Now is not the time to gut these new job-creating innovations… today, no area holds more promise than our investments in American energy. After years of talking about it, we’re poised to finally control our own energy future. …But for the sake of our children, we must do more to combat climate change.President Obama, segueing from praising increases in American oil and gas production, to speaking more solmenly of the dangers of climate change. Obama cited the recent glut of hottest years on record, and referenced numerous, unusually forceful weather incidents – Superstorm Sandy among them – as reasons he will seek to wield executive power to act on climate reforms, even if congress passes.
We can choose to believe that Superstorm Sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. Or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science, and act before it’s too late.President Obama on climate change
Biden’s already got his swag on and Boehner’s face matches his tie. Here we go.
Not sure we’ve ever seen Joe Biden rocking a purple tie and glasses before, but for our money, he should do so more often.
President Obama on taxes: ”Now is our best chance for comprehensive tax reform that helps grow small business, and cuts the deficit. …The American people deserve a tax code that let’s small businesses spend less time filling out complicated paperwork, and more time hiring.
I am open to additional reforms from both parties, so long as they don’t violate the guarantee of a secure retirement. Our government shouldn’t make promises we cannot keep – but we must keep the promises we’ve already made.President Obama, rejecting the notion of cutting Social Security to balance the deficit
These sudden, harsh, arbitrary cuts would decimate or military readiness, education, research… it would certainly hurt our recovery.President Obama, speaking out against the looming sequestration budget cuts. He also condemned the thought of holding off on the defense cuts, while still enforcing cuts to programs like Social Security: “That idea is worse.”
It is our generation’s task to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth, a rising, thriving middle class.President Obama, hitting for the first time what pre-address reporting suggested would be the keystone of his speech – appealing to an expansion of the American middle-class.
After a decade of grinding war, our brave men and women in uniform are coming home.President Obama, starting off his speech with a list of accomp;lishments, headlined by the impending end of the Afghanistan war. He also cited a rebound in the homeowner’s market, and economic perseverance.
And so, the President’s long crawl to the podium continues. Undoubtedly the most daunting rope-line drill in American politics.
All right everyone, this thing is about to kick off. We’ll be providing updates, quotes, and commentary here under the tag SOTU 2013, by all means, watch the address along with us! It’s the first of President Obama’s second term, which gives it that certain, momentus feel.
I’m moving back to New York in a few days. Unlike past...
OMG. I got so...
In this week’s Newsweek, a little...
Tumblr this morning. [h/t anne]
#@#$%!.tumblr.com
Here’s a hidden feature that shipped in...
Watch: PCB gets a visual shout out on GMA’s Yahoo/Tumblr...
Are you watching the President’s address tonight? We’ve pulled together key Pew Research findings across 10 topics that Obama is likely to discuss. Get the data so you can follow along. Here are the highlights:
The Economy
The economy and jobs remain the public’s top two priorities for the White House and Congress.
57% of Americans (and 74% of Republicans) say that President Obama won the battle over the “fiscal cliff.”
Americans took a dim view of the fiscal cliff deal, saying it would hurt: the economy (46%), people like themselves (52%), efforts to curb the deficit (44%).
Read more about Pew Research findings on the economy
Debt and Deficit
72% of Americans now say reducing the deficit is a top priority, up from 53% in Jan. 2009, including 84% of Republicans, 67% of Democrats and 71% of independents.
Majorities of Americans oppose most deficit reduction measures, including reducing funding for education (77% disapprove), reducing transportation funding (67%) and reducing funding to help low-income people (58%).
There are wide partisan gaps on many debt reduction proposals, including reducing military defense spending (+35 points Democrats) and reducing funding to help low-income people (+29 points Republicans).
74% say a combination of program cuts and tax increases is the best way to reduce the deficit.
Read more about Pew Research findings on the debt and deficit
The Middle Class
The median income for a middle-income, three-person household fell to $69,487 in 2010 from $72,956 in 2000 (in 2011 dollars.) Median net worth among the middle-income tier fell 28% to $93,150 in 2010 from $129,582 in 2000.
85% of those in the middle class say it is more difficult today than a decade ago to maintain their standard of living.
The middle class blamed their difficulties on: Congress (62%), banks and financial institutions (54%) and large corporations (47%).
Middle-class adults say they are: Democrats (34%), Republicans (25%) and independents (35%); conservative (39%), moderate (35%) and liberal (22%).
