Did you miss President Obama’s State of the Union address entitled "Opportunity for All"? If so, here is my highlight list of Tuesday’s speech for the tech industry.
Things he touted: Highest graduation rates in 30 years; 8 million new jobs in the past four years; "best, most fuel-efficient cars in the world;" strongest five-year stretch of farm exports in history; health-care reforms; a war that is "finally coming to an end" after 12 years; lowest unemployment rate in more than five years; rebounding housing market; new jobs in manufacturing sector for first time since the Nineties; more oil produced at home than purchased from rest of the world; deficits cut in half.
Loudest applause line: World business leaders declare China is no longer the world’s number one place to invest in – America is.
Second loudest applause line: Women deserve equal pay for equal work, and they should be able to have a baby and care for a sick family member without running into hardship.
What consumes the capitol: A rancorous argument about the proper size of the federal government
What Obama called for that reminds us faintly of Schwarzenegger: "Let’s make this year a year of action."
What the president threatened if Congress won’t act: He will act without legislation.
What eliminated middle class jobs and weakened economic foundations: Massive shifts in technology and global competition in the last 30 years
What promoted marital harmony: Michelle Obama’s "Let’s Move" partnership to reduce childhood obesity, and Jill Biden’s Joining Forces Alliances that encouraged businesses to hire 400,000 veterans and military spouses.
What Obama said about taxes: He proposed to close tax loopholes that punish businesses that invest domestically, end incentives to ship jobs overseas, and lower tax rates for businesses that create jobs in America.
What he would do with tax money saved: Create jobs rebuilding roads, highway infrastructure and upgrading ports.
What he promised to do if Congress passes transportation and waterway bills: Slash bureaucracy and streamline permitting processes for key projects.
What he will do to attract high-tech manufacturing jobs: Add six more hubs for high-tech manufacturing to the existing two hubs in Raleigh and Youngstown.
What he has done to help small business: Issued more small business loans; brokered new trade partnerships with Europe and Asia-Pacific; supported bipartisan trade promotion authority to open new markets, and protected workers and the environment
How he wants to help innovation: Restore cuts to federally-funded basic research and pass a patent reform bill
Why he believes America is closer to energy independence than it has been in decades: Businesses are poised to invest $100 billion in new factories powered with natural gas. He asked Congress to build fueling stations to shift cars and trucks to natural gas from foreign oil. He proposes to sustain production and job growth while protecting the environment, including pristine federal lands. He touted a tax policy that redirects $4 billion a year for fossil fuel industries to investing in fuels of the future like solar. He highlighted energy efficiency efforts and higher fuel efficiency standards from automakers.
What he said about climate change to rankle skeptics: "The debate is settled. Climate change is a fact." He touted the United States’ reduction of total carbon pollution as more than any other nation, but he said we must act with more urgency because a changing climate is harming western communities with drought and coastal cities with floods. He wants states, utilities and others to set new standards on the amount of carbon pollution that power plants may dump in the air.
What he wants on immigration: Fix the broken immigration system because reforms can grow the economy and shrink deficits by $1 trillion in the next two decades.
A job he gave Vice President Biden: Across-the-board reform of America’s training programs to ensure skills match what employers need now.
What he asked CEOs to do: Give more long-term unemployed workers a fair shot at a job.
What he wants for education: Praised the Race to the Top program, touted student loan reform and encouraged STEM programs; wants pre-K programs for 4-year-olds, the redesign of high schools that partner with colleges and employers; give colleges incentives to offer more value; cap monthly student loan payments to 10 percent of income.
What he said about broadband: On his pledge to connect 99 percent of students to broadband last year, he announced that more than 15,000 schools and 20 million students will be connected over the next two years. He credited the support of the FCC, Apple, Microsoft, Sprint and Verizon.
How he will raise the federal minimum wage: He intends to issue an executive order in the next few weeks that requires federal contractors to pay their federally-funded employees a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour. He urged CEOs in the private sector to follow his lead.
How he will help you with your piggy bank: Announced a new program called MyRA, a new savings bond to help people save for retirement who do not have pensions, 401K or IRA plans.
What he said "Citizenship" means: Strengthening the Voting Rights Act; fighting gun violence; serving your community; participating in self-government.
What he said about the troops: All troops are out of Iraq and 60,000 have returned from Afghanistan. Al Queda’s core leadership is "on path to defeat," but there must be vigilance for affiliates and extremists in Yemen, Somalia, Iraq and Mali.
What he said about touchy issues: He will use drones with "prudent limits." He will reform NSA surveillance programs. He will close Guantanamo Bay prison.
What American diplomacy has achieved: Prevented nukes from falling into the wrong hands (Syria, Iran); promoted peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
