DR JOHN WORLDPEACE FOR PRESIDENT 2016 | TEACH PEACE

DR JOHN WORLDPEACE FOR PRESIDENT 2016 HOME PAGE

COMMENTARY BY DR JOHN WORLDPEACE FOR PRESIDENT 2016

Dr John WorldPeace

150121 1745 MT

I HAVE RESPONDED TO THE PRESIDENT'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS IN CAPS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO SEE MY COMMENTS.

YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE THAT NO OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE HAS RESPONDED LINE BY LINE TO THE PRESIDENT. THEY ARE TOLD BY THEIR HANDLERS THEY DONT HAVE TO RISK VOTES BY RESPONDING. IT IS BETTER THAT THEY WAIT TO SEE THE POLLS SO THEY KNOW HOW TO RESPOND.

IT IS 3:40 AM MT THE MORNING AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.

NOTE: I AM JOHN WORLDPEACE AND MY FOCUS IS ON WORLDPEACE AND MY COMMENTS ARE SKEWED TO PROMOTE WORLDPEACE. AND FURTHER, I HAVE USED PALESTINE OVER AND OVER AS AN EXAMPLE OF AMERICA NOT LIVING UP TO ITS TRUE VALUE: PEACE, JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY FOR EVERYONE, ALL RACES, ALL RELIGIONS ALL NATIONALITIES BOTH GENDERS AS BEING APPLIED TO NON AMERICANS. THERE ARE MANY PROBLEM AREAS IN THE WORLD BUT THE MIDDLE EAST IS AT THE MOMENT AT THE CENTER OF ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE DYSFUNCTIONAL IN THE WORLD. PRESENTLY, PALESTINE IS THE ISSUE MOST COMMONLY KNOWN ABOUT THE WORLD HUMAN SOCIETY AND SO I HAVE USED IT AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE AMERICA ACTS AGAINST ITS CORE VALUES.

President Obama's State of the Union address as prepared for delivery on Jan. 20, 2015:

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, my fellow Americans:

We are fifteen years into this new century. Fifteen years that dawned with terror touching our shores; that unfolded with a new generation fighting two long and costly wars; that saw a vicious recession spread across our nation and the world. It has been, and still is, a hard time for many.

YES. PRESIDEN OBAMA HAS BEEN AT THE HELM AS WE HAVE OVERCOME THE RECESSION OF GEORGE W. BUSH AND PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS PULLED AMERICA OUT OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. BUT FIXING THE WAR IN IRAQ WHICH WE ENTERED BASED ON THE LIES ABOUT WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND AN AL QUAEDA ALLIANCE WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN IS NOT THAT EASY. WE NOW HAVE A RADICAL ISIS ROOTED IN IRAQ AND SYRIA AND WE ARE FLYING MISSIONS AGAINST THEM. THE WAR IN IRAQ IS NOT OVER.

But tonight, we turn the page.

NOTHING HAPPENED LAST NIGHT BUT A SPEECH.

Tonight, after a breakthrough year for America, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999. Our unemployment rate is now lower than it was before the financial crisis.

YES. WE HAVE SURVIVED GEORGE W BUSH.

More of our kids are graduating than ever before;

THIS IS NOT TRUE. FEWER ARE GRADUATING FROM UNDERFUNDED AND UNEQUAL FUNDING OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

more of our people are insured than ever before;

YES, WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS.

we are as free from the grip of foreign oil as we've been in almost 30 years.

YES, DUE TO A LOT OF FACTORS LIKE HYDRO-FRACKING THAT IS DESTROYING THE ENVIROMENT BY POLLUTING AQUAFERS ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.

Tonight, for the first time since 9/11, our combat mission in Afghanistan is over.

NOT REALLY.

Six years ago, nearly 180,000 American troops served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, fewer than 15,000 remain.

SEE - OVER DOES NOT MEAN OVER.

And we salute the courage and sacrifice of every man and woman in this 9/11 Generation who has served to keep us safe. We are humbled and grateful for your service.

AS A VIETNAM ERA VETERAN THANK YOU FOR NOT TURNING YOUR BACK ON RETURNING VETERANS WHO AT THE MISGUIDED DIRECTION OF POLITICIANS REGARDING VIETNAM LET THE RETURNING VETERANS TAKE THE BLAME FOR A WAR THEY SERVED IN BUT DID NOT START. THE VETERANS OF THAT WAR TOOK OWNERSHIP OF IT, NOT THE POLITICIANS AND THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX THAT PROFITED FROM IT.

America, for all that we've endured; for all the grit and hard work required to come back; for all the tasks that lie ahead, know this:

The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the Union is strong.

THAT IS NOT TRUE. THIS WORLD IS IN CHAOS AND THE UNITED STATES WITH IT. WE ARE NOT SAFE, WE ARE NOT SECURE, WE ARE A LONG WAY FROM FREEDOM OF CONCERN. IT MAY WELL BE A VERY LONG TIME BEFORE ANYONE IN THE WORLD CAN TRULY RELAX. GLOBAL WARMING, ISIS, PALESTINE, AFRICA, CHINA GROWING VERY FAST AND CATCHING UP AS THE OTHER POLE OF INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD, PREJUDICE AGAINST ALL MUSLIMS FOR THE ACTS OF CRIMINALS AMONG THEIR RANKS AND UNRESOLVED ISSUES ABOUT EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN AND HOMOSEXUALS. NOT TO MENTION IMMIGRATION.

At this moment – with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry, and booming energy production – we have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth.

NONSENSE. THE WORLD IS SO ECONOMICALLY INTERDEPENDENT THERE IS NO TIME TO RELAX. WE HAVE TO INTEGRATE INTO THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AND THAT IS TRICKY BUSINESS. OIL CREATES GLOBAL WARMING AND THE PRICE OF OIL HAS DROPPED. AND SOON, AS A RESULT THE OIL RIGS WILL BE RETIRED BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PROFIT TO DRILL.

It's now up to us to choose who we want to be over the next fifteen years, and for decades to come.

WE WANT TO BE AMERICANS LEADING THE WORLD HUMAN SOCIETY WITH A POSITIVE AFFECT ON THOSE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.

Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well?

THAT HORSE HAS ALREADY LEFT THE BARN. THERE WILL BE MORE MONEY MOVING TO THE SUPER RICH FROM THE BASE OF THE ECONOMIC PYRAMID. IN A CAPITALISTIC WORLD FUELED BY THE INTERNET, THE SUPER RICH WILL GET RICHER.

Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?

RISING INCOMES FOR THE EDUCATED AND DILIGENT. NOT FOR THE RANK AND FILE WHO LIVE IN POVERTY NOW AND WILL PROBABLY BE THERE FOR MANY MORE DECADES.

Will we approach the world fearful and reactive,

NO WE APPROACH MAINTAINING ACTS THAT BENEFIT AMERICA BUT REALLY NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE WORLD HUMAN SOCIETY.

dragged into costly conflicts that strain our military and set back our standing?

SOMETIMES WARS ARE THE ONLY WAY.

Or will we lead wisely, using all elements of our power to defeat new threats and protect our planet?

WE CANNOT DEFEAT RELIGIOUS RADICALS BE THEY MUSLIMS, JEWS OR CHRISTIANS. AND WE ARE MAKING NO EFFORT TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING. LIKE THE PALESTINIAN PEACE PROCESS LED BY AMERICA, GLOBAL WARMING IS A NON ISSUE; MORESO WITH REPUBLICANS.

Will we allow ourselves to be sorted into factions and turned against one another – or will we recapture the sense of common purpose that has always propelled America forward?

