President Obama s Last State Of The Union Address

President Obama gave his last State of the Union address on January 12th of this year. Like so many of his previous speeches, it was filled with soaring rhetoric and stressed values all Americans hold dear, not just Democrats, while also focusing on values that Democrats hold more dear than Republicans. Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina gave the Republican response and that speech, although critical of the President’s approach, echoed many of his values, while still emphasizing values that Republicans hold more dear than Democrats. According to the Trends in American Values 1987-2012 survey from the Pew Research Center, Americans on both sides of the political aisle are concerned about the following issues: 1. Political engagement 2. Government responsiveness 3. Optimism 4. National security 5. Personal finance 6. Religiosity While the following issues significantly divide them: 1. Social safety net 2. Environment 3. Labor unions 4. Equal opportunity 5. Government scope and performance 6. Immigration In his State of the Union address, President Obama touched on five of the six values that all Americans hold dear as well as all six values that Democrats find more important than Republicans. Interestingly, he didn’t touch on â€Å"religiosity† which more Republicans valued than Democrats in the Pew poll. Here are examples from his speech that touch on five values all Americans say are important to them: 1. Political engagement: â€Å"So, my fellow Americans,Show MoreRelatedPresident Obama s Final State Of The Union Speech1013 Words   |  5 PagesTravon Felton In January 12, 2016, President Obama has given his final State of the Union Speech. In his speech, Mr. Obama addressed one of the major concerns that is happening in America today. 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