Here Comes Obama's State Of The Union Address...
Several of the major policy proposals the president plans to unveil have already been revealed According to a prepared version of his remarks sent out by the White House ahead of the speech, Obama is framing his plans as "middle class economics."
"At this moment - with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry, and booming energy production - we have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on Earth. It's now up to us to choose who we want to be over the next fifteen years, and for decades to come," Obama said, according to the prepared remarks, adding, "Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?"
One plan Obama will put forward in the speech would provide qualifying students with two free years of community college. Some Republicans have already expressed opposition to that proposal due to its estimated $6 billion annual cost.
Obama also will outline a series of tax reforms designed to subsidize credits for middle class workers with a series of taxes on the wealthy and the financial industry. These will include an increase in the top capital gains tax. The Republican-led Congress is extremely unlikely to allow these tax reforms to become law. Obama's prepared remarks included an allusion to this opposition.
"So the verdict is clear. Middle-class economics works. Expanding opportunity works. And these policies will continue to work, as long as politics don't get in the way," he said.
While Republicans may block many of Obama's economic proposals outlined in the speech, it is an opportunity for him to brand himself and the Democratic party ahead of the next presidential election. In the prepared remarks, he referred to these plans as an effort to give people a "fair shake."
"That's what middle-class economics is - the idea that this country does best when everyone gets their fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules," said Obama.
The economy won't be the only major part of Obama's speech. Obama also plans to ask Congress to authorize use of force against the jihadist group Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL). He had previously been criticized for not taking the effort to fight the group to Congress by lawmakers from both parties.
According to the prepared remarks, Obama will frame the war on ISIS as an example of the "smarter kind of American leadership" he has advocated, which focuses on combining "military power with strong diplomacy."
"In Iraq and Syria, American leadership - including our military power - is stopping ISIL's advance. Instead of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group. We're also supporting a moderate opposition in Syria that can help us in this effort, and assisting people everywhere who stand up to the bankrupt ideology of violent extremism," Obama said. "This effort will take time. It will require focus. But we will succeed. And tonight, I call on this Congress to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against ISIL."
Obama also plans to use the speech to push his cybersecurity plans.
"Tonight, I urge this Congress to finally pass the legislation we need to better meet the evolving threat of cyber-attacks, combat identity theft, and protect our children's information," said Obama. "If we don't act, we'll leave our nation and our economy vulnerable. If we do, we can continue to protect the technologies that have unleashed untold opportunities for people around the globe."
This post will be continuously updated with further details from Obama's speech as he delivers it.