President Obama delivers his speech during the Civil Rights Summit at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday, April 10, 2014. (Photo Courtesy of Vernon Bryant/Dallas Morning News/MCT)President Barack Obama focused on middle class tax cuts and education during his sixth State of the Union address on Jan. 20.
He pushed for a three-part policy system, including working-class security, skill upgrades and high-wage jobs to assist the country’s workers. This economic resurgence will begin with the middle class.
“Middle-class economics means helping working families feel more secure in a world of constant change,” he said. “That means helping folks afford childcare, college, health care, a home, retirement — and my budget will address each of these issues.”
As two out of three American jobs will require higher education by 2020, Obama addressed the issue of higher education for the middle class. He said he hopes to make two years of higher education as “free and universal” as public high school.
“We still live in a country where too many bright, striving Americans are priced out of the education they need,” he said. “It’s not fair to them, and it’s not smart for our future. That’s why I am sending this Congress a bold new plan to lower the cost of community college to zero.”
Obama also said he would like to introduce tax cuts for the middle class while closing the “trust-fund loophole” by taxing inheritances of the wealthy.
“Let’s close the loopholes that lead to inequality by allowing the top one percent to avoid paying taxes on their accumulated wealth,” he said. “We can use that money to help more families pay for childcare and send their kids to college.”
Obama also said he plans to pass a resolution to authorize resistance against terrorist groups such as ISIL through partnership with foreign nations.
“Instead of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group,” he said.
Although Obama has entered the second year of his second term, he said he hopes to enact change with America’s divided government.
“My only agenda for the next two years is the same as the one I’ve had since the day I swore an oath on the steps of this Capitol – to do what I believe is best for America,” he said.
Reach the reporter at aplante@asu.edu or follow @aimeenplante on Twitter
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