2012 State of the Union Address

Last updated
2012 State of the Union Address
Full video of the speech as published by the White House
DateJanuary 24, 2012 (2012-01-24)
Time9:00 p.m. EST
Duration1 hour, 4 minutes
VenueHouse Chamber, United States Capitol
Location Washington, D.C.
Coordinates 38°53′19.8″N77°00′32.8″W / 38.888833°N 77.009111°W / 38.888833; -77.009111
Type State of the Union Address
Participants
Previous 2011 State of the Union Address
Next 2013 State of the Union Address
President Obama embracing Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head in 2011. Barack Obama with Gabrielle Giffords at the 2012 State of the Union 01-24-12.jpg
President Obama embracing Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head in 2011.

The 2012 State of the Union Address was given by the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, on January 24, 2012, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 112th United States Congress. [1] [2] It was Obama's third State of the Union Address and his fourth speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, John Boehner, accompanied by Joe Biden, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

Contents

In his speech, he focused on education reform, repairing America's infrastructure with money not used on the Iraq War, and creating new energy sources in America.

Seating and guests

In keeping up the tradition that began with the 2011 State of the Union Address, the members of Congress sat with members of the other political party, rather than sitting on separate sides of the room. Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was the victim of an assassination attempt the previous year, was in attendance, as she planned to resign to focus on her rehabilitation from the shooting. President Obama hugged Giffords when he got to her while walking up to the stage, which was met with much applause.

Guests

In addition to Giffords, other notable guests were invited at the behest of either the White House or the Republican leadership:

Designated survivor

The designated survivor is the member of the president's cabinet who does not attend the address in case of a catastrophic event, in order to maintain a continuity of government. The designated survivor for the 2012 State of the Union Address was United States Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack. [5]

Summary

During his state of the Union Address President Obama mentioned the completed US withdrawal from Iraq, the return of some US troops from Afghanistan and the accomplishments against the Taliban and al-Qaeda including the deaths of Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki. Obama underscored Americas commitment to Israel, Americas determination to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and explained during his Arab Spring section the US position regarding the uprising in Syria by saying: “while it is ultimately up to the people of the region to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have served our own country so well. We will stand against violence and intimidation. We will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings – men and women; Christians, Muslims, and Jews. We will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty.” [6] The president discussed the economic situation in America before and after his Inauguration and said with respect to the Income inequality in the United States and the 2012 presidential election: “We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.” [6] Obama reiterated his call for Congress to extend the payroll tax cut through the end of the year, a benefit to working-class families, urged Congress in his speech to make college more affordable and warned colleges and universities that they risk losing federal funding if they do not keep tuition costs down. [7] The President called upon Congress to deny tax breaks to companies that outsource and provide a tax credit to companies that bring jobs back into the United States. He also called for better job training and education and proposed to use one half of the savings from the completed Iraq War and the winding down Afghanistan War for public-works projects and the other half for deficit reduction. Obama pushed Congress to make it easier for Americans to refinance their homes if their interest rates are above market rates, [8] by using revenue from the administration's proposed fee on banks to help finance the initiative. [7] During the speech, Obama announced the creation of a Unit on Mortgage Origination and Securitization Abuses, which will operate as part of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, to investigate misconduct that contributed to the subprime mortgage crisis. The unit will be headed by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. [9] The president also proposed a new trade enforcement unit that would add to the number of government investigators pursuing unfair trade practices and that would be responsible for filing lawsuits against foreign countries, namely China. [10] Obama also renewed his call for the institution of the Buffett Rule, [11] whereby people making more than $1 million a year would pay a minimum effective tax rate of at least 30 percent in income taxes, and to let the high-end Bush-era tax cuts expire. With respect to the Buffet Rule The New York Times reported: "Mr. Obama would like the new tax to replace the alternative minimum tax, which was created decades ago to make sure that the richest taxpayers with plentiful deductions and credits did not avoid income taxes, but which now affects millions of Americans who are considered upper middle class." [10] With respect to Obama's energy policy the NYT wrote that the President will seek an "expansion of domestic energy supplies, both from traditional fuels like oil and natural gas and from cleaner sources like wind and the sun. He singled out the rapid growth of domestic natural gas production through the technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.", [10] while the Washington Post wrote that Obama would open up new federal land to develop wind farms and solar energy plants to reduce the nation's reliance on foreign oil. [7]

