St. Louis (KSDK) - Local lawmakers have responded to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address.
U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO):
"The vision President Obama laid out to bolster manufacturing, like we did at the Ford plant in Kansas City, and invest in our work force is a starting point that we all should be able to support. Missouri's middle class families can't endure more partisanship, brinksmanship, and political games. They expect us to work together and be willing to compromise. I'm ready to work towards that goal."
U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO):
"Tonight we heard a lot from the President about 'economic fairness' and 'American values.' The most important American value in the economy is the value of an individual to get a job, and hopefully to get a private sector job.
"The President's economic policies have not only failed - they've clearly made the economy worse.
"Particularly, his focus on 'energy security' contradicts all of the facts. I was just in 26 Missouri counties where the discussion was about: Why are my utility bills going up? Why is the power plant closing? Why didn't the President move forward with the Keystone Pipeline?
"More American energy is the shortest path to more American jobs, and while the President seems to understand that in his speech, the regulators who work for him clearly work against that all the time.
"We need to work together to meet the number one domestic priority in the country, and that's more private sector job creation. The President needs to understand that, or else we're not going to solve the problems of this economy."
U.S. Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO):
"The president's philosophy of dividing Americans for political gain and expanding the scope of government shows a lack of respect for the entrepreneurial spirit that makes our country the envy of the world. The president talks a good game when it comes to creating jobs and opportunities for American families, but I'm from the "Show-Me State," and the president's actions speak much louder than his words. The bottom line is the president cannot run on his record. The president's failed policies have made the economy worse with almost 2 million more people out of work since he took office. If the president were serious about creating jobs, he would demand that his former colleagues in the Senate majority act on the 27 House-passed jobs bills that they refuse to take up, and he wouldn't have stopped the Keystone XL pipeline that would have created tens of thousands of jobs. Besides acting on the jobs bills, he also ought to remind his former colleagues that it has been 1,000 days since they've passed a budget and that there are many House-passed cost-cutting measures that they should pass as well. This is about the president's record, not his rhetoric."
Congressman William Lacy Clay (D-MO):
"Tonight's speech demonstrated President Obama's positive vision, and reminded me of Presidents Bill Clinton and Franklin Roosevelt. ?President Obama outlined a clear vision about what is really at stake for middle-class families. ?American manufacturing and the skilled jobs that it creates is already showing real strength. ?We're seeing that in the St. Louis region at companies like Boeing and General Motors. The President also talked about American energy and oil and gas exploration, and how he intends to expand it in a responsible way. I support his plans for energy independence. ?Under President Obama's leadership, the economy is growing again. The economy has added a total of 3.2 million private sector jobs over the last 22 months. ?But too many families are still hurting and unemployment is much too high. So we have a lot of work left to do. President Obama and I intend to keep moving forward and rebuild an economy where hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded - an economy built to last...for everyone."
Ann Wagner, Republican candidate for Congress in Missouri:
"Speeches are nice - but unfortunately, as President and Commander in Chief, those words ring hollow when millions of Americans remain unemployed and millions more have quit looking for work. Worse yet, calls for "fairness" and "opportunity" are just words looked up in a Thesaurus by speech writers to cover-up the real story of the Obama Administration: a failed social experiment born of big government, socialism and failed liberal policies.
"We can all agree that the America we all hold dear is a land of opportunity - but what we disagree about is how that opportunity is met, and how we encourage our citizens to embrace that opportunity and build a life for themselves, free from government overreach and interference.
"That is not the America President Obama and Congressional Democrats promote. Regardless of what you heard tonight and the political props that were created by the politicians in the Peoples' House, the Democrats' vision of America is one in which those who succeed are punished; the ones who hire are taxed and the ones that stand for traditional values and a culture of life are chided as being out of touch or oppressive.
