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TEXT FROM THE WASHINGTON
POST
Mr.
Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and
fellow Americans:
Last
month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last
troops to serve in Iraq. Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the
colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought – and
several thousand gave their lives.
We
gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United
States safer and more respected around the world. For the first time in nine
years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq. For the first time in two
decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country. Most of al Qaeda’s
top lieutenants have been defeated. The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and
some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.
These
achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of
America’s Armed Forces. At a time when too many of our institutions have let us
down, they exceed all expectations. They’re not consumed with personal
ambition. They don’t obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission
at hand. They work together.
Imagine
what we could accomplish if we followed their example. Think about the America
within our reach: A country that leads the world in educating its people. An
America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying
jobs. A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and
prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to
last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.
We
can do this. I know we can, because we’ve done it before. At the end of World
War II, when another generation of heroes returned home from combat, they built
the strongest economy and middle class the world has ever known. My
grandfather, a veteran of Patton’s Army, got the chance to go to college on the
GI Bill. My grandmother, who worked on a bomber assembly line, was part of a
workforce that turned out the best products on Earth.
The
two of them shared the optimism of a Nation that had triumphed over a
depression and fascism. They understood they were part of something larger;
that they were contributing to a story of success that every American had a
chance to share – the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could
do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and
put a little away for retirement.
The
defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is
more urgent. No debate is more important. We can either settle for a country
where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of
Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a
fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set
of rules. What’s at stake are not Democratic values or Republican values, but
American values. We have to reclaim them.
Let’s
remember how we got here. Long before the recession, jobs and manufacturing
began leaving our shores. Technology made businesses more efficient, but also
made some jobs obsolete. Folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never
before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs that were growing,
paychecks that weren’t, and personal debt that kept piling up.
In
2008, the house of cards collapsed. We learned that mortgages had been sold to
people who couldn’t afford or understand them. Banks had made huge bets and
bonuses with other people’s money. Regulators had looked the other way, or
didn’t have the authority to stop the bad behavior.
It
was wrong. It was irresponsible. And it plunged our economy into a crisis that
put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent,
hard-working Americans holding the bag. In the six months before I took office,
we lost nearly four million jobs. And we lost another four million before our
policies were in full effect.
Those
are the facts. But so are these. In the last 22 months, businesses have created
more than three million jobs. Last year, they created the most jobs since 2005.
American manufacturers are hiring again, creating jobs for the first time since
the late 1990s. Together, we’ve agreed to cut the deficit by more than $2
trillion. And we’ve put in place new rules to hold Wall Street accountable, so
a crisis like that never happens again.
The
state of our Union is getting stronger. And we’ve come too far to turn back
now. As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build
on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will
oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this
economic crisis in the first place.
No,
we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony
financial profits. Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward, and lay
out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last – an economy built on
American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a
renewal of American values.
This
blueprint begins with American manufacturing.
On
the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse. Some
even said we should let it die. With a million jobs at stake, I refused to let
that happen. In exchange for help, we demanded responsibility. We got workers
and automakers to settle their differences. We got the industry to retool and
restructure. Today, General Motors is back on top as the world’s number one
automaker. Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company.
Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories. And together, the
entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs.
We
bet on American workers. We bet on American ingenuity. And tonight, the
American auto industry is back.
What’s
happening in Detroit can happen in other industries. It can happen in Cleveland
and Pittsburgh and Raleigh. We can’t bring back every job that’s left our
shores. But right now, it’s getting more expensive to do business in places
like China. Meanwhile, America is more productive. A few weeks ago, the CEO of
Master Lock told me that it now makes business sense for him to bring jobs back
home. Today, for the first time in fifteen years, Master Lock’s unionized plant
in Milwaukee is running at full capacity.
So
we have a huge opportunity, at this moment, to bring manufacturing back. But we
have to seize it. Tonight, my message to business leaders is simple: Ask
yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your country, and your country
will do everything we can to help you succeed.
