State of the Union Address 2011

President Barrack Obama began his second State of the Union Address by stating, "A robust democracy demands that there is debate between the parties. What determines growth is not if we can sit together tonight, but if we can work together tomorrow."

The President pointed out that governing is a shared responsibility between parties. Things will only move forward with Democrats and Republicans uniting because the United States is poised for progress.

Obama stated, "Other countries have outgrown us in the way of technology in some ways. However, we are still a great and strong nation. We are the only country that has ever been founded on an Idea. The future is ours to win, but to get there, we can't just stand still. The future is not a gift. It's an achievement."

"We need to out innovate, out educate and out build the rest of the world in order to compete. We have to make America the best place on the earth to do business. We have to win the future."

How do we get there?

Innovation is the key to our continued growth. It doesn't just change our lives. With the way the job market has changed, innovation is how we make our living now. Back in the day, there was Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers. Today, we have the creators of Google and Facebook, which have changed how we live and grow in business. Innovation has become this generation's Sputnik moment. The President will be sending a budget to Congress to help America reach its innovative goals.

Obama went on to speak about corporate tax rates and the recent changes in the health care system. He went into detail about lowering corporate tax rates without adding to the current deficit. These proposed cuts will help business grow, be more innovative and sell more products abroad to compete in the constantly growing world market. However, when a problem is found that puts unnecessary burdens on businesses, the government will work quickly to alleviate the problem.

All changes made are ultimately for the protection of the American people. The President explained the reason why the health care laws were put in place as they were because of this ideology to prevent the American people from being taken advantage of in the future. In regards to health care, no person should be turned away from or denied treatment because they don't have medical coverage or a preexisting condition. These industries are supposed to help people. This is what the changes are meant to accomplish.

The President said, "It is time to fix what needs fixing and move forward."

Obama's administration is working to make sure the nation isn't buried under a mountain of debt. The President pointed out that he feels the worst of our economic problems are over. He again stated that it is time to make sure the government pulls it together first as a collective group. Presently, the government spends more than it takes in. For years, this has been the typical American business and life model. Hence, the reason why Americans are drowning in debt. The nation as a whole is living above their means. It is time to get back to good "Old Fashioned" ways of living. It is time to come to a complete HALT, realistically examine finances, create a budget that works with the income that you have on hand (not what you wish you had or what more credit and loans can give you), bite the bullet and live within that budget to create a solid financial base. It is time to stop spending for things we don't really need. It is still possible to live well without all the extra STUFF.

Thus, Obama proposed a freeze of annual domestic spending for five years, which will require painful cuts. It was presented that these cuts can't be done on the back of our most vulnerable citizens. What needs to be cut is dead weight. Obama said:

"We have to stop pretending that cutting this type of spending will be enough. It won't. Excessive spending needs to be cut everywhere and that includes tax cuts and loop holes. This applies also to Medicare and Medicaid systems that have become a fiscal burden. These programs were never designed as long-term health care providers."

Obama further ventured that the nation can no longer afford the extension of tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. The people who make the most money get the tax breaks and ride on the backs of the nation's middle class and poor as they pay for those tax savings. How unfair is that is? The saying goes that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. These suggestions propose doing what is right for all Americans. What needs to happen is that the tax code needs to be simplified to make it an even playing field for everyone.

A government that is not just more affordable, but one that is more efficient and more competent is what the American people want to see, according to the President. Congress will be merged, consolidated and reformed. Their activities will also be available to view online just like the White House.

The President concluded by saying, "As messy and contentious as our democracy gets and may be, there is not a person here that would change places with any other country on earth. This is a country where you can make it if you try.

"We win the future by continuing to dare to dream. We do big things. We will get there. Our destiny remains our choice."