Richard Murphy, Independent candidate for US Congress in Maine’s First District, response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address.
The President demonstrated why he only has an approval rating hovering in the 40% range. His statements made it clear that he isn’t concerned about working with Congress, but only to push forward with his agenda. He will continue to ignore traditional checks and balances found in the United States Constitution.
President Obama addressed income inequality, despite being a millionaire himself. He offered no explanation why he felt he should be spending millions of taxpayer dollars on vacations when whose who contribute to his salary and fund every trip he takes cannot afford to take a vacation themselves.
He mentioned raising the minimum wage, while not addressing the chilling effects that would have on employer hiring, or the increase in the shift towards automation of jobs in the service industry. He said he was going to hike the wage for federal employees, ignoring that the majority of those employees already make above minimum wage.
He mentioned that 9 million people have signed up for the (Un)Affordable Care Act, while ignoring the still ongoing issues that are plaguing the system. I for one refuse to be mandated by the Federal Government to purchase a product from a private company. It just isn’t going to happen. I decide what and when I buy, not a roomful of wealthy representatives in D.C.
I can continue with things I disagreed with in the State of the Union speech, but it will be a long list. The only thing I agreed with was his short list of topics of things that needed to be addressed. His speech just showed me once again how out of touch with the American taxpayers this president is. The roomful of people who applauded him reminded me why I am running to replace at least one of them. He gets no applause from me.