Update: National Journal posted a full draft of tonight’s State of the Union that they say was leaked to them by a Democratic insider. Link is here.
WASHINGTON — President Obama, in the State of the Union address, will say Democrats and Republicans hold a “shared responsibility” for governing, while describing the need for additional funding for research and education.
“This is our generation’s Sputnik moment,” Obama will say.
He’s also expected to call for a spending freeze on non-discretionary spending outside of defense, homeland security and veterans affairs.
Said a White House official: “As a down payment toward reducing the deficit, the President is calling for a five-year freeze on non-security discretionary spending. In areas outside the freeze, we also will be looking for cuts and efficiencies. For instance, the President is putting forward a five-year plan developed by Secretary Gates to achieve $78 billion in defense savings.”
Two excerpts from the State of the Union, as prepared for delivery, are below:
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.
MinnPost will have full coverage of the State of the Union, including analysis and reaction from the congressional delegation, Wednesday morning.