Responses

Mitch Daniels, Governor of Indiana, gave the Republican response after the State of the Union Address. [12] Other group or party responses were presented by former candidate for the Republican presidential nomination Herman Cain on behalf of the Tea Party Express (spoken at the National Press Club) and collective members of Occupy D.C. (using the human microphone). [13] There was also a live online response from the Green Party by presidential candidates Jill Stein and Kent Mesplay.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State of the Union</span> Annual report by the president of the United States

The State of the Union Address is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of most calendar years on the current condition of the nation. The State of the Union Address generally includes reports on the nation's budget, economy, news, agenda, progress, achievements and the president's priorities and legislative proposals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Vilsack</span> American politician (born 1950)

Thomas James Vilsack is an American politician serving as the 32nd United States secretary of agriculture in the Biden administration. He previously served in the role from 2009 to 2017 during the Obama administration. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 40th governor of Iowa from 1999 to 2007.

In the United States, a designated survivor is a person in the presidential line of succession who is kept distant from others in the line when they are gathered together, to reduce the chance that everyone in the line will be unable to take over the presidency in a catastrophic or mass-casualty event. The person is chosen to stay at an undisclosed secure location, away from such events such as State of the Union addresses and presidential inaugurations. The designation of a survivor is intended to prevent the decapitation of the government and to safeguard continuity in the presidency if the president, the vice president, and others in the presidential line of succession die. The procedure began in the 1950s, during the Cold War, with the idea that nuclear attack could kill government officials and the United States government would collapse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">114th United States Congress</span> 2015–2017 legislative term

The 114th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States of America federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from January 3, 2015, to January 3, 2017, during the final two years of Barack Obama's presidency. The seats in the House were apportioned based on the 2010 United States census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First inauguration of Barack Obama</span> 56th United States presidential inauguration

The first inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States took place on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. The 56th inauguration, which set a record attendance for any event held in the city, marked the commencement of the first term of Barack Obama as president and Joe Biden as vice president. Based on combined attendance numbers, television viewership, and Internet traffic, it was one of the most-observed events ever by the global audience at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">February 2009 Barack Obama speech to a joint session of Congress</span>

Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, addressed a joint session of the United States Congress on Tuesday, February 24, 2009. It was his first public address before a joint session. Similar to a State of the Union Address, it was delivered before the 111th United States Congress in the Chamber of the United States House of Representatives in the United States Capitol. Presiding over this joint session was the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, accompanied by Joe Biden, the vice president in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 State of the Union Address</span> Speech by US president Barack Obama

The 2010 State of the Union Address was given by the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, on January 27, 2010, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 111th United States Congress. It was Obama's first State of the Union Address and his second speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, accompanied by Joe Biden, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

In American politics, the response to the State of the Union address is a rebuttal speech, often brief, delivered by a representative of an opposition party following a presidential State of the Union address. When the president is a Democrat, the rebuttal is typically given by a Republican, and vice versa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 State of the Union Address</span> Speech by US president Barack Obama

The 2011 State of the Union Address was given by the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, on January 25, 2011, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 112th United States Congress. It was Obama's second State of the Union Address and his third speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, John Boehner, accompanied by Joe Biden, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

The following is a timeline of the presidency of Barack Obama, from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011. For his time as president-elect, see the presidential transition of Barack Obama; for a detailed account of his first months in office, see first 100 days of Barack Obama's presidency; for a complete itinerary of his travels, see list of presidential trips made by Barack Obama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Jobs Act</span>

The American Jobs Act and was the informal name for a pair of bills recommended by U.S. President Barack Obama in a nationally televised address to a joint session of Congress on September 8, 2011. He characterized the proposal as a collection of non-controversial measures designed to get Americans back to work, and he repeatedly urged Congress to pass it "right away"; he also said that the bills would not add to the national deficit and would be fully paid for.

