Hard word and responsibility

President Barack Obama’s 2012 State of the Union address focused much upon what was expected: the economy, jobs, energy, education, national security and tax reform.

While he promoted many of his own political goals and views, there are a few things conservatives in particular might have noticed.

Obama talked extensively about wanting to create as many jobs as possible in America and reducing the number of jobs outsourced from our country.

This sentiment is a little contradictory as, just a week ago, Obama rejected the Keystone XL pipeline application, which would have yielded $7 billion in private investment and created thousands of jobs.

Obama rejected the proposal on the grounds of environmental concerns, which many engineers and scientists had testified against.

His emphasis during the address on job creation and national energy security reveals that his move to deny the pipeline proposal was even more politically aimed against the GOP than we thought. 

Additionally, Obama directed even more attacks against his conservative opponents. 

Obama spoke of “an economy built to last, where hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded.”

He undoubtedly struck a chord with many conservative thinkers. In almost every Republican debate and anywhere else conveying a conservative mindset, the idea that “hard work pays off” is among the most core values. 

The second part of that quote is what might be even more valuable. While it is true that lending institutions might have given loans to individuals who had no business receiving them, the individuals who received them are just as guilty.

The GOP often endorses the sentiment that life is not fair and that you need to be responsible for your own actions. This is where many people can learn from that quote.

If you work hard, make responsible decisions and take accountability for your decisions, it will pay off.

Despite the nitpicking that liberals, conservatives, Democrats and Republicans can do to the president’s address, there are two parts that should not go overlooked: the beginning and the end.

Obama opened and closed his address by referencing the accomplishments of SEAL Team 6 and that Osama bin Laden is no longer a threat to our country. 

While our economy is still in the rebuilding phase and our country still has a long way to go, we can all take comfort that our country is a safer place because of this achievement.

-wfgryna@indiana.edu