B.C Residents Sound Off on State of the Union
By Barrett Newkirk
Battle Creek Enquirer
January 29, 2010
With his first State of the Union address, President Barack Obama drew diverse reactions from local residents.
Obama fan Randy Johnson of Battle Creek said overall, he liked the speech, which the president gave from the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday evening.
"I wish he had been a little more aggressive in his support and dedication to health care, because I'm one who supports the public option" Johnson, 61, said.
The so-called public option, a government funded health insurance program, is at risk of not making it into a final reform bill.
The president did address health care, telling Congress to continue working on its plan and asking Republicans to bring any substantive ideas they may have.
Jim Sirks of Battle Creek, a Republican who supported John McCain for president, acknowledged that his party has unreasonably blocked the president's agenda, and he agreed when the president called on GOP lawmakers to act more like leaders.
Sirks, 45, liked hearing Obama talk about more conservative economic policies. The president called for tax cuts to encourage job growth and a government spending freeze.
"It made me feel like he was at least willing to talk and make concessions," Sirks said.
Tim Bartik, a senior economist with the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research in Kalamazoo, said he wanted to see more details on Obama's economic policies before deciding if they're a good idea.
"I think it's great to focus on job creation," he said. "I'm interested in knowing what's the size of the program he's proposing for jobs and, given the design of it, what a reasonable estimate of the jobs it would create."
Similarly, Marshall Washington at Kellogg Community College wasn't ready to fully back the president's plans to reduce student loan payments and support community colleges.
"We would be very pleased if we were to get some additional assistance from Obama for our staggering numbers of enrollment," Marshall said. "It's just how it's going to be implemented at the local level is something that I question."
U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Bedford Township, agreed with the president's proposals to send relief money to community banks, enact pay-as-you-go rules for Congress and institute a spending freeze.
The flat spending could mean less support going to new projects, Schauer said, but Congress still would have a say on distribution.
"The president didn't propose an across-the-board freeze," he said. "He wants Congress to set priorities."
Dexter's Brian Rooney, one of three Republicans hoping to unseat Schauer in November, issued a statement saying Obama has failed to show results on improving the economy and national security.
"President Obama's speech was once again long on promises, short on practicality and humility," Rooney said.
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