Assignment #9 SOTU Prediction Evaluation

               President Barack Obama’s fourth State of the Union address seemed predictable to me.

                Social issues were going to take the forefront, or so I thought.

                While there was ample time given on topics such as gun control and immigration throughout the speech, the economy was addressed to a much greater degree than I thought it would be.

                The president was very detailed in the plans and proposals he has in store with the economy in mind.

                Equal pay for women, raising the national minimum wage and tax reform were all key points that the present addressed.

                A “fix it first” program was introduced during the State of the Union that calls upon putting people to work on our nation’s most urgent repairs, which includes nearly 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country.

                The subject of education was one that I didn’t see coming in this address.

                The president called children the most precious resource and made an offer to develop that resource.

                President Obama proposed working with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America.

                Higher education was also targeted by the president. The president is challenging high schools across America to better equip graduates for the demands of a high tech economy.

                The administration is also releasing a new college scorecard on Feb 13. where parents and students can go and see which colleges will give the most band for their educational buck.  

                The president also called on changes to the Higher Education Act so affordability and value play a role in determine which colleges receive certain types of federal aid.

Defense and the United States’ military involvement in Afghanistan was a topic I didn’t predict would be a part of the State of the Union.

The president announced the return of 34,000 troops from Afghanistan in the coming year and a change into a supporting role in Afghanistan. President Obama also called for the end of the war in Afghanistan by next year.

                A pledge to lead the effort to prevent the spread of the world’s most dangerous weapons was renewed by the president.

                The recent actions by North Korea would only lead them into further isolation, according to the president.

                Cyber defense was an issue that I did not see coming at all in this address.

                President Obama announced that earlier in the day he had signed an executive order that strengthens cyber defenses and encouraged Congress to pass similar legislation to secure networks and prevent attacks.

                These were all issues that I did not predict would be so prevalent President Obama’s fourth State of the Union.

                Issues such as gun control, immigration, the environment and gay rights were predicted to be included in the address and they were found, although the majority of these issues were used to close the address.

                Climate change was heavily endorsed by the president as an overwhelming judgment of science. Congress was urged to persue a bi-partisan, market solution to climate change.

The president stuck with his stance on energy, calling it the promising investment in America.

                The country was called upon to go all-in on clean energy sources like solar and wind energy.  

                An Energy Security Trust was proposed to drive new research and technology to shift cars and trucks off of oil for good.

                Real reform for immigration including tightening border security, establishing a responsible pathway to earned citizenship and fixing the immigration system to cut waiting periods was met with bi-partisan approval in the council chamber.

                President Obama asked for a comprehensive immigration bill to be sent to his desk in the next few months that he will sign right away.

                Gay rights were not mentioned as much as I thought it would be during the State of the Union. The president seemed to lead on during his Inauguration speech that it would be a topic that would be elaborated on in greater detail.

                It was hardly mentioned at all, save for the part ensuring equal benefits for both gay and straight service members. I was surprised there wasn’t more information given by the president involving potential gay rights reform.

                The issue with the most buzz going into the State of the Union was gun control. President Obama seemed to know that, saving his rhetoric on it for the end of the address.

                In one of the most emotional moments I have ever witnessed, President Obama told the story of Hadiya Pendleton, the girl from Chicago who had performed at his Inauguration. Pendleton was shot and killed just a mile from the president’s house in Chicago.

                President Obama then proceeded to mention many recent cases involving gun violence, saying simply that these people deserved a vote on gun control reform. The room reached a fever pitch as the president advanced through the names and communities effected by gun violence. Gabby Giffords, Newtown, Aurora and Blacksburg among others were all mentioned by the president.

                The State of the Union concluded with a challenge as most of President Obama’s speeches in the past. Americans were challenged to be the authors of the next great chapter in our nation’s history.

                There were many aspects of the State of the Union that I did not predict. The emphasis on the economy took me by surprise, as well as the lack of rhetoric surrounding gay rights.

                The address was in many ways unpredictable to me, but it was also unforgettable.

               

Social Issues predicted to take Center Stage at State of the Union Address

President Barack Obama will emphasize gun control, immigration and gay rights during his State of the Union address.

The Feb 12 address will be his fourth State of the Union. Obama will give his constitutionally required report on how the country is doing and the direction in which he wants to take the nation.

The recent events involving gun violence in the United States makes the discussion of gun control and regulation to be a virtual certainty.

The tragedy of the events that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut is still fresh in the minds of Americans and with the recent passage of gun control laws in New York, the president should be expected to make a proposal of his own on the federal level.

This will be the first State of the Union delivered by President Obama when gun control is a primary issue.

Another issue in this year’s address is the topic of immigration.

The president has said now’s the time to overhaul immigration laws in the United States.

The news from Washington appears to dictate there is a consensus among both Democratic and Republican leaders to get the ball on immigration reform rolling.

President Obama has discussed the issue of immigration consistently throughout his time in the White House.

The enthusiasm to get immigration reform passed will undoubtedly have an impact on this year’s State of the Union.

A social issue the president will address during the State of the Union is the treatment and rights of gay people. In his 2010 address, the president called for the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

As recently as his inaugural speech the president said, “our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law.”

The prediction the president will discuss gay rights is a safe bet. The bigger prediction is whether the president will come out and endorse marriage equality and rights for gay couples or not.

This will be a different Obama delivered State of the Union when compared with previous addresses because the economy will not be on the forefront. When Obama gave his first State of the Union in 2010, the country was in the midst of one of the most damaging recessions since the Great Depression. The economy had to be the key focus of the president at that time. He also had to worry about re-election.

An issue the president has touched on in every one of the three previous State of the Union addresses is the environment. One of President Obama’s main positions over the past four years has been the research and development of clean energy sources.

The president’s focus has been to become self-sufficient when it comes to energy in this country.
Whether it was exploring offshore areas for oil and gas in 2010, pledging to have 80 percent of the country’s electricity come from clean energy sources in 2011 or pursuing natural gas through fracking in 2012, Obama has placed a priority on the environment.

There will not be a change in 2013.

The first State of the Union of Barack Obama’s second term comes under a different set of issues and circumstances than any of the previous three.

The country is moving forward from the shadow of economic recession and approaching more social issues like gun control, immigration and gay rights reform. These topics make the content of the speech predictable, but to what detail the president discusses them will be ultimate prediction.

In winning a second term, President Obama has also won the ability to establish his viewpoints without the pressing of a coming election. This new freedom sets the stage for a historic speech on Feb. 12.