YES EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND JUSTICE FOR AMERICANS AND THOSE FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES WHO NOW LIVE HERE, BUT AS FOR NON AMERICANS THE RIGHTS THAT AMERICANS HOLD DEAR WITHIN THE LAND OF THE FREE DOES NOT APPLY TO LAND OUTSIDE THE AMERICAN BORDERS.

In two weeks, I will send this Congress a budget filled with ideas that are practical, not partisan.

NONSENSE. ALL BUDGETS ARE PARTISAN.

And in the months ahead, I'll crisscross the country making a case for those ideas.

THAT IS YOUR JOB AS HEAD OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO PAVE THE WAY HOPEFULLY FOR THE NEXT DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT.

So tonight, I want to focus less on a checklist of proposals, and focus more on the values at stake in the choices before us.

It begins with our economy.

OK. LIKE BILL CLINTON SAID, "IT IS THE ECONOMY ST...D."

Seven years ago, Rebekah and Ben Erler of Minneapolis were newlyweds. She waited tables. He worked construction. Their first child, Jack, was on the way.

They were young and in love in America, and it doesn't get much better than that.

"If only we had known," Rebekah wrote to me last spring, "what was about to happen to the housing and construction market."

As the crisis worsened, Ben's business dried up, so he took what jobs he could find, even if they kept him on the road for long stretches of time. Rebekah took out student loans, enrolled in community college, and retrained for a new career. They sacrificed for each other. And slowly, it paid off. They bought their first home. They had a second son, Henry. Rebekah got a better job, and then a raise. Ben is back in construction – and home for dinner every night.

YOU KNOW THIS REALLY SOUNDS LIKE REPUBLICAN TALK. AND I BELIEVE THAT HARD WORK WILL IMPROVE ONE'S LIFE. BUT THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE NOT LAZY BUT LIVE IN PLACES WHERE IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO RISE ABOVE.

"It is amazing," Rebekah wrote, "what you can bounce back from when you have to...we are a strong, tight-knit family who has made it through some very, very hard times."

We are a strong, tight-knit family who has made it through some very, very hard times.

America, Rebekah and Ben's story is our story. They represent the millions who have worked hard, and scrimped, and sacrificed, and retooled. You are the reason I ran for this office.

MR PRESIDENT YOU RAN FOR OFFICE BECAUSE YOU ARE AN EGO MANIAC LIKE EVERY OTHER CAREER POLITICIAN WHO HAS EVER SOUGHT THE OFFICE OR SERVED.

You're the people I was thinking of six years ago today, in the darkest months of the crisis, when I stood on the steps of this Capitol and promised we would rebuild our economy on a new foundation. And it's been your effort and resilience that has made it possible for our country to emerge stronger.

WELL I WOULD NOT TAKE SO MUCH CREDIT. AFTER GEORGE BUSH LEFT OFFICE AND PEOPLE COULD RELAX AND TAKE A BREAK AND SEE SOME BLUE SKY THEY BEGAN TO GO BACK TO BEING AMERICANS. IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE AMERICANS TEND NOT TO LIVE IN A NEGATIVE MINDSET FOR LONG. REMOVING GEORGE BUSH AND ALLOWING PEOPLE TO THINK POSITIVE AGAIN WAS MORE A FACTOR THAN ANYTHING YOU DID MR. PRESIDENT. YOUR ACTIONS WERE INDIRECT IN THAT YOU REMOVED GEORGE BUSH FROM OFFICE, ACTUALLY HE WAS LEAVING ANYWAY, BUT YOU BROUGHT THE HOPE OF CHANGE.

We believed we could reverse the tide of outsourcing, and draw new jobs to our shores. And over the past five years, our businesses have created more than 11 million new jobs.

CREATING NEW JOBS AND KEEPING JOBS AT HOME IS NOT THE SAME THING. OUTSOURCING GOES ON BECAUSE IT IS PROFITABLE AND NOTHING IS GOING TO STOP IT.

We believed we could reduce our dependence on foreign oil and protect our planet. And today, America is number one in oil and gas. America is number one in wind power. Every three weeks, we bring online as much solar power as we did in all of 2008. And thanks to lower gas prices and higher fuel standards, the typical family this year should save $750 at the pump.

MR PRESIDENT YOU DID NOTHING TO REDUCE THE PRICE OF GAS. IT WAS THE WORLD MARKET. IT WAS CAPITALISM AT WORK. THERE WERE NO OBAMA POLICIES OR LEGISLATION OR EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT BROUGHT DOWN THE PRICE OF GAS. DON'T TAKE CREDIT FOR SOMETHING YOU RODE AS OPPOSED TO DROVE.

We believed we could prepare our kids for a more competitive world. And today, our younger students have earned the highest math and reading scores on record. Our high school graduation rate has hit an all-time high. And more Americans finish college than ever before.

NOT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE A DISASTER.

We believed that sensible regulations could prevent another crisis, shield families from ruin, and encourage fair competition.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SENSIBLE LEGISLATION. ONLY THE LEGISLATION OF INVESTMENT IN POLITICIANS WHO DO VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING BASED ON ECONOMICS OF THEIR BACKERS WHO PUT THEM IN OFFICE.

Today, we have new tools to stop taxpayer-funded bailouts, and a new consumer watchdog to protect us from predatory lending and abusive credit card practices.

YES, GEORGE BUSH IS GONE. BUT HIS BROTHER IS STILL OUT THERE.

And in the past year alone, about ten million uninsured Americans finally gained the security of health coverage.

THIS SHOULD BE A SEPARATE SENTENCE NOT PIGGYBACKED ON SLOWING DOWN GREED. I DON'T RECALL THAT MANY BAD GUYS GOING TO JAIL. BUT ANYWAY YOUR HEALTH PACKAGE IS NOT ACCEPTED BY THE REPUBLICANS AND WE WILL SEE IF YOU CAN HOLD THE LINE AGAINST THEIR ANGER AT REDUCED PROFITS TO PAY FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE.

At every step, we were told our goals were misguided or too ambitious; that we would crush jobs and explode deficits. Instead, we've seen the fastest economic growth in over a decade, our deficits cut by two-thirds, a stock market that has doubled, and health care inflation at its lowest rate in fifty years.

WHOA MY FRIEND THAT IS A WHOLE LOT OF ISSUES BUNDLED TOGETHER WHEN THEY ARE NOT THAT TIGHTLY BOUND TO EACH OTHER.

So the verdict is clear. Middle-class economics works.

THE REPUBLICANS DON'T BUY THAT AND NEVER WILL.

Expanding opportunity works.

THAT IS THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.

And these policies will continue to work, as long as politics don't get in the way.

POLITICS IS ALWAYS IN THE WAY. IT IS THE WAY OF THE WORLD.

We can't slow down businesses

TRUE

or put our economy at risk with government shutdowns or fiscal showdowns.

YES THERE IS A MEAN SPIRIT OF DO OR DIE AND NO QUARTER IN POLITICS EVERY SINCE THE DEMOCRATS GOT RID OF DICK NIXON.

We can't put the security of families at risk by taking away their health insurance, or unraveling the new rules on Wall Street,

GOOD

or refighting past battles on immigration when we've got a system to fix.

WHAT PAST BATTLES. IMMIGRATION HAS NOT BEEN TOUCHED EXCEPT FOR YOU GIVING THE GREEN LIGHT TO THOSE WHO CAN SNEAK ACROSS THE BORDER WITH THE POTENTIAL OF REWARD IF THEY CAN JUST HOLD ON IN AMERICA A BIT LONGER: AMNESTY WILL COME. THAT IS THE MESSAGE YOU HAVE SENT.

And if a bill comes to my desk that tries to do any of these things, it will earn my veto.

NOW MR PRESIDENT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BLACK AND WHITE BILL. YOU WILL DO WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOUR READ THE PASSED LEGISLATION. YOU CAN'T MAKE EMPTY PROMISES ON NON EXISTENT FUTURE LEGISLATION COMING TO YOU FOR SIGNATURE.

