State of the Union 2014: Obama Calls For ‘Year of Action’ (+video)

Photo Credit: AP

Photo Credit: AP

By JENNIFER EPSTEIN.

President Barack Obama outlined plans Tuesday to make 2014 his year of action — using his executive authorities wherever possible while encouraging Congress to go even further.

Obama took on a more pragmatic tone than in previous State of the Union addresses, acknowledging that getting his agenda past House Republicans was unlikely and therefore he would use his power to do what he can on his own.

While most of the language was not partisan, the implication was clear — the president is tired of engaging in futile battles with the GOP. Striking a contrast to congressional inaction, Obama highlighted a dozen executive actions, including an executive order announced earlier Tuesday to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 for federal contract workers and plans to speed up ConnectEd, which aims to bring high-speed Internet access to 99 percent of schools within five years.

Obama didn’t entirely ignore Congress — the White House believes immigration reform is a real possibility this year and the president reached out to the GOP on that front. He discussed immigration reform in broad terms, in hopes of leaving space for House Republicans to continue their work on legislation, while still calling for action.

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State of the Union 2014: Obama embraces Obamacare

By DAVID NATHER.

President Barack Obama left no doubt Tuesday night what his Obamacare sales technique will be: loud voice, lots of confidence and no apologies.

Don’t dwell on the scratches on the hood. Just tell the customer how good it will feel to rev the engine and drive the car off the lot.

Obamacare didn’t show up in the State of the Union address until over halfway through, and it encompassed all of nine paragraphs in an hour-plus stemwinder. But this was very much a hard sell by the president for Americans to sign up for his signature health care law, the biggest sales pitch Obama has made in a State of the Union address since the law passed. His pitch was a lengthy tour of all the success stories he could find: the Arizona woman with a health condition who got health coverage just in time, the Kentucky governor who built one of the best working enrollment websites in the country and the millions of Americans who have already signed up for coverage.

His message to Obamacare’s supporters and critics: Enough with the repeal votes. Time to sign up — especially the young adults.

“That’s why, tonight, I ask every American who knows someone without health insurance to help them get covered by March 31st,” Obama said. “Moms, get on your kids to sign up. Kids, call your mom and walk her through the application. It will give her some peace of mind — plus, she’ll appreciate hearing from you.”

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