We
should start with our tax code. Right now, companies get tax breaks for moving
jobs and profits overseas. Meanwhile, companies that choose to stay in America
get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and
everyone knows it.
So
let’s change it. First, if you’re a business that wants to outsource jobs, you
shouldn’t get a tax deduction for doing it. That money should be used to cover
moving expenses for companies like Master Lock that decide to bring jobs home.
Second,
no American company should be able to avoid paying its fair share of taxes by
moving jobs and profits overseas. From now on, every multinational company should
have to pay a basic minimum tax. And every penny should go towards lowering
taxes for companies that choose to stay here and hire here.
Third,
if you’re an American manufacturer, you should get a bigger tax cut. If you’re
a high-tech manufacturer, we should double the tax deduction you get for making
products here. And if you want to relocate in a community that was hit hard
when a factory left town, you should get help financing a new plant, equipment,
or training for new workers.
My
message is simple. It’s time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs
overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America.
Send me these tax reforms, and I’ll sign them right away.
We’re
also making it easier for American businesses to sell products all over the
world. Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years.
With the bipartisan trade agreements I signed into law, we are on track to meet
that goal – ahead of schedule. Soon, there will be millions of new customers
for American goods in Panama, Colombia, and South Korea. Soon, there will be
new cars on the streets of Seoul imported from Detroit, and Toledo, and
Chicago.
I
will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for American products. And I
will not stand by when our competitors don’t play by the rules. We’ve brought
trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last administration –
and it’s made a difference. Over a thousand Americans are working today because
we stopped a surge in Chinese tires. But we need to do more. It’s not right
when another country lets our movies, music, and software be pirated. It’s not
fair when foreign manufacturers have a leg up on ours only because they’re
heavily subsidized.
Tonight,
I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged
with investigating unfair trade practices in countries like China. There will
be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our
borders. And this Congress should make sure that no foreign company has an
advantage over American manufacturing when it comes to accessing finance or new
markets like Russia. Our workers are the most productive on Earth, and if the
playing field is level, I promise you – America will always win.
I
also hear from many business leaders who want to hire in the United States but
can’t find workers with the right skills. Growing industries in science and
technology have twice as many openings as we have workers who can do the job.
Think about that – openings at a time when millions of Americans are looking
for work.
That’s
inexcusable. And we know how to fix it.
Jackie
Bray is a single mom from North Carolina who was laid off from her job as a
mechanic. Then Siemens opened a gas turbine factory in Charlotte, and formed a
partnership with Central Piedmont Community College. The company helped the
college design courses in laser and robotics training. It paid Jackie’s
tuition, then hired her to help operate their plant.
I
want every American looking for work to have the same opportunity as Jackie
did. Join me in a national commitment to train two million Americans with
skills that will lead directly to a job. My Administration has already lined up
more companies that want to help. Model partnerships between businesses like
Siemens and community colleges in places like Charlotte, Orlando, and
Louisville are up and running. Now you need to give more community colleges the
resources they need to become community career centers – places that teach people
skills that local businesses are looking for right now, from data management to
high-tech manufacturing.
And
I want to cut through the maze of confusing training programs, so that from now
on, people like Jackie have one program, one website, and one place to go for
all the information and help they need. It’s time to turn our unemployment
system into a reemployment system that puts people to work.
These
reforms will help people get jobs that are open today. But to prepare for the
jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start earlier.
For
less than one percent of what our Nation spends on education each year, we’ve
convinced nearly every State in the country to raise their standards for
teaching and learning – the first time that’s happened in a generation.
But
challenges remain. And we know how to solve them.
At
a time when other countries are doubling down on education, tight budgets have
forced States to lay off thousands of teachers. We know a good teacher can
increase the lifetime income of a classroom by over $250,000. A great teacher
can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond his
circumstance. Every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed
the trajectory of their lives. Most teachers work tirelessly, with modest pay,
sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies – just to make a
difference.