Today, thanks to a growing economy, the recovery is touching more and more lives. Wages are finally starting to rise again. We know that more small business owners plan to raise their employees' pay than at any time since 2007. But here's the thing – those of us here tonight, we need to set our sights higher than just making sure government doesn't halt the progress we're making.

SOUNDS REPUBLICAN.

We need to do more than just do no harm. Tonight, together, let's do more to restore the link between hard work and growing opportunity for every American.

YES EVERYONE CAN CHEER FOR THIS FEEL GOOD STUFF.

Because families like Rebekah's still need our help. She and Ben are working as hard as ever, but have to forego vacations and a new car so they can pay off student loans and save for retirement. Basic childcare for Jack and Henry costs more than their mortgage, and almost as much as a year at the University of Minnesota. Like millions of hardworking Americans, Rebekah isn't asking for a handout, but she is asking that we look for more ways to help families get ahead.

OK SOUNDS GOOD. SO GIVE ME THE GAME PLAN TO DO ALL THIS. THIS IS A GREAT GLITTERING GENERALITY FULL OF EMPTINESS AT THIS TIME.

In fact, at every moment of economic change throughout our history, this country has taken bold action to adapt to new circumstances, and to make sure everyone gets a fair shot.

EVERYONE NEVER HAS NOR EVER WILL HAVE A FAIR SHOT.

We set up worker protections, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to protect ourselves from the harshest adversity.

YES. PRIOR ADMINSTRATIONS DID THAT.

We gave our citizens schools and colleges, infrastructure and the internet – tools they needed to go as far as their effort will take them.

YES.

That's what middle-class economics is – the idea that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot,

ACTUALLY THINGS WORK BEST WHEN THOSE BEST QUALIFIED ARE IN CHARGE.

everyone does their fair share,

EVERYONE FOLLOWS THEIR BEST INTEREST

and everyone plays by the same set of rules.

WE ALL PLAY BY THE RULES THE BEST PAID POLITICIANS CAN GET PASSED.

We don't just want everyone to share in America's success – we want everyone to contribute to our success.

WHAT???

So what does middle-class economics require in our time?

First – middle-class economics means helping working families feel more secure in a world of constant change. That means helping folks afford childcare, college, health care, a home, retirement – and my budget will address each of these issues, lowering the taxes of working families and putting thousands of dollars back into their pockets each year.

OK SOUNDS GOOD

Here's one example. During World War II, when men like my grandfather went off to war, having women like my grandmother in the workforce was a national security priority – so this country provided universal childcare. In today's economy, when having both parents in the workforce is an economic necessity for many families, we need affordable, high-quality childcare more than ever. It's not a nice-to-have – it's a must-have. It's time we stop treating childcare as a side issue,

YES.

or a women's issue,

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE MR. PRESIDENT TO GUARANTEE EQUAL WAGES FOR EQUAL WORK FOR WOMEN OR BREAK DOWN THE GLASS CEILINGS IN CORPORATE AMERICA.

and treat it like the national economic priority that it is for all of us. And that's why my plan will make quality childcare more available, and more affordable, for every middle-class and low-income family with young children in America – by creating more slots and a new tax cut of up to $3,000 per child, per year.

GOOD

Here's another example. Today, we're the only advanced country on Earth that doesn't guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave to our workers. Forty-three million workers have no paid sick leave. Forty-three million. Think about that. And that forces too many parents to make the gut-wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home. So I'll be taking new action to help states adopt paid leave laws of their own. And since paid sick leave won where it was on the ballot last November, let's put it to a vote right here in Washington. Send me a bill that gives every worker in America the opportunity to earn seven days of paid sick leave. It's the right thing to do.

SEVEN DAYS FOR WHAT PERIOD OF WORK.

Of course, nothing helps families make ends meet like higher wages. That's why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work.

WHERE HAS THIS ISSUE BEEN FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS?

Really. It's 2015. It's time. We still need to make sure employees get the overtime they've earned. And to everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise.

I PREFER TO GIVE THEM EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVES THAN JUST DRIVING UP THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING WITH HIGHER MINIMUM WAGES JUST BECAUSE IT GETS VOTES.

These ideas won't make everybody rich, or relieve every hardship. That's not the job of government. To give working families a fair shot, we'll still need more employers to see beyond next quarter's earnings and recognize that investing in their workforce is in their company's long-term interest.

THOSE COSTS REDUCE DIVIDENDS ON STOCKS OWNED BY AMERICANS WHO ARE WELL OFF; WHO ARE INVESTING IN AMERICA BECAUSE THEY HAVE INCENTIVES. CORPORATE WELLFARE IS NOT WORKABLE.

We still need laws that strengthen rather than weaken unions,

THE DAYS OF THE UNION ARE OVER. PEOPLE MORE AND MORE WORK AT HOME.

and give American workers a voice.

WHAT EXACTLY DOES THIS MEAN.

But things like child care and sick leave and equal pay;

YES

things like lower mortgage premiums and a higher minimum wage

HOW?

– these ideas will make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions of families. That is a fact. And that's what all of us – Republicans and Democrats alike – were sent here to do.

A DIFFERENCE BASED ON SOUND ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES IS WHAT IS NEEDED. WE DON'T NEED TO HANDICAP THE ECONOMY FOR EVERYONE TO GIVE BENEFITS TO A MINORITY WHO REFUSED TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND WORK AS HARD AS THEY COULD.

Second, to make sure folks keep earning higher wages down the road, we have to do more to help Americans upgrade their skills.

YES MORE EDUCATION. BUT MONEY FOR SCHOOLS AND EQUALITY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IS ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT BY POLITICIANS BUT NEVER IMPLEMENTED. ACTUALLY THERE IS A CONSPIRACY BY POLITICIANS TO KEEP THE PUBLIC IGNORANT.

America thrived in the 20th century because we made high school free, sent a generation of GIs to college, and trained the best workforce in the world. But in a 21st century economy that rewards knowledge like never before, we need to do more.

YES, BETTER PUBLIC EDUCATION TO GIVE MORE CHILDREN A BETTER SHOT AT THE FUTURE.

By the end of this decade, two in three job openings will require some higher education. Two in three. And yet, we still live in a country where too many bright, striving Americans are priced out of the education they need. It's not fair to them, and it's not smart for our future.

ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. NO EDUCATION IN THE PRESENT AMERICA WHERE ALL THE MANUFACTURING JOBS ARE GOING OVERSEAS, PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN TO MAKE MONEY WITH THEIR MINDS AND NOT BY THE SWEAT OF THEIR BROWS IN MORONIC JOBS.

That's why I am sending this Congress a bold new plan to lower the cost of community college – to zero.

HOLD ON. FEW PEOPLE APPRECIATE ANYTHING THAT IS FREE. MAYBE SOME INTEREST FREE STUDENT LOANS. BUT NOTHING FREE PLEASE. WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THERE.

Forty percent of our college students choose community college.

BECAUSE THEY ONLY ASPIRE TO VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. AND THEY DID NOT WORK HARD ENOUGH IN HIGH SCHOOL TO GET INTO A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE EVEN IF THEY COULD AFFORD IT.

Some are young and starting out. Some are older and looking for a better job. Some are veterans and single parents trying to transition back into the job market. Whoever you are, this plan is your chance to graduate ready for the new economy, without a load of debt. Understand, you've got to earn it – you've got to keep your grades up and graduate on time. Tennessee, a state with Republican leadership, and Chicago, a city with Democratic leadership, are showing that free community college is possible. I want to spread that idea all across America, so that two years of college becomes as free and universal in America as high school is today. And I want to work with this Congress, to make sure Americans already burdened with student loans can reduce their monthly payments, so that student debt doesn't derail anyone's dreams.

