Anticipating the State of the Union 2010

President Barack Obama will give his State of the Union address to the American people this week and many are speculating on what he will say.
Like presidents before him in similar situations, he is likely to speak openly and candidly about our country's struggles with unemployment, a troubled economy and war, as well as the progress we have made in those same areas, in addition to the success of his stimulus plan and environmental accomplishments.
Obama could begin his speech focusing on his administration's accomplishments of the past year. He could point out his stimulus plan and the positive effects it has had on the economy. He could point out his success in bailing out the automotive industry and the banks. Environmentally, he has protected over 2 million acres of land from development and made a difference with his clean cars actions.
Obama will need to address the negatives too. The country is still in a recession, and while progress has been made, America is looking for it to be over. Many people are still out of jobs and businesses are still closing and laying off employees. Obama will have to be honest about these situations, ending on a note of hope. He needs to address the war and the fact that we are still in one. He had given the American people hope that the war would end soon, and that the sons and daughters would be back on American soil, out of Iraqi harm. This has not happened, as Obama has watched and learned and listened, giving him a different perspective on what needs to take place. He has gone against what is popular and made decisions he feels are best for America.
These are the things other presidents before Obama have addressed. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy addressed the American people about the issues of war and of a difficult economy. Kennedy told the American people, “I speak today in an hour of national peril and national opportunity.” Obama is likely to speak this same way, though with maybe a little less peril this year than last. He is likely to give a review of the difficulties involved with the war and the economy, but will ultimately end on a positive note – a note to encourage the American people.
The questionable topic is going to be health care reform. Obama was certainly looking forward to announcing to the American people that the health care reform legislation has passed, giving Americans a more affordable way to get insurance and reducing the number of uninsured Americans. Due to the recent election of Scott Brown into the senate of Massachusetts, the republicans have likely added a vote against Obama’s health care reform the way it stands. This has undoubtedly caused a change in what he was going to say about health care. He must now address what will need to be done to get this going.
In keeping with Obama’s previous speeches, he will be sure to give some positive words to the people about about education, healthcare, employment, war and the economy. He will try to leave us looking forward to what 2010 might bring. As in his 2009 speech to America, he will likely ask us as Americans to “come together and lift this nation from the depths of this crisis.” He will try to unify us as American citizens and in the end, as before, he will ask God to bless the United States of America.
President Obama will give the State of the Union address on Jan. 27, 2010, at 9 p.m. EST. It will be shown on www.whitehouse.gov/live, as well as channels such as CNN and C-Span.