Teachers
matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer
schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and
reward the best ones. In return, grant schools flexibility: To teach with
creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers
who just aren’t helping kids learn.
We
also know that when students aren’t allowed to walk away from their education,
more of them walk the stage to get their diploma. So tonight, I call on every
State to require that all students stay in high school until they graduate or
turn eighteen.
When
kids do graduate, the most daunting challenge can be the cost of college. At a
time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit card debt, this
Congress needs to stop the interest rates on student loans from doubling in
July. Extend the tuition tax credit we started that saves middle-class families
thousands of dollars. And give more young people the chance to earn their way
through college by doubling the number of work-study jobs in the next five
years.
Of
course, it’s not enough for us to increase student aid. We can’t just keep
subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we’ll run out of money. States also need to
do their part, by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets.
And colleges and universities have to do their part by working to keep costs
down. Recently, I spoke with a group of college presidents who’ve done just
that. Some schools re-design courses to help students finish more quickly. Some
use better technology. The point is, it’s possible. So let me put colleges and
universities on notice: If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding
you get from taxpayers will go down. Higher education can’t be a luxury – it’s
an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.
Let’s
also remember that hundreds of thousands of talented, hardworking students in
this country face another challenge: The fact that they aren’t yet American
citizens. Many were brought here as small children, are American through and
through, yet they live every day with the threat of deportation. Others came
more recently, to study business and science and engineering, but as soon as
they get their degree, we send them home to invent new products and create new
jobs somewhere else.
That
doesn’t make sense.
I
believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration. That’s
why my Administration has put more boots on the border than ever before. That’s
why there are fewer illegal crossings than when I took office.
The
opponents of action are out of excuses. We should be working on comprehensive
immigration reform right now. But if election-year politics keeps Congress from
acting on a comprehensive plan, let’s at least agree to stop expelling
responsible young people who want to staff our labs, start new businesses, and
defend this country. Send me a law that gives them the chance to earn their
citizenship. I will sign it right away.
You
see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and
ingenuity of every person in this country. That means women should earn equal
pay for equal work. It means we should support everyone who’s willing to work;
and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve
Jobs.
After
all, innovation is what America has always been about. Most new jobs are
created in start-ups and small businesses. So let’s pass an agenda that helps
them succeed. Tear down regulations that prevent aspiring entrepreneurs from
getting the financing to grow. Expand tax relief to small businesses that are
raising wages and creating good jobs. Both parties agree on these ideas. So put
them in a bill, and get it on my desk this year.
Innovation
also demands basic research. Today, the discoveries taking place in our
federally-financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill
cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched. New lightweight vests for cops
and soldiers that can stop any bullet. Don’t gut these investments in our
budget. Don’t let other countries win the race for the future. Support the same
kind of research and innovation that led to the computer chip and the Internet;
to new American jobs and new American industries.
Nowhere
is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made energy. Over the
last three years, we’ve opened millions of new acres for oil and gas
exploration, and tonight, I’m directing my Administration to open more than 75
percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources. Right now, American
oil production is the highest that it’s been in eight years. That’s right – eight
years. Not only that – last year, we relied less on foreign oil than in any of
the past sixteen years.
But
with only 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves, oil isn’t enough. This country
needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available
source of American energy – a strategy that’s cleaner, cheaper, and full of new
jobs.
We
have a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly one hundred years,
and my Administration will take every possible action to safely develop this
energy. Experts believe this will support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of
the decade. And I’m requiring all companies that drill for gas on public lands
to disclose the chemicals they use. America will develop this resource without
putting the health and safety of our citizens at risk.
The
development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and factories that
are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don’t have to choose between our
environment and our economy. And by the way, it was public research dollars,
over the course of thirty years, that helped develop the technologies to
extract all this natural gas out of shale rock – reminding us that Government
support is critical in helping businesses get new energy ideas off the ground.