YES TO THE REDUCTION IN LOANS BY FREE INTEREST STUDENT LOANS. WE NEED TO START BOLSTERING UP OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION MORE THAN EXTENDING HIGH SCHOOL BY TWO YEARS OF MANIDATORY COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

Thanks to Vice President Biden's great work to update our job training system, we're connecting community colleges with local employers to train workers to fill high-paying jobs like coding, and nursing, and robotics.

YES VOCATIONAL EDUCATION.

Tonight, I'm also asking more businesses to follow the lead of companies like CVS and UPS, and offer more educational benefits and paid apprenticeships – opportunities that give workers the chance to earn higher-paying jobs even if they don't have a higher education.

And as a new generation of veterans comes home, we owe them every opportunity to live the American Dream they helped defend. Already, we've made strides towards ensuring that every veteran has access to the highest quality care. We're slashing the backlog that had too many veterans waiting years to get the benefits they need, and we're making it easier for vets to translate their training and experience into civilian jobs. Joining Forces, the national campaign launched by Michelle and Jill Biden, has helped nearly 700,000 veterans and military spouses get new jobs. So to every CEO in America, let me repeat: If you want somebody who's going to get the job done, hire a veteran.

YELP. HIRE A VETERAN WHO IS NOT LOOKING FOR A HANDOUT. YES TO MORE EDUCATION AND MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR VETERANS THAT CANNOT BE REVOKED BY THE NEXT CONGRESS.

Finally, as we better train our workers, we need the new economy to keep churning out high-wage jobs for our workers to fill.

NOW HERE COMES THE TRICKY PART ABOUT DETAILS.

Since 2010, America has put more people back to work than Europe, Japan, and all advanced economies combined. Our manufacturers have added almost 800,000 new jobs. Some of our bedrock sectors, like our auto industry, are booming. But there are also millions of Americans who work in jobs that didn't even exist ten or twenty years ago – jobs at companies like Google, and eBay, and Tesla.

So no one knows for certain which industries will generate the jobs of the future. But we do know we want them here in America. That's why the third part of middle-class economics is about building the most competitive economy anywhere, the place where businesses want to locate and hire.

IN A DEVELOPING WORLD, IT IS VERY HARD TO KEEP LOW TECH JOBS AT HOME. THE CHINESE, INDIANS ETC BRING CHEAPER GOODS TO THE MARKET. AMERCIA NEEDS TO FOCUS ON THE HIGH END JOBS. NOT HOLDING ON TO MANUFACTURING JOBS THAT ARE OVERPAID IN AMERICA AND JUST THROW A NONSENSICAL KINK INTO AMERICAN ECONOMICS.

21st century businesses need 21st century infrastructure – modern ports, stronger bridges, faster trains and the fastest internet. Democrats and Republicans used to agree on this. So let's set our sights higher than a single oil pipeline. Let's pass a bipartisan infrastructure plan that could create more than thirty times as many jobs per year, and make this country stronger for decades to come.

REPUBLICANS ARE MARRIED TO OIL.

21st century businesses, including small businesses, need to sell more American products overseas.

DUH!

Today, our businesses export more than ever, and exporters tend to pay their workers higher wages. But as we speak, China wants to write the rules for the world's fastest-growing region. That would put our workers and businesses at a disadvantage. Why would we let that happen? We should write those rules. We should level the playing field. That's why I'm asking both parties to give me trade promotion authority to protect American workers, with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe that aren't just free, but fair.

LET THE DEVELOPING ECONOMIES MANUFACTURE TOASTERS AND LET AMERICANS DOMINATE THE INTERNET, FINANCE AND THE TOP END PRODUCTION LINES IF YOU WILL.

Look, I'm the first one to admit that past trade deals haven't always lived up to the hype, and that's why we've gone after countries that break the rules at our expense. But ninety-five percent of the world's customers live outside our borders, and we can't close ourselves off from those opportunities. More than half of manufacturing executives have said they're actively looking at bringing jobs back from China. Let's give them one more reason to get it done.

WHAT'S GONE TO CHINA IS NOT COMING BACK. MANUFACTURERING IS NOT THE FUTURE FOR A COUNTRY LIKE AMERICA.

21st century businesses will rely on American science, technology, research and development.

THERE YOU GO.

I want the country that eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of medicine – one that delivers the right treatment at the right time. In some patients with cystic fibrosis, this approach has reversed a disease once thought unstoppable. Tonight, I'm launching a new Precision Medicine Initiative to bring us closer to curing diseases like cancer and diabetes – and to give all of us access to the personalized information we need to keep ourselves and our families healthier.

YES MEDICINE IS GOOD. BUT NOT AVAILABLE TO HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS AND LOW END MANUFACTURING MENTALITIES.

I intend to protect a free and open internet, extend its reach to every classroom, and every community, and help folks build the fastest networks, so that the next generation of digital innovators and entrepreneurs have the platform to keep reshaping our world.

YES. SOUNDS GOOD.

I want Americans to win the race for the kinds of discoveries that unleash new jobs – converting sunlight into liquid fuel; creating revolutionary prosthetics, so that a veteran who gave his arms for his country can play catch with his kid;

HOW ABOUT USING MORE DRONES AND ROBOTS AND STAY OUT OF UNPRODUCTIVE WARS.

pushing out into the Solar System not just to visit, but to stay. Last month, we launched a new spacecraft as part of a re-energized space program that will send American astronauts to Mars. In two months, to prepare us for those missions, Scott Kelly will begin a year-long stay in space. Good luck, Captain – and make sure to Instagram it.

YES QUIT CUTTING THE NASA BUDGET. YOU TALK THE FUTURE BUT KILL IT AT THE SAME TIME. YES TO SPACE. YES TO NASA. NO TO TOASTERS.

Now, the truth is, when it comes to issues like infrastructure and basic research, I know there's bipartisan support in this chamber. Members of both parties have told me so. Where we too often run onto the rocks is how to pay for these investments. As Americans, we don't mind paying our fair share of taxes, as long as everybody else does, too. But for far too long, lobbyists have rigged the tax code with loopholes that let some corporations pay nothing while others pay full freight. They've riddled it with giveaways the superrich don't need, denying a break to middle class families who do.

OK. THIS IS JUST POLITICAL RETREAD. IT IS THE INVESTMENTS OF THE RICH THAT DRIVE A CAPITALISTIC SOCIETY. LETS NOT CUT TOO DEEP INTO THE INVESTMENT POOL.

This year, we have an opportunity to change that. Let's close loopholes so we stop rewarding companies that keep profits abroad, and reward those that invest in America.

MR PRESIDENT INVESTMENTS GO WHERE THE RETURNS ARE THE GREATEST.

Let's use those savings to rebuild our infrastructure and make it more attractive for companies to bring jobs home. Let's simplify the system and let a small business owner file based on her actual bank statement, instead of the number of accountants she can afford.

COME ON MR PRESIDENT. LETS DO THIS. LETS MAKE THE IRS MORE RESPONSIVE. THE ECONOMICS OF THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT IS MORE FACTUAL AND BETTER SERVED BY DEBATE IN CONGRESS.

And let's close the loopholes that lead to inequality by allowing the top one percent to avoid paying taxes on their accumulated wealth.

THIS IS SO RIDICULOUS. CLOSE THE LOOP HOLES AND LOSE THE INVESTMENTS. LETS JUST GO FOR REDUCING THE LOOP HOLES WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.

We can use that money to help more families pay for childcare and send their kids to college.

NO. THAT INVESTMENT MONEY CREATES JOBS THAT THE POOR NEED TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN EXPENSES. WE DON'T NEED TO GET CARRIED AWAY WITH GOVERNMENT HANDOUTS.

