President Obama delivered his first State of the Union address at a critical time for both political parties.  While stressing important issues, such as the economy and our presence in Iraq, his speech also urged the country to work together.
 

The biggest problem America is facing, its economy, is the issue that Obama addressed first.
 

He explained that while the market has stabilized, there is still more to be done. One initial action will be to put a fee on the largest banks because if they can afford big bonuses, he argued, they can pay back the taxpayers.
 

Along with the banks, Obama’s primary focus in 2010 will be on lowering unemployment. For the president, the solution lays in small businesses.
 

“We should start where most new jobs do – in small businesses, companies that begin when an entrepreneur takes a chance on a dream, or a worker decides its time she became her own boss,” the president said.
 

He then proposed taking $30 billion of the repaid money from Wall Street banks and helping community banks give credit to the small businesses.
 

As part of the rebuilding of the economy, Obama wants to keep American dollars inside the country. To accomplish this, he plans to continue the shift from dependence on foreign oil to using clean energy technology.
 

“That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country,” he said.
 

In addition to this, Obama also emphasized promoting exports of our goods. However, Hiroki Takeuchi, assistant professor of political science  believes this to be an ambitious goal.
 

“To promote exports, the U.S. products and the U.S. workers must be competitive in the global market,” Takeuchi said. “These necessary conditions to promote exports suggests the necessity of a few policies, which is economically sensible but politically difficult.”
 

Along with improving the economy, President Obama also has major plans to develop our country’s education, by giving underprivileged families a chance to send their children to college.
 

His plans include a bill to revitalize the country’s community colleges and give families a $10,000 tax credit for four years of college.
 

Student Body President Patrick Kobler believes that Obama may be “implementing reactionary policies due to Scott Brown’s victory in Massachusetts, including a three year spending freeze.”
 

“I do not think the American people are that naive not to see through it,” he said. “And it is insulting that Mr. Obama believes we are.”
 

Nevertheless, in order to accomplish any of his plans for the future, he needs cooperation and so he urged everyone to work together, whether Republican or Democrat.
Cal Jillson, a professor of political science at SMU, believed this to be easier said than done.
 

“President Obama gave a very effective speech, highlighting the need to reduce partisan bickering and effectively confront the problems most important to the American people,” he said. “Whether this speech brings them together remains to be seen, but if you had to bet, you would bet more stalemate.”
 

President Obama rounded out his speech by acknowledging his promise to the American people that he would pull the United States out of the Middle East and that he was fulfilling his promise.
 

“As a candidate, I promised that I would end this war, and that is what I am doing as President.”
 

Obama stated that combat troops would be out of Iraq by the end of August but that his administration will continue to support the Iraqi government in their elections. His goal is still to promote “regional peace and prosperity” with the Iraqi people.
 

As he neared the conclusion of his speech, President Obama briefed his other efforts. Referencing the efforts of former presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, he plans to have an arms control treaty between the United States and Russia.
 

“To reduce our stockpiles and launchers, while ensuring our deterrent, the United States and Russia are completing negotiations on the farthest-reaching arms control treaty in nearly two decades,” Obama said.
 

After reminding the public that he continues to secure our borders and aim for women’s equal pay, he finished with telling the public to keep their American spirit.
 

“The spirit that has sustained this nation for more than two centuries lives on in you, its people,” he said. “Let’s seize this moment – to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more.”