What’s
true for natural gas is true for clean energy. In three years, our partnership
with the private sector has already positioned America to be the world’s
leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries. Because of federal investments,
renewable energy use has nearly doubled. And thousands of Americans have jobs
because of it.
When
Bryan Ritterby was laid off from his job making furniture, he said he worried
that at 55, no one would give him a second chance. But he found work at
Energetx, a wind turbine manufacturer in Michigan. Before the recession, the
factory only made luxury yachts. Today, it’s hiring workers like Bryan, who
said, “I’m proud to be working in the industry of the future.”
Our
experience with shale gas shows us that the payoffs on these public investments
don’t always come right away. Some technologies don’t pan out; some companies
fail. But I will not walk away from the promise of clean energy. I will not
walk away from workers like Bryan. I will not cede the wind or solar or battery
industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here.
We have subsidized oil companies for a century. That’s long enough. It’s time
to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that’s rarely been more
profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that’s never been more
promising. Pass clean energy tax credits and create these jobs.
We
can also spur energy innovation with new incentives. The differences in this
chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate
change. But there’s no reason why Congress shouldn’t at least set a clean
energy standard that creates a market for innovation. So far, you haven’t
acted. Well tonight, I will. I’m directing my Administration to allow the
development of clean energy on enough public land to power three million homes.
And I’m proud to announce that the Department of Defense, the world’s largest
consumer of energy, will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in
history – with the Navy purchasing enough capacity to power a quarter of a
million homes a year.
Of
course, the easiest way to save money is to waste less energy. So here’s
another proposal: Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories
and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings. Their energy bills
will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have less
pollution, more manufacturing, and more jobs for construction workers who need
them. Send me a bill that creates these jobs.
Building
this new energy future should be just one part of a broader agenda to repair
America’s infrastructure. So much of America needs to be rebuilt. We’ve got
crumbling roads and bridges. A power grid that wastes too much energy. An
incomplete high-speed broadband network that prevents a small business owner in
rural America from selling her products all over the world.
During
the Great Depression, America built the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge.
After World War II, we connected our States with a system of highways.
Democratic and Republican administrations invested in great projects that
benefited everybody, from the workers who built them to the businesses that
still use them today.
In
the next few weeks, I will sign an Executive Order clearing away the red tape
that slows down too many construction projects. But you need to fund these
projects. Take the money we’re no longer spending at war, use half of it to pay
down our debt, and use the rest to do some nation-building right here at home.
There’s
never been a better time to build, especially since the construction industry
was one of the hardest-hit when the housing bubble burst. Of course,
construction workers weren’t the only ones hurt. So were millions of innocent
Americans who’ve seen their home values decline. And while Government can’t fix
the problem on its own, responsible homeowners shouldn’t have to sit and wait
for the housing market to hit bottom to get some relief.
That’s
why I’m sending this Congress a plan that gives every responsible homeowner the
chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage, by refinancing at
historically low interest rates. No more red tape. No more runaround from the
banks. A small fee on the largest financial institutions will ensure that it
won’t add to the deficit, and will give banks that were rescued by taxpayers a
chance to repay a deficit of trust.
Let’s
never forget: Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every
day deserve a Government and a financial system that do the same. It’s time to
apply the same rules from top to bottom: No bailouts, no handouts, and no
copouts. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.
We’ve
all paid the price for lenders who sold mortgages to people who couldn’t afford
them, and buyers who knew they couldn’t afford them. That’s why we need smart
regulations to prevent irresponsible behavior. Rules to prevent financial
fraud, or toxic dumping, or faulty medical devices, don’t destroy the free
market. They make the free market work better.
There
is no question that some regulations are outdated, unnecessary, or too costly.