We need a tax code that truly helps working Americans trying to get a leg up in the new economy, and we can achieve that together.

THE TAX CODE IS A 10,000 POUND GORILLA. IT WILL NEVER BE FAIR. JUST TOLERABLE. AND THE HIGHEST PRICED POLITICIANS ARE NEVER GOING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE AVERAGE NOT CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR CAMPAIGN CITIZEN.

Helping hardworking families make ends meet. Giving them the tools they need for good-paying jobs in this new economy. Maintaining the conditions for growth and competitiveness. This is where America needs to go. I believe it's where the American people want to go. It will make our economy stronger a year from now, fifteen years from now, and deep into the century ahead.

HOW ABOUT RIGHT NOW. YOU WONT BE MANAGING AMERICA FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS. NOW IS THE ISSUE.

Of course, if there's one thing this new century has taught us, it's that we cannot separate our work at home from challenges beyond our shores.

OK HERE COMES.

My first duty as Commander-in-Chief is to defend the United States of America.

YES IT IS.

In doing so, the question is not whether America leads in the world, but how. When we make rash decisions, reacting to the headlines instead of using our heads; when the first response to a challenge is to send in our military – then we risk getting drawn into unnecessary conflicts, and neglect the broader strategy we need for a safer, more prosperous world. That's what our enemies want us to do.

WELL ENTERING IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AND NOT ENTERING SYRIA WERE ALL MISTAKES.

I believe in a smarter kind of American leadership. We lead best when we combine military power with strong diplomacy; when we leverage our power with coalition building; when we don't let our fears blind us to the opportunities that this new century presents. That's exactly what we're doing right now – and around the globe, it is making a difference.

GROUP THINK DOES NOT WORK IN CRISIS SITUATIONS. IF IT DID, THE US WOULD BE MORE SUPPORTIVE OF THE UN.

First, we stand united with people around the world who've been targeted by terrorists – from a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris. We will continue to hunt down terrorists and dismantle their networks, and we reserve the right to act unilaterally, as we've done relentlessly since I took office to take out terrorists who pose a direct threat to us and our allies.

TERRORIST IS A TERM THAT MAKES ALL MUSLIMS CRIMINALS. ALL PALESTINIANS CRIMINALS. TERRORIST ARE CRIMINALS AND NEED TO BE HUNTED DOWN AND JAILED AND MAYBE EXECUTED. BUT WE NEED TO LEAVE OFF LUMPING RELIGIONS, RACES AND NATIONS INTO THE CRIMINAL POT BECAUSE OF A FEW OUTLAWS AND RELIGIOUS FANATICS AMONG THEM.

At the same time, we've learned some costly lessons over the last thirteen years.

HOW ABOUT OVER THE LAST 240 YEARS. WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

Instead of Americans patrolling the valleys of Afghanistan, we've trained their security forces, who've now taken the lead, and we've honored our troops' sacrifice by supporting that country's first democratic transition. Instead of sending large ground forces overseas, we're partnering with nations from South Asia to North Africa to deny safe haven to terrorists who threaten America. In Iraq and Syria, American leadership – including our military power – is stopping ISIL's advance.

FOR THE TIME BEING. BUT QUIT DROPPING BOMBS. THE BEST STATEGY FOR THE FUTURE IS MORE DRONES AND ROBOTS AND LESS BIOLOGICAL HUMANS IN HARMS WAY.

Instead of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group.

YOU CAN NEVER DEGRADE RELIGIOUS FANATICS. LOOK AT THE TALIBAN. THEY HAVE BEEN CONTAINED BUT THEY ARE NOT GONE BY ANY MEANS. THEY HAVE JUST BEEN WAITING FOR US TO LEAVE.

We're also supporting a moderate opposition in Syria that can help us in this effort,

MODERATE AS IN TOKEN.

and assisting people everywhere who stand up to the bankrupt ideology of violent extremism.

TERRORIST ARE CRIMINALS. NOT REPRESENTATIVES OF THEIR NATIVE POPULATIONS AT LARGE BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF HUMANS OF ALL STRIPES ARE LAW ABIDING.

This effort will take time. It will require focus. But we will succeed. And tonight, I call on this Congress to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against ISIL.

MORE CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED BY GIVING THE PALESTINIANS STATEHOOD. KILLING PEOPLE WHO ARE ON A GOD MISSION ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING. DEMOCRACY AND JUSTICE AND BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE ECOMONICS OF THE WORLD GETS RID OF ISIS. WHEN PEOPLE HAVE MONEY AND SECURITY AND PEACE THEY DON'T TEND TO JOIN RADICAL RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS.

Second, we are demonstrating the power of American strength and diplomacy. We're upholding the principle that bigger nations can't bully the small – by opposing Russian aggression, supporting Ukraine's democracy, and reassuring our NATO allies.

RUSSIA IS STILL IN THE CRIMEA AND NO ONE CARES. BIG NATIONS LIKE AMERICA BULLYING LITTLE PEOPLE LIKE THE PALESTINIANS. IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?

Last year, as we were doing the hard work of imposing sanctions along with our allies, some suggested that Mr. Putin's aggression was a masterful display of strategy and strength. Well, today, it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while Russia is isolated, with its economy in tatters.

RUSSIA WAS HARMED BY THE PRICE OF OIL. MR PRESIDENT YOU HAVE HAD NO EFFECT ON RUSSIA. NATO IS A JOKE. AND PUTIN KNOWS IT.

That's how America leads – not with bluster, but with persistent, steady resolve.

SORRY AMERICA IS NOT LEADING ANYTHING WITH PASSION EXCEPT THE DESIRE TO KEEP THE PALESTINIANS FROM JUSTICE. NOTHING AMERICA HAS DONE IN PALESTINE IS EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT AMERICA BELIEVES FOR AMERICANS. AND ALL PALESTINIANS ARE NOT TERRORIST. (FREEDOM FIGHTERS) JAIL THE CRIMINALS. QUIT USING THE WORD TERRORIST TO A WHOLE SOCIETY WHEN CRIMINAL APPLIES TO A FEW CRAZY PEOPLE WITHIN IT.

In Cuba, we are ending a policy that was long past its expiration date. When what you're doing doesn't work for fifty years, it's time to try something new. Our shift in Cuba policy has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemisphere; removes a phony excuse for restrictions in Cuba; stands up for democratic values; and extends the hand of friendship to the Cuban people.

THIS IS THE BEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE IN FOREIGN POLICY MR PRESIDENT. ISOLATING CUBA HAS DONE NOTHING. BRINGING CAPITALISM TO CUBA LIKE IN RUSSIA AND CHINA IS THE TICKET. CASTRO WON. LONG AGO. LETS GET ON WITH BUSINESS. THERE ARE BILLIONS TO BE MADE WITH NORMALIZED RELATIONS WITH CUBA.

And this year, Congress should begin the work of ending the embargo.

USE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER AND END THE EMBARGO AND LET CONGRESS TRY TO UNDO IT.

As His Holiness, Pope Francis, has said, diplomacy is the work of "small steps." These small steps have added up to new hope for the future in Cuba. And after years in prison, we're overjoyed that Alan Gross is back where he belongs. Welcome home, Alan.

SMALL STEPS IS AN EXCUSE. JUST DO IT. ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. CASTRO WON. THE VIETNAMESE WON. MOVE ON.

Our diplomacy is at work with respect to Iran, where, for the first time in a decade, we've halted the progress of its nuclear program and reduced its stockpile of nuclear material. Between now and this spring, we have a chance to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that prevents a nuclear-armed Iran; secures America and our allies – including Israel; while avoiding yet another Middle East conflict.

