via ThinkProgress FACTS: The State Of The Union Tonight, President Barack Obama will deliver his third State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress. The Republican response will be given by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels. Before you watch the speeches, get the facts: • Since the last SOTU, the economy has created 1.9 million private sector jobs. [Source] • The top 1 percent take home 24 percent of the nation’s income, up from about 9 percent in 1976. [Source] • Private sector job creation under Obama in 2011 was larger than seven out of the eight years Bush was president. [Source] • The top 1 percent of Americans own 40 percent of our country’s wealth while the bottom 80 percent owns only 7 percent. [Source] • Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, 2.5 million young adults gained health insurance. [Source] • For every one job opening, there are four people looking for work. [Source] • Last year, China spent 9 percent of its GDP on infrastructure. The U.S. spent 2.5 percent. [Source] • 2.65 million seniors saved an average of $569 on prescriptions last year thanks to the Affordable Care Act. [Source] • “In 2011, the United States killed Al Qaeda’s most effective propagandist, Anwar al-Awlaki; its operating chief, Atiyah Abd al-Rahman; and of course its founder, chief executive and spiritual leader, Osama bin Laden.” [Source] • Union membership is at a 70-year low. [Source] • Unemployment benefits have lifted 3.2 million people out of poverty. [Source] • The United States used to have the world’s largest percentage of college graduates. We’re now #14. [Source] • One quarter of all contributions to federal campaigns come from 0.01 percent of Americans. [Source] • 47.8 percent of households that receive food stamps are working, because having a job is not enough to keep them out of poverty. [Source] • In the last three years, 30 major corporations spent more on lobbying than they paid in taxes. [Source] • 50 percent of U.S. workers make less than $26,364 per year. [Source] • More than one in 70 homes faced foreclosure last year. [Source] • Since 1985, the federal tax rate for the 400 wealthiest Americans dropped from 29 percent to 18 percent. [Source] *All statistics use the most recent data we could identify
It is truly a NATIONAL DISGRACE that unemployment is as high as it is now. I predict Obama will get up there YET AGAIN and trot out his tired excuses of "inheriting" this economy. It is not 2008, Barack, it's 2012. No more tired excuses. You've had time, yet we still have disgracefully high unemployment, and the buck stops with YOU. Accountability, Barack -- no more excuses.
Let's just skip and and hear the criticisms of the speech, as you know they're already written as well.
Unemployment Bush to Obama Feb 2001 - 4.2% Feb 2009 - 8.3% Dec 2011 - 8.5% A true disgrace what Bush did to this country, indeed.
Missing from comrade mc mark's list: _More people in America are on food stamps under Barry than any previous adminitrations. _ Barry will not try to explain to Americans why Moochell hate white people. This will be Barry's last SOTU so you lefties better enjoy it while it lasts!
What is there to debate? Your numbers show Barack has done NOTHING to lower unemployment in this country since he was elected. He FAILS
It depends on what you mean. The racism that caused them is certainly racist. And a person who grew up with the linguistic background that would cause ebonics to be used wouldn't be racist. Ebonics is an actual linguistic pattern based on actual language and not just slang. If you meant you using the patterns which aren't natural to you then yes it would still be racist.
On Nov 6th America will have a new president, Esteban and his friends Basso, bigtexxx, hightop....are able to crititize, insult or whatever we do to our president without being called" A GOD DARN RACIST".