In fact, I’ve approved fewer regulations in the first three years of my
presidency than my Republican predecessor did in his. I’ve ordered every
federal agency to eliminate rules that don’t make sense. We’ve already
announced over 500 reforms, and just a fraction of them will save business and
citizens more than $10 billion over the next five years. We got rid of one rule
from 40 years ago that could have forced some dairy farmers to spend $10,000 a
year proving that they could contain a spill – because milk was somehow
classified as an oil. With a rule like that, I guess it was worth crying over
spilled milk.
I’m
confident a farmer can contain a milk spill without a federal agency looking
over his shoulder. But I will not back down from making sure an oil company can
contain the kind of oil spill we saw in the Gulf two years ago. I will not back
down from protecting our kids from mercury pollution, or making sure that our
food is safe and our water is clean. I will not go back to the days when health
insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny you
coverage, or charge women differently from men.
And
I will not go back to the days when Wall Street was allowed to play by its own
set of rules. The new rules we passed restore what should be any financial
system’s core purpose: Getting funding to entrepreneurs with the best ideas,
and getting loans to responsible families who want to buy a home, start a
business, or send a kid to college.
So
if you’re a big bank or financial institution, you are no longer allowed to
make risky bets with your customers’ deposits. You’re required to write out a
“living will” that details exactly how you’ll pay the bills if you fail –
because the rest of us aren’t bailing you out ever again. And if you’re a
mortgage lender or a payday lender or a credit card company, the days of
signing people up for products they can’t afford with confusing forms and
deceptive practices are over. Today, American consumers finally have a watchdog
in Richard Cordray with one job: To look out for them.
We
will also establish a Financial Crimes Unit of highly trained investigators to
crack down on large-scale fraud and protect people’s investments. Some
financial firms violate major anti-fraud laws because there’s no real penalty
for being a repeat offender. That’s bad for consumers, and it’s bad for the
vast majority of bankers and financial service professionals who do the right
thing. So pass legislation that makes the penalties for fraud count.
And
tonight, I am asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal
prosecutors and leading state attorneys general to expand our investigations
into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing
crisis. This new unit will hold accountable those who broke the law, speed
assistance to homeowners, and help turn the page on an era of recklessness that
hurt so many Americans.
A
return to the American values of fair play and shared responsibility will help
us protect our people and our economy. But it should also guide us as we look
to pay down our debt and invest in our future.
Right
now, our most immediate priority is stopping a tax hike on 160 million working
Americans while the recovery is still fragile. People cannot afford losing $40
out of each paycheck this year. There are plenty of ways to get this done. So
let’s agree right here, right now: No side issues. No drama. Pass the payroll
tax cut without delay.
When
it comes to the deficit, we’ve already agreed to more than $2 trillion in cuts
and savings. But we need to do more, and that means making choices. Right now,
we’re poised to spend nearly $1 trillion more on what was supposed to be a
temporary tax break for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. Right now,
because of loopholes and shelters in the tax code, a quarter of all
millionaires pay lower tax rates than millions of middle-class households.
Right now, Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.
Do
we want to keep these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans? Or do we want to
keep our investments in everything else – like education and medical research;
a strong military and care for our veterans? Because if we’re serious about
paying down our debt, we can’t do both.
The
American people know what the right choice is. So do I. As I told the Speaker
this summer, I’m prepared to make more reforms that rein in the long term costs
of Medicare and Medicaid, and strengthen Social Security, so long as those
programs remain a guarantee of security for seniors.
But
in return, we need to change our tax code so that people like me, and an awful
lot of Members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes. Tax reform should
follow the Buffett rule: If you make more than $1 million a year, you should
not pay less than 30 percent in taxes. And my Republican friend Tom Coburn is
right: Washington should stop subsidizing millionaires. In fact, if you’re
earning a million dollars a year, you shouldn’t get special tax subsidies or
deductions. On the other hand, if you make under $250,000 a year, like 98
percent of American families, your taxes shouldn’t go up. You’re the ones
struggling with rising costs and stagnant wages. You’re the ones who need
relief.
Now,
you can call this class warfare all you want. But asking a billionaire to pay
at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that
common sense.
