State of the Union Addresses of Barack Obama, 2009-2016Obama, Barack
General
State of the Union Addresses of Barack Obama, 2009-2016
Obama, Barack
Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
This year, we have an opportunity to change that. Let's close loopholes
so we stop rewarding companies that keep profits abroad and reward
those that invest here in America. Let's use those savings to rebuild
our infrastructure and to make it more attractive for companies to
bring jobs home. Let's simplify the system and let a small-business
owner file based on her actual bank statement, instead of the number of
accountants she can afford. And let's close the loopholes that lead to
inequality by allowing the top 1 percent to avoid paying taxes on their
accumulated wealth. We can use that money to help more families pay for
childcare and send their kids to college. We need a Tax Code that truly
helps working Americans trying to get a leg up in the new economy, and
we can achieve that together. [Applause] We can achieve it together.
Helping hard-working families make ends meet, giving them the tools
they need for good-paying jobs in this new economy, maintaining the
conditions of growth and competitiveness--this is where America needs to
go. I believe it's where the American people want to go. It will make
our economy stronger a year from now, 15 years from now, and deep into
the century ahead.
Of course, if there's one thing this new century has taught us, it's
that we cannot separate our work here at home from challenges beyond
our shores. My first duty as Commander in Chief is to defend the United
States of America. In doing so, the question is not whether America
leads in the world, but how. When we make rash decisions, reacting to
the headlines instead of using our heads, when the first response to a
challenge is to send in our military, then we risk getting drawn into
unnecessary conflicts and neglect the broader strategy we need for a
safer, more prosperous world. That's what our enemies want us to do.
I believe in a smarter kind of American leadership. We lead best when
we combine military power with strong diplomacy, when we leverage our
power with coalition building, when we don't let our fears blind us to
the opportunities that this new century presents. That's exactly what
we're doing right now. And around the globe, it is making a difference.
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