IRAN IS NOT PALESTINE. KEEPING THE ISRAELI'S FROM STARTING A WAR OVER NUCLEAR WEAPONS WHICH WOULD CREATE PARITY WITH ISREAL IS WHAT MUST HAPPEN. ISRAEL MUST BE TAKEN OUT OF THE IRAN MIX.

There are no guarantees that negotiations will succeed, and I keep all options on the table to prevent a nuclear Iran. But new sanctions passed by this Congress, at this moment in time, will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails – alienating America from its allies; and ensuring that Iran starts up its nuclear program again. It doesn't make sense. That is why I will veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to undo this progress. The American people expect us to only go to war as a last resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom.

THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT FOR AVOIDING WAR AGAINST IRAN BY KEEPING A LEASH ON RADICAL THIRD PARTIES.

Third, we're looking beyond the issues that have consumed us in the past to shape the coming century.

No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids. We are making sure our government integrates intelligence to combat cyber threats, just as we have done to combat terrorism. And tonight, I urge this Congress to finally pass the legislation we need to better meet the evolving threat of cyber-attacks, combat identity theft, and protect our children's information. If we don't act, we'll leave our nation and our economy vulnerable. If we do, we can continue to protect the technologies that have unleashed untold opportunities for people around the globe.

NOW YOU ARE TALKING. WE WILL NEVER STOP HACKING. BUT WE CAN REDUCE ITS IMPACT. IN A DIGITAL WORLD THIS THREAT IS GREATER THAN ANY MILITARY FORCE. TO UNDERMINE A NATIONS CYBER SECURITY AND ITS ECONOMY IS THE NEW BATTLEFIELD IN GLOBAL POLITICS. IT IS AVAILABLE TO EVERY GROUP BECAUSE IT IS CHEAP.

In West Africa, our troops, our scientists, our doctors, our nurses and healthcare workers are rolling back Ebola – saving countless lives and stopping the spread of disease. I couldn't be prouder of them, and I thank this Congress for your bipartisan support of their efforts. But the job is not yet done – and the world needs to use this lesson to build a more effective global effort to prevent the spread of future pandemics, invest in smart development, and eradicate extreme poverty.

ERADICATE POVERTY LIKE IN PALESTINE? YES. EDUCATION IN MEDICINE TO LEAD THE WORLD. YES EDUCATION. NOT VOCATIONAL TRAINING.

In the Asia Pacific, we are modernizing alliances while making sure that other nations play by the rules – in how they trade, how they resolve maritime disputes, and how they participate in meeting common international challenges like nonproliferation and disaster relief. And no challenge – no challenge – poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change.

I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY CHINA. MR PRESIDENT WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN HOW YOU HAVE MADE CLIMATE CHANGE JUST TALK. AMERICA IS NOT GOING TO LEAD AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE. THE PAST PROVES THAT. IT IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT WILL GET SERIOUS IN AMERICA UNTIL AMERICA IS AFFECTED. WHICH IT WILL BE WHEN THE WHEAT BELT MOVES TO CANADA OR MEXICO AND AMERICA CANNOT FEED ITSELF.

2014 was the planet's warmest year on record. Now, one year doesn't make a trend, but this does – 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have all fallen in the first 15 years of this century.

YELP IT IS A PROBLEM YOU TALK ABOUT MR PRESIDENT, BUT NO ACTION.

I've heard some folks try to dodge the evidence by saying they're not scientists; that we don't have enough information to act. Well, I'm not a scientist, either. But you know what – I know a lot of really good scientists at NASA, and NOAA, and at our major universities. The best scientists in the world are all telling us that our activities are changing the climate, and if we do not act forcefully, we'll continue to see rising oceans, longer, hotter heat waves, dangerous droughts and floods, and massive disruptions that can trigger greater migration, conflict, and hunger around the globe. The Pentagon says that climate change poses immediate risks to our national security. We should act like it.

SO WHY HAVEN'T WE SIGNED OFF ON ANY SIGNIFICANT INTERNATIONAL GLOBAL WARMING AGREEMENTS.

That's why, over the past six years, we've done more than ever before to combat climate change, from the way we produce energy, to the way we use it. That's why we've set aside more public lands and waters than any administration in history. And that's why I will not let this Congress endanger the health of our children by turning back the clock on our efforts. I am determined to make sure American leadership drives international action. In Beijing, we made an historic announcement – the United States will double the pace at which we cut carbon pollution, and China committed, for the first time, to limiting their emissions. And because the world's two largest economies came together, other nations are now stepping up, and offering hope that, this year, the world will finally reach an agreement to protect the one planet we've got.

WELL THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. AGEEMENTS WITHOUT ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS ARE WORTHLESS.

There's one last pillar to our leadership – and that's the example of our values.

As Americans, we respect human dignity, even when we're threatened, which is why I've prohibited torture, and worked to make sure our use of new technology like drones is properly constrained. It's why we speak out against the deplorable anti-Semitism that has resurfaced in certain parts of the world.

WHY THEN IS THE UNITED STATES BLOCKING PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD. BECAUSE WE SELECTIVELY APPLY AMERICAN VALUES. THE PRESIDENT IS A POLITICIAN, NOT A POPE. THE POPE HAS THE CONSCIOUSNESS ABOUT HUMAN SUFFERING THE PRESIDENT SUBORDINATES HUMAN SUFFERING EXCEPT IN AMERICA. PALESTINIANS LEGALLY IN AMERICA ARE NOT TERRORIST. BUT EVERY PALESTINIAN IN PALESTINE IS CONSIDERED A TERRORIST. TALK ABOUT DOUBLE SPEAK.

It's why we continue to reject offensive stereotypes of Muslims

BUT WE REFUSE TO GIVE THE MUSLIM PALESTINIANS STATEHOOD.

– the vast majority of whom share our commitment to peace.

AND THEN WHY ARE THEY DENIED STATEHOOD AFTER ISREAL WAS CARVED OUT OF PALESTINE 66 YEARS AGO BUT NO STATEHOOD FOR PALESTINIANS AND MR. PRESIDENT YOU ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE PAIN AND SUFFERING IN REFUGEE CAMPS IN THE NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES ALL AROUND PALESTINE.

That's why we defend free speech, and advocate for political prisoners, and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. We do these things not only because they're right, but because they make us safer.

INTERESTING. SO SINCE A GUARANTEE OF THESE THINGS FOR PALESTINIANS THROUGH STATEHOOD IS NOT CONNECTED TO OUR SAFETY, WE HAVE NO REASON TO DO ANYTHING. WE ARE A DEMOCRATIC EGALITARIAN NATION WHO SIGNED THE UN RESOLUTION CREATING ISRAEL BUT REFUSE TO DO SO FOR PALESTINIANS. IT IS ABOUT SAFETY NOT AMERICAN VALUES OR EVEN MORALITY.

As Americans, we have a profound commitment to justice

EXCEPT IN PALESTINE (AND MANY OTHER PLACES IN THE WORLD).

– so it makes no sense to spend three million dollars per prisoner to keep open a prison that the world condemns and terrorists use to recruit. Since I've been President, we've worked responsibly to cut the population of GTMO in half. Now it's time to finish the job. And I will not relent in my determination to shut it down. It's not who we are.

GITMO IS A LITTLE TINY PRISON, NOT EVEN WORTH MENTIONING, COMPARED TO GAZA AND PALESTINE.

As Americans, we cherish our civil liberties – and we need to uphold that commitment if we want maximum cooperation from other countries and industry in our fight against terrorist networks.

PALESTINIANS ARE NOT ALL TERRORIST. IF THERE WAS STATEHOOD THERE WOULD BE A POLICE FORCE THAT COULD BRING CRIMINALS TO JUSTICE.

