Obama signals action on jobs, immigration, gay rights

Did President Barack Obama reassure the struggling middle class in Florida and elsewhere in his State of the Union address? His focus on jobs did please members of Congress from South Florida, though Republicans remain deeply troubled by the mounting debt. On some thorny issues, notably health-care reform, the president had little new to offer except a pep talk to Congress to stay the course and get something done. He did at least mention immigration reform, a big concern in Florida. The state’s immigrant communities are eager to overhaul the system to give unauthorized foreigners a chance to live and work here legally. The president said: “We should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system -– to secure our borders and enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation.” That’s a signal he intends to pursue immigration-reform legislation this year. To the delight of South Florida’s large gay and lesbian community, the president also signaled that he will try to upend the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” law that restricts openly gay Americans from serving in the military. “This year, I will work

with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are,” he said. As usual, the president got mixed reviews, divided along party lines. “I was encouraged to hear the president finally focus on creating jobs,” said Republican Congressman Tom Rooney of Tequesta. “However, I disagree with his defense of the failed stimulus bill and continued assertion that we can spend our way out of this downturn.” Governor Charlie Crist said he plans to tell the president at his appearance in Tampa on Thursday to cut taxes, pay down the deficit “and to, once and for all, put an end to a government-run health care plan.” Marco Rubio, Crist’s conservative opponent in the Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat, said “the president also struck a curiously partisan tone while lecturing others about the evils of partisanship. He certainly didn’t move away from liberalism or to the center.” Democrats hope the speech will rally the nation behind their agenda. Here’s a full text:

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Obama signals action on jobs, immigration, gay rights

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