Obama's State of the Union Speech

One nation one people. Obama started off taking the listeners back through our countries history. He compared our recession to the different wars and struggles our country has embraces and said that we were now being called on again. He didn’t try to mask or glorify the position that the Untied States is currently in, instead he explained how one in ten Americans can still not find jobs, and although he had always promised change to the country, he admitted that it has not come fast enough for some people. Obama seemed to be truly disappointed in himself that he was not able to assist the country in reaching their common goals of success. He shows respect for the issues that have yet to be solved but are still being worked on. He continually shows the hope he has for our country while trying to exam the importance of our union. It was interesting how he explains how together both the republicans and the democrats felt upset about the bank payout situation. Obama tried to create a common enemy that worked to bring the people together for the start of Obama’s speech. He wanted the unity that our country was once centered upon. Obama tried to continue the bond by explaining his solution and what was already being done to regain the money that had been taken. The floor seemed to be united until Obama explained that he hadn’t gotten all of the money back yet. And his ideas on gaining and spending that money is what divided the people. His strong opening of union and fighting as one people was forgotten when he reached this part of his speech.
He then went over all of the things he had done thus far in his term. The explanation of his progress seemed to be intended to erase his confession, “change has not come fast enough.” Obama explained the tax cuts he had offered and the jobs he had provided, and finished by sharing that he hadn’t raise anyone’s taxes. These acts of progress were all part of the recovery act. This was his introduction for his plans of “Change” (because we’ve never heard that before). He transitioned into his plans of slashing tax rates, preventing monie from being sent overseas, supporting small business, and creating new, clean, energy efficient nuclear power plants. When these ideas were dropped it hardly seemed believeable that these people were all from the same country. The drastic difference of opinions was displayed beautifully by the bodies standing up and cheering, or the ones the sitting in their chairs and looking away in disgust. It seemed ironic that a speech that opened with unity was reaching a middle with a rivalry.
The crowd was clearly emotional and divided at this point, so it makes more than enough sense that Obama brought the speech back to the union of the country. He worked to please his way back into the peaceful hearts of the people, but it was clear that the people were already emotional. Although they shared some agreements throughout the speech for the most part they seemed to be on two different planets. He entered with a positive outlook that seemed to be contagious among the democrats. After addressing other issues he wanted the people to go back and reflect and see that it is not only our economy that is in trouble. It is not just our digits behind our dollar sign but rather our sprit for our country. The country needs to find this hope that Obama is continually working on to spread to all of us.