State Of The Union 2015: President Obama To Ask New Congress To Stop Playing Games

President Obama is gearing up for the 2015 State of the Union address to the United States and the rest of the world on January 20. But this year, with a new congress, it seems he wants to stop all the political games.

On January 17, in his weekly address, President Obama seemed assuredly confident in the topics he plans to discuss during his upcoming speech to the American public. In the short address, President Obama made his statement.

“2014 was the fastest year for job growth since the 1990’s. Unemployment fell faster than any year since 1984. Our combat mission in Afghanistan has come to a responsible end, and more of our heroes are coming home. America’s resurgence is real. Our job now is to make sure every American feels that their a part of our country’s comeback.

That’s what I’ll focus on in my State of the Union — how to build on our momentum with rising wages, growing incomes and a stronger middle class.”

Certainly, these are topics of which the American public need to become knowledgeable. According to the population clock at the United States Census Bureau, there are currently over 320 million people in the U.S. population — and counting. And of that 320 million, approximately only one-in-four know the first five freedoms of the First Amendment. Statistically, that’s only 80 million of the possible 320 million people who could voice their opinions on political issues.

Unfortunately, regardless of President Obama’s facts and figures, people will believe as they want to believe and are sidetracked by the political games daily televised. In an article from AlterNet, the writer speaks on the characteristics of stupidity as follows.

“Five defining characteristics of stupidity, it seems to me, are readily apparent (in the American public). First, is sheer ignorance: Ignorance of critical facts about important events in the news, and ignorance of how our government functions and who’s in charge. Second, is negligence: The disinclination to seek reliable sources of information about important news events.

Third, is wooden-headedness, as the historian Barbara Tuchman defined it: The inclination to believe what we want to believe regardless of the facts. Fourth, is shortsightedness: The support of public policies that are mutually contradictory, or contrary to the country’s long-term interests.

Fifth, and finally, is a broad category I call bone-headedness, for want of a better name: The susceptibility to meaningless phrases, stereotypes, irrational biases, and simplistic diagnoses and solutions that play on our hopes and fears.”

Honestly, the writer is correct. Regardless of the facts that unemployment is lower than it’s been in decades, or that gas prices are nearly back to $1.50 per gallon, or that the “little guy” (aka the working class — even the middle class nowadays) is actually being looked-out-for, people tend to go by hearsay or popular opinion — “on the bandwagon,” so to speak. Instead of researching the information themselves to find the real facts, many of these citizens tend to tune in to the “6 o’clock news” for their thoughts and knowledge about President Obama.

If judging by merits alone, how can one refute irrefutable evidence that the economy is on the rise? Their thoughts must not be based on evidence but merely that of a bias opinion. As can be seen from the image below — an infographic officially proposed by the United States Department of the Treasury — much of the United States’ current deficit was caused by the Bush Administration, not the Obama Administration.

Honestly, how can people simply ignore these facts? Surely, the American public remembers the following gas prices under the Bush Administration?

President Obama has been in office nearly the same length of time as President Bush, Jr. and has only cost a minute fraction of his 2000-2008 reign — and much of that has been due to fixing the last administration’s spending.

So, to understand correctly, many U.S. citizens praised the Bush Administration because the media emphasized its benefits. And these same citizens degrade the Obama Administration because the media emphasizes its disadvantages? It seems as though U.S. citizens should start researching and thinking for themselves. You can’t argue with the numbers. They aren’t biased nor falsely reported.

Sadly, since an approximate 80 million of America’s population knows the first five freedoms of the First Amendment, that leaves a possible 240 million populous who do not. And often times, that populous looks and speaks as follows.

These are actual YouTube comments in regards to President Obama’s aforementioned video address — as can be seen below. In the video, President Obama goes on to mention his thoughts on the new congress.

“…I’ll call on this new congress to join me in putting aside the political games and finding areas where we agree, so we can deliver for the American people. The last six years have required resilience and sacrifice from all of us. All of us have a right to be proud of the progress America has made.”

This may mean President Obama wants to put a stop the “Republican vs. Democrats” masquerade and focus on better ways to cater to the People. Isn’t that what the American people should want?

Or is division more important? Competitive agendas, thoughts and motives? Look at the facts. Not the bias fallacies.

What are your thoughts?

[Feature Image via Getty Images, Video via YouTube]