Obama delivers fifth State of the Union

The loudest and longest applause during the State of the Union Address resounded on Capitol Hill not for any of the president’s policies, but to honor an enlisted soldier.

Sgt. First Class Cory Remsburg sat beside first lady Michelle Obama, as the president spent a portion of his State of the Union address on Monday night describing the injuries that Army Ranger suffered during service. Remsburg took shrapnel in his brain when a roadside bomb exploded in Afghanistan during his 10th overseas deployment.

Cameron Linton, president of Pitt’s College Republicans who belongs to the Republican party, described the televised moment as “one of the most moving things [he’s] ever seen.”

But the moment of unanimous approval for the president’s words were brief in his speech, during which he repeatedly chided members of Congress, particularly Republicans, for not doing more to reduce economic inequality for Americans.

“Today, after four years of economic growth, corporate profits and stock prices have rarely been higher, and those at the top have never done better,” President Barack Obama said. “But average wages have barely budged.”

Several times during his address, Obama described his administration’s proposals as “concrete” measures to promote economic growth and expand the middle class.

Obama was especially vocal about improving unemployment benefits.

He said Congress recently allowed unemployment insurance to expire for 1.6 million Americans who were between jobs. He called on Congress to renew unemployment benefits to promote those who were looking for work. He also called on private businesses to hire more long-term unemployed Americans, a group of whom U.S. employers are often skeptical.

He also exhorted politicians and business owners to raise wages.

Obama said his administration recently issued an executive order that would require federal contractors, such as the companies that provide food services on military bases, to pay employees a minimum wage of $10.10 an hour “because if you cook our troops’ meals or wash their dishes, you should not have to live in poverty.”

“Of course, to reach millions more, Congress does need to get on board,” he added. 

Obama also called on governors and lawmakers to raise wages on the state level.

But some Republican supporters disagreed with Obama’s economic proposals. 

Linton, a sophomore majoring in economics, said he did not think Obama’s proposals would foster lasting growth in the economy.

“Raising the minimum wage doesn’t help create jobs,” Linton said.

In Obama’s discussion of domestic policies, he also touted the rollout of the Affordable Care Act website, Healthcare.gov, as a success and said it has already provided affordable care to nine million Americans. 

Although the website caused his administration considerable embarrassment when it crashed late last year after users could first register for health coverage on the site, Obama focused instead on scolding Republican lawmakers for repeated attempts to introduce legislation to repeal part or all of what has become known as Obamacare.

On the international front, Obama cited negotiations with Iran, as a major recent success. The country, whose government has historically been hostile to the United States and its allies, has agreed to halt its nuclear program. He said he was well aware of how Iran has sponsored terrorist groups and otherwise been a difficult negotiating partner in recent years.

“But these negotiations don’t rely on trust. Any long-term deal we agree to must be based on verifiable action that convinces us and the international community that Iran is not building a nuclear bomb,” Obama said.

Obama also proudly announced that all U.S. military forces have left Iraq, and his administration hopes the Afghan government will approve an agreement under which most U.S. forces would leave the country after this year.

The core promises of Obama’s address were nothing new. During each of his annual addresses, the president has stressed building the middle class. 

“Corporate profits have skyrocketed to all-time highs, but for more than a decade, wages and incomes have barely budged,” he said during his 2013 address.

He made similar comments in 2011. During that address, he said while taxes were high as ever for ordinary Americans, “those with accountants or lawyers to work the system can end up paying no taxes at all.”

But Ernest Rajakone, the president of Pitt College Democrats and a junior majoring in political science and biology, said the president reiterates these goals not because he has failed in them, but because they are so important to the Democratic party.

“Expanding opportunities for the middle class is a fight that never ends,” Rajakone said.