Forsyth County Republican Party Responds to State of the Union Address

contained the quintessential elements of his typical speeches: he blamed George W. Bush for the troubles he is dealing with, he argued that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, he proposed greater federal spending and more federal programs, and while the speech is supposed to be about the State of the Union, we heard him say “I” more than a narcissistic optometrist.

President Obama is a liberal, and these things are to be expected – government programs, regulations, taxes and task forces are their heartfelt solution to most problems.  However, this speech was more a poke in the eye of Republicans than a State of the Union address.

Perhaps most flagrant of the President’s taunts was his public affirmation of Richard Cordray, who the President appointed Director of the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau without congressional consent and while Congress was still in session, flaunting him in very faces of the Legislative and Judicial Branches. It was a boldfaced dare to the Congress to challenge the constitutionality of his appointment.

In his closing remarks, the President also told the Congress, “With or without this Congress, I will keep taking actions that help the economy grow.” Again, the President got into the face of the Legislature and told them that he is going to do what he wants, with or without them. This dovetailed nicely with his request that Congress, the deliberative body of the American People, should act more like a military unit, where everyone must follow orders, and over which the President is, incidentally, the Commander in Chief. While such a chain of command is vital and commendable in the context of military operations, the voice of the People is not to be subjugated to the Executive Branch.

To give the President credit, many of his stated objectives are good – reducing the national debt, improving the job market, making sure Americans have opportunities to succeed. Though the fact that he is asking for new government programs and a $1 trillion dollar increase in the debt limit makes the first ring hallow, and will hamstring the latter two. Indeed, the President’s record shows that while Americans were losing their jobs, their homes, and their savings, the President and Congressional Democrats were more interested in forcing through a healthcare law that increases the cost of maintaining employees at a time when employers are laying off workers because of the expenses. His record also shows that he implemented the very regulations that are now preventing small banks and business lenders from making objective loan decisions that allow Americans to start small business.

All in all, the President’s speech did Republicans a favor. First, the President read his reelection playbook to the public, so any guesswork is now unnecessary. But most importantly, he doubled down on policies that have increased unemployment, reduced life savings, and reduced freedoms. Republicans now need to remind the American people of the President’s record, and offer them a chance to reclaim the American Dream through individual liberty, equal opportunity, and incentives for success.

Ethan Underwood, Chairman
Forsyth County Republican Party