We
don’t begrudge financial success in this country. We admire it. When Americans
talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes, it’s not because they
envy the rich. It’s because they understand that when I get tax breaks I don’t
need and the country can’t afford, it either adds to the deficit, or somebody
else has to make up the difference – like a senior on a fixed income; or a
student trying to get through school; or a family trying to make ends meet.
That’s not right. Americans know it’s not right. They know that this
generation’s success is only possible because past generations felt a
responsibility to each other, and to their country’s future, and they know our
way of life will only endure if we feel that same sense of shared
responsibility. That’s how we’ll reduce our deficit. That’s an America built to
last.
I
recognize that people watching tonight have differing views about taxes and
debt; energy and health care. But no matter what party they belong to, I bet
most Americans are thinking the same thing right now: Nothing will get done
this year, or next year, or maybe even the year after that, because Washington
is broken.
Can
you blame them for feeling a little cynical?
The
greatest blow to confidence in our economy last year didn’t come from events
beyond our control. It came from a debate in Washington over whether the United
States would pay its bills or not. Who benefited from that fiasco?
I’ve
talked tonight about the deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street.
But the divide between this city and the rest of the country is at least as bad
– and it seems to get worse every year.
Some
of this has to do with the corrosive influence of money in politics. So
together, let’s take some steps to fix that. Send me a bill that bans insider
trading by Members of Congress, and I will sign it tomorrow. Let’s limit any
elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact. Let’s make sure
people who bundle campaign contributions for Congress can’t lobby Congress, and
vice versa – an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of
Washington.
Some
of what’s broken has to do with the way Congress does its business these days.
A simple majority is no longer enough to get anything – even routine business –
passed through the Senate. Neither party has been blameless in these tactics.
Now both parties should put an end to it. For starters, I ask the Senate to
pass a rule that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple
up or down vote within 90 days.
The
executive branch also needs to change. Too often, it’s inefficient, outdated
and remote. That’s why I’ve asked this Congress to grant me the authority to
consolidate the federal bureaucracy so that our Government is leaner, quicker,
and more responsive to the needs of the American people.
Finally,
none of these reforms can happen unless we also lower the temperature in this
town. We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a
perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to
rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common sense ideas.
I’m
a Democrat. But I believe what Republican Abraham Lincoln believed: That
Government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves,
and no more. That’s why my education reform offers more competition, and more
control for schools and States. That’s why we’re getting rid of regulations
that don’t work. That’s why our health care law relies on a reformed private
market, not a Government program.
On
the other hand, even my Republican friends who complain the most about
Government spending have supported federally-financed roads, and clean energy
projects, and federal offices for the folks back home.
The
point is, we should all want a smarter, more effective Government. And while we
may not be able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences this year, we
can make real progress. With or without this Congress, I will keep taking
actions that help the economy grow. But I can do a whole lot more with your
help. Because when we act together, there is nothing the United States of
America can’t achieve.
That
is the lesson we’ve learned from our actions abroad over the last few years.
Ending
the Iraq war has allowed us to strike decisive blows against our enemies. From
Pakistan to Yemen, the al Qaeda operatives who remain are scrambling, knowing
that they can’t escape the reach of the United States of America.
From
this position of strength, we’ve begun to wind down the war in Afghanistan. Ten
thousand of our troops have come home. Twenty-three thousand more will leave by
the end of this summer. This transition to Afghan lead will continue, and we
will build an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, so that it is never again
a source of attacks against America.
As
the tide of war recedes, a wave of change has washed across the Middle East and
North Africa, from Tunis to Cairo; from Sana’a to Tripoli. A year ago, Qadhafi
was one of the world’s longest-serving dictators – a murderer with American
blood on his hands. Today, he is gone. And in Syria, I have no doubt that the
Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change can’t be reversed,
and that human dignity can’t be denied.
