The State of the Union Address--I thought it was pretty good.

I really have to say this--watching the State of the Union was like the antidote to the primary debates I've been watching lately.  I couldn't even start to blog about the debate last night, because I bailed to look for show tunes on YouTube. (We all have hobbies, and I'm an ex-Choir Geek.)  This address was an excellent reminder of not just why I would vote against any of these GOP candidates, but why I'd vote for Barack Obama once again.

Of note, I think his strongest points of the evening were the policy points he made about correcting the tax code to stop rewarding companies for off shoring jobs and making the individual income tax code fairer for earners at all levels. Also, the points about reforming our financial industry and ending the grave moral hazard of bailouts show that he really is listening to the people, because these issues are dear to Tea Partiers and Occupy Movement people alike.  I liked much of what he had to say about education--although the part about drop-outs was a head-scratcher: sometimes life events simply make it impossible for someone to continue in school, sometimes temporarily, but dropping out of high school isn't a choice students make in a vacuum.  There are often social and economic motivators for dropping out that need to be considered--I'm just not 100% with that. (I'm thinking of bullying, teen pregnancy, familial hardships--there has to be a game plan to support these youngsters.)

Obama also showed, pretty effectively, I think, that he's ready to answer to the criticisms that his possible election opponents have been launching at him.  He very definitely made clear that he is not standing in the way of various forms of energy development, touting the expansion of oil drilling and his intent to open up resources for more exploration, as well as support for shale natural gas exploitation--as long as it can be done transparently, safely and cleanly. In the meanwhile, his rhetoric on energy policy did not back down from a commitment to renewable, locally-sourced energy investment--that's the kind of innovation I'm glad hes supporting, and serves as, IMHO, a good enough answer to "Solyndra?"  As in "So? Jobs." He tied most policies back to how they would affect the average American and/or create jobs pretty well.  Also, he pointed out that his administration has not been the originator of so-called "job-killing regulations", but clarified that some regulation that protect consumers and the environment are necessary, while stupid regs are stupid--very on-point and true.  His discussion of the rebound experienced by the US auto industry gave him a nice opportunity to slam Mitt Romney without naming him--there's certainly one notable person who said that Detroit should be allowed to fail!

But I think his foreign policy--insofar as he has experienced some admirable successes in that department, were his best selling-points. He did end the war in Iraq (well, he withdrew troops according to plan, but he DID IT, OK?) And also, Bin Laden--dead.  Gaddafi--dead.  But even though his vocal support for Israel, his support also for the sanctions against Iran, and his warning to Syria's Al-Assad were all signals of his leadership and positive involvement, his language definitely echoed the "American Exceptionalism" the pundits look for, even if he did not use quite those words.

What he did say was:

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.

In other words, whenever any country in the world wants to borrow a cup of awesome sauce, they see us first. Suck it, Romney--no apologies!

Ahem. Anyway, I though it was a clear picture of what Obama has done and still means to accomplish.  The focus was on jobs and how we can continue to build this country, together, with teamwork and setting aside differences.  I thought it was all in all a pretty good message.  Also, Messrs Boehner and Cantor on the video of the speech at times looked like they would go sick. Well done, Mr. President. Very well done!