Read more about Pew Research findings on the middle class
Gun Control
51% of Americans say it is more important to control gun ownership, while 45% say it is more important to protect gun rights.
47% say mass shootings reflect broader societal problems, 44% call them isolated acts of troubled individuals.
There is broad public support for background checks for private and gun show sales (85%) and laws preventing the mentally ill from purchasing guns (80%).
There are large partisan divides on creating a federal database to track gun sales (35-point gap, Democrats favor), implementing a ban on assault-style weapons (25-point gap, Democrats favor) or having more teachers and school officials with guns in schools (33-point gap, Republicans favor).
Read more about Pew Research findings on gun control
U.S. Foreign Policy
83% of Americans say that “we should pay less attention to problems overseas and concentrate on problems here at home,” up 10 points since 2002.
40% say the U.S. relies on military strength too much to achieve its foreign policy goals, 44% say about the right amount and 10% say too little.
63% say the U.S. should be less involved in Middle East leadership changes.
Americans largely approve of the use of drones to target extremists, unlike most other nations surveyed.
71% say defending the nation from terrorism is a top priority.
60% support withdrawing troops from Afghanistan “as soon as possible.”
Read more about Pew Research findings on foreign policy
U.S.-China Relations
Americans now favor getting tougher with China (49%) over strengthening relations (42%) when it comes to economic policy.
A median of 42% of countries now say China is the world’s leading economic power; 36% named the United States.
Americans are more concerned about China’s economic strength (59%) than about its military strength (28%).
68% of Americans distrust China and 66% see it as a competitor.
Chinese views of the U.S. have also turned negative (48% unfavorable, 43% favorable).
Read more about Pew Research findings on U.S.-China relations
U.S.-Middle East Relations
57% of Americans do not believe the changes in the Middle East will lead to lasting improvements for people living in the affected countries.
63% of Americans say they want the U.S. less involved in Middle East leadership changes.
63% of Americans say the U.S. does not have a responsibility to do something about the fighting in Syria.
50% of the public sympathizes more with Israel, 10% sympathize more with the Palestinians, 13% say neither side and 4% say both.
Read more about Pew Research findings on U.S.-Middle East relations
Immigration
39% of Americans say “dealing with illegal immigration” should be a top priority, ranking the issue 17th out of 21 issues.
42% of Americans prioritize both enhanced border security and a path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants.
The total immigrant population has grown to 40.4 million in 2011, while unauthorized immigration declined to 11.1 million.
36% of eligible Mexican immigrants have become natural U.S. citizens, half the rate of of legal immigrants from all other countries combined.
Net migration to the U.S. from Mexico fell to zero in 2011 and may have reversed.
Read more about Pew Research findings on immigration
Climate Change
28% of Americans say global warming is a top priority, ranking the issue last on this year’s list of 21 policy priorities.
67% of Americans believe there is solid evidence of global warming, including 91% of liberal Democrats and 43% of conservative Republicans.
42% of Americans attribute global warming mostly to human activity, while 19% say it is mostly due to natural patterns.
Read more about Pew Research findings on climate change
Gay Marriage
48% of Americans favor gay marriage and 43% oppose it.
Younger generations express higher levels of support (Millennials, 63%; Generation X, 52%), compared with older ones (Baby Boomers, 41%; Silent Generation, 33%).
The religiously unaffiliated express the highest levels of support (73%), while white evangelical Protestants express the lowest (19%).
Support varies widely by region and is strongest in New England (62%) and weakest in the South Central (35%).
Read more about Pew Research findings on gay marriage
Browse all of our State of the Union tip sheets:
Economy | Middle Class | Gun Control | U.S.-China Relations | U.S.-Middle East Relations | Immigration | Climate Change | Gay Marriage | Debt and Deficit | U.S. Foreign Policy
Relevant info.
A growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs – that must be the North Star that guides our efforts. Every day, we should ask ourselves three questions as a nation: How do we attract more jobs to our shores? How do we equip our people with the skills needed to do those jobs? And how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living?One of the excerpts from tonight’s State of the Union address released to the press by the Obama administration. Read a couple others over this way.
White House releases dubstep trailer for State of the Union
The White House is dropping more than the State of the Union on the American people tonight, it’s also dropping the bass. The official White House YouTube account on Tuesday afternoon published a short trailer for the President’s big speech and the soundtrack contains the unmistakable sounds of dubstep, the popular electronic dance music subgenre that includes Skrillex among its most famous practitioners.
The dark side of our first memetic president.
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