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According to the U.S. Consitution, “He [the President] shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient” (US Const., art. 2, sec. 3.) That is what President Obama did on Jan. 25.

The State of the Union Address is delivered annually by the President of the United States, typically in January. This year, the audience had a glaringly empty seat – that of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) who was fatally shot in the head and remains in critical condition. In honor of Giffords, both political parties were intermingled, rather than sticking with each other.

The President went over several topics including the US defecit, improving education, infrastructure, domestic sepnding, security, and reorganization of the Government. However, his focus rested mainly on the economy.

According to President Obama, “Two years after the worst recession most of us have ever known…the economy is growing again.” He explained that the steps taken over the past two years have helped break the back of the recession. Due to the “tax cuts we passed,” he said, “Americans’ paychecks are a little bigger today.”

But another main issue he focused heavily on was schools and education. He pushed “out-educating” everywhere else, saying, “If we want to win the future… then we also have to win the race to educate our kids.” President Obama recognizes that the kids today are tomorrow’s leaders.

He concluded, “The idea of America endures. Our destiny remains our choice. And tonight, more than two centuries later, it is because of our people that our future is hopeful, our journey goes forward, and the state of our union is strong.”