US President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address

Here are the highlights:
US economy poised for ‘breakthrough’ after recession
- Al-Qaeda threat evolving, taking root in new places
- In Ukraine, we stand for the principle that all people have the right to express themselves freely and peacefully, and have a say in their country’s future
- Calls on Congress to raise the minimum wage
- After five years of grit and determined effort, the United States is better-positioned for the 21st century than any other nation on Earth
- I believe this can be a breakthrough year for America
- The sanctions that we put in place helped make this opportunity possible. But let me be clear: if this Congress sends me a new sanctions bill now that threatens to derail these talks, I will veto it.
- For the sake of our national security, we must give diplomacy a chance to succeed
- Say yes. Give America a raise. This will help families. It will give businesses customers with more money to spend
- Support a proposed bill that would hike the base rate nearly 40 per cent
- Opportunity is who we are. And the defining project of our generation is to restore that promise
- There are millions of Americans outside Washington who are tired of stale political arguments
- What I offer is a set of concrete, practical proposals to speed up growth
- Let’s do more to help the entrepreneurs & small business owners who create most new jobs in America
- America’s deficits cut by more than half
- Business leaders say US is No 1 place to invest, not China
- Will take steps without Legislation whenever possible
- Let’s make this a year of action
- Let’s do more to help entrepreneurs who create most new jobs in America
- Let’s get immigration reform done this year
- America does not stand still – and neither will I
- Inequality has deepened. Upward mobility has stalled and too many still aren’t working at all
- The United States is better positioned for the 21st century than any other nation on earth
- It’s one that champions free markets – and trusts people to make their own decisions, not a government that decides for you
- We have to prepare tomorrow’s workforce by guaranteeing every child access to a world-class education
- The fact is, that danger remains and the United States had to remain vigilant in face of changing global threats
- I strongly believe our leadership and our security cannot depend on our military alone
- As commander-in-chief, I have used force when needed to protect the American people, and I will never hesitate to do so as long as I hold this office
- But I will not send our troops into harm’s way unless it’s truly necessary
- It is American diplomacy, backed by pressure, that has halted the progress of Iran’s nuclear program – and rolled parts of that program back – for the very first time in a decade
- With our allies and partners, we’re engaged in negotiations to see if we can peacefully achieve a goal we all share: preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon
- Citizenship means standing up for lives that gun violence steals from us each day
- It should be the power of our vote, not the size of our bank account, that should drive our democracy
- We can pursue our individual dreams, but still come together as one American family
- Because of this law, no American can ever again be denied coverage for a preexisting condition
- When I took office, nearly 180,000 Americans were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, all our troops are out of Iraq
- After 2014, we will support a unified Afghanistan as it takes responsibility for its own future
- We won’t be safer if people around the world believe we strike their countries without regard for consequences
- American diplomacy, backed by threat of force, is why Syria’s chemical weapons are being eliminated
- By year-end, our longest war will finally be over
- America must move off a permanent war footing