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State, local reps react to Obama’s address
Photo
President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address Tuesday night to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Staff report
Youngstown
State and local leaders reacted Tuesday to a State of the Union address in which President Barack Obama boasted of a strength that reflects “the shadow of crisis has passed.”
With a growing economy, combat in Afghanistan over and dependence on foreign oil at its lowest in 30 years, Americans have gained much, he said.
More Americans are finishing high school and college and more have health coverage.
Wages are starting to rise. But the middle class still needs help, he said, and his proposals to keep the country from slipping back into hard times include a $3,000-per-child tax credit for child care; working on states’ providing paid sick leave for workers; higher wages for women and raising the minimum wage; and making community college free.
David Betras, chairman of the Mahoning County Democratic Party, was struck by the president’s idea to make community colleges free.
“That’s just a plain good idea,” he said. “What isn’t a good idea about providing more education to the public?”
Mark Munroe, chairman of the Mahoning County Republican Party, disagreed, however.
“We don’t need Big Brother in Washington to tell us how to make two-year community colleges affordable,” he said. “[Eastern] Gateway Community College has a free-tuition program — it’s here now.”
He said he’s glad the president wants to collaborate with Congress, but “it’s ironic he waited six years to make that offer.”
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Cleveland, said: “Tonight, President Obama made it clear that we must not reverse course on our nation’s 58 straight months of private-sector job growth.”
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, said: “Many of the president’s initiatives will put money back into the pockets of our friends and neighbors.
“Making quality child care affordable for middle and lower income families is the right thing to do, and it is also good for our economy,” Ryan said.
U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th, said he hopes Obama follows through with his pledge to work with Congress to help the middle class.
“During the 2013 tax year, Washington took in more taxpayer dollars than ever before — $2.7 trillion. On the other hand, the national debt is higher than it has ever been before — $18 trillion, which makes each taxpayer’s share of the national debt $154,000. It is clear that Americans are not taxed too little; rather, Washington spends too much,” Johnson said.
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, a Republican from Cincinnati, said, “While I was disappointed that the president’s speech was largely about more of the same big-government solutions that haven’t worked over the past six years, I remain committed to working with anyone, Republican or Democrat, toward common-sense solutions that will increase economic opportunity for all Americans, including more jobs, better wages, and lower costs for health care, education, and energy.”