"We conservatives envision a different America. An America with no Obamacare; an America with lower taxes and real tax reform, an America with less regulation and uncertainty for job creators who will be free to live the American dream; an America that promotes an ownership society and empowers the free enterprise system; an America that lives within its means; an America that is a land of freedom and opportunity for all its citizens.
"The President, as usual, delivered a well-performed address long on rhetoric and short on results. He is out-of-touch and now out-of-time.
"I am running for Congress to bring strong, effective, conservative leadership to Washington. I will fight for our families, for our job creators, for our traditional values, and for our American way of life."
Governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn:
"We in Illinois applaud President Obama for the vision he laid out in tonight's State of the Union. The President put forth a blueprint for a growing economy that gives all Americans equal access to the success through hard work that has always made this nation great. We agree with the President that we can't wait - we need to keep pushing to restore our economy and the American middle class.
"In Illinois, we are focused on the same issues that the President laid out tonight: creating manufacturing jobs and training our workforce for the 21st century; making education more accessible; modernizing our roads and bridges; and prioritizing housing for our families.
"And as the President said, an America built to last calls for responsibility from each of us and fairness for all. We commend the President on his vision, and look forward to working together as a nation to restore our economy and create opportunities for all Americans."
Lt. Governor of Illinois, Sheila Simon:
"President Obama's blueprint for our economy is built on a strong, skilled American workforce," Simon said. "A growing number of jobs require employees to hold more than a high school education, but not necessarily a bachelor's degree. Illinois community colleges are poised to help more students earn career certificates and associate degrees that translate to good-paying jobs. I will work with the colleges, state leaders, and President Obama to ensure that we offer clear paths to employment. If our students work hard in school, we want them to find a job here in Illinois that will enable them to raise a family, own a home, and save for retirement. Our focus on college completion will help create an America that's built to last."
U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL):
"The President hit on themes that I have worked for my entire congressional career: creating and keeping good-paying jobs in the U.S., investing in our transportation infrastructure and maximizing our domestic energy sources - particularly coal - to reduce our reliance on foreign sources of oil. His focus on the economy and his call for keeping the promise of the American Dream alive should resonate, particularly his emphasis on accountability for Wall Street and tax fairness.
"While we are not where we want to be yet economically, we are seeing some positive economic signs - American manufacturing is increasing, we have added 3.2 million private sector jobs over the last two years and the unemployment rate has come down in recent months. Targeted investments that develop the skills of our workers and make our economy more efficient will build on this progress. I have been a part of Congresses that worked together and got things done for the good of the country. We can do it again, and I look forward to spending my last year in Congress in pursuit of these goals."
Jason Plummer, Illinois GOP candidate for Congress:
"I'm glad the President talked about jobs and economic recovery tonight, but quite frankly, that's all that's come out of the White House these past few years.
"Republicans need to closely examine the details of the President's plan to increase revenue for the Federal Government. Raising taxes is not the solution. Allowing the economy to expand and grow will generate far more revenue for the government than simply raising taxes. When more individuals earn a paycheck, more revenue will flow to the government.
"The expansion of government will not get the economy back on track, only expansion of the private sector will. In order for businesses to expand, job creators need certainty. That certainty has not been made clear by this Administration.
"I'm frustrated the President ignored the Keystone XL permit issue tonight. If the President is going to halt a project that could create 20,000 "shovel ready" jobs at no cost to the taxpayer, I think it's hard to take him serious on job growth and energy security. This pipeline will be one of the safest ever built, constructed by the best trained workforce, and decrease our energy dependence on the Middle East.
"I look forward to getting back to Southern Illinois tomorrow and continue the conversation of bringing more jobs to the downstate region."
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL):
"Tonight we heard the President lay out a plan for an American economy that values hard work, promotes fairness and rewards responsibility. He spoke about an economy based on American energy and manufacturing and built by the highest skilled workers in the world.
"I support that plan and the President's vision for an America that helps those who are suffering, emboldens those who are working hard and playing by the rules and levels the playing field for everyone - not just the privileged few."
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