State of the City Extra Credit

       In his first State of the City Address Hunting Mayor Steve Williams laid out his plan for “Enterprise Budgeting,” which is a plan that allocates nearly $2 million dollars to the city budget without raising taxes for the residents.  Williams also proposed the creation of 11 new positions and four new groups: the Mayor’s Council of the Art, the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting and a Mayor’s Council for Physical Fitness. Williams’ also discussed improvements to Huntington’s infrastructure, which include improvements to the floodwall, drainage systems and pavement projects. Williams’ also placed heavy emphasis on collecting taxes that are owed and creating an up-to-date rental registry, which would allow the city to know who owns property that is being rented.

State of the City Column

          Newly inaugurated Huntington Mayor Steve Williams delivered his first State of the City Address and laid out his plans for change in the city.

            Williams was visually nervous to begin his speech with shaky hands and stumbling speech, but as he settled in he began to gain confidence in his speech and presented several new ideas to the councilmen and women that surrounded him.

            The main reoccurring point in Williams’ speech was the addition of nearly $2 million to the city’s budget without implementing any tax increases. Williams called the strategy that allows this to be possible “Enterprise Budgeting.”

            In an attempt to improve the city in every way from aesthetics to infrastructure, Williams proposed the creation of new groups including, the Mayor’s Council of the Art, the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting and a Mayor’s Council for Physical Fitness.

            Throughout his address, Williams seemed genuinely passionate about rebuilding Huntington to the desirable city it once was. Williams displayed his passion for the city multiple times when he would raise his voice and nearly be shouting, and when he would slap the podium to emphasize a point.

            Like any political leader, Williams laid out a convincing plan. But as a skeptic, I continuously found myself thinking his ideas sounded good, but are the feasible? While these thoughts crossed my mind, I have no doubt that everything Williams’ has planned is for the improvement of the city, not self promotion like so many political leaders.

2013 SOTU Address

               Standing before the nation and a joint session of Congress, President Barack Obama delivered his fourth State of the Union Address. In an earlier column I presented my predictions for his speech, and while I successfully predicted some of his key points, he also hit on some unexpected topics.

                In my first column I predicted Obama would intensely discuss gun control, and Obama did just that. Surprisingly, Obama waited until the final 20 minutes of his speech to discuss gun control, but when he did, it was emotionally charged and was met with a mixture of tears and cheers from the audience. Obama said the reform proposals deserved a vote in Congress whether or not they would pass. He also made an emotion connection by saying the families of gun violence victims deserved to have the proposals voted for.

                Going off his previous State of the Union Addresses, I made the prediction Obama would address the topic of America’s education system, and he did. Obama discussed education reform from preschool to college. He said it was crucial for American children of all walks of life to have an equal opportunity to be enrolled in preschool in order for them to have a fair start in their educational lives.

                Obama also said the nation’s high schools must change and do a better job preparing students for work or further education. This drew one of the largest ovations of the speech, from both sides of the audience. While I successfully predicted Obama would discuss education, I also thought he would talk about teachers as he had in past SOTU addresses, however, he spent his time on education discussing the actual quality of the education American children are receiving.

                For the past few months the topic of immigration has been a political hot bed, which is exactly why I predicted Obama would speak about it. He has also discussed the topic multiple times since stepping into office. Like he did for gun control and education, Obama laid out specific plans for how he planned to tackle the issue of immigration control.

                Obama said he plans to strengthen border patrol and create a more responsible way for immigrants to earn citizenship. He wrapped up his discussion on immigration by repeating “Let’s get it done,” multiple times while most of the crowd responded with a standing ovation.

                Obama discussed American troops not just once, but twice during his SOTU address making another prediction correct. Also as I predicted, Obama addressed women now being allowed to be on the front line.

                Obama not only thanked the troops for their service as I anticipated, but he announced that 34,000 troops will be returning home from Afghanistan during the next year. He also declared by the end of next year, America’s war in Afghanistan would be over.

