthiest.
Obama asked all the parties to put their interests aside and work together to pass a budget that proposed to replace the cuts with smart savings and wise investments.