How
this incredible transformation will end remains uncertain. But we have a huge
stake in the outcome. And while it is ultimately up to the people of the region
to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have served our
own country so well. We will stand against violence and intimidation. We will
stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings – men and women;
Christians, Muslims, and Jews. We will support policies that lead to strong and
stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty.
And
we will safeguard America’s own security against those who threaten our
citizens, our friends, and our interests. Look at Iran. Through the power of
our diplomacy, a world that was once divided about how to deal with Iran’s
nuclear program now stands as one. The regime is more isolated than ever
before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they
shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent. Let there be no
doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and
I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal. But a peaceful
resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if Iran changes
course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations.
The
renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe. Our oldest
alliances in Europe and Asia are stronger than ever. Our ties to the Americas are
deeper. Our iron-clad commitment to Israel’s security has meant the closest
military cooperation between our two countries in history. We’ve made it clear
that America is a Pacific power, and a new beginning in Burma has lit a new
hope. From the coalitions we’ve built to secure nuclear materials, to the
missions we’ve led against hunger and disease; from the blows we’ve dealt to
our enemies; to the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.
Anyone
who tells you otherwise, anyone who tells you that America is in decline or
that our influence has waned, doesn’t know what they’re talking about. That’s
not the message we get from leaders around the world, all of whom are eager to
work with us. That’s not how people feel from Tokyo to Berlin; from Cape Town
to Rio; where opinions of America are higher than they’ve been in years. Yes,
the world is changing; no, we can’t control every event. But America remains
the one indispensable nation in world affairs – and as long as I’m President, I
intend to keep it that way.
That’s
why, working with our military leaders, I have proposed a new defense strategy
that ensures we maintain the finest military in the world, while saving nearly
half a trillion dollars in our budget. To stay one step ahead of our
adversaries, I have already sent this Congress legislation that will secure our
country from the growing danger of cyber-threats.
Above
all, our freedom endures because of the men and women in uniform who defend it.
As they come home, we must serve them as well as they served us. That includes
giving them the care and benefits they have earned – which is why we’ve
increased annual VA spending every year I’ve been President. And it means
enlisting our veterans in the work of rebuilding our Nation.
With
the bipartisan support of this Congress, we are providing new tax credits to
companies that hire vets. Michelle and Jill Biden have worked with American
businesses to secure a pledge of 135,000 jobs for veterans and their families.
And tonight, I’m proposing a Veterans Job Corps that will help our communities
hire veterans as cops and firefighters, so that America is as strong as those
who defend her.
Which
brings me back to where I began. Those of us who’ve been sent here to serve can
learn from the service of our troops. When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t
matter if you’re black or white; Asian or Latino; conservative or liberal; rich
or poor; gay or straight. When you’re marching into battle, you look out for
the person next to you, or the mission fails. When you’re in the thick of the
fight, you rise or fall as one unit, serving one Nation, leaving no one behind.
One
of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with them on the
mission to get bin Laden. On it are each of their names. Some may be Democrats.
Some may be Republicans. But that doesn’t matter. Just like it didn’t matter
that day in the Situation Room, when I sat next to Bob Gates – a man who was
George Bush’s defense secretary; and Hillary Clinton, a woman who ran against
me for president.
All
that mattered that day was the mission. No one thought about politics. No one
thought about themselves. One of the young men involved in the raid later told
me that he didn’t deserve credit for the mission. It only succeeded, he said,
because every single member of that unit did their job – the pilot who landed
the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator who kept others from
entering the compound; the troops who separated the women and children from the
fight; the SEALs who charged up the stairs. More than that, the mission only
succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other – because you
can’t charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that
there’s someone behind you, watching your back.
So
it is with America. Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that our
destiny is stitched together like those fifty stars and those thirteen stripes.
No one built this country on their own. This Nation is great because we built
it together. This Nation is great because we worked as a team. This Nation is
great because we get each other’s backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in
this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As
long as we’re joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common
resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful, and the state of our
Union will always be strong.
Thank
you, God Bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.
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