So while some have moved on from the debates over our surveillance programs, I haven't. As promised, our intelligence agencies have worked hard, with the recommendations of privacy advocates, to increase transparency and build more safeguards against potential abuse. And next month, we'll issue a report on how we're keeping our promise to keep our country safe while strengthening privacy.

WE HAVE NOT MOVED ON. IT IS MORE HONEST TO BROADCAST TO AMERICANS WHAT WE ALL KNOW. THERE IS NO MORE PRIVACY. THIS BEGAN TO ERODE WITH CREDIT CARDS WHERE A PERSON COULD BE TRACKED WITH ACCESS TO THOSE RECORDS. NOW AMERICANS MUST CONSIDER THAT ALL CONVERSATIONS ARE PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS AND WE WILL NEVER GO BACK TO ANY SEMBLANCE OR REAL PRIVACY.

Looking to the future instead of the past. Making sure we match our power with diplomacy, and use force wisely. Building coalitions to meet new challenges and opportunities. Leading – always – with the example of our values.

WE ABSOLUTELY DO NOT LEAD WITH AMERICAN VALUES IN PALESTINE OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. WE LEAD WITH, AS YOU SAID, A SAFETY CONSIDERATION TEMPERING OUR PROPAGATION OF THE AMERICAN DREAM WITHIN AMERICAN BORDERS.

That's what makes us exceptional. That's what keeps us strong. And that's why we must keep striving to hold ourselves to the highest of standards – our own.

IT IS AMAZING HOW THE PRESIDENT, A HOLDER OF THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, CAN SAY THESE THINGS ABOUT AMERICAN VALUES OUTSIDE OF AMERICA.

You know, just over a decade ago, I gave a speech in Boston where I said there wasn't a liberal America, or a conservative America; a black America or a white America – but a United States of America. I said this because I had seen it in my own life, in a nation that gave someone like me a chance; because I grew up in Hawaii, a melting pot of races and customs; because I made Illinois my home – a state of small towns, rich farmland, and one of the world's great cities; a microcosm of the country where Democrats and Republicans and Independents, good people of every ethnicity and every faith, share certain bedrock values.

YES MR. PRESIDENT INSIDE THE BORDER OF THE UNITED STATES IS ABOUT AS CLOSE AS YOU ARE GOING TO GET TO A PERFECT SOCIETY. BUT THOSE AMERICAN VALUES AND MINDSET ARE ELITIST AND EXCLUSIVE AND AVAILABLE ONLY TO AMERICAN CITIZENS LIVING IN AMERICA. THIS IS WHAT IS SAD. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE PEACE IN THE WORLD HUMAN SOCIETY IF WE JUST EXPORT OUR VALUES AND APPLY THEM TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.

Over the past six years, the pundits have pointed out more than once that my presidency hasn't delivered on this vision. How ironic, they say, that our politics seems more divided than ever. It's held up as proof not just of my own flaws – of which there are many – but also as proof that the vision itself is misguided, and naïve, and that there are too many people in this town who actually benefit from partisanship and gridlock for us to ever do anything about it.

YES THE WORLD, DUE TO THE CHAOS OF CHANGE, HAS MOVED THE VAST MAJORITY OF HUMAN BEINGS TO A FEARFUL CONSERVATIVE RIGHT WING RADICALISM OF FEAR OF CHANGE WITH CONSERVATIVE TALK SHOW HOSTS FEEDING THAT FEAR FOR SELF AGRANDIZEMENT AND MONEY.

I know how tempting such cynicism may be. But I still think the cynics are wrong.

NO THEY ARE RIGHT. THE WHOLE WORLD SOCIETY IS POLARIZED NOW BUT THE CONSERVATIVE ELITIST EXCLUSIVE MINDSET FAR OUTWEIGHS THE DEMOCRATIC ALL INCLUSIVE MINDSET. AS FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT SAID, "THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF." FEAR IS A SELF FULFILLING PROPHECY.

I still believe that we are one people.

THAT AMERICANS ARE. ONE PEOPLE REPRESENTED BY ALL PEOPLE, ALL RACES, ALL RELIGIONS, ALL NATIONALITIES, BOTH GENDERS LIVING IN PEACE.

I still believe that together, we can do great things, even when the odds are long.

JESUS SAID, "ASK AND RECEIVE, SEEK AND FIND, KNOCK AND ENTER." AND "ANYTHING YOU ASK IN MY NAME I WILL DO" AND "IF YOU HAVE FAITH OF A MUSTARD SEED YOU CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS.' WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT WE OURSELVES, WE AS AMERICANS, WE AS HUMAN BEINGS ARE WRITING OUR OWN SCRIPT. WE ARE LIVING THE REALITY WE ARE DAILY SCRIPTING. THAT IS THE FOUNDATIONAL SECULAR MESSAGE OF JESUS. WE ARE WRITING OUR OWN SCRIPT. WE ARE LIVING WHAT WE THINK AND BELIEVE. WHEN PEACE BECOMES OUR PRIORITY, WORLDPEACE WILL BECOME OUR REALITY.

I believe this because over and over in my six years in office, I have seen America at its best. I've seen the hopeful faces of young graduates from New York to California; and our newest officers at West Point, Annapolis, Colorado Springs, and New London. I've mourned with grieving families in Tucson and Newtown; in Boston, West, Texas, and West Virginia. I've watched Americans beat back adversity from the Gulf Coast to the Great Plains; from Midwest assembly lines to the Mid-Atlantic seaboard. I've seen something like gay marriage go from a wedge issue used to drive us apart to a story of freedom across our country, a civil right now legal in states that seven in ten Americans call home.

YES AND IT NEEDS TO BE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND THE LAW OF THE LAND, ALL THE LAND BECAUSE IT IS A SECULAR DEMOCRATIC ISSUE.

So I know the good, and optimistic, and big-hearted generosity of the American people who, every day, live the idea that we are our brother's keeper, and our sister's keeper. And I know they expect those of us who serve here to set a better example.

YES WE EXPECT PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, IT IS THE DEMOCRATIC THING TO DO, IT IS THE SPIRITUAL THING TO DO.

So the question for those of us here tonight is how we, all of us, can better reflect America's hopes. I've served in Congress with many of you. I know many of you well. There are a lot of good people here, on both sides of the aisle. And many of you have told me that this isn't what you signed up for – arguing past each other on cable shows, the constant fundraising, always looking over your shoulder at how the base will react to every decision.

IT IS THE REALITY THAT THE POLITICIANS IN WASHINGTON AND IN EVERY STATE HAVE CREATED. CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS ARE TOO LIBERAL AND VIRTUALLY UNLIMITED AND IT HAS SKEWED THE DEMOCRACY OF AMERICAN.

Imagine if we broke out of these tired old patterns. Imagine if we did something different.

WELL YOU ARE THE PRESIDENT AND THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER. LEAD AND WE FOLLOW. AS HARRY TRUMAN SAID, 'THE BUCK STOPS HERE", MEANING YOUR DESK MR. PRESIDENT. YOU WERE ELECTED TO LEAD BUT YOU HAVE LED US TO SOME PLACES WE SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE. AND ALLOWED US TO REMAIN WHERE WE DO NOT BELONG.

Understand – a better politics isn't one where Democrats abandon their agenda or Republicans simply embrace mine.

A better politics is one where we appeal to each other's basic decency instead of our basest fears.

INTERESTING MR PRESIDENT YOU SAID THAT THE APPEAL IS TO FEAR AND NOT TO JUSTICE.

A better politics is one where we debate without demonizing each other; where we talk issues, and values, and principles, and facts, rather than "gotcha" moments, or trivial gaffes, or fake controversies that have nothing to do with people's daily lives.

