On the evening of January 12th, 2016, President Barack Obama stood in the Capitol Building chambers to deliver the State of the Union Address to the 114th Congress. This is a tradition started by none other than George Washington, and it has been given annually ever since. This was Obama’s last address, speaking on what he has done in the past seven years and what he plans to accomplish in the next year of his presidency.

In his speech, President Obama put less stress on specific proposals for Congress in the next year, but talked about significant change that could benefit future generations. The four main topics he addressed included a new economy that works for all, the spirit of innovation, U.S. leadership in the world and a politics of hope.

Obama in the first portion of his speech mentioned the dire need of the nation to boost the middle class and tackle income inequality. One of the options to help do this, he said, was to support education by offering free pre-kindergarten to all children, requiring computer science classes in schools and making college affordable for all citizens. Student loans have been reduced, Obama said, but now the costs of actual schooling need to be reduced. He also briefly mentioned his plan for two years of free community college that he first proposed at his last State of the Union address.

Obama referenced the Cold War to relay an important message concerning research. When Russia beat the U.S. to space, he said, the country did not deny the science of what happened or cut funding to the space program, but made it a goal to reach the moon. He said the country already provides an open internet and online tools for entrepreneurship, but now it can do more to provide opportunity for innovation. Obama said the nation needs to get the resources needed for finding a cure for cancer, and he called on Vice President Joe Biden to help make the U.S. the country that eradicates cancer. Continued efforts in producing solar and wind energy and cutting oil imports and carbon emissions are also needed.

“The United States of America is the most powerful nation on earth, period,” Obama said. “People do not look to Beijing or Moscow, they call us.” Priority one, he said in this portion of his speech, is to protect the American people and eradicate terrorist networks. He said the U.S. pushes away allies by saying that ISIL represents all Muslims, and confirmed the goal to pursue this extremist terror threat and included his goal to put boots on the ground to combat ISIL. During his time as president, Obama said, he oversaw sanctions preventing Iran from having nuclear arms and the stopping of the infiltration of Ebola in Africa. To continue this trend of success in the global arena, he pushed for the approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the restoration of relations with Cuba, future plans to help eradicate malaria and plans to shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison. “‘We the people’ means all of us, all in this together,” Obama said.

In the last portion of his speech, Obama said that American political success is not about agreeing on every topic, because the founders expected the people to argue. He said that thinking the worst of those who disagree with us does not work and democracy ceases to flourish when people do not compromise and work together. He mentioned campaign finance reform and urged the American people to demand a better political process. If citizens give up hope, Obama said, they forsake the possibility of a better future. He encouraged the citizens watching to vote and stand up for others, because someone somewhere had to stand up for them. President Obama ended his last State of the Union address with a firm affirmation of the condition of our great nation. “I stand here more confident than I have ever been, and say that the state of this union is strong,” Obama said.

On the evening of January 12th, 2016, President Barack Obama stood in the Capitol Building chambers to deliver the State of the Union Address to the 114th Congress. This is a tradition started by none other than George Washington, and it has been given annually ever since. This was Obama’s last address, speaking on what he has done in the past seven years and what he plans to accomplish in the next year of his presidency.

In his speech, President Obama put less stress on specific proposals for Congress in the next year, but talked about significant change that could benefit future generations. The four main topics he addressed included a new economy that works for all, the spirit of innovation, U.S. leadership in the world and a politics of hope.

Obama in the first portion of his speech mentioned the dire need of the nation to boost the middle class and tackle income inequality. One of the options to help do this, he said, was to support education by offering free pre-kindergarten to all children, requiring computer science classes in schools and making college affordable for all citizens. Student loans have been reduced, Obama said, but now the costs of actual schooling need to be reduced. He also briefly mentioned his plan for two years of free community college that he first proposed at his last State of the Union address.

Obama referenced the Cold War to relay an important message concerning research. When Russia beat the U.S. to space, he said, the country did not deny the science of what happened or cut funding to the space program, but made it a goal to reach the moon. He said the country already provides an open internet and online tools for entrepreneurship, but now it can do more to provide opportunity for innovation. Obama said the nation needs to get the resources needed for finding a cure for cancer, and he called on Vice President Joe Biden to help make the U.S. the country that eradicates cancer. Continued efforts in producing solar and wind energy and cutting oil imports and carbon emissions are also needed.

“The United States of America is the most powerful nation on earth, period,” Obama said. “People do not look to Beijing or Moscow, they call us.” Priority one, he said in this portion of his speech, is to protect the American people and eradicate terrorist networks. He said the U.S. pushes away allies by saying that ISIL represents all Muslims, and confirmed the goal to pursue this extremist terror threat and included his goal to put boots on the ground to combat ISIL. During his time as president, Obama said, he oversaw sanctions preventing Iran from having nuclear arms and the stopping of the infiltration of Ebola in Africa. To continue this trend of success in the global arena, he pushed for the approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the restoration of relations with Cuba, future plans to help eradicate malaria and plans to shut down the Guantanamo Bay prison. “‘We the people’ means all of us, all in this together,” Obama said.

In the last portion of his speech, Obama said that American political success is not about agreeing on every topic, because the founders expected the people to argue. He said that thinking the worst of those who disagree with us does not work and democracy ceases to flourish when people do not compromise and work together. He mentioned campaign finance reform and urged the American people to demand a better political process. If citizens give up hope, Obama said, they forsake the possibility of a better future. He encouraged the citizens watching to vote and stand up for others, because someone somewhere had to stand up for them. President Obama ended his last State of the Union address with a firm affirmation of the condition of our great nation. “I stand here more confident than I have ever been, and say that the state of this union is strong,” Obama said.