Excerpts from the State of the Union address

The White House released the following excerpts ahead of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address tonight:

"With their votes, the American people determined that governing will now be a shared responsibility between parties. New laws will only pass with support from Democrats and Republicans. We will move forward together, or not at all -- for the challenges we face are bigger than party, and bigger than politics.
"At stake right now is not who wins the next election - after all, we just had an election. At stake is whether new jobs and industries take root in this country, or somewhere else. It's whether the hard work and industry of our people is rewarded. It's whether we sustain the leadership that has made America not just a place on a map, but a light to the world. We are poised for progress. Two years after the worst recession most of us have ever known, the stock market has come roaring back. Corporate profits are up. The economy is growing again.
"But we have never measured progress by these yardsticks alone. We measure progress by the success of our people. By the jobs they can find and the quality of life those jobs offer. By the prospects of a small business owner who dreams of turning a good idea into a thriving enterprise. By the opportunities for a better life that we pass on to our children. That's the project the American people want us to work on. Together."

___________________________________________________________

"Half a century ago, when the Soviets beat us into space with the launch of a satellite called Sputnik¸ we had no idea how we'd beat them to the moon. The science wasn't there yet. NASA didn't even exist.
"But after investing in better research and education, we didn't just surpass the Soviets; we unleashed a wave of innovation that created new industries and millions of new jobs.
"This is our generation's Sputnik moment."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Roby discusses health care bill

Freshman U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, talks about why she voted to repeal the health care law passed by Democrats during the last Congress. While the Republicans in the U.S. House voted to repeal the health care act, there is not enough support in the Senate, where Democrats remain in the majority, and President Obama would veto that repeal even if it made it there.

Obama names U.S. marshal for south Alabama

President Obama named Charles Andrews as the U.S. marshal for the southern district of Alabama, according to a release from the White House. Andrews is the chief of the Highway Patrol Division of the Alabama Department of Public Safety.
He graduated from the University of Alabama in 1977 with a degree in criminal justice, and he served as a correctional counselor for several years.
Andrews joined the Alabama Department of Public Safety in 1980 and worked his way through the ranks, beginning as a trooper and rising to the position of major, his current rank. During his time with the Alabama Department of Public Safety, he served as its director on an interim basis in 2002.
Obama named six other marshals on Wednesday.
"These dedicated public servants have shown an unwavering commitment to public service," Obama said. "I am pleased to nominate them to serve and protect the American people as U.S. Marshals."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Excerpts from President Obama's speech on Iraq

Below are some quotes from President Barack Obama's address to the nation on the end of combat operations in Iraq that were sent out in advance by the White House:

"But this milestone should serve as a reminder to all Americans that our future is ours to shape if we move forward with confidence and commitment. It should also serve as a message to the world that the United States of America intends to sustain and strengthen our leadership in this young century."

"At every turn, America's men and women in uniform have served with courage and resolve. As Commander-in-Chief, I am proud of their service. Like all Americans, I am awed by their sacrifice, and by the sacrifices of their families."

"Tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country. This was my pledge to the American people as a candidate for this office. Last February, I announced a plan that would bring our combat brigades out of Iraq, while redoubling our efforts to strengthen Iraq's Security Forces and support its government and people. That is what we have done. We have removed nearly 100,000 U.S. troops from Iraq. We have closed or transferred hundreds of bases to the Iraqis. And we have moved millions of pieces of equipment out of Iraq."

"Ending this war is not only in Iraq's interest - it is in our own. The United States has paid a huge price to put the future of Iraq in the hands of its people. We have sent our young men and women to make enormous sacrifices in Iraq, and spent vast resources abroad at a time of tight budgets at home. We have persevered because of a belief we share with the Iraqi people - a belief that out of the ashes of war, a new beginning could be born in this cradle of civilization. Through this remarkable chapter in the history of the United States and Iraq, we have met our responsibility. Now, it is time to turn the page."

"Today, our most urgent task is to restore our economy, and put the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work. To strengthen our middle class, we must give all our children the education they deserve, and all our workers the skills that they need to compete in a global economy. We must jumpstart industries that create jobs, and end our dependence on foreign oil. We must unleash the innovation that allows new products to roll off our assembly lines, and nurture the ideas that spring from our entrepreneurs. This will be difficult. But in the days to come, it must be our central mission as a people, and my central responsibility as President."

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen