2010 State of the Union Address

The following items were mentioned by the President as potential policy changes, legislative initiatives, or goals coming out of the address:

• Fees on the country's largest banks (to follow up on the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP))
• Giving $30 billion from recovered TARP money to community banks to extend credit to small businesses
• Job creation
• Building clean energy facilities
• Giving rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy-efficient
• Slash tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas (giving those breaks to companies that create jobs in the U.S.)
• Encourage American innovation (focus on clean energy)
• Building nuclear power plants
• Exploring off-shore areas for oil and gas
• Investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies
• Comprehensive energy and climate bill to make clean energy profitable
• More exports of goods (goal: double exports in 5 years)
• Launch of a National Export Initiative
• Invest in the skills and education of our people
• Renew the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
• Revitalize community colleges
• Ending taxpayer subsidies to banks for student loans
• $10,000 tax credit for families for four years of college
• Increase Pell Grants
• Only 10% of income to student loans
• All student loan debt forgiven after 20 years, or after 10 years if they choose a career in public service
• Cost cutting at colleges and universities
• Middle Class
• Nearly double the child tax credit
• Giving access to a retirement account for every worker
• Expanding the tax credit for those who start a nest egg (retirement fund)
• Refinancing to make more mortgages affordable
• Tackling childhood obesity (headed by the First Lady, Michelle Obama)
• Health care reform
• Deficit reduction
• Starting in 2011, freeze government spending for 3 years on discretionary programs (excluding national security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security)
• Eliminate programs that are unaffordable or don't work
• Extend middle-class tax cuts
• Bipartisan fiscal commission to provide solutions (created by Executive Order, if necessary)
• Restoring pay-as-you-go law
• Require lobbyists to disclose every contact they make
• Limits on contributions that lobbyists give to candidates
• Reform for earmarks, publish them in a single location on the web
• Crack down on violations of equal pay laws
• Immigration reform
• Repealing Don't ask, don't tell policy within the year to allow homosexuals to serve in the military openly
• Treating the nation of Israel with respect

During the address, Obama condemned the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling, stating, "Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests – including foreign corporations – to spend without limit in our elections." Justice Samuel Alito was seen frowning and mouthing the words "not true" when Obama criticized the Supreme Court.{{cite news|first=Alan |last= Silverleib|url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/28/alito.obama.sotu/index.html?hpt=Sbin |title=Gloves come off after Obama rips Supreme Court ruling |publisher=CNN |date=January 28, 2010 |access-date=February 22, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100213162929/http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/28/alito.obama.sotu/index.html?hpt=Sbin| archive-date= February 13, 2010 | url-status= live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/01/if_alito_did_say_not_true_abou.html |title=If Alito Did Say 'Not True' About Obama's Claim, He May Have Had A Point – The Two-Way – Breaking News, Analysis Blog |publisher=NPR |date=January 28, 2010 |access-date=February 22, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100408141533/http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/01/if_alito_did_say_not_true_abou.html| archive-date= April 8, 2010 | url-status= live}}{{cite web|url=http://buzz.yahoo.com/article/1:95ec266b244de718b80c652a08af06fa:81fc3961c4ce20668b006dd8b72852c1/Alito-Mouths-NOT-TRUE-At-State-Of-The-Union-VIDEO |title=Alito Mouths 'NOT TRUE' At State Of The Union (VIDEO) – Huffington Post – Yahoo! Buzz |publisher=Buzz.yahoo.com |date=January 28, 2010 |access-date=February 22, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100131084825/http://buzz.yahoo.com/article/1%3A95ec266b244de718b80c652a08af06fa%3A81fc3961c4ce20668b006dd8b72852c1/Alito-Mouths-NOT-TRUE-At-State-Of-The-Union-VIDEO |archive-date=January 31, 2010 }}{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/01/28/2010-01-28_justice_alito_mouths_not_true_when_obama_blasts_supreme_court_ruling_in_state_of.html |title=Justice Alito mouths 'not true' when Obama blasts Supreme Court ruling in State of the Union address |work=Daily News |location=New York |date=January 28, 2010 |access-date=February 22, 2010 | first=Neil | last=Nagraj}}{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6154907n |title=Alito: 'Simply Not True' – CBS News Video |publisher=Cbsnews.com |date=January 29, 2010 |access-date=February 22, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100202204723/http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6154907n| archive-date= February 2, 2010 | url-status= live}}

Chief Justice John Roberts later commented on the subject at the University of Alabama, saying, "The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court – according to the requirements of protocol – has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling."{{Cite web |url=http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0310/very_troubling_f90ec36f-c19d-4360-81c8-f72bdd227b3a.html |title = Roberts questions SOTU attendance {{!}} POLITICO 44 |website = Politico |access-date=March 11, 2010 |archive-date=March 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100312085429/http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0310/very_troubling_f90ec36f-c19d-4360-81c8-f72bdd227b3a.html |url-status=dead }}

In response to Roberts, Justice Breyer said he would continue to attend the address: "I think it's very, very, very important—very important—for us to show up at that State of the Union, because people today are more and more visual. What [people] see in front of them at the State of the Union is that federal government. And I would like them to see the judges too, because federal judges are also a part of that government."{{cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/12/breyer-ill-go-to-state-of-the.html|title=Justice Breyer: I'll go to State of the Union|last=Blake|first=Aaron|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=December 12, 2010|access-date=December 13, 2010|archive-date=December 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203215727/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/12/breyer-ill-go-to-state-of-the.html|url-status=dead}}

Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan was chosen as the designated survivor and did not attend the address, in order to keep a presidential line of succession should a catastrophic event have wiped out the administration.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/27/AR2010012704850.html|title=HUD secretary stays home from Obama speech|date=January 27, 2010|publisher=Washington Post/AP|access-date=January 28, 2010}}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was also out of the country at the time of the address for a conference in London regarding the country of Yemen and the upsurge in terrorist activity in that country.

The Republican response to the State of the Union Address was delivered by Bob McDonnell who had been sworn in as the Governor of Virginia 11 days before. McDonnell sought to replicate the trappings State of the Union Address by giving a speech in the chamber of the Virginia House of Delegates with the audience filled with his supporters and included shots of McDonnell entering the chamber while shaking hands as he walking down the aisle. He also selected ten guests to stand behind him as he delivered the speech, including a member of the armed forces wearing his uniform{{cite news|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/01/post_560.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513201216/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/01/post_560.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 13, 2011|title=McDonnell's guests at tonight's State of the Union response|date=January 27, 2010|first=Anita|last=Kumar|access-date=April 10, 2010|newspaper=Washington Post}} that critics alleged to be a violation of military regulations.{{cite web|url=http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/2010/01/dont-play-politics-with-the-military-bob-mcdonnells-republican-response-to-the-sotu.html|title=Bob McDonnell's Republican Response to the SOTU: A Military Misstep|date=January 28, 2010|access-date=April 10, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100407024641/http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/2010/01/dont-play-politics-with-the-military-bob-mcdonnells-republican-response-to-the-sotu.html| archive-date= April 7, 2010 | url-status= live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/134410p.pdf|title=Military Directive 1344.10: Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces|date=February 19, 2008|quote=Use or allow the use of photographs, drawings, and other similar media formats of themselves in uniform as the primary graphic representation in any campaign media, such as a billboard, brochure, flyer, Web site, or television commercial.|access-date=April 10, 2010|archive-date=August 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825013808/http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/134410p.pdf|url-status=dead}} In addition, the use of House chamber for McDonnell's speech did not comply with House Rule 82.{{cite news|title=Howell challenged on use of House chamber|first=Anita|last=Kumar|date=February 2, 2010|page=B4|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/01/AR2010020103590.html|access-date=April 8, 2010}}{{cite news|url=http://www.styleweekly.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=50B4786B1C1A48DA91BD840C109F94CA|title=Hollow Hall|date=February 9, 2010|work=Style (Richmond, VA)|first=Edwin |last=Slipek Jr.|access-date=April 8, 2010}} In his prepared text, McDonnell stated, "Today, the federal government is simply trying to do too much."{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/27/bob-mcdonnell-speech-full_n_439508.html|title=Bob McDonnell Speech (FULL TEXT): Republican State Of The Union Response|access-date=May 10, 2010 |work=Huffington Post|first=Michael|last=Falcone|date=January 27, 2010}}

Originally, the White House was considering two dates for the State of the Union Address:{{cite news | url = http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/01/07/2010-01-07_abcs_lost_premiere_may_be_replaced_by_presidents_obama_state_of_the_union_addres.html | access-date =January 17, 2010 | location=New York | work=Daily News | first=Soraya | last=Roberts | title=ABC's 'Lost' premiere may be replaced by President's Obama State of the Union address | date=January 7, 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100118030134/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/01/07/2010-01-07_abcs_lost_premiere_may_be_replaced_by_presidents_obama_state_of_the_union_addres.html| archive-date= January 18, 2010 | url-status= live}} January 26 and February 2.Adalian, Josef (January 6, 2010), "[http://www.thewrap.com/ind-column/white-house-could-derail-lost-premiere-plans-12587 White House Could Derail Lost Premiere Plans] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610063729/http://www.thewrap.com/ind-column/white-house-could-derail-lost-premiere-plans-12587 |date=June 10, 2010 }}", The Wrap. Retrieved on January 17, 2010. Were the latter date selected, ABC would have then preempted the already scheduled premiere of the sixth and final season of the TV series Lost, sabotaging months of promotion for "The Final Season" and forcing some awkward rescheduling of the season, which had no leeway for interruptions.Anderson, Kyle (January 7, 2010), "[http://newsroom.mtv.com/2010/01/07/state-of-the-union-lost President Obama's Lost Controversy: The Solution!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819101308/http://newsroom.mtv.com/2010/01/07/state-of-the-union-lost/ |date=August 19, 2010 }}", MTV. Retrieved on January 17, 2010. This prompted an online protest among fans and the story was picked up by dozens of media outlets.{{cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/08/AR2010010803616.html | access-date =January 17, 2010 | newspaper=The Washington Post | first=Lisa | last=de Moraes | title=Obama's State of the Union won't preempt season premiere of 'Lost' after all | date=January 9, 2010}} On January 8, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs announced "I don't foresee a scenario in which millions of people who hope to finally get some conclusion with Lost are preempted by the president",Godwin, Jennifer (January 8, 2010), "[http://ca.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b161103_lost_versus_obama_lost_wins.html Lost Versus Obama: Lost Wins!]", E!. Retrieved on January 17, 2010. to which the show's co-creator Damon Lindelof responded via his Twitter account with "OBAMA BACKED DOWN!!!! Groundhog Day is OURS!!!!!!! (God Bless America)".Barrett, Annie (January 8, 2010), "[http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/01/08/lost-state-of-the-union State of the Union Will Not Interfere with Lost Premiere; We Can All Breathe Again] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114104657/http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/01/08/lost-state-of-the-union/ |date=January 14, 2010 }}", Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on January 17, 2010.

Ben East of the United Arab Emirates The National newspaper summed up the story with "confirmation of just how important [Lost] is came with an almost unbelievable communiqué from the White House last week ... That's right. Obama might have had vital information to impart upon the American people about health care, the war in Afghanistan, the financial crisis—things that, you know, might affect real lives. But the most important thing was that his address didn't clash with a series in which a polar bear appears on a tropical island. After extensive lobbying by the ABC network, the White House surrendered."East, Ben (January 17, 2010), "[http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100118/ART/701179978/1007 Fans May Forever Be Lost for Answers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121160713/http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20100118%2FART%2F701179978%2F1007 |date=January 21, 2010 }}", The National. Retrieved on January 17, 2010.

• 2010 United States House of Representatives elections

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{{Wikisource|Barack Obama's Second State of the Union Address|2010 State of the Union Address}}

• {{cite journal|title=Senate|date=January 27, 2010|journal=Congressional Record|publisher=United States Government Publishing Office|place=Washington, DC|volume=156|issue=11|pages=S263–S268|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2010-01-27/pdf/CREC-2010-01-27-senate.pdf|access-date=August 18, 2024}}
• {{cite news|title=2010 State of the Union Address|date=January 27, 2010|publisher=C-SPAN|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?291689-2/2010-state-union-address|access-date=August 18, 2024}}
• {{cite news|title=State of the Union Response|date=January 27, 2010|publisher=C-SPAN|url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?291689-3/state-union-response|access-date=August 18, 2024}}
• [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=109253 2010 State of the Union Response (transcript)]

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