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Americans Are Responding to the State of the Union

Summary: 
A new tool lets citizens share their reactions to President Obama's address with their friends -- and with the White House

Earlier tonight, the nation heard from President Obama, when he laid out his plan for a strong middle class and a strong America. And now, the White House is hearing from many of you. 

Jason, who described himself as a veteran, told us: "I went to college using the GI Bill and was able to buy a home using the VA Home Loan. Please continue to give veterans the benefits they deserve and give them more help for transitioning out of the military back into civilian life." Jason was responding to something the President said during his address: "We will keep faith with our veterans – investing in world-class care, including mental health care, for our wounded warriors; supporting our military families; and giving our veterans the benefits, education, and job opportunities they have earned."

A new tool created by the White House enables Americans to find the passages in the President's speech that highlight the issues you believe are most important, and then offers you the chance to let us know why. 

Kronda was moved by the story of a couple who were at the speech as guests of First Lady Michelle Obama, "Hadiya’s parents, Nate and Cleo, are in this chamber tonight, along with more than two dozen Americans whose lives have been torn apart by gun violence." And she has some specific feedback to what she heard. "I want to know that Congress is doing everything they can to prevent senseless gun violence in the streets, schools & malls of America," she wrote. 

And Matt, who is unemployed, responded to President Obama's proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $9.00 an hour. The President said it was "an idea that Governor Romney and I actually agreed on last year: let’s tie the minimum wage to the cost of living, so that it finally becomes a wage you can live on.

Matt's response? "This is something I'd wanted to be done for years. The only way we can bring this country and this economy back to being "great" again is if we can have a more rational benchmark for pay. High paid executives, disconnected from the reality of low wage living, often set wages based on minimum wage because they believe it is a fair wage. It isn't. This will help far more than minimum wage."

So now we're asking you: What part of President Obama's message touched on issues that matter in your life? Check out the Citizen's Response tool and let us know. And then share your contribution with your friends on social media. 

go to the citizen response tool