THOSE THINGS CRAFT AND DEFINE THE DAILY LIVES OF AMERICANS.

A better politics is one where we spend less time drowning in dark money for ads that pull us into the gutter, and spend more time lifting young people up, with a sense of purpose and possibility, and asking them to join in the great mission of building America.

AND PROMOTING AND INCREASING THE PEACE IN THE WORLD HUMAN SOCIETY.

If we're going to have arguments, let's have arguments – but let's make them debates worthy of this body and worthy of this country.

YOU MEAN DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE.

We still may not agree on a woman's right to choose, but surely we can agree it's a good thing that teen pregnancies and abortions are nearing all-time lows, and that every woman should have access to the health care she needs.

REGARDING ABORTION, NO LEGISLATION ON ABORTION, WHERE WOMEN ARE FORCED TO HAVE CHILDREN THEY DO NOT WANT. ABORTION LEGISLATION NEEDS TO HAVE ATTACHED A FUNDING BILL WHERE ALL OF AMERICA AGREES TO SUPPORT THROUGH WELFARE THESE UNWANTED CHILDREN. AND MORE TO THE POINT, ANYONE WHO IS NOT WILLING TO ADOPT ONE OF THESE UNWANTED CHILDREN NEEDS TO STAY OUT OF THE DEBATE AND REFRAIN FROM VOTING ON THIS ISSUE. IT IS REALLY THAT SIMPLE. BUT SO MANY PEOPLE, MORE REPUBLICANS THAN DEMOCRATS, ARE AGAINST ABORTION AND AGAINST WELFARE. IT IS A JUDGMENTAL MINDSET TO PUNISH THOSE WHO GET PREGNANT BUT DO NOT WANT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PREGNANCY. I DON'T WANT TO SUPPORT A CHILD WHO WAS FORCED ON SOCIETY BY THE LEGISLATURE.

Yes, passions still fly on immigration, but surely we can all see something of ourselves in the striving young student, and agree that no one benefits when a hardworking mom is taken from her child, and that it's possible to shape a law that upholds our tradition as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.

IMMIGRATION IS LAW. AND THE LAW SHOULD BE FOLLOWED OR CHANGED AND NOT NEGATED BY EXECUTIVE ORDERS. YES THE LAW IS WHAT AMERICA IS ALL ABOUT AND PREVENTING PALESTINIANS FROM ACCESS TO THE LAW (THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT) BY THREATENING STARVATION BY WITHHOLDING MONEY TO FORCE THEM INTO SUBMISSION IS NOT WHAT AMERICA IS ALL ABOUT.

We may go at it in campaign season, but surely we can agree that the right to vote is sacred; that it's being denied to too many;

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT AMERICA OR THE WORLD.

and that, on this 50th anniversary of the great march from Selma to Montgomery and the passage of the Voting Rights Act, we can come together, Democrats and Republicans, to make voting easier for every single American.

BUT WE TURN OUR BACKS ON THOSE WHO ARE NOT FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE AMERICANS. NOT JUST TURN OUR BACKS BUT IN SOME CASES INCREASE THEIR MISERY AND LACK OF HOPE AND JUSTICE.

We may have different takes on the events of Ferguson and New York. But surely we can understand a father who fears his son can't walk home without being harassed. Surely we can understand the wife who won't rest until the police officer she married walks through the front door at the end of his shift. Surely we can agree it's a good thing that for the first time in 40 years, the crime rate and the incarceration rate have come down together, and use that as a starting point for Democrats and Republicans, community leaders and law enforcement, to reform America's criminal justice system so that it protects and serves us all.

CHILDREN AS WELL AS ADULTS NEED TO LEARN TO RESPECT LAW ENFORCEMENT. NOT MAKE IT NECESSARY FOR THE POLICE TO PATROL HEAVILY ARMED. PEOPLE WHO CHALLENGE THE POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR TROUBLE. AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A COMMITMENT FROM EVERY POLICE FORCE TO REMOVE THE INDIVIDUAL ANTI SOCIAL POLICE FROM THEIR FORCE. THE SAME AS THE POPE MUST REMOVE ALL PEDOPHILES FROM THE CLERY.

That's a better politics. That's how we start rebuilding trust. That's how we move this country forward. That's what the American people want. That's what they deserve.

YES JUSTICE IS WHAT WE WANT. RESPECT IS WHAT WE WANT. AND YOU KNOW MR PRESIDENT IF THAT EXISTED IN THE MIDDLE EAST THERE WOULD BE NO ISIS, AND NO TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN AND NO AL QUAEDA. THERE IS NOTHING SO TRAGIC AS TO KNOW RIGHT AND NOT DO IT MR PRESIDENT.

I have no more campaigns to run. My only agenda for the next two years is the same as the one I've had since the day I swore an oath on the steps of this Capitol – to do what I believe is best for America. If you share the broad vision I outlined tonight, join me in the work at hand. If you disagree with parts of it, I hope you'll at least work with me where you do agree. And I commit to every Republican here tonight that I will not only seek out your ideas, I will seek to work with you to make this country stronger.

YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT MR PRESIDENT. I HOPE YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME AND OTHERS WHO ARE NOT IN THE MAJORITY. AND LISTEN TO THE POPE AND OTHERS IN HIS POSITION WHO ARE A MORAL COMPASS WITHOUT FINANCIAL AGENDAS.

Because I want this chamber, this city, to reflect the truth – that for all our blind spots and shortcomings, we are a people with the strength and generosity of spirit to bridge divides, to unite in common effort, and help our neighbors, whether down the street or on the other side of the world.

NO MR PRESIDENT NOT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD. JUST IN AMERICA.

I want our actions to tell every child, in every neighborhood: your life matters, and we are as committed to improving your life chances as we are for our own kids.

EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD OR JUST AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOODS.

I want future generations to know that we are a people who see our differences as a great gift, that we are a people who value the dignity and worth of every citizen – man and woman, young and old, black and white, Latino and Asian, immigrant and Native American, gay and straight, Americans with mental illness or physical disability.

AS LONG AS THEY RESIDE WITHIN THE BORDERS OF AMERICA.

I want them to grow up in a country that shows the world what we still know to be true: that we are still more than a collection of red states and blue states; that we are the United States of America.

NO MR PRESIDENT WE AS A NATION REPRESENT EVERY SUB SET OF HUMAN BEINGS IN THE WORLD HUMAN SOCIETY WHO ALL LIVE IN PEACE AND JUSTICE AND RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF EACH OTHER.

I want them to grow up in a country where a young mom like Rebekah can sit down and write a letter to her President with a story to sum up these past six years:

"It is amazing what you can bounce back from when you have to...we are a strong, tight-knit family who has made it through some very, very hard times."

AND WE CAN APPLY THAT CAN DO ATTITUDE TO THE REST OF THE WORLD AND SPREAD THE AMERICAN DREAM TO THE ENTIRE WORLD HUMAN POPULATION. SEE EACH OTHER NOT AS SUBSETS OF THE WORLD HUMAN SOCIETY TO BE DEMONIZED, PREYED UPON AND MURDERED AND STARVED AND DISCOUNTED.

My fellow Americans, we too are a strong, tight-knit family. We, too, have made it through some hard times. Fifteen years into this new century, we have picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off, and begun again the work of remaking America. We've laid a new foundation. A brighter future is ours to write.

YES MR PRESIDENT WE ARE SCRIPTING THE REALITY IN WHICH WE EXIST.

Let's begin this new chapter – together – and let's start the work right now.

AND THE RALLYING CRY OF THAT WORK IS "LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH" LED BY AMERICA WHO REFUSES TO BETRAY ITS FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF TRUTH, JUSTICE, FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. ALL WE ARE SAYING IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless this country we love.

AMEN.

JOHN WORLDPEACE

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