                In addition to thanking troops for their selfless service, Obama also said the government needs to provide better healthcare for active troops and veterans.

                Shockingly (and I say that sarcastically), I also correctly predicted Obama would say the state of the union is strong. He not only said the state of the union is strong, but bragged that during the past four years the nation had “cleared away the rubble of crisis.”

                While I successfully predicted four components of his address, Obama also discussed several topics that took me by surprise, including energy reform and how the nation needs to do a better job preventing climate change.

                Tax reform was another major point during Obama’s SOTU address that I did not predict. The entire time he discussed the topic, he repeatedly mentioned the need for Congress to work together to make the necessary changes to improve the tax codes.

                Following a theme from his inauguration speech, Obama spoke about women’s equality in his SOTU address, which is another topic I failed to predict. The major part of this was the need for equality of pay for both men and women.

                Perhaps the biggest surprise (at least to me) of Obama’s SOTU address was the time he spent discussing the need to strengthen the nation’s cyber defense.

                With the exception of a few points, specifically cyber defense, Obama’s SOTU speech was predicted by simply researching his previous four SOTU speeches, current event and even his inauguration address just three weeks ago. 

Gun control, education and immigration will be key components of Obama's SOTU Address

For the second time in less than a month President Barack Obama will address the nation for his fifth State of the Union address on Tuesday, Feb. 12. This will be the president’s fourth time standing in front of the nation to deliver the address, but this year’s State of the Union address may be a little different than his previous four.

            In the previous four years Obama has delivered this address with his re-election in mind. The president had to do this if he wanted any chance to get another four years in office. He could not go out and blatantly criticize or call out Republicans.

            However, this year I think the nation could see a bit of a change. Now, that is not to say Obama will stand before a joint session of Congress and say Republicans are the reason for all of the nation’s problems, because that is just not likely to happen. I do think however, Obama will be a bit bolder in his speech and in the topics he will discuss.

            For example, gun control to play a key role in the president’s speech. Following the Newtown, Conn., shooting gun control has been at the center of the political world. The Obama administration has already proposed a ban on certain firearms, specifically assault rifles, that was met head on with opposition from conservatives. Because he has already been elected, and he has already made the proposal, Obama to speak strongly on this topic without fear of it costing him votes.

            Obama’s strong push for stronger gun control has already begun on his website, www.barackobama.com, Obama has urged his supporters to contact their representative to show their support for Obama and his proposed ban.

             A constant in Obama’s first four State of the Union addresses has been his support of improving the nation’s education. Education reform has been a major topic for Obama from his first address, when he said reforming the nation’s education was one of the best ways to improve the down economy.

            The president has echoed this statement in all of his State of the Union addresses, and he will once again do the same. In his 2012 address Obama not only expressed his concern for education reform, but said teachers were a crucial part of American society and said we as a nation need to give them all the resources they need.

            According to the Washington Post, the high school drop out rate still standing at nearly 25 percent.  With that being said, education will remain a major theme in Obama’s address.

            Another main point in President Obama’s address will be immigration and border control. The issue has been a political hotbed for year now, but in recent weeks has intensified greatly.

            Since stepping into office, Obama has repeatedly expressed his concern for illegal immigration, including in his State of the Union Address. Last year he said he believes more than ever the nation should take on illegal immigration, which is exactly why I believe he will spend time discussing the topic. On his website, President Obama has already made it clear saying it is a high priority in his second term.

            I also believe Obama will talk about the troops, maybe not for long, but he will address them. Obama will more than likely discuss the recent change that now allows women to participate in combat, and even if he does not directly discuss this, he will discuss the members of the nation’s military.

            Each time Obama has delivered this speech, he has thanked the troops for their brave, selfless sacrifices, and this year I expect nothing less.

            The surprise of the address, and I say that sarcastically, will be when Obama says the State of the Union is strong just as he has the past four years. Regardless of what the actual state of the union is, no president has or will stand before Congress and the nation and say, “the state of the union is in bad shape.” That may be the last thing a president will ever say in a State of the Union address.