In President Obama’s final State of the Union address last night (January 12) he took a non-traditional approach to the speech by not focusing on specific policy plans or legislative proposals, but calling on Americans to come together to address the major issues facing our nation’s future.

In light of his non-traditional approach, REVOLT decided to highlight a few takeways in a non-traditional way….in DJ Khaled maxims 🙂

Major Key

The president called on the nation to create “a better politics” that rebukes the rhetoric of some Republican candidates, particularly Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. He called on Washington lawmakers to find common ground for the sake of the nation.

The President laid out “four big questions” Americans must ask themselves and their lawmakers, especially the next President:

First, how do we give everyone a fair shot at opportunity and security in this new economy?

Second, how do we make technology work for us, and not against us — especially when it comes to solving urgent challenges like climate change?

Third, how do we keep America safe and lead the world without becoming its policeman?

And finally, how can we make our politics reflect what’s best in us, and not what’s worst?

Don’t Play Yourself

President Obama blasted Republicans for “peddling fiction” as it related to the economy and the strength of out union. On the economy, Obama lauded how his administration helped turn around the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009. In his address, he said, the United States is “in the middle of the longest streak of private-sector job creation in history. More than 14 million new jobs; the strongest two years of job growth since the ’90s, an unemployment rate cut in half. Anyone claiming that America’s economy is in decline is peddling fiction.”

Without naming them, Obama called out those who (i.e., Donald Trump and Ted Cruz) were engaged in the politics of fear by saying, “There have been those who told us to fear the future; who claimed we could slam the brakes on change, promising to restore past glory if we just got some group or idea that was threatening American under control. And each time, we overcame those fears.”

He also took aim at critics of climate change, immigration reform and criminal justice reform.

To them, congratulations…

Another One

Another State of the Union, another strong defense of his Presidential legacy and accomplishments. This is a president who, in his eight years in office, saved the auto industry, saved the banks, created Obamacare, hunted down bin Laden and inspired so many more. In the words of DJ Khaled, “They don’t want you to have success! But guess what? We were successful anyway.” Bless up!