We Can't Wait is a policy initiative launched by the U.S. President Barack Obama's administration in October 2011 to institute policies by executive orders, administrative rulemaking, and recess appointments. The initiative was developed in response to the United States Congress' unwillingness to pass economic legislation proposed by Obama, and conflicts in Congress during the 2011 debt ceiling crisis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second inauguration of Barack Obama</span> 57th United States presidential inauguration

The second inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States was the 57th inauguration, marking the commencement of his second and final term, with Joe Biden as vice president. A private swearing-in ceremony took place on Sunday, January 20, 2013, in the Blue Room of the White House, followed by a public inauguration ceremony on Monday, January 21, 2013, at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speeches of Barack Obama</span> Overview of Barack Obamas speeches

Barack Obama served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Before his presidency, he served in the Illinois Senate (1997–2004) and the United States Senate (2005–2008).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 State of the Union Address</span> Speech by US president Barack Obama

The 2013 State of the Union Address was given by the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, on February 12, 2013, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 113th United States Congress. It was Obama's fourth State of the Union Address and his fifth speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, John Boehner, accompanied by Joe Biden, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 State of the Union Address</span> Speech by US president Barack Obama

The 2014 State of the Union Address was given by the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, on January 28, 2014, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 113th United States Congress. It was Obama's fifth State of the Union Address and his sixth speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, John Boehner, accompanied by Joe Biden, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 State of the Union Address</span> Speech by US president Barack Obama

The 2015 State of the Union Address was given by the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, on January 20, 2015, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 114th United States Congress. It was Obama's sixth State of the Union Address and his seventh speech to a joint session of the United States Congress. Presiding over this joint session was the House speaker, John Boehner, accompanied by Joe Biden, the vice president, in his capacity as the president of the Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barack Obama's farewell address</span> Final public speech of Barack Obama as US President

Barack Obama's farewell address was the final public speech of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, delivered on January 10, 2017 at 9:00 p.m. EST. The farewell address was broadcast on various television and radio stations and livestreamed online by the White House. An estimated 24 million people watched the address live on television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010s in United States history</span> History of American politics from 2010 to 2020

2010s in United States history is the compiled history of major historical events and issues in the United States from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2019.

References

  1. ↑ Kamen, Al (January 13, 2012). "Obama's State of the Union: A work in progress". The Washington Post.
  2. ↑ Calmes, Jackie (January 21, 2012). "Obama to Push Activism in State of the Union Address". The New York Times.
  3. ↑ "Six Portraits of Mitt". Prospect.org. 2012-03-12. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  4. ↑ http://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF17/20130919/101321/HHRG-113-IF17-Wstate-DelieD-20130919/%5B%5D
  5. ↑ O'Keefe, Ed (2012-01-24). "State of the Union: Tom Vilsack to serve as Cabinet's 'designated survivor'". Washington Post. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  6. 1 2 Mozgovaya, Natasha (January 25, 2012). "Obama: U.S. is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon". Haaretz. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  7. 1 2 3 Scott Wilson and David Nakamura (January 25, 2012). "In State of the Union, Obama warns economic disparity threatens middle class". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
  8. ↑ "EDITORIAL The State of the Union in 2012". The New York Times. January 24, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
  9. ↑ Stein, Sam (January 24, 2012). "EXCLUSIVE: Obama To Announce Mortgage Crisis Unit Chaired By New York Attorney General Schneiderman". Huffington Post.
  10. 1 2 3 Cooper, Helene (January 24, 2012). "In Address, Obama Makes Pitch for Economic Fairness". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
  11. ↑ "Inquirer Editorial: Obama draws the battle lines". Philly.com. 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  12. ↑ Memoli, Michael A. (2012-01-19). "Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels tapped for GOP's State of the Union response". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  13. ↑ Wing, Nicholas (2012-01-24). "Occupy Response: Movement Issues Rebuttal To State Of The Union Address (VIDEO)". Huffington Post.


Preceded by State